Actors: Brittany Snow, Jeffrey Combs, Sasha Grey
Rated: Unrated
Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Run Time: 93 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Horror films recently have become more about grossing you out than actually scaring you. “Would You Rather” fits a into that mold but where the gore would be the film cuts away, which blows by mind. What this film does have is a good cast (with the exception of porn star Sasha Grey, who thinks that she is an actress now but reality check…she is not!). Jeffrey Combs is always brillant in anything he does and he was the main draw for me. John Heard , aka the dad from “Home Alone” pops in but does not stick along very long. Eddie Steeples from “My Name Is Earl” does a good job of crossing over from comedy. I found myself very bored with the rest of the film.  The idea starts off right but then gets repetitive, especially with 95% of the film takes place at a table. Definitely do not recommend for any horror fan.

Official Premise: What would you do if a millionaire offered you a chance to solve all your life’s problems? After the tragic death of her parents, Iris (Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect, John Tucker Must Die) is desperate to make ends meet while caring for her terminally ill younger brother. When seemingly philanthropic aristocrat Shepard Lambrick (Jeffrey Combs, Re-Animator, Masters of Horror) expresses an interest in helping her by inviting her to an exclusive dinner party that offers the chance at untold riches, Iris finds herself in a group of similarly desperate individuals all looking to make some easy money. But the guests soon find themselves trapped in Lambrick’s mansion and forced to play a sadistic parlor game of Would You Rather, where one is faced with two grim, violent choices and where only the winner will get out alive. As the game progresses, Iris must decide how far she will go to save her brother – and herself.

“Would You Rather” looks good enough on Blu-ray.  It’s 1080p transfer goes break any new ground but delivers the film clear and sharp. This would work either way on DVD or Blu-ray. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works with the dialogue and the screaming, which there is a bit of. There is not much in the way of special features included.  There is a commentary track with the director David Guy Levy and writer Stefften Schlachtenhaufen (what a name). Lastly there is a poster gallery and trailer included.

Starring: Bing Crosby, Donald O’Connor, Jeanmaire, Mitzi Gaynor
Directed: Robert Lewis
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount (Pmt)
DVD Release Date: June 25, 2013
Running Time: 106 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

How can you saw now to Bing Crosby and Donald O’Connor teaming up on a picture. Well, if you are looking for a great musical, this might not be the one. I didn’t know this at the time but this is a remake of a Broadway play, which was turned into a movie in 1936 and also go starred Bing Crosby. Bing and Donald we on par for sure but the wife and I really weren’t digging the combo with Jeanmaire and Mitzi Gaynor. On the positive side, the music is great and there is some fun dance choreographed. May not be my favorite of Bing’s films but it could be yours so I will leave it up to you.

Official Premise: Crosby plays a Broadway star teamed up with young TV hotshot Donald O’Connor. Vacationing separately in Europe and needing a leading lady for their upcoming show, each signs a prospect–Crosby snaps up Mitzi Gaynor (at her perkiest) and O’Connor finds Jeanmaire, a French dancer. The show can only have one female star, so when the quartet crosses paths on the ocean liner back to the U.S., sparks will fly. Or not–this Paramount musical lacks any definable zip, from the sleepy dialogue to the listless camera. The capable Nick Castle staged the musical sequences, although Jeanmaire’s numbers were choreographed by Roland Petit (also her husband). The Porter songs are half-heartedly rendered, although O’Connor and Gaynor get some oomph into “It’s De-Lovely.” Der Bingle was born to burble “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” but it’s too little, too late.

Whether or not I like the film, Warner Archive again delivers these classics on DVD. For a film made in 1956, it looks pretty great. I do not see listed if Warner Archive restored this film for the release but I was impressed. It comes with it’s original aspect ratio of 1.66:1.  It also comes with a Dolby Digital 2.0 track, which is also a bit of a step up from previous Warner Archive made-to-order DVD releases.  Since this film is a musical, the upgraded audio track definitely benefits this release. There is no special features included on this DVD.

Starring: Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga and Lili Taylor
Directed by: James Wan
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 52 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I don’t know what happened to horror films. Somewhere between “The Exorcist” and the “Saw” series the genre’ seemed to think that substituting buckets of blood for suspense was a good trade. But suspense is what makes a film great. You didn’t see the shark in “Jaws” for almost 40 minutes but you’re heart beat like crazy every time you heard John William’s music. “Paranormal Activity” kept you glued to the screen without so much as a drop of blood. Now comes “The Conjuring,” a film sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Based on real events, the film tells the story of two families. One is the Perron family. Dad Roger (Ron Livingston), mom Carolyn (Taylor) and their five daughters. They’ve just moved into an old “fixer-upper” of a house in Rhode Island. The other family is the Warrens, Ed (Wilson) and Lorraine (Farmiga). The Warrens are paranormal investigators. They go where needed and answer when called. When things begin happening at the Perron home the couple is contacted and asked to investigate. What they find will challenge the faiths of both families.

I must give credit to director Wan. As the creator of the “Saw” series he could have rode that blood-soaked horse for years until it was dead. Instead he has crafted a film that relies solely on its actors to convey the horrors portrayed. The cast puts their all into the film, turning what could have been a cliché’d filled blood-fest into a modern horror gem. Tops among the actors are Farmiga and Taylor. Both are mothers and both do their best to keep their children safe. The Warrens have a habit of keeping a souvenir from each of their investigations which makes having a curious daughter sometimes exasperating. Both women also endure a barrage of physical abuse as the spirits that they are fighting do all they can to win the battle. The chills are genuine and I dare you not to jump.

The Warren’s would eventually go on to fame as the investigators of what is now known as the Amityville Horror. But this case surely had to prepare them for what they later found.

Starring: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker
Directed by: Dean Parisot
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hr 56 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The loveable sociopaths of the CIA retirement home are back with some fresh new villains and killing machines accompanying them for the ride. This sequel to 2010’s “RED” once again showcases the elderly handing out some ass kickings, though with less charm and wit than the original.

Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is trying out the normal life. Shopping at CostCo and trying to find the latest gadget to put in his home. His girlfriend Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), who is still coming down from the adrenaline rush of the events in “RED”, is not as enthusiastic about settling down and making dinner. As the film starts, the paranoid Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) springs up, trying to sway Frank back into the spy game. As much as Frank says no, he really doesn’t have much of a choice because, as in the first film, he’s a marked man. The cold war era has come back to haunt him. A recently released document shows a portable nuclear device is missing and everyone’s pointing their fingers at Frank and Marvin.

As in “RED,” the film is peppered with both well known and B-list actors to supply the excitement. Jack Horton (Neal MacDonough) is tasked with capturing Frank, but realizes even a squad of machine gun wielding men can’t stop an unarmed Bruce Willis. Also hot on the trail of Frank is Han Jo-Bae (Lee Byung-hun), who has a personal vendetta against him. During Frank and Marvin’s journey to find out more about this lost WMD, they track down a diabolical wine connoisseur who is known simply as The Frog (David Thewlis). The trio also accidentally bump into one of Frank’s former flames, Miranda (Catherine Zeta-Jones). We’re also treated to the best character in the movie, Edward Bradley (Anthony Hopkins). He’s a delusional former scientist who might just hold the whereabouts to the weapon.

During “RED” the characters traversed the United States. This sequel takes us first class on a wild trip around the world that touches down multiple times in three continents. It’s a visual step up, but our time in each city is short lived. Before we’re given enough time to chew on some of the scenery or digest any fresh details to the story, we’re back on the plane to another exotic location to have more exposition crammed in our gullets. When the flames die down and the guns run out of ammo, the movie hits the brakes hard.

The returning cast lack that spark of excitement and that innate taste of chaos they seemed to bathe in with “RED”. The first was obviously an introductory piece to this fantastic world of geriatric spies and assassins. Without any graphic novel to really fall back on, the writers (the Hoeber brothers) pretty much had free range to do whatever they want. So, they opted for a bland imitation of the first script. They had a chance to scratch away at the surface and find some nuggets of fun, smiling insanity. Instead the characters act out hollow versions of their previous selves when their guns are in their holsters. You’ll find yourself re-adjusting in your seat when Frank wonders aloud if he can keep Sarah safe from this horrible predicament. Yes you can. Now give her a gun.

Even though this isn’t a step-up from the original, it’s still great to see the trio of Frank, Martin and Sarah bicker and quip at each during a gun battle. It’s also still fun that every character introduction or entrance into a scene comes with screaming, bullet hole ridden furniture and shattered glass. It was a blast at the theater, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that these characters deserved better. So, if you’re looking for the same chuckles, violent eye candy and seeing some of your favorite aging actors embody James Bond or Rambo, give “RED 2” a look.

Osiris Entertainment announced today that their new science-fiction thriller, “A Thousand Kisses Deep,” will be released on DVD and Digital on August 6, 2013.

“A Thousand Kisses Deep” – inspired by the lyrics of Leonard Cohen’s song/poem of the same name – tells the story of a young woman who discovers that, by traveling back and forwards through time, her life has ended.

The film features Dougray Scott (“My Week With Marilyn”, “Hemlock Grove”), Amelia Fox (TV’s “Silent Witness”), David Warner (“Titanic”, “TRON”), and Jodie Whittaker (“One Day”, “Attack the Block”) and is directed by Dana Lustig (“Kill Me Later”).

The film is an exclusive-to-DVD premiere from Osiris Entertainment.

Actors: Saoirse Ronan, Jake Abel, Max Irons, Boyd Holbrook, Frances Fisher
Directors: Andrew Niccol
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: July 9, 2013
Run Time: 125 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

As a guy, I should hate Stephenie Meyer for giving the world “Twilight” and ruining vampires. But I honestly do not have a problem with those films, in fact I quite enjoy them (except “Breaking Dawn: Part 1”). I was intriguer by “The Host” since it has that sci-fi futuristic angle but I had no idea what I got myself into. This film is a saggy, bloated two hour mess. The film looked ok in the beginning talking about aliens etc and then it just fell into this terribly boring love triangle story.  I thank God for “Angry Birds” since it saved me from turning this film off after the first 30 minutes.  Do not recommend for any men to watch this film and women maybe if they have had a proper nap and looking for trash to watch.

Official Premise: From Stephenie Meyer, the creator of the worldwide phenomenon The Twilight Saga, comes this daring and romantic thriller based on The New York Times #1 bestselling novel. When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over humans’ bodies and erasing their minds, Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) risks everything to protect the people she cares about most, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world. The Host is a passionate and powerful epic love story co-starring Diane Kruger, Jake Abel, Frances Fisher, Max Irons and William Hurt.

Despite being a terrible film, “The Host” does have a nice 1080p transfer. Besides the film shot in the city, the rest of the film is just in the desert so there is nothing spectacular about the scenery.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works for the dialogue and the one or two boring action scenes. Universal delivered this release as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet. The special features are limp just like the film.  There is an audio commentary track with Author/producer Stephenie Meyer, screenwriter/director Andrew Niccol and producer Nick Wechsler, which is more boring than the film. There are four short meaningless deleted scenes.  There is a very short behind-the-scenes look with “Bringing The Host to Life”. Lastly there is a “Seeker PSA”

Tracey Marrow better known to the world as Ice-T first broke on to the scene in the mid 1980’s as part of a new form of rap labeled “gangster rap” which was just starting to emerge from the west coast of the United States. After releasing several successful/controversial albums Ice would evolve into a modern day renaissance man appearing in several movies and television shows such as “New Jack City” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”. Ice-T has always noted pimp/author Iceberg Slim as an influence and is a producer on a new documentary about Slim titled “Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp”. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Ice recently about the film as well as about his heavy metal group Body Count’s new album.

Adam Lawton: Other than noting Iceberg Slim as an influence what was it that interested you in producing a film about him?
Ice-T: The film was really Jorge my manager’s idea. He and I have been working with each other for going on 30 years now. He and I wanted to get into the film business and make some films so we decided to start with documentaries. We wanted to do critically acclaimed type work and get our profit out to the film community. I started with “The Art of Rap” and Jorge chose to do one on Iceberg Slim. When he and I first got together Jorge was coming from an entirely different community than mine. He was pretty much a square so I told him that if he was going to manage me then he was going to need to read all of the Iceberg Slim books. I gave him all the books and told him that I would quiz him on them. He pretty much got turned out of course but it’s always been a big part of his life. When he came to me with the idea I thought it was perfect. I executive produced this film but Jorge pretty much did all the ground work.

AL: How much input or direction did you give throughout the filming process?
Ice-T: I would see pieces and cuts throughout the filming/editing portions of the project and give my input. I also was involved in some of the soundtrack side of things as well as some of the editing. Jorge was pretty much bringing me things in pieces and when I finally got to see it all put together I was just blown away. He did a great job.

AL: Was this sort of your first venture into producing?
Ice-T: I have been involve don some things prior to this but what being an executive producer really means is you put up the money. In this case Jorge put up all of his own money. I do this type of thing with records all the time. A lot of times people want to get projects done however they don’t know how to complete them. Having been in the game now for over 25 years I am someone that knows how to get things done. Jorge is very efficient so I didn’t have to do a lot on this project. Jorge knows what he is doing and if it got by me people were going to love because I am such a huge Iceberg Slim fan.

AL: You appear very briefly in the film. Was this something that happened due to editing or was it a conscious decision on yours and Jorges part?
Ice-T: I am just a normal person and the film is not designed to be about me. Due to the fact I am a fan and am a person that was influenced by his work I appear in the film. Before reading Slims book I never thought I could tell my stories and the stories of the street in my music. I am a part of pop culture so they knew I was valid and asked me to speak on what the books did for me. I was interviewed just like Chris Rock and Snoop. That was the intention as I didn’t want to be the narrator or anything. I just wanted to blend in to the movie.

AL: Were you surprised at the people involved who spoke about Slims impact on them?
Ice-T: Henry Rollins and Rick Rubin released the Iceberg Slim soundtrack so that’s how they got involved. As we talked to more and more people they would tell us that we should talk to this person or that person. It started with one person and went from there. As far as it being difficult or people not wanting to share stories you can sometimes run in to that when you are talking to the family especially when the person you are talking about has passed. Everyone in the family wants to make sure that you are not going to be disrespectful. In this case they all knew I was a big fan and that I would handle things appropriately. They actually saw the movie before anyone else and were just blown away. They were very excited with the fact that this film gave people a better understanding of who Slim was and that he wasn’t just this guy that wrote books about pimping.

AL: For you personally what was the most rewarding part of the project and then on the other hand the most difficult part?
Ice-T: The difficult part came from more of a technical stand point more than anything. When you see some of the transitions we used there is a lot of high tech stuff going on there. That was all done in post and though it may look simple there was very little that was simple about that. We had an illustrator come in and do some animation for us as well so to get all those things to click and feel the same was definitely difficult. We had to go through a lot of licensing to get permission to use some of the things we wanted to use so that was pretty hard. Nowadays everyone has gotta get paid. (Laughs) I think the most rewarding thing for me was that I got to find out things about Iceberg Slim that I didn’t know. I mean I learned that his wife wrote the books! Nobody knew that. The quote at the end where she says that “Iceberg Slim was both of us” was great. The beauty of a documentary is that you get to tell a story a lot of times from the horse’s mouth and it goes down in history.

AL: Do you have any other projects that we can be watching for?
Ice-T: My group Body Count is recording as we speak. We are out in Vegas right now writing the new album which is going to be titled “Man Slaughter”. We have a record deal now with Sumerian Records which has artists like Lamb of God and some other big groups so be watching for that to come out soon. Jorge and I are also looking at some treatments for features as well as television shows.

Jorge Hinojosa is the producer/director of a new documentary about the influential writer Iceberg Slim. The film is titled “Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp” and is a gritty in-depth look at the man who was a pimp turned author that would sell over 6 million copies of his works prior to his death in 1992. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Jorge about the film and what it was like adding the title of director to his already impressive resume.

Adam Lawton: What was it that initially sparked your interest in the project?
Jorge Hinojosa: My regular gig is managing Ice-T and I have been doing that for the last 28 years. When I first met Ice-T I asked where he got his name and he told me that it was because of this guy Iceberg Slim. He gave me all the books to read and over our time together we were always referencing them. A couple years ago when it looked like there was going to be a Screen Actors Guild strike I came up with the idea for the documentary. Ice was all for it and then when the strike ended he told me that I should do the project. That’s really how it all came about.

AL: How did you go about choosing who you were going to interview for the film?
JH: Everyone we talked to was connected to Iceberg Slim in some form or another. Henry Rollins along with Rick Rubin released Slims spoken word album. Quincy Jones at one time was in talks to produce a movie about Iceberg Slim where Snoop Dogg would play Iceberg Slim. All these people had connections and I knew they were all fans. Everyone involved was really amazing and they all told some great stories.

AL: Was it hard in anyway getting the family members involved?
JH: Icebergs kids all loved him but at the same time its history and a legacy that is painful to them. On one hand Slim was a writer that did some incredible things but on the other no one feels as though they were properly compensated for the sales of those books. As a result of that the family lived in poverty. It’s bitter sweet. They wanted Slim to be portrayed in a way that was both honest and true however they knew that it was going to be painful. There were a lot of mixed emotions throughout the process.

AL: When you were putting everything together what was it like going back through all of the footage that was shot?
JH: Everyone we interviewed for the film said some really fascinating things. We had to be really careful in that we didn’t let something go off on a tangent. We wanted to wet people’s appetite but we didn’t want other stories to take away from the main idea of the film. It’s a fine line we had to dance along as there are many stories within this story that could make for their own movies. We had to make sure that our originally story was served first. We really had to be ruthless in what we cut.

AL: For you personally what did you find to be one of the more challenging parts of working on the film?
JH: We had such a tremendous amount of footage that I had to go through. So to figure out what I wanted to include was very difficult. I realized that the documentary should focus on a few major points that tell the emotional side of who Slim was. I definitely focused on that and the literary side of Slims life. I had to make sure that I included what I thought would be the best snap shots of Slims life. The other thing about this film is that I financed it myself. I had started off with an offer from Warner Bros. to finance it completely however as a first time director I felt that they may try and boss me around some. I wanted to be able to make the film the way I thought it should be so I took on the burden of financing the project. I am glad I did that because it made the journey that much more thrilling and at the same time terrifying. There were definitely highs and lows while we knocked this thing in to shape.

Related Content

• Will Vasquez talks about new film “Murder in Miami”
• Steven Price talks about composing the score for “Gravity”
• Stuart Gordon talks about turning hit play “Nevermore” into a film with Jeffrey Combs
• Baillie Walsh talks about directing documentary “Springsteen and I”
• Robert Trachtenberg talks about working on American Masters’ “Mel Brooks: Make A Noise”

Starring the voices of: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti and Michael Pena
Directed By: David Soren
Rated: PG
Running Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Dreamworks Animation has been nipping at the heels of Pixar for a while now. With 26 animated releases under their belt, they’ve come really close and even exceeded when pitted against the Willy Wonka’s of computer animation. Flicks like “Shrek”, “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon” have shown the creative pool at Dreamworks can hit a homerun in terms of both critical acclaim and box office numbers. “Turbo” will not be one of those.

Theo (Reynolds), who also goes by Turbo, is a garden snail who pounds energy drinks (as much as a snail can) and watches his hero, Indy 500 Champion Guy Gagne (Bill Hader) on TV at nights. Turbo is inspired by Gagne and wants to race just like his hero. The only thing stopping him is his mundane life spent sorting bad and good tomatoes in the garden. Also holding him back is his brother Chet (Giamatti) who aggressively tells him his dream of racing are ludicrous. And, of course, the obvious fact that he’s a snail. After a freak accident that melds his body with nitrous oxide, he goes from moving an inch a minute to well over 200 mph. Amidst the chaos of figuring out his newfound powers, Turbo and his brother are discovered by Tito (Pena). Tito runs a taco stand in a decaying strip mall with his brother. In his spare time he races snails with surrounding business owners. Just like Turbo, Tito has big dreams as well as ideas to promote the taco stand.

If this movie sounds a tad uneven, that’s because it is. I’m not saying that “Turbo” isn’t an entertaining kid’s flick. It is. The animation is quite gorgeous with some precise background detail. The first half of the movie is surprisingly creative as we see the daily life of snails, including their assembly line style of harvesting tomatoes. Ryan Reynolds is one of those actors that I believe does not get enough credit for the roles he does. He really brings a fun and youthful energy to Turbo and you can sense he’s giving his all every time he voices one of Turbo’s reactions. It took me almost forty-five minutes to realize Bill Hader was putting on his best suave French voice as the prideful Gagne. As for Paul Giamatti, you just can’t go wrong with him as the misguided voice of reason during times of chaos. The three leads deliver but there’s still one little problem. They’re buried beneath a slew of characters.

By the end of the movie, I wasn’t quite sure who the story was about anymore. Turbo meets five other snails, voiced by Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz and Michael Bell. They all seem to be fighting for attention when they’re on-screen. The same problem occurs when the business owners of the decrepit shopping area, voiced by Luis Guzman, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong and Michelle Rodriguez, make an appearance. By the time the Indy 500 rolls around, all that charm Reynolds channeled into Turbo is lost among too many obnoxious snail one-liners and monotonous store owners.

For kids, the whole “Never give up on your dreams” theme will be fresh, but their parents will see that theme coming within the first five minutes. This isn’t a memorable children’s movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not a decent film to take your kids to. Luckily there’s enough humor for adults and their wee ones to appreciate. Also, Jackson gleefully pays homage to an earlier movie role of his. That being said, if your child gets the joke, I might have to question your parenting skills. The writers do their best to show respect to the sport of racing, but they also manage to be in on the joke that, yes…you’re making one giant left turn 800 times. “Turbo” won’t take the checkered flag when put against some of the other kid-friendly films this summer but, even on a bad day, Dreamworks can still stay in the race.

Starring: Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Jason Robards, Tim McIntire (I), Helene Winston, Charles McGraw
Director: L.Q. Jones
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

“A Boy and His Dog” (aka Apocalypse 2024) is one crazy movie, based on a 1969 short science fiction story by author Harlan Ellison. My wife, in fact, was was taken back by the tagline on the cover “an R rated, rather kinky tale of survival”. From right there, I am immediately interested in watching this.  In fact the film has developed quite the cult following over the years, but I have to admit I have never seen it prior to this release. Did I mention it stars Don Johnson? That’s right Sonny from “Miami Vice”! This film is very unique (to put it nicely) and is definitely not for everyone but it will certainly keep you entertained for it’s 90 minutes, that’s for sure. What a trip!

Official Premise: World War IV lasted only five days but has ravaged Earth, leaving its survivors to battle for food, shelter and companionship in a post-atomic wasteland. This celebrated sci-fi tale follows the exploits of a young man, Vic (Don Johnson), and his sardonic telepathic dog, Blood, as they struggle through the barren wilderness in search of food and women. In the midst of their meager existence, Vic and Blood encounter Quilla June (Susanne Benton), a dubious young woman who lures them into a surreal city deep beneath the earth’s surface. Initially elated to find a colony of survivors, Vic and Blood quickly learn this city is not what it seems.

Shout Factory has released this film with a fantastic brand new 1080p widescreen transfer with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1.  The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono though is not the greatest. The dialogue is a little muted but overall it does the job.  The Collector’s Edition comes with a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD. It also features a reversible wrap with collectible key art.  The special features are good but nothing special. Hardcore fans will enjoy the brand new featurette “In Conversation: Harlan Ellison And L.Q. Jones”.  There is a commentary By Director L.Q. Jones, Director of Photography John Arthur Morrill and critic Charles Champlin and lastly there are some Vintage Radio Spots.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION 

Thrill-Packed Blockbuster Bursts Onto Blu-ray™, Blu-ray 3D™ and DVD July 30, 2013

Fans Can Be the First to Own the Action Extravaganza on Digital July 16^th  

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (June 4, 2013) –  Called “a stunning, high-flying, super-charged blast of fun” (Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV), the $355+ million worldwide blockbuster  G.I. JOE: RETALIATION explodes onto Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and On Demand July 30, 2013 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  Based on Hasbro’s popular G.I. JOE brand, the film will be available on Digital two weeks early on July 16^th.  “Born to play a G.I. JOE” (Scott Bowles, USA Today), Dwayne Johnson embodies ROADBLOCK and he and Channing Tatum “are a match made in action flick heaven” (James Oster, JoBlo.com) in this “cool ride” (Richard Corliss, Time) that is “awesome times 10!” (Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV).  From Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, G.I. JOE: RETALIATION also stars action legend Bruce Willis as the original G.I. JOE, as well as Adrianne Palicki, D.J. Cotrona and Jonathan Pryce.  In director Jon M. Chu’s heart-pounding thrill ride, the  G.I. JOE team not only faces off against its mortal enemy COBRA, it is also forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize its very existence.

The G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™ comes fully loaded with declassified special features that take viewers behind the lines to explore the action and the characters, what it took to bring the film to life and more. The film will also be available in a Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo pack or as a single disc DVD.

In addition, both the Blu-ray/DVD and Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combos include a limited time offer to receive a FREE set of personalized dog tags.  Consumers can visit a dedicated website and enter their unique code along with personal information to receive their own high-quality, collectible dog tags (see insert for complete details).

The Blu-ray releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

The G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The combo pack includes access to a digital copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

The G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Blu-ray 3D combo pack includes all of the above, as well as the film in high definition and 3D on a disc presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Single-Disc DVD

The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

Warner Brothers Pictures and Legendary Pictures Pacific Rim
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day and Ron Perlman
Directed by. Guillermo del Toro
Run time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Rated: PG-13
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Beginning in the present day and running through the year 2025, “Pacific Rim” delivers a futuristic lesson about coming together; not as a nation or as a race, but as humans joining together to keep Earth safe from destruction.

2013 brings the first attack. It comes from the bottoms of the sea as opposed to space, where we look for our aliens to come from. A monstrous being called Kaiju rises from the depths and wreaks havoc before it can be brought down with tanks and air support. Soon another one rises and again, with some effort, it is destroyed. The world realizes that protection will be needed and humanity develops a brand of robots called Jaegers that will be able to take on the 3,000 ton monsters. Each Jaeger is operated by 2 humans in a process called “drifting.” With two brains responsible for one wave length, every movement is perfected and synched in able to control something so big. Brothers, cousins, fathers and sons; all are used to drift as they will operate better together rather than two strangers. Over time the Kaiju develop and adapt, becoming stronger, larger and quicker. In time there are only four Jaeger teams left: retired pilot Raleigh Becket (Hunnam) and rookie up an coming pilot Mako Mori (Kikuchi), are among those called upon to rescue the world and block the intruders from the Kaiju’s world.

This is a film where the acting is secondary but, then again, this is an action movie with some underlying themes and not a movie looking to earn nominations for best actor or actress. I don’t think that is what director del Toro was trying to accomplish anyway. The story is great and it flows well. There were some predictable parts I had worked out before they happened, but the battle scenes and special effects ore than made up for that.

“Pacific Rim” is action packed and visually brilliant. I had the luxury of seeing this in IMAX and 3D and it is truly the only film that I have ever seen in 3D where I felt some scenes put me a little to close to the action for comfort. Director del Toro has a great reputation when making movies for American audiences and this one is no different. This easily could have been a film thrown together with loud noises, poor 3D and horrible special effects but del Toro delivers another success. If you plan to see this film I urge you to see it on the big screen

Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Chris Rock
Directed by: Dennis Dugan
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 41 mins
Columbia

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Ah, Adam Sandler. You have amused me for years with your comedy albums and films. You’ve even amazed me with some strong dramatic work (though, to be honest, when you’re working for Paul Thomas Anderson you’re pretty much working for the best). I’ve defended you over the years because, like your audience, I’m a 13 year old boy in an old man’s body. That being said, “Grown Ups 2” is one of your better films in recent years.

When we first met the cast they were assembling to attend the funeral of their childhood basketball coach. Lenny (Sandler) was a successful Hollywood player. Lamansoff (James) and Kurt (Rock) were family men and Marcus (David Spade) was a man-child who would sleep with anything. Some things never change. “Grown Ups 2” finds all four men now living back in their old home town. Where they had to experience the ups and downs of growing up now that rite of childhood goes to their children. Lenny’s kids get teased because of their past life in Hollywood but everyone, as is the fate of teenagers, have their own problems to endure. Those problems, and the lessons learned, form the basis for the majority of the film. A subplot, with an unruly group of college kids, led by a hilarious Taylor Lautner, forces the adults to deal with similar problems as they too are bullied away from their favorite swimming hole. Not a hard plot to deal with, to be sure, but it’s enough to keep the film moving.

Acting wise, the four returning stars (no Rob Schneider to occasionally yell “You can do it!” this time) have a great chemistry, no doubt built on by their personal friendships. Their wives (Salma Hayek, Maria Bello and Maya Rudolph) have learned to accept their mentally under-developed men because, when it comes down to it, they’re excellent fathers. Or at least try to be. As in most Sandler films, the cast is loaded with “regulars:” pals Nick Swardson, Peter Dante, Allen Covert; “Saturday Night Live” vets like Tim Meadows, Jon Lovitz and Colin Quinn. Even some of his sport buddies, including Dan Patrick, Chris Berman and Shaquille O’Neal make an appearance. Enough famous faces to keep the audience buzzing each time a new one popped up. Some of the gags are childish but really, isn’t that why you go to a movie like this in the first place? I know that’s why I do.

Actors: James Drury, Doug McClure, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan, Sara Lane
Number of discs: 9
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Shout! Factory / Timeless Media
DVD Release Date: July 16, 2013
Run Time: 1820 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“The Virginian” is a rare thing in today’s time. It was an American Western television series, which are not common today. It is the third longest running western to grace our television following “Bonanza” at fourteen seasons and “Gunsmoke” at twenty seasons. It was also filmed in color and was television’s first 90-minute western series. The stellar cast from this season includes James Drury, Doug McClure, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan and Sara Lane. If you love Westerns, then this is the show for you to watch! The last of a dying breed.

This DVD contains 24 full color episodes from the eight and final season (under the title of “The Virginian), which were fully restored and digitally remastered. In season 9, which is actually the last season of this show, the show’s title was changed to “The Men from Shiloh” and the entire feel of the series was completely redesigned. Shout! Factory/Timeless Media also delivered this DVD release within a very sharp collectible embossed tin. The episodes look good for their age and they gave this show the respect that it surely deserves.

Official Premise: Owen Wister’s 1902 western novel The Virginian was one of the first great novels of the American West. Set in the semi-mythical town of Medicine Bow, Wyoming in the 1890s, it chronicled the lives and relationships of the people who came west and settled the wild land. The Virginian was the first 90-minute television western, airing in prime time on NBC from 1962-1971. The eighth and final season of The Virginian was followed by a single season of The Men From Shiloh, a show featuring the same characters and setting but told in a new and different format.

Besides the main cast this series was packed with great guest stars including: Art Carney (“The Honeymooners”), Neville Brand (“Laredo”), Desi Arnaz (“I Love Lucy”), Edgar Buchanan (“Petticoat Junction”), Burgess Meredith (“Rocky”) and Alan Hale, Jr. (“Gilligan’s Island”). Season 8 marked the return of actors like William Shatner (“Star Trek”) and Joan Crawford as well. This show definitely represented a different time in television, where everything wasn’t just crappy repetitive reality shows. You would be able to watch TV and actually see great performances from great actors.

Voices: Carlos McCullers, Pat Carroll, Cinda Adams, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Dino Andrade, Isabelle Fuhrman and Wesley Johnny
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Vivendi Entertainment
DVD Release Date: July 9, 2013
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

“A Turtle’s Tale 2: Sammy’s Escape from Paradise” is the sequel to the very cute animated “Sammy’s Adventures: The Secret Passage” (aka “A Turtle’s Tale: The Adventures of Sammy”).  The film is not perfect but it was fun.  Same applies for the sequel.  At least Vivendi Entertainment is releasing this combo pack including a DVD, Blu-Ray and (hooray) 3D Blu-Ray. The first film was not released on 3D Blu-ray.  The 3D really adds a nice topping to this film and kids should definitely enjoy it. A lot of great in-your-face moments and family fun to be had here.

When Sammy and Ray find themselves trapped in The Tank, an underwater restaurant/aquarium, they must hatch a plan to escape and reunite with their grandkids Ricky and Ella. But they’ll have to get past Big D and his dopey thugs first. With the help of some unlikely friends, Sammy and Ray find that when you work together anything is possible!

The 1080p transfer is really clear and sharp. The colors are really vibrant and definitely stand out.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track sounds great, especially with the music. Daris Rucker delivers the tunes and they are some fun songs.  There are no additional special features included with this release.  But to be completely honest, I would rather trade a few measly special features to have the 3D Blu-ray option. It is really worth the price of the Blu-ray, no question.