Starring: Cameron Boyce, Madison Pettis, Jonathan Morgan Heit, David Arquette, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 19, 2013
MPAA Rating: TV-Y
Run Time: 148 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When my 17 month old daughter hears that theme song to “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” she runs to the TV and stops whatever else she is doing. The show is so fun and also delivers some great messages for kids. “Jake’s Never Land Rescue” is such an epic feature length special episode. When I saw the trailer, I was blown away. Of course, anything with Peter Pan showing up in the show is always fun as well. Disney Junior has a gold mine here and I (and my daughter) can’t wait to see what they have planned next for this great series.

Official Premise: The fate of Never Land hangs in the balance as magical treasures are mysteriously vanishing: Jake’s sword, Izzy’s pixie dust – even the directions on Cubby’s map! To save the day, Jake goes on the “Forever Quest” to restore power to the source of Never Land’s magic, the legendary Forever Tree. Join him on a thrilling expedition inside an enchanted cave, under the sea, and all the way to the top of Mount Destiny! But Jake needs help from his trusty crew – and YOU – to succeed against all odds and outsmart Captain Hook. Awash with exciting surprises, unforgettable music, and eight more swashbuckling adventures, “Jake’s Never Land Rescue” will make you believe in the everlasting magic of true friendship.

This DVD contains four great bonus episodes from the Disney Junior series. “It’s a Pirate Picnic / The Key to Skull Rock” features when Hook digs up the crew’s picnic spot and the crew gets a key to a treasure. “The Golden Twilight Treasure / Rock The Croc!” follows the crew must rescue a firefly from Hook and a treasure map lands in Croc’s mouth. “Jake and Sneaky Le Beak / Cubby the Brave” follows a sneaky pirate that steals from Hook and the group finds a pair of boots makes Cubby brave. Lastly “Jake’s Special Delivery / Seahorse Saddle-Up!” follows a mysterious package that washes ashore and the crew participates in a seahorse race.

If the bonus episodes are not enough to complete this DVD also included there is a exclusive Destiny Sword and also some really cool Glow-in-the-Dark stickers. There are also eight additional “Playing with Skully” Cartoon Shorts. They are really fun and I am excited that they are available on DVD. This series is currently in its second season and Disney has recently ordered a third season, which is set to premiere on February 17, 2014. So there will be much more coming for this show in the near future!! Yo Ho Let’s go!

Starring: Agnes Kittelsen, Jakob Oftebro
Directed by: Nils Gaup
Studio: Vertical Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 5th, 2013
MPAA Rating: G
Running Time: 77 Minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Journey to the Christmas Star” caught my eye since I noticed it was made by the Norwegian chapter of Disney. That’s right Walt Disney. Obviously this film is dubbed in English over the original language but kids aren’t going to notice that aspect. The story is so sweet and it really is a beautiful holiday film. Even though it is quite short, I will look forward to adding to title to our must watch each Christmas.

Official Premise: A courageous girl sets out on an epic journey to find the Christmas Star, free the kingdom from a curse and bring back a long lost princess. With an evil witch attempting to stop her completing her journey, the little girl must overcome great adversity. A Christmas adventure for the whole family set in a magnificent winter wonderland.

One cool fact that I found about about “Journey to the Christmas Star” is that when it released in Norway during Christmas 2012 it sold 450,000 admissions and had become the second best-selling Norwegian film in 2012 only beaten by “Kon-Tiki”, which was also huge in the U.S. This film has some decent visual effects and some very impressive scenery. Sadly, there are no special features included on this DVD besides a trailer. I would have loved to seem some production featurettes.

Starring: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Virginia Hey, Anthony Simcoe, Gigi Edgley, Kent McCord
Created by: Brian Henson, Rockne S. O’Bannon
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Cinedigm
DVD Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 4136 minutes

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

I am sure the burning question for this release is: how does this release differ from the 2011 release from A&E? Well there is not much different besides some custom inserts for each of case and an exclusive 15 page comic book by Ramon Perez. The main selling point though is the price no question which is quite lower and with no question worth the money since this includes all four seasons along with an incredible amount of special features. One thing that is bothering me is that I don’t know if I just suck at math but this is 2013 and this show debuted in 1999, so that is 14 years in my book but nonetheless, Cinedigm is releasing the complete series of “Farscape” on Blu-ray…again (the last time was in 2011 and released by A&E) to celebrate its 15th anniversary and it is must have for fans that couldn’t afford it the first go around for sure.

Official Premise: From Jim Henson Productions comes the Sci-Fi cult classic FARSCAPE. Follow John Crichton and the crew of Moya on a journey to places they never dreamed possible. Sizzling with brilliant characters, breathtaking effects, high-stakes action, and irreverent humor, Farscape is like no science fiction before. It is a story of good versus evil, obsession, friendship, and even love. The unpredictable twists and turns of this international TV hit will keep you riveted and cheering for more.

I love science fiction and “Farscape” always interested me, especially since The Jim Henson Company was responsible for the various alien makeup and prosthetics in the show, as well as two regular characters (Rygel and Pilot). I love seeing puppets represented on TV. I grew up with “The Muppets” and “Fraggle Rock” and loved seeing them being adapted for the science fiction genre. The show packed some very visual aspects besides the puppets included great special effects and cool sets. The show was also quite funny, yet still had a very serious angle with some solid drama. I also love the fact that this show is already considered a cult classic amongst its fans!

This new release was even sourced from the same masters as the A&E set, which if you don’t know were actually upscaled to 1080p. The 20 Blu-ray discs feature 88 complete and unedited episodes. The show was doesn’t look as stunning as one would hope for on high-def Blu-ray but it also doesn’t look terrible either. The series’ first three seasons are presented with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio and the last fourth and last season is presented in 1.78:1 (and looks the best). Bouncing back from the decent video, “Farscape” comes with rock solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks, they work perfectly with the shows style and captures the action and comedy so well. You almost forgot you are watching a TV show and not an epic sci-fi movie.

If you are a fan of this show then you are going to really enjoy this shows amazing special features, which are easily the main selling point for this release.  Get ready for this cause there are seriously 29 episode commentaries tracks, including “Premiere” with Rockne S. O’Bannon, Brian Henson and Ben Browder; “Jeremiah Crichton” with Claudia Black, Producer/Writer David Kemper, Browder and O’Bannon; “Bone to Be Wild” with Anthony Simcoe; “Relativity” with Lani Tupu (Crais/Voice of Pilot) and Director Peter Andrikidis; and, “Bad Timing” with Browder, Black and Kemper chatting about the series’ finale. Each of them add a lot to this series and is great addition for replay value!

There is a must-watch documentary for fans titled “Memories of Moya: An Epic Journey”, which features revealing new interviews with the cast and creators. There is actually over 90 minutes of deleted scenes including for all four seasons. There are tons of amazing eaturettes and documentaries including “In the Beginning: A Look Back with Brian Henson”; “Making of a Space Opera” and “Inside Farscape: Save Farscape”. All of these extras are made for the fans and will leave them super excited to get more of this great series.

If you want more Behind-the-Scenes looks, there are some great interviews with cast Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Virginia Hey, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard (Stark), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius) and more. There are also multiple video profiles featuring archival clips and cast/crew discussing their characters and roles on the series. “Farscape in the Raw” features Director’s Cut scenes for the following episodes “The Flax”, “Mind the Baby”, ” Re:Union “, “Taking the Stone”, “Through the Looking Glass” and Vitas Mortis. They are VHS quality, so cool to watch but nothing stunning in HD.

Rounding down, there are still about a dozen more featurettes focusing on the series’ score with “Listening In With Composer Guy Gross”. They cover all four seasons and various aspects of the score.  There are tons of great slideshows and archival photo galleries, including character concepts and promo photos, as well as production design galleries featuring screenshots, rough drafts and concept slide shows. Lastly there are a bunch of original TV promos and trailers as well. I am sure I left some extras out but you get the jist, this show is well-represented on Blu-ray and a must own for any fan of the show or new fans looking to discover this series.

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Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Maya Rudolph, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Peña
Directors: David Soren
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Run Time: 96 minutes

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

When I first saw the trailer to “Turbo”, I wasn’t really blown away much. It does pack on hell of a sharp voice cast including Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolf, Michelle Rodriguez and Samuel L. Jackson. Still I never ran out to see it in theaters similar to the rest of America who did the same thing. The film is pretty fun with a good heart and has some great visuals but also has a pretty weak plot. In terms of wow factor, the film looks amazing and is quite colorful but its message has just been done too many times before. When you look back at films like “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda”, it just doesn’t have that charm. Kids will enjoy it for the colorful presentation and parents will enjoy the voice cast and humor. Decent but not a classic.

Official Premise: From the makers of “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda”, “TURBO” is a high-velocity 3D comedy about an underdog snail whose dreams kick into overdrive when he miraculously attains the power of super-speed. But after making fast friends with a crew of streetwise, tricked-out es-car-goes, Turbo learns that no one succeeds on their own. So he puts his heart and shell on the line to help his pals achieve their dreams, before Turbo-charging his own impossible dream: winning the Indy 500.

DreamWorks is releasing this film in a Deluxe Edition combo pack, which includes a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet HD digital copy. One thing I do have to recommend for this film is its 3D presentation, which is very impressive. It works well with the film’s fast pace action and amazing visuals. I watched this film a second time in the 2D transfer with my 17 month old daughter, which she enjoyed quite a bit, it was still enjoyable but lacked that animated dazzle. The 1080p on either transfer are just easily still one of the sharpest of the year. Top that with a super high energy DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track and this film does not disappoint in the A/V department. Dreamworks always delivers top notch with their animated films, no question.

In terms of special features, “Turbo” is lacking in rear of the race. A few decent featurettes but nothing amazing. “Champion’s Corner” is a sports newscast interview with Turbo. “Smoove Move’s Music Maker” includes six fun music video  clips for “Speedin'”, “The Snail is Fast”, “Back to Indiana”, “Jump Around”, “Let the Bass Go” and “Eye of the Tiger”. “Team Turbo: Tricked Out” is a very short look into the film’s characters. “Meet Tito — Deleted Scene” is presented in hand-drawn form and introduced by director David Soren. David also introduces a storyboard for one of the film’s most critical scenes, “The Race”. “Be An Artist!” is a short look into each of the character with the Head of Character Animation Dave Burgess. “Shell Creator” is an interactive extras for viewers to create their own shells. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

Actors: Johnny Yong Bosch, Jan Rabson, Wendee Lee
Directors: Katsuhiro Otomo
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Run Time: 124 minutes

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

If you are a fan of Japanese anime, then you hold a special place for the film “Akira”. I remember being introduced to this film when I was a kid and literally being blown away. 25 years later this film still has that effect on me and has held up very well over the years. The film is so epic, violent and just mind-blowing packing a whole lot into a very short two hours. The visuals are ground-breaking and the soundtrack is a work of genius. I had to apologize to my wife in advance for my screaming of KANEDA!!! TESTUO!!! every time I watch this. This film is one of my favorite animes of all time since it is what actually introduced me to the genre along with “Dragon Ball Z”. Celebrating it’s 25th anniversary, this is easily the best release for this film on Blu-ray to date!

Official Premise: Neo-Tokyo is about to E X P L O D E! Akira isn’t just a movie – it’s the genesis of a genre. Katsuhiro Otomo’s landmark cyberpunk classic obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future. Akira’s arrival shattered traditional thinking, creating space for movies like the The Matrix to be dreamed into brutal reality. Without Kaneda and Tetsuo, without espers and psionic assassins, without that badass motorcycle – our world would be a far less exciting place to exist. But the manga became the movie and the movie became a phenomenon and the world took notice. Now, Akira is everywhere. If you can’t see it in the streets – if you can’t feel it crawling around inside your brain – then you have yet to be initiated. What. Are. You. Waiting. For?

My past Blu-ray experience with Akira was back in 2009 from Honneamise with their Limited Collector’s Edition (which is quite the rare item today). It was the film’s first go on Blu-ray and delivered amazing presentation with audio and video. The 25th Anniversary Edition combo pack delivered by Funimation with a Blu-ray + DVD does delivers the very same impressive experience. The 1080p transfer includes the film with a solid 1.85:1 aspect ratio, which really does a lot of justice for this quarter century old anime. It also includes tons of options in terms of audio tracks including both English dubs that have occurred since 1988. The first (1988) dub is presented in Dolby TrueHD 2.0 while the 2001 re-dub is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. But I have to admit the winner goes to the “Hypersonic” 24-Bit, 192kHz Dolby TrueHD 5.1 remaster of the original Japanese audio track, which easily takes the cake.

If you purchased the original 2009 Blu-ray debut for “Akira” back in 2009 like myself you were pissed about the complete lack of extras. Well Funimation did not make the same mistake as this release is packed with over two hours of goodies! There are still some MIA extras from previous releases but this is the best to date on Blu-ray. There is g the “Restoring Akira” documentary included. Katsuhiro Otomo, the film’s director, has a solid interview included. There are original storyboards for the anime, which runs about 30 minutes, as well as “The Writing on the Wall”, which is a series of still frames look into the film’s graffiti elements. There is a look into Geinoh Yamashiro Gumi’s work on the score in “Akira Sound Clip”. Lastly there are the Original Trailers, Original Commercials and U.S. Trailer from 2013 included.

Voices of: Diedrich Bader, John DiMaggio, James Arnold Taylor, Will Friedle, Tom Kenny, Corey Burton
Developed by: James Tucker, Michael Jelenic
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Warner Archive
Release Date: December 5, 2013
Run Time: 584 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Batman: The Brave and the Bold” is not the best animation series for the caped crusader, the title is still held by “Batman: The Animated Series”, but it is still a whole lot of fun! The show has a great balance of humor topped with some awesome action. Diedrich Bader takes on the voice of Batman and does a great job. The show focused on Batman teaming up with various heroes some DC Comics’ favorites and other some cool but obscure names including Aquaman, Blue Beetle, Plastic Man, Green Lantern, Kamandi, Doctor Fate, Jonah Hex, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Mister Miracle and The Atom. The show ran for three seasons considering of 65 episodes total. Here’s hoping that season’s 2 and 3 are not to far behind.

Official Premise: Batman wings into an exciting new era, teaming with a mighty honor roll of DC Comics Super Heroes in the debut season of the smart, hip TV series! This exciting 2-Disc, 26-Episode Collection features Batman and allies Aquaman, Green Arrow, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Robin, Wildcat, Deadman, Plastic Man, Red Tornado, Bronze Tiger, Dr. Fate and The Atom fighting foes from mad scientists to intergalactic crooks, from power-mad dictators to out-of-control teenagers teenagers in High Definition 1080p! He even partners with another legendary detective: Sherlock Holmes! In this cool, cutting-edge and often funny series, bringing back old-school comic book styling and dry wit to crimefighting, Batman faces any peril – including other heroes stealing the show – in his relentless pursuit of justice.

This show over packs such an amazing cast of guest stars as well including Morena Baccarin (“Firefly”), Clancy Brown (“SpongeBob SquarePants”), Jeffrey Combs (“Re-Animator”), Kevin Conroy (“Batman: The Animated Series”), Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), R. Lee Ermey (“Full Metal Jacket”), Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four”), Mark Hamill (“Star Wars”), Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”), Tippi Hedren (“The Birds”), Matthew Lillard (“Scooby Doo”), Julie Newmar (“Batman (1966)”), Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”), Paul Reubens (“Pee Wee’s Playhouse”), Michael Rosenbaum (“Smallville”), Stephen Root (“Office Space”), J.K. Simmons (“Spider-Man films”), Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”), Tony Todd (“Candyman”), Alan Tudyk (“Firefly”), Adam West (“Batman (1966)”), Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Michael Jai White (“Spawn”), Henry Winkler (“Happy Days”), and even “Weird Al” Yankovic.

The 26 episodes included for this season are: “The Rise of the Blue Beetle”, “Terror on Dinosaur Island”, “Evil Under the Sea”, “Day of the Dark Knight”, “Invasion of the Secret Santas”, “Enter the Outsiders”, “Dawn of the Deadman”, “The Fall of the Blue Beetle”, “Journey to the Center of the Bat”, “The Eye of Despero”, “Return of the Fearsome Fangs”, “Deep Cover For Batman (Part 1)”, “Game Over for Owlman! (Part 2)”, “Mystery In Space”, “Trail of the Demon”, “Night of the Huntress”, “Menace of the Conquering Caveman”, “The Color of Revenge”, “Legend of the Dark Mite”, “Hail the Tornado Tyrant”, “Duel of the Double Crossers”, “The Last Bat on Earth”, “When OMAC Attacks”, “The Fate of Equinox”, “Mayhem of the Music Meister”, “Inside The Outsiders”

This show was previously been released on DVD in various individual volumes but never as a complete series. Warner Archive Collection is giving this show a very impressive Blu-ray release. This is a show that probably would have never seen a Blu-ray release if it wasn’t for them. The animation is crisp within its 1080p transfer and the DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 track is rocking with the action and humor. This release is exclusive to the WBShop currently until Dec 05, 2013. There are no additional special features included on this set, which is not a surprise since none of the previously released volumes DVD for this show had any extras either.

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If you walk away from December’s rather tense House of Bad a little shaken and stirred, the man to send your letters of complaint to is Jim Towns. Media Mikes had a chance to talk to the talented up-and-coming filmmaker about one of the most daunting films you’ll see this year. Be sure to check out “House of Bad” when it hits DVD on December 3.

Mike Gencarelli: How far back does the story of House of Bad’s conception go?
Jim Towns: All the way back in college I’d had a vague idea for a story about three sisters on the run with a stolen suitcase of drugs. I thought I’d someday do it as a graphic novel or a prose story, and at one point I wanted to do it as a black box theatre play, but I’m glad I held onto it for a while until it could be realized on film.

MG: Were you a horror/thriller fan growing up? Is that what stemmed the interest in doing a genre film? Or is it because horror seems to be an easier sell these days?
JT: No, I’m an old-school, dyed-in-the-wool horror fan. Scooby-Doo, The Munsters, and Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein pretty much sealed my fate at an early age. I think it’s pretty apparent when “mainstream” filmmakers try to exploit the horror genre in order to get a film made and sold and bolster their reputation. I’ve been sent a few of those scripts and I think those films – and we’ve all seen them- come across as very hollow and half-hearted. Horror fans are smart, and they know when someone’s trying to exploit the genre. Also, I’m not sure horror is actually that easy of a sell these days either, because there’s a helluva lot of people making a helluva lot of horror films right now. It’s pretty hard to rise above the white noise of all that and land a good distribution deal, it takes something unique.

MG: You co-wrote the script. We picture two guys on computers, side-by-side, madly writing something by moonlight. Is that how it worked?
JT: Not really. I had a rough draft done before Scott [Frazelle]came on. We never actually sat together in a room with duelling laptops or anything, it was mostly emailing each other scenes and revisions and working in tandem to hone in on the best structure and the most compelling character moments to give the film the most impact for the viewer. Scott’s a great writer with a natural instinct for what makes a story work, and that was a huge benefit for the movie.

MG: Are the people involved in the film – particularly behind-the-scenes – all friends? Or was this a case of ’rounding up’ the best for the job?
JT: Scott and I have each worked in just about every capacity on films and TV at some point over the years, so it really was a matter of tapping our combined talent pool. Luckily we knew just about everyone we needed for the crew, and the jobs we didn’t have anyone for, someone we knew would know someone who was perfect. When you basically have no time for pre-production, you have to find people you know aren’t going to let you down, because lost time is lost money and that’ll sink you, so you simply cannot afford to pick the wrong person. I look at the finished film now and I see the amazing look our DP Chad Courtney and art director Nikki Nemzer gave it. The great makeup by Jennifer Jackson. The seamless blend between Anthony Eikner’s SFX and Gregg Deitrich’s VFX work on many of the blood gags. Nina Lucia’s razor-sharp editing. The incredible score by Terry Huud, and on and on. So yes, they were all friends, and yes we got the best for the job. It’s nice when that works out.

MG: Who is the audience for the film, in your opinion?
JT: House of Bad has all the signature moments of a good horror film- building suspense, big scares, great gory effects, so I’m not too surprised that horror fans have responded so favorably to it. What has surprised me is how well it’s connected to non-horror viewers. I think the dramatic setup of the movie, the dynamic of the three sisters dealing with the ghosts of their past, connects with a much larger demographic beyond the horror fanbase– so to answer your question, I think the film is for anyone who enjoys a good story, but can handle a few scares, too.

MG: Complete the sentence. ‘You’ll love House of Bad, if you liked…’
JT: Indie films, ghost stories, and films that don’t suck.

MG: The movie seems to be getting a lot of publicity online. How important is the internet in terms of marketing a film like this?
JT: It’s absolutely critical when you can’t afford to buy ad space or billboards. Online critics, reviewers and bloggers are a vital component in getting the word out about your movie, and I’m really thankful for everyone who’s taken the time to watch and review HoB and for the interviews, especially since the reaction has been so overwhelmingly positive. I’ve never had any of my films get such good press across the board and it’s been a pretty awesome few months, I can tell you. To my peers out there with a film project in the works I’d say put aside a few bucks aside and try to hire a good PR company like ours (October Coast) to raise your film’s awareness. Social media is great but it can only reach so far.

MG: What’s your next movie?
JT: There’s a few things coming up for me right now, which is exciting. There’s a supernatural western called A Man with a Gun, which is about this gunfighter with a dark past who travels through Purgatory to rescue the souls of his murdered wife and son. I wrote and am producing it, and it will feature Dani Lennon (Bite Me) and Tony Todd. Getting a call on your cell from the Candyman is a pretty cool thing, I gotta say. I’m also set to shoot 13 Girls next year, which is sort of a cross between Rosemary’s Baby and Law & Order. Sadie Katz and I will be reuniting on that one, as well as another little film we’re developing called Invasive, which will be really scary and really really sexy, too. Maybe even more sexy than scary, I don’t know. But it’ll be a lot of fun to watch, without doubt.

Big dreams and even bigger laughs! Your favorite speedy snail is now available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, complete with a limited edition Turbo pullback racer toy and super-charged bonus features!

For more info or to buy now, go to http://bit.ly/Turbo_BluRayComboTR

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Five-time World Champion and Hall of Famer, Randy Couture came to spotlight with his fighting skills in Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Besides fighting, Randy has appeared in films like “The Expendables”, “The Expendables 2” and “The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior”. Randy also reunited with “The Expendables” co-star Dolph Lundgren in the film “Ambushed”, which will be released on November 12th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Randy about that film and also get a sneak peak into “The Expendables 3”.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up reuniting with “The Expendables” co-star Dolph Lundgren in “Ambushed”?
Randy Couture: It was actually more like an “if then” type of deal. We have become good friends over the years. We heard about this project and they were thinking about him and wanted to know if I would be interested. I said if Dolph was going to do it then I was absolutely interested. He said the same thing that he was in if I did it. We were looking forward to the opportunity to work with each other again outside of “The Expendables”.

MG: You also co-starred with Vinnie Jones in last year “Hijacked”. Was this Accident or propose?
RC: Actually that was an accident. I didn’t know that that was coming and I was very excited to find out that he was going to be part of this film.

MG: Tell us about your role Jack Reiley and how you prepared?
RC: Jack Reiley was a challenge for me to play such a nasty character. It was very outside of the box. Part of the acting process is figuring out how to relate to the character and figuring out who they are. I had no real basis in my stream of experience to give to him, so I had to create a back story. He was doing the things that he was doing in my mind and perspective to get ahead and provide for his family and keep them in his life. Once I wrapped that frame of mind into the things he did that I felt like I was able to find him and tell the truth, which is the process in acting.

MG: What made you also take on the role of producer for “Amushed”?
RC: It was due to the relationships that I have been lucky to build. I was able to throw my name in that hat and get some credit under my belt. It was nice being able to pull the entire piece together and I have a great group of guys to help me out. Sam Spira, my manager, was great in putting me in a position to be a part of that.

MG: Do you see your taking on that role again or even stepping behind the camera?
RC: Absolutely, I am already producing a few TV shows for Spike. I am definitely looking for more opportunities in that regard. In terms of directing, it is definitely something I see myself doing. I am learning more about cameras, film speeds and all those sorts of things as I am around guys like Sly (Stallone) and other guys that I have been getting to rub elbows right. So I will definitely want to try that out at some point in the future.

MG: Tell us what we can expect from “The Expendables 3”?
RC: Actually we just finished it. It is all in the can now. I am sure that they are organizing it and getting it line out. I am hearing net August probably for a release. I will be excited to see how it comes together.

MG: Give us a rundown on some of the new additions to the cast?
RC: We have a very interesting story. It puts an interesting twist on “The Expendables”. Wesley Snipes joined the crew and how that unfolds is very cool. We add some new younger guys to the group Kellan Lutz (“The Twilight Saga”), Victor Ortiz (Former WBC Welterweight Champion), Ronda Rousey (UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion) and Glen Powell (“The Dark Knight Rises”). I think that storyline – the young vs the old – the tech savy vs. us older guys who are like the Planet of the Apes when it comes to techical stuff [laughs]. It is a pretty interesting juxtaposition and creates some interesting conflicts and I think people are going to dig this story.

MG: Besides acting, tell us about your work with Xtreme Couture MMA?
RC: The gym is going very well. We just picked up a new MMA coach, Robert Follis, who has changed a little bit of the atmosphere and energy in the gym. Some of the top pros are starting to come back into the gym setting. We have a great group of young guys. Our amateur team has been great and is kicking butt under the training of Dennis Davis. I am very exciting about the things that are happening now. We have just started an affiliate program. We have two in New York and Colorado Springs. So keep an eye out!

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• Paul Sorvino talks about new his film “Precious Mettle”

U.S. Release Scheduled for March 2014

Electric to Handle International Distribution

LOS ANGELES (November 8, 2013) – Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to the military thriller BOYS OF ABU GHRAIB at the 2013 American Film Market. BOYS OF ABU GHRAIB marks the directorial debut from rising filmmaker Luke Moran, who also wrote, produced and starred in the film.  Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings trilogy), Sara Paxton (The Last House on the Left) and John Heard (Runner Runner) also co-star.  The film is presented by acclaimed filmmakers Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, Traffic) and Marshall Herskovitz (The Last Samurai), who also executive produced the picture with Rogan Donelly. BOYS OF ABU GHRAIB is scheduled for a theatrical release in March 2014.  Vertical Entertainment’s President Rich Goldberg announced the deal today.

“BOYS OF ABU GHRAIB is a powerful story based on true events that shocked the world in 2004,” says Goldberg.  “Director Luke Moran delivers a compelling film with powerful performances, demonstrating why he’s a triple threat and one to watch for.  We are very fortunate to be a part of his feature debut.”

The deal was negotiated by Peter Jarowey on behalf of Vertical Entertainment and Resolution on behalf of the filmmakers.

Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment is handling international distribution and will be introducing the title at the upcoming American Film Market. Electric’s Head of International Distribution Sonia Mehandjiyska negotiated the deal on behalf of the company.

BOYS OF ABU GHRAIB explores a forbidden friendship between an American soldier and an Iraqi detainee during the infamous torture scandal in the world’s most notorious prison: Abu Ghraib.

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ABOUT VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT

Vertical Entertainment is a full service content marketing and distribution company, providing highly effective end-to-end solutions.  It focuses on the acquisition and distribution of studio quality films, servicing a variety of revenue streams throughout North America including theatrical distribution, DVD, Blu-ray, digital, electronic sell-through, streaming, VOD, PPV, Pay and Free TV.   Vertical Entertainment’s long standing relationships in both the content and retailer communities, along with the company’s marketing and sales expertise, creates a dynamic advantage for content partners.

ABOUT ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT

Electric Entertainment is a full service film and television production and distribution company and studio headed by veteran producer Dean Devlin along with Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan. The company recently launched its International Distribution division with THE WANNABE, a thriller that Devlin is executive producing with Martin Scorsese, and stars Patricia Arquette (STIGMATA, TRUE ROMANCE, “Boardwalk Empire”), Vincent Piazza (JERSEY BOYS, “Boardwalk Empire”) and Michael Imperioli (“OLDBOY,” “The Sopranos”).

Starring: Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Rated: TV-PG
Number of discs: 6
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 1182 minutes

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

Season 5 is an important one in the history of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. During it’s production, we had the passing of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry. The show includes some amazing episodes including “Cost of Living”, “A Matter of Time”, “The City on the Edge of Forever” and “Conundrum”, “Time’s Arrow” and of course “Unification”. I might even go as far as say that season five has some of the best episodes of the series.  The show was really on auto pilot for this season and they really just had some amazing arcs. Seven episodes from this season were also nominated for eight different Emmy awards as well. Two more to go Paramount let’s finish with a bang! Keep them coming!

Official Premise: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season Five never looked more stunning than it does on Blu-ray with 1080p high definition picture. Experience enhanced visual effects rebuilt from the original elements and surround yourself with the digitally remastered 7.1 sound (or choose the original broadcast audio). You’ll feel like you’ve plunged into the 24th century for some of the series’ most thrilling moments, including the epic two-part episode “Unification” as Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) pursues a rogue Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) into enemy Romulan territory. Discover all-new, never-before-seen bonus features as you join the USS Enterprise on the ultimate voyage.

The 26 episodes from season 5 are: :”Redemption Part II”, “Darmok”, “Ensign Ro”, “Silicon Avatar”, “Disaster”, “The Game”, “Unification Part I”, “Unification Part II”, “A Matter of Time”, “New Ground”, “Hero Worship”, “Violations”, “The Masterpiece Society”, “Conundrum”, “Power Play”, “Ethics”, “The Outcast”, “Cause and Effect”, “The First Duty”, “Cost of Living”, “The Perfect Mate”, “Imaginary Friend”, “I, Borg”, “The Next Phase”, “The Inner Light”, “Time’s Arrow Part I”.

Like the past four seasons, Paramount has really given a whole lotta love to this series. These episodes are newly remastered within their 1080p transfer. In fact, this series has improved its look throughout each season. The visual effects look better and overall the show just feels much sharper. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which is a such a treat for this series.

In terms of special features, I felt a little let down though for past season. There are audio commentaries tracks on “Cause and Effects”, “The First Duty”, “I, Borg” and “The Inner Light”. There are only three featurettes included. The first focusing on the season with “Requiem: A Remembrance of Star Trek: The Next Generation”. The second looks into the show’s tunes with “In Conversation: The Music of Star Trek: The Next Generation”. The last looks at the man who created it all with “What He Left Behind: The Roddenberry Legacy”. Rounding out the rest there are Archival Mission Logs, Deleted Scenes, Episode Promos and a Gag Reel included.

The first time I saw Justin Kirk perform he was naked! Of course, to be fair, I should note that all of the performers were naked. It was 1995 and I saw Kirk and a stellar cast, including Nathan Lane, John Glover and Anthony Heald, in the Tony and Drama Desk Award winning play, “Love! Valour! Compassion!” One thing that stood out about Kirk (no pun intended) was his bio in the Playbill in which he noted, among his credits, that he was “Michelle Pfeiffer’s dead brother in WOLF.” If truth be told, it was actually a PICTURE of Kirk portraying Ms. Pfeiffer’s dead brother but still, to say your first film starred Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer does look good on a resume.

Since then, Kirk has worked steadily, in both film and television. His real first feature was the film version of “Love! Valour! Compassion!” in which the entire cast, less Nathan Lane and Anthony Heald, recreated their roles. Lane was replaced by Jason Alexander while Stephen Spinella subbed for Heald. He has also appeared in popular television series like “Everwood” and had a recurring role in the Showtime series “Weeds.” He can also be found occasionally on the Emmy Award winning “Modern Family,” where he plays Mitchell’s boss, Charlie Bingham. He can also be seen in upcoming episode of the new show “Blacklist.”

On the big screen, Kirk has appeared in “Angels in America” (made for HBO), “Vamps” and can now be seen in the recently opened “Last Love.” Mr. Kirk took some time out of his schedule to sit down with me and talk about his new film, working with James Spader and how his photo got screentime.

Mike Smith: I’m not sure if the rep told you when I scheduled this interview but I had the great opportunity to catch you in New York in “Love! Valour! Compassion!” And if I didn’t say it then, let me say thank you for signing my Playbill.
Justin Kirk: Wow! That’s going back some. Talk about déjà vu…I just did an episode of the “The Blacklist” with…not one of the original cast but in the second string…an actor named Richard Beacon. I hadn’t seen him in 18 years. And I just got a text from Stephen Bogardus, who was in the original cast. I’ve managed to keep in touch with all of those guys over the years.

MS: Can you give us a brief introduction to your new film, “Last Love”?
JK: Sure. Well, an introduction from my perspective is that Michael Caine and I are an angsty father and son. It’s a movie about some lonely people trying to reach out to each other.

MS: What attracted you to the project?
JK: Well, right off the bat you’ve got Michael Caine…that’s a tough one to turn away. (laughs) I enjoyed the writer/director’s (Sandra Nettlebeck) first movie, “Mostly Martha.” I was a big fan of it. It was a great script. It all just came together and I decided I’d better haul my ass to Europe for a couple of months.

MS: You’ve done a lot of film and television work. Do you have a preference? And do you have to prepare for a role differently for film vs television?
JK: Not really. I think in this day and age the lines between the two are blurring. A lot of people will probably see “Last Love” on the same box they watched “Weeds” on. The difference pretty much is that in television there’s a different script every week…you don’t necessarily have your characters beginning, middle and end when you sign on to do the job. You don’t know what it’s going to be. Other than that it’s pretty much the same. They turn on the camera, look at the other actors and try to remember who the person is that you’re playing…what they do…and start talking.

MS: Do you know yet if you’re going to be back on “Modern Family” this year?
JK: Wow! Thanks for asking (laughs). I did two episodes for this year. The first has already aired where I hit on Haley. That was a lot of fun. And then there’s one more that hasn’t aired yet. That’s been a good one over the years. They usually have me back at least once a season or so. It’s not a bad show to be a part of.

MS: One of the things I remember most about you and “Love! Valour! Compassion!” was that in the Playbill you’re claim to fame was that you were Michelle Pfeiffer’s dead brother in “Wolf.” You’re actually just a PHOTO of Michelle Pfeiffer’s dead brother. How did that come about?
JK: (laughs) Someone actually sent me a shot of that scene and I was shocked at how young I was in the picture. That came about because I was doing a play on Broadway and the costume designer for the show, Ann Roth, is also Mike Nichol’s costume designer (NOTE: Oscar-winner Roth has designed the costumes for all of Mike Nichol’s films since “Silkwood”). I had never met him. One day she told me that she and I were going to take a ride about 45 minutes out of town and take some pictures. And later on, there it was in the movie. It pops up on the screen and Jack Nicholson says, “Nice face.” I rode that one for awhile! And then years later I worked with Mike Nichols on “Angels in America” and I continually had to remind him that I had worked with him before. He was fairly unaware of that. (laughs). But you know, you never know where things like that will lead.

MS: That’s like Bruce Willis trying to convince Paul Newman on the set of “Nobody’s Fool” that they had worked together before because Willis was one of the galley members during the courtroom scenes in “The Verdict.”
JK: Really? I didn’t know that. That’s a good piece of trivia.

MS: What else do you have coming up?
JK: I just did a pilot for FX called “Tyrants.” We’ll see what the life of that one turns out to be but it was a pretty crazy experience in Morocco. I just got home yesterday from doing an episode of “The Blacklist,” which is a hot new show with James Spader. That was a lot of fun, being a bad guy. And that should air fairly soon…they have a fast turnaround there because the show is doing very well so they have to make them quickly.

MS: I think it’s because of the characters he plays but I’ve always imagined James Spader would be the worse person you could ever want to spend time with. But having just said that I’m guessing James Spader is pretty cool.
JK: He’s super cool. I’ve been a fan of his since I was a teenager in Minneapolis and went and saw “Sex, Lies and Videotape” at the local art house. He’s been for me, and a lot of my generation of actors, much like Michael Caine. When the opportunity came to work with James I was like, “I’ve got to go act with Spader for a second!”

MS: That’s really all I had. Thanks again for signing my Playbill. Everybody at the stage door was mobbing Nathan Lane when you came out so I don’t know if I got to say thank you.
JK: (laughs) That’s great. I’m glad. Maybe we’ll get the chance to do it again in the future.

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Starring: Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Rated: TV-PG
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 85 minutes

Episodes: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of stars

If you are a fan of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Unification” is one of the fan favorite episodes since it brings back Leonard Nimoy to reprise his iconic role of Spock. I remember the first time I saw this episode and it has always left an impact with me. It is such an amazing two part story and one of my favorite arcs. If you follow the recent Blu-ray releases for “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, Paramount has been individually releasing each season’s cliffhanger finale. It may seem like a double dip but for us hardcore fan it is a must own to have these great episodes together and packed with exclusive extras!

Official Premise: The epic two-part story seamlessly unified into one feature length presentation! Leonard Nimoy reprises his iconic role as Spock and joins the crew of the Enterpriser in this fan-favorite double episode! When the Federation calls for help in locating an ambassador suspected of defecting, Picard is troubled to learn that Spock is the one who has vanished. Seeking information from Spock’s ailing father, Sarek, and unlikely help from the Klingons, Picard and his crew find the ambassador pursuing a personal mission on Romulus: a Vulcan/Romulan reunification. But though the Romulans claim to support the same goal, their motives are not what they seem.

The two unified episodes look amazing (as always for this series) with its newly remastered 1080p transfer. It is also backed with a phenomenal DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which really makes this arc feel like a epic movie. For a Blu-ray only consisting of two episodes, the special features are quite impressive. There is an audio commentary track with Jeri Taylor and Mike & Denise Okuda. There is a great behind-the-scenes look with “From One Generation to the Next: The Making of ‘Unification'”. Must see for any fan of the show and might I add only available on this Blu-ray release. Lastly there is an deleted scene, which was restored to HD and episode promos for each part.

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 52 mins
Marvel Entertainment

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Meet the Dark Elves, a race of beings intent on ruling the world thanks to a weapon they possess call the Aether. Defeated by warriors from Asgard, including Thor (Hemsworth), the Elves’ leader, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), escapes, intent on striking again. Thinking they are doing the right thing, the warriors try to bury the Aether deep and out of site. Sadly, they buried most of the fun in this film with them.

Oddly paced and slow to start, “Thor: The Dark World” is an overall good film, yet it pales in comparison to the Marvel films that have come before it. Though this film retains the first film’s humor it takes itself too seriously at times. Part of the reason is that the first half of the film is more concerned with Jane (Portman). Underused in the first film it’s as if the producers wanted to get their money’s worth this time out. Along with Jane we get her friend, Darcy (Kat Dennings). This is a good thing. The scenes with Dennings are among the best in the film. She keeps the story moving along. The other plus is Hiddleston as Thor’s older brother, Loki. Bitter at having been overlooked for the throne, Loki is a snake in Norse clothing. Hemsworth is a fine balance of strength and humor and, once the action starts, takes the film over.

If there is a major flaw in the film it is the direction of Alan Taylor, who honed his craft on many HBO series over the years. He only has three feature films to his credit in 18 years, the most recent released a decade ago. Three movies in that time is fine if you’re Terrence Malick. Taylor isn’t. What’s odd is that there is really nothing in his past credits that would warrant him getting this assignment. “The Sopranos?” “Nurse Jackie?” “Mad Men?” Good dramas all, but nothing there suggests the ability to helm a major special effects movie. The fact he is slated to direct the new “Terminator” film is pretty disconcerting.

Pacing aside, the film does deliver some thrills once the action begins. And thrills are what you’re paying your money to see.

Starring: Naomi Watts and Naveen Andrews
Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 53 mins
Entertainment One

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

When I was in the movie theatre business I would always, on the last weekend of the summer, let the staff have an all-night “sleepover” at a theatre. They could vote on a film to watch, invite a friend and have one more party before school started. That night, while watching the Trey Parker/Matt Stone comedy “Orgazmo” (“South Park” was a staff favorite), one of the managers interrupted the movie to inform us that Diana, the Princess of Wales, had been killed in a car accident. It was August 31, 1997.

“Diana,” the film, begins on that same day, with the Princess of Wales (Watts) heading down a hotel hallway towards a waiting elevator. For some reason, she stops and looks behind her. Nothing. She gets into the elevator and soon is off into a waiting car. What happens next is known. What isn’t are the two years previous to this evening. And that is the story of “Diana.”

If I didn’t know John Hughes was dead I would have sworn he had written this film. We meet the Princess in her third year of separation from Prince Charles. She spends most of her time doing charity work, including visiting hospitals. On one such visit she casts her eyes on heart surgeon Hasnat Khan (Andrews) and birds begin to sing. She gets such a look on her face that I’m surprised the director didn’t digitally put animated hearts over her eyes. Smitten she begins to find reasons to turn up at the hospital at all hours of the day, finally getting the nerve to speak with Dr. Khan. Thus begins a relationship that may or may not have happened. Honestly.

I’m afraid the deck was stacked against this film before one frame of film was shot. Princess Diana was such a HUGE personality that there is no way…no one…that could have played her without gaining a negative comparison. Watts tries hard and manages to capture some of Diana’s charm but still her performance never comes off as more than an impersonation. The story itself begs for you to relax your believe in reason. In order to meet up with Khan, Diana often sneaks out of her home at night, wandering the streets and catching nobody’s attention. She often dons a dark wig, which makes her look exactly like Nicole Kidman. Seriously. As time passes the two fight, make up and try to deal with life in a fishbowl.

Of course, as we know, things may or may not have gone well between the Princess and her Doctor. Not all fairy tales come true.