Actors: Nathan Fillion, Ron Perlman, Cary Elwes, C. Thomas Howell, Kevin McKidd
Directors: Jay Oliva
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 30, 2013
Run Time: 81 minutes

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

“Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” is the latest DCU original animated movie and one hell of a dark and fun ride. If it is not apparent in the title, The Flash gets a chance to strut his stuff in this film. The film packs some seriously impressive animation, courtesy of Studio 4°C. Like most DCU animation films, there is no shortage of amazing voice actors. This time around we get some serious talent including Nathan Fillion, Ron Perlman, Cary Elwes, Michael B. Jordan, C. Thomas Howell and many more. If you are a comic cook nut you will enjoy how they adapated Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert’s “Flashpoint” comic crossover. Just be worked it is definitely not for little kids since it is easier the most violent DCU animated film that I have seen to date. With all the buzz surrounding the recently released Superman meets Batman crossover in “Man of Steel 2”, this should be hot on the radar.

Official Premise: We all wish for the chance to go back in time and change the things, for The Flash, that coveted chance is within reach. He traverses time to right a violent, decades-past crime against his mother, but the ripples of his good intentions prove disastrous, as a fractured, alternate reality now exists in place of the familiar one. Stumbling through this twisted reality where even Superman is nowhere to be found, The Flash seeks the trusted wisdom of Batman, only to find a grittier, more violent Dark Knight in his place. Together with the help of Cyborg, they race to restore the continuity of Flash’s original timeline while this new world is ravaged by a fierce war between Wonder Woman’s Amazons and the Atlanteans, led by a battle hardened Aquaman.

Warner (like usual) takes care of it’s DCU releases. This comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet. We get all the basis and options covered with this release. The 1080p transfer really shines for this releases, especially with the animation. I thought the colors really popped and looks very sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 worked perfectly representing the voice talent, as well as the kick-ass action throughout.

The special features are pretty freaking awesome as well. There is an audio commentary track from Producer James Tucker, director Jay Olivia, screenwriter Jim Krieg and comic writer Geoff Johns. A lot of great minds here discussing the production. “A Flash in Time: Time Travel in the Flash Universe” is an timeline about the manipulation of time in the film. “My Favorite Villain! The Flash Bad Guys” takes a look at baddies in the film. There is a sneak peek at for the next DCU animated film “Justice League: War” set to arrive on Blu-ray in early 2014. There are four animated TV series episodes including “Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!” from “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” and “Flash and Substance” from “Justice League: Season Two” and “Legends, Parts 1 & 2” from Justice League Unlimited. Lastly there is an 8-page digital copy excerpt of “Flashpoint #1” included.

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Actors: Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Sam Riley
Directors: Walter Salles
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 124 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

One thing that “On the Road” doesn’t fall short of is amazing talent. This film is jam-packed with a great cast including Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen, Steve Buscemi, and Terrence Howard. Since the film is very character driven, they all come together very well. I am surprised it took this long to get this film out there since it was shot back in 2010 but it was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and named one of the 10 Best Films of 2012. The film is directed by Walter Salles (“The Motorcycle Diaries”) and is based on the iconic 1957 novel by Jack Kerouac. This is the first time that Kerouac’s novel has been brought to the big screen and it is definitely worth the wait. If you are looking for a well-acted and directed rebellious road movie then you should dig “On the Road” quite a bit.

Official Premise: ON THE ROAD tells the timeless story of Sal Paradise (Sam Riley, “Byzantium”), a young writer whose life is shaken and ultimately redefined by the arrival of charming ex-con Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund, “TRON: Legacy”), a free-spirited, fearless, fast-talking Westerner and his girl, Marylou (Kristen Stewart, “The Twilight Saga”). Traveling cross-country, the new friends venture out on a personal quest for freedom from the conformity and conservatism engulfing them in search of the unknown, themselves, and the pursuit of “it” – the pure essence of experience. Seeking uncharted terrain and the last American frontier, the duo encounters an eclectic mix of men and women who each indelibly impact their journey toward self-discovery.

MPI is the distributor behind this Blu-ray release and they did a good job on it.  The 1080p transfer is sharp.  The locations are well represented and really lends to the film itself as a character. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks works well with the film’s ever so important dialogue and score. The only real part that I was upset with was the lack of special features.  The only extra included on the release is a theatrical trailer.  I would have loved to seen more here…maybe a commentary track from some of the amazing cast perhaps. Or what is a road movie without a crew documentary the journey, a behind-the-scenes look could have been cool as well.

Actors: Michael Cera, Juno Temple, Emily Browning
Directors: Sebastián Silva
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 97 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“Magic Magic” has seemed to completely slipped through my radar this year. It packs an impressive young cast including Juno Temple (“The Dark Knight”), Emily Browning (“Sucker Punch”) and Michael Cera (“Superbad”) in his most interesting role to date. Cera delivers the creeps and does a damn good job doing it. This psychological thriller really keeps you on your toes and hits when you don’t expect it. You definitely get this uncomfortable feeling through the whole film, which I did enjoy. I would recommend this for sure as a rainy weekend renter.

Official Premise: Award-Winning Chilean director, Sebastián Silva, invites you on this thrilling journey to the deepest reaches of your darkest fears. In a foreign country, far from home, Alicia (Juno Temple) arrives in South America to vacation with her cousin, Sarah (Emily Browning). When Sarah is suddenly called away, Alicia is stuck on a remote island off Chile with three of Sarah’s friends, including Barbara (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and Brink (Michael Cera), an American exchange student with a sadistic streak. Bewildered, frightened, and unable to sleep, Alicia’s reality becomes a nightmare from which there is no waking. Ancient indigenous rites, disturbing animal behavior, and captivating hypnotic trances come together in an intense exploration into the darkest corners… when the games go too far, reality unravels with astonishing and deadly consequences.

I wasn’t aware of the work of director, Sebastián Silva prior to this film but I will be keeping an eye out for him more now. In fact, I am actually shocked that this film was never released in theaters after its critically successful debut at Sundance this past January. Sony also only chose to release this film on DVD and skipped a Blu-ray release, not sure why. But I feel this could have benefited from a high-def surround track with its eerie score. In terms of special features, there is an exclusive to the DVD featurette included, “The “Making Magic Magic””, which gives a look into the production.

Actors: Louis Jourdan, Adrienne Barbeau, Ray Wise
Directors: Wes Craven
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

I have always loved “Swamp Thing” growing up as a kid for two reasons…Adrienne Barbeau. The film itself is based on the 1970’s charcter from the DC Comics Universe. The approach to the series was very campy but I aalways though that “Swamp Thing” could have been a killer horror movie, done very dark and deep New Orleans-like. The film is directed by horror director Wes Craven (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”) and he did a good job with what he was given to work with. First thing I wanted to know with this release was if it was the uncut international version or the MGM cut version. Unfortunately, it is the latter. Shout! Factory was unable to get the uncut version due to legal reasons, which is a bit of a let down. Nonetheless, the film itself looks great and Shout! tried its best to deliver a great release. A must for any fan!

Official Premise: Deep in Florida’s darkest everglades, a brilliant scientist, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise), and a sexy government agent, Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau), have developed a secret formula that could end world hunger and change civilization forever. Little do they know, however, that their arch nemesis, Arcane (Louis Jourdan), is plotting to steal the serum for his own selfish schemes. Looting the lab and kidnapping Cable, Arcane douses Holland with the chemicals and leaves him for dead in the swamp. Mutated by his own formula, Holland becomes Swamp Thing – a half human/half plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue the beautiful Cable and defeat the evil Arcane…even if it costs him his life!

Shout! Factory gave “Swamp Thing” some impressive love with its 1080p transfer within it’s aspect ratio of 1.85:1. I felt like certain scenes were better than others but overall it was impressive. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono rack works well with the dialogue and the action scenes. Shout! delivered this release as a combo pack with both a Blu-ray and DVD included. There are some good new special features included on this release as well. Key word new special features! There is a brand new audio Commentary track with Writer/Director Wes Craven, which I really recommend. There is also an audio commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munns. There are great individual interviews with Adrienne Barbeau, Reggie Batts and “Swamp Thing” Creator Len Wein. Lastly, there are some Photo Galleries included.

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Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, Marina Spirtis
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: July 30, 2013
Run Time: 1180 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love the cliffhanger for “The Best of Both Worlds”? Captain Picard turned into a Borg…NOOOOOO!!!! It is the best in the franchise no question and left many fans screaming (including myself). Season four starts off with the conclusion episode and really kicks off the season with a bang. Due to the success and fan’s response to that cliffhanger formula it was reused throughout the rest of the series, including this season’s finale “Redemption”. Season four also marked the historic 100th episode of the show and the series passing the original series, which only had three seasons. The season some classic moments including a funny Robin Hood spoof with Q, Wesley Crusher leaving and the return of Denise Crosby as her own half-Romulan daughter! Season three really set the stands for this one and season four really takes the show into a great direction. If you are a fan of the show, do not miss this release.

Like the past three seasons, Paramount has continued to deliver fantastic releases for this show. “Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Four” delivers the show in glorious 1080p transfers of each episodes. These episodes look stunning, especially for being over 20 years old. Top that with a flawless DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track for each episode and Trek fans will be nothing but thrilled. Alternate audio tracks also include an English Stereo Surround, French Mono, Italian Mono, Castilian Mono, German Mono and Japanese Mono tracks. These episodes have been through a fantastic restoration which involved returning to the original film elements and it was worth every single second of effort because this release is great.

Paramount not only delivers a wonderful audio and video presentation, they also knock your socks off with great special features. The first five discs include a few extras where disc six is jam-packed. There are two audio commentary tracks including Rob Bowman and Mike and Denise Okuda on “Brothers” and Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga, and Mike and Denise on for “Reunion”. There are six “Archival Mission Log” featurettes, including “Mission Overview Year Four”, “Selected Crew Analysis Year Four”, “New Life and New Civilizations”, “Chronicles from the Final Frontier”, “Departmental Briefing Year Four: Production”, “Select Historical Data” and “Inside the Star Trek Archives”. These are Mission Logs are very informative and really cover all aspects from the show’s production and legacy.

Disc six from us a bunch of great high def extras. “In Conversation: The Star Trek Art Department” is a 68 minute discussion with Special Makeup Effects Artis Doug Drexler, Production Designer Herman Zimmerman, Scenic Art Supervisor Mike Okuda, Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Curry, Technical Consultant Rick Sternbach, and Deep Space Nine Scenic Artist Denise Okuda. Great new feature and a must-see for any fan of the show. ”Relativity: The Family Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation Part 1: Homecoming and Part 2: Posterity” features cast and crew focusing on all aspects of the from the stories to the fandom and together they run to about an hour of great content. Lastly there is a nearly four minute Gag Reel and a collection eight deleted scenes.

The First Ever Live Comedy Special to Air Simultaneously on all PPV and VOD Carriers on August 24, 2013

LOS ANGELES (July 30, 2013) – Image Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) brand, has set the date for the Pay-Per-View (PPV) and Video On Demand (VOD) Mega Comedy Event LEWIS BLACK: OLD YELLER – LIVE AT THE BORGATA. This will be the first ever live comedy special to air simultaneously on all cable, satellite and telco platforms including Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, DirecTV, Dish, Cablevision, Charter Communications, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS and many others. The show premiers live on Saturday, August 24th at 9:30 PM EDT, followed by replays on those platforms. It is presented in both SD and HD.

In his ninth comedy special, Lewis Black tears into a country that is going nowhere at the speed of light. OLD YELLER weaves the riotous tale of a country that is so strung out on ADD that it can’t see straight. In his rabid attack, Mr. Black even turns on himself—and his entire generation. From cable television to the computer, from Facebook to Twitter, Mr. Black rages about the prison we’ve insanely created for ourselves. He snarls at the country’s failure to find alternative energy sources while creating cell phones out of the realm of science fiction. He mauls our nation’s leaders for their laughably inept handling of social security and health care—and failing to provide help on any level whatsoever. As Mr. Black puts it, “What are you going to do when the Democrats are dumb, the Republicans are stupid and the Tea Party doesn’t even know what day it is?” He takes what makes us crazy and makes it funny. It’s a night of live comedy you won’t forget. . . “but if you do, it’s probably because you’re taking a drug that lowers your cholesterol,” he adds.

The announcement was made today by Image Entertainment’s Chief Acquisition Officer, Bill Bromiley.

“We are proud to be the first to debut this groundbreaking comedy special simultaneously live on all cable and satellite providers,“ said Bromiley. “Audiences will have even more of an opportunity to see for themselves the genius of Lewis’ comedy.”

The deal was negotiated by Bromiley, Jonathan Saba, the executive in charge of production, and Michael Bayer on behalf of Image Entertainment and Jim Gosnell, President and CEO of APA, and Leon Dang on behalf of Lewis Black.

“We are excited to be a part of this comedy special that will utilize a largely untapped mode of distribution for standup,” said Gosnell. “This event will revolutionize the way audiences see live comedy, and there’s no doubt comedians will follow in its footsteps.”

Receiving critical acclaim as a stand-up, actor and author, Lewis Black has performed for audiences throughout Europe, New Zealand, Canada and The United States. In 2012, he performed eight sell-out shows at The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway.

Lewis got his first big break in comedy back in 1996 when he created the segment Back in Black for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. It became one of the most popular and longest running segments on the show and also created a long and successful relationship with the network. Since then, Lewis has taped four specials for the Comedy Central Presents series, co-created Last Laugh with Lewis Black, presided over Lewis Black’s The Root of All Evil, and continues to perform Back in Black on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His popular appearances on Comedy Central helped to win him Best Male Stand-Up at the American Comedy Awards in 2001.

Increased exposure from The Daily Show eventually generated a record deal with Stand Up! Records. His first CD, The White Album, was released in 2000 to much critical acclaim. Lewis followed with eight more, six under the Comedy Central Records label. He has been graced with five Grammy nominations and two wins for his work. The first nomination came in 2006 for Luther Burbank Performing Arts Center Blues, the second in 2009 for Anticipation. In 2007 he won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album for The Carnegie Hall Performance and in 2011, his second for Stark Raving Black. His most recent release, In God We Rust (Comedy Central Records) was nominated for a Grammy.

Lewis filmed two specials for HBO, Black On Broadway and Red, White and Screwed. The latter was nominated for an Emmy in 2007. He had a regular feature for two seasons on Inside the NFL (for which he earned a Sports Emmy) and in 2006 was honored to be asked to participate in Comic Relief. In 2009 Lewis filmed his first feature length concert film, Stark Raving Black at the Fillmore Theatre in Detroit. The film had a limited run in theaters across the US and Canada in the summer of 2010. At the end of the theater run, premium movie channel EpixHD picked up the film for its channel along with the accompanying documentary Basic Black. Both are still aired regularly and can be found in the EpixHD on demand queue. 2011 found him producing his second full length concert, In God We Rust, which also still airs on EpixHD.

In the midst of a rigorous touring schedule, regular TV appearances and movie roles, Lewis has written three best selling books, Nothing’s Sacred (Simon and Schuster, 2005), Me of Little Faith (Riverhead Books, 2008) and I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas (Riverhead Books, 2010). All garnered critical praise as well commercial success and spent numerous weeks on the New York Times best-seller list.

Image Entertainment recently released The Numbers Station with John Cusack and Malin Akerman; Tomorrow You’re Gone with Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan and Willem Dafoe; and Day of the Falcon with Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto and Mark Strong. Upcoming features include Evidence with Stephen Moyer and Radha Mitchell; Blood with Paul Bettany, Stephen Graham, Mark Strong and Brian Cox; The Colony with Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton and Kevin Zegers; and Paradise with Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer and Holly Hunter, written, directed and produced by Diablo Cody.

Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: July 30, 2013
Run Time: 86 minutes

Episodes: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

I personally cannot get enough of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. Timed with the recent release of Season Four on Blu-ray, this two-part, “Redemption” is the season four finale and season five premiere. It is being released as a standalone similar to the “Best of Both Worlds” release with two episodes edited together for seamlessly. If you love these episodes like myself then you will be able to see the extended episode like never before. This cliffhanger is so epic and one of my favorites as we get to follow Captain Picard and Lieutenant Worf as they fight to end a Klingon Civil War. Currently the episode “Redemption, Part 2” is not available on Blu-ray, until Season Five comes out later this year. I would think that this release would be aimed for the hardcore Trekkies out there. It looks like we are seeing a trend now with these episodic feature length releases but  but for me this is a no-brainer for sure.

Like the series on Blu-ray, this also comes stocked with a very impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 and of course the original Dolby Digital 2.0 for those “Star Trek” purists that prefer the original broadcast audio tracks. The 1080p high definition transfer is nothing show of superb. Paramount did a beautiful job getting this series ready for its high-def close up. The special features are decent and unique to only this release. There is an Audio Commentary with Ronald D. Moore and Mike and Denise Okuda chatting about the episodes. There is decent length 30 minute featurette called “Survive and Succeed: An Empire at War” talking about the production of the episode from all aspects. Lastly there is two episodic promos for each episode. So you need to give props to Paramount since they could have just dropped these episode on a barbones disc and you know we still would have bought it, so the special features are a nice bonus to this release.

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Actors: Tom Wilson, Garrison Keillor, Paul Reubens, Grey DeLisle, Jacob Bertrand
Directors: Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 57 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Who doesn’t love Tom and Jerry? I recently just took a flight on JetBlue and I found myself watching Tom and Jerry marathon the whole trip and just laughing. Warner Bros. has done a good job of keeping this franchise alive and fresh with new original movies, even now and then. “Tom and Jerry’s Giant Adventure” is a new animated adaptation of classic story “Jack and the Beanstalk”. It features some great voice talents including Tom Wilson, Garrison Keillor, Paul Reubens, Grey Delisle and Jacob Bertran. If you are a fan of Tom and Jerry, this is a must purchase. It is clever, funny and great for the whole family!

Official Premise: In this all-new original movie, Tom and Jerry are among the last animals living in Storybook Town, a fairy tale-inspired theme park “where dreams come true, if you believe.” Young Jack is desperate to save the park from the hands of a greedy billionaire, setting out with his loyal cat and mouse friends to sell his prize cow for… some magic beans?! What follows is a journey up a beanstalk to a magical land ruled by a massively mean and hungry giant, and home to fun, fabled fellows like Droopy, Spike and even a golden goose! Will Tom and Jerry put an end to their furry feud long enough to save Storybook Town? You don’t need to wish upon a star. Join Tom and Jerry on their amazing adventure and find out.

Warner Bros. delivered this animated feature in a nice combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD and Ultraviolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 looks fantastic, as it has with past Tom and Jerry feature film releases. The colors are very sharp and pop nicely. My daughter really enjoyed this film due to that and also the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which wraps up the complete package very well. One thing, I am a disappointed about in this release is the lack of special features. I would have even settled for some classic or even new cartoons to accompany this all-new feature film.

Actors: Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Grace Phipps, Garrett Clayton, John DeLuca
Director: Jeffrey Hornaday
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: July 30, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

Ever since “High School Musical” aired on Disney Channel seven years ago, it has brought back the musical and delivered it to a younger audience. I grew up watching musical like “Grease” and I cannot say not to a fun and excited film with great music. Well “Teen Beach Movie” definitely delivers some major fun for the entire family. I watched this film with my 14 month old daughter and she literally had a blast and was running around screaming. It may be cheesy and but I feel that it is exactly what it should be. Ross Lynch is known best for his role in Disney Channel TV series, “Austin & Ally” and really does great singing and dancing. Maia Mitchell is an Australian newcomer, who is going to be very big in the coming years. It delivers some really catchy fun musical, along with a cute young very talented cast and comes together into a very entertaining 90 minutes. Most importantly the film also packs an important message for kids. Highly recommended.

Official Premise: “Teen Beach Movie” centers around two teen surfers, Brady and Mackenzie, who are magically transported into a 1960’s beach movie where they must try to blend in until they can find their way out. They soon discover that there is an intense rivalry between the local surfers and bikers. Things don’t go according to plan when our modern-day duo accidentally change the plot of the movie, and the two lead characters fall for them instead of each other! As everyone around them starts singing and dancing, and a fight between the bikers and surfers breaks out, Brady and Mack must attempt to get out of the movie and back to present day.

There twelve brand new songs within for this film with each one being more fun than the next. Sure they are cheesy but still fun. “Surf Crazy” is a great energtic song. “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin'” is easily my favorite.  I love the dance choreography during this song.  Same goes for “Like Me”, which is ultra catchy and really fun. All I can say is that the minute, we finished watching this movie, I immediately when on iTunes and purchased the soundtrack and I am sure that you will be doing the same. Speaking of “Grease” BTW, fans of the Broadway production, should keep an eye out of stage veteran Barry Bostwick (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”), who plays Maia’s uncle. I only wish he could have gotten a few line in during a song.

The biggest thing that I am disappointed with this release is the lack of a Blu-ray release.  Come on Disney, I know DVDs are still marketed primarly towards kids but this film would have really benefited with its music and colors sets on a Blu-ray disc.  The DVD does include some decent special features. There is exclusive Rehearsal Footage, which is fun to watch.  I saw a spot for the film on Disney Channel and they said that actors make the best dancers and these kids really have a lot of life in them. I would love to been able to move like they do. There is also a Never-Before-Seen Song included, which is a must for any fan of the film. Lastly, I would have loved to seen a sing-along version available but we can still hold our breath if they ever come out with a Blu-ray release. Can’t wait till “Teen Beach Movie 2”!

Los Angeles, CA July 30, 2013 — After much anticipation, The Final Moments of Karl Brant exclusively premieres on Nerdist.com today. The short film was unveiled last week at Comic-Con in front of a packed crowd. Written and directed by M. F. Wilson— the visionary behind the cult graphic novel Fluorescent Black—this enigmatic sci-fi thriller stars Paul Reubens [Pee-wee Herman, Blow] and Janina Gavankar [True Blood,The L Word].

The film is set in a dark future where experimental technology allows two detectives to bring a murder victim back to life in a digital state so that they may question him about his final moments. Brant is based on Wilson’s feature script for Digital State, a complex sci-fi crime drama set in the gothic and stylish world shown in the short film.

“I’m excited about the idea of copying memories into code,” says Wilson. “Imagine for a second that, after your body dies, you can go on living in a digital state. This technology, which is currently on the horizon, will challenge our definitions of life and death. It makes a great basis for a high-tech crime story.”

The Final Moments of Karl Brant is now online at www.youtube.com/nerdist and www.nerdist.com. PaulReubens stars as Dr. Bennett Ferryman, a scientist who dabbles in digital immortality. The film also features standout performances from Janina Gavankar along with Fay Masterson [Eyes Wide Shut, The Lost Skeletonof Cadavra], Jon Sklaroff [Three Kings, 24, NYPD Blue ], and Pete Chekvala [The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks ]

Scott M. Davids, the producer of The Final Moments of Karl Brant, owns Level 256 VFX which provided editorial, post-production services and designed all of the visual effects in the film. “We developed a way to make the Brant digital character with a Microsoft XBOX Kinect Camera and a Canon 5D,” adds Davids. “The end result is a fully 3D holographic persona shown in the film.”

Producer Neil Ellice continues, “Each member of our team invested their talent and time to help us create something far beyond the scope of our budget. I’m very grateful to Nerdist for supporting us. And there’s more to come!”

Wes Bentley has been a star since, at the age of 21, he played the anguished Ricky Fitts, next door neighbor to Kevin Spacey and family in the Oscar-winning “American Beauty.” His performance earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor as well as several critic group awards. He followed up with roles in films like “The Four Feathers,” The White River Kid” and “Ghost Rider.” Most recently he’s been in such big budget films like “Jonah Hex” and “The Hunger Games” as well as indie projects like “Weirdsville.” He can currently be seen starring alongside Frank Langella in “The Time Being,” and will soon be seen as Larry Marciano, Linda Lovelace’s second husband, in the bio-pic “Lovelace” as well as Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” which he was just announced to have joined for release next year.

Mike Smith: Can you give us a brief introduction to Daniel, your character in “The Time Being?”
Wes Bentley: Daniel is a painter…an artist. He’s pretty ambitious. He has a family, a wife and son. He’s had a moderate bit of success in the past. He’s looking to put on a show and display his paintings to help support the family. Unfortunately he feels the pressure and it doesn’t go so well, which leads to a great deal of frustration.

MS: What attracted you to the project?
WB: Quite a few things. I saw a lot of things in there that I could relate to. We all strive to be able to provide for our families. We try to have integrity in our hearts but that’s not always possible. It can create a dilemma in your heart. I was also attracted to the visual concept of the film…where almost every frame is filled with a piece of art. And when I heard Frank Langella was going to be in it…it all came together.

MS: In the film Daniel is an artist. Besides acting, did you have any kind of artistic background?
WB: (laughs) I’m absolutely the worse drawer, but I did enjoy the painting aspect of the film. I think that may be something I try to do later in life. But that was another thing that interested me in the film…it was a new experience.

MS: You have that rare film career where you’re successful in both big budget films and independent projects. Do you have a preference?
WB: I like elements of both. I like the guerilla warfare aspect of shooting a film that has a budget of under a million dollars. You don’t have a trailer, you have a chair to sit on outside with all of the filmmakers. On those films you learn a lot about filmmaking and the camera. On the bigger budget films you really get to concentrate on what YOU’RE doing. You can take more time to devote to your character. You don’t have to rush through a few scenes in a day, which is often the case on smaller budget films. And sometimes it doesn’t work out because you’d like to have that extra time to work out your character. But I don’t really have a preference…I’m happy with each.

MS: Besides “Lovelace” what do you have coming up?
WB: I have a film called “Pioneer,” which is a Norwegian film. It’s a very stylish film about how Norway discovered oil in the late 60s and early 70s. I also have a film called “Chavez,” which is about Cesar Chavez, the immigration activist. I play his lawyer. I also have a couple more films that are still in post production so I’m not sure when they’ll be released.

Actors: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster
Directors: Antoine Fuqua
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment
DVD Release Date: August 13, 2013
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

When you watch a film like “Olympus Has Fallen”, you have to go in just expecting a mindless kick-ass action thriller and that is exactly what you get. The director Antoine Fuqua has delivered us great films in the past like “Training Day” and delivers here again.  It packs a powerful cast including Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Dylan McDermott, Angela Bassett, and Melissa Leo. The talent is there, the action is there.  This film is plain and simple fun.  I am not sure why though Hollywood has this obsession with destroying the White House but it makes for an entertaining film, no doubt.

Official synopsis: When the White House (Secret Service Code: “Olympus”) is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As our national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning’s inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President, and avert an even bigger disaster.

“Olympus Has Fallen” is a film that needs to be seen on the biggest screen and in with the best audio/video quality. I feel that besides theatrical, Blu-ray is the only way to really watch this in my opinion. Despite the audio/video, aspect, my biggest issue with DVD’s today is that they lack a lot of the extras that Blu-ray contains.  There are tons of great special features included on the Blu-ray and yet we get nothing on the DVD release. It is completely bare-bones and that to me is very disappointing.  The only positive is that there is an Ultraviolet digital copy. I definitely would recommend going Blu with this one!

Actors: Chris O’Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell
Directors: Wayne Blair
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

After first glance I was really wasn’t interested in the film “The Sapphires” but it has since attracted some very impressive buzz and great reviews, so I gave in…and was that a good decision! You man recognize the lead star Chris O’Dowd from his role in “Bridesmaids”. He really steps up in this role and shows off what he can really do…including singing. The film itself is very entertaining. It packs a solid mix of emotions, music and all while manages to touch on an important message. Also be sure to have a few tissues handy. I would recommend this to anyone looking for some great tunes and a movie that actually comes with a great message of equality.

Besides Dowd, “The Sapphires” aka Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens & Miranda Tapsell are all just as equally amazing. They really all work together and deliver a fantastic collaborative cast. They also get to sing their hearts out…and sound amazing! There are 16 songs included in the film from the time period, including “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “What A Man,” “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch,” “Soul Man,” “Today I Started Loving You Again,” and “In the Sweet Bye and Bye.” They are great songs that we all know and love and due to that it adds a lot of energy to this film. You will it very hard not to be singing along.

Official Premise: Four smart, gutsy young Australian Aboriginal women become unlikely stars in the most unlikely of places, with the most unlikely of allies, in The Sapphires. Set in 1968, the film follows Gail (Deborah Mailman), Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell), Julie (Jessica Mauboy) and Kay (Shari Sebbens) as they seize a risky, but irresistible, chance to launch a professional career singing for U.S. troops in Vietnam. Under the guidance of an R&B-loving Irish musician, Dave Lovelace (Chris O’Dowd), the girls transform themselves into a sizzling soul act and set out to make a name for themselves hundreds of miles from home. Inspired by a true story, The Sapphires is a celebration of music, family and self-discovery.

The Blu-ray is being released as a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack. The 1080p transfer really shines with the film’s period and the musical numbers. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is the star of this release and really shines due to the collection of great music throughout. The track really gets a work out for sure and delivers these great vocal tracks perfectly balanced. The special features are good but not as spectacular as the film itself. There is a decent behind-the-scenes look in “The Making of The Sapphires”. There is an “Interview With The Original Sapphires”, which is a cool to see. Lastly there is a focus on the film’s music in “The Music of The Sapphires with Jessica Mauboy”.

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons and Bill Hader
Directed by: Maggie Carey
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 44 mins
CBS Films

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

From “Porkys to “American Pie” to “Superbad,” movies about youngsters trying to lose their virginity have seemed to strike a vein in pop culture. That trend continues in the new film “The To Do List” but with a small twist. Instead of the guy looking for that one loose girl the film follows a girl looking to become loose. The laughs are there, as is the raunch. But without an underlying sweetness to the main character, you may or may not care if she achieves her goal.

Brandy Klark (Plaza) is the valedictorian of her Boise, Idaho graduating class of 1993. Sure of herself to the point of being obnoxious, she goes as far as to write the principal’s opening notes of her introduction. But when someone yells “Get off the stage, Virgin,” she begins to contemplate the summer ahead of her, which will lead to her first year in college. Confiding in her best, and more experienced, friends Fiona (Alia Shawkat) and Wendy (Sarah Steele), Brandy begins to make a list of everything she’s ever heard of and hasn’t done, from her first French kiss to, well, let’s just say that three of her goals end in the word “job.”

The more I thought about why I didn’t fall in love with this film, which is obviously trying to be another “Bridesmaids,” the more the reason why hit me. This is writer/director Carey’s first fictional feature and she hasn’t gotten down the little things that extend a joke and add some talent behind it. It’s almost as if she thought that dirty language and over the top hijinx makes a film appreciable. It doesn’t.

Plaza does a fine job leading the cast. Besides her two friends she spends a lot of time with Cameron (Simmons) a fellow graduate and former lab partner who likes Brandy as more than a friend. As she begins crossing things off her list, Cameron unwittingly becomes her test dummy. Of course, these actions confuse him emotionally. Brandy has set her eyes on Rusty Waters (Scott Porter), the blonde and buffed, guitar-playing older boy she accidentally kisses at a party. A lot of her lusting takes place at the neighborhood pool, where Brandy has started work as a life guard. A lot of the fun happens here thanks to Bill Hader, who plays Willy, the non-swimming manager of said pool. Willy is the emotional equivalent of Bill Murray’s Carl Spackler in “Caddyshack” and is the highlight of every scene he’s in. The film is actually well cast from top to bottom. Plaza brings her deadpan comedic style that she uses in television’s “Parks and Recreation” to Brandy and does well. Also funny are Clark Gregg and Connie Britton, who play Brandy’s folks.

As for the raunch quotient, there are things done and discussed here that would make Jason Biggs violating a pie look like a scene out a Disney Channel special. Some of the gags (literally) are funny, but in my opinion director Carey needs to work on her timing. Many of the bits go on just a bit too long, turning something FUNNY into something less. The script is full of mid 1990s gags, from wanting to watch “Home Improvement” to Brandy’s obsession with Hillary Clinton. You also get to hear 2 Live Crew’s 1989 song “Me So Horny” in all its uncensored glory, which pretty much sets the tone for the next hour and a half.

Actors: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel, Danny Sapani, Matt Cross
Directors: Danny Boyle
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 23, 2013
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

When I saw the trailer to “Trance”, I knew that I would be in for a trip of a movie! The film is fast, visually amazing and jam-packed with great twists…all from the wonderful mind of Danny Boyle. Plus top that off some amazing performances from James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel and this is one crazy-fun movie. This is a film that actually makes you think and may not be for everyone. If you are looking for a no-brainer action film then look somewhere else. This challenges you and when you think you got it, it does a 360 degree turn. So if you are looking for something unique, then I would definitely recommend checking this out for sure.

Official Premise: Danny Boyle helms this psychological thriller about an auctioneer falling foul of a gang of ruthless art thieves. When upmarket art auctioneer Simon (McAvoy) double-crosses the gang responsible for the daring daylight robbery of a priceless painting by Goya, he incurs the wrath of the gang’s violent leader, Franck (Cassel). In the aftermath of a beating where he is knocked unconscious, Simon claims to be suffering from amnesia and is therefore unable to remember where the painting is, provoking Franck into hiring female hypnotist Elizabeth (Dawson) to find the answer. But as Elizabeth delves ever deeper into Simon’s subconscious, the lines between fantasy and reality converge, threatening to consume all as a series of shocking events spiral violently out of control.

20th Century Fox is delivering this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and HD Digital Copy including UltraViolet streaming. The 1080p transfer is very impressive and shot with a certain hypnotic feel (pun intended). It is framed with a nice aspect ratio of 2.39:1. The star of the release though is the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 audio track. It is very impressive and honestly a bit of a shock from this little film.  The music and dialogue benefit very well for this mix.

The special features are impressive as well but I would have loved to see a cast/crew commentary track.  There are seven deleted scenes, which run just over 15 minutes total. “The Power of Suggestion – Making Trance” is a really sharp 30+ minute in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the film’s production. “Danny Boyle: A Retrospective” is a basic rundown on the director’s career to date. “Eugene” is a short film created by Spemcer Susser, which follows the film’s main character coming into the possession of a magic lamp laptop. Lastly there is a trailer and also an easter egg included called “Trance Unraveled”, but you have to find it yourself.