Blu-ray Review “Falling Skies: The Complete Series”

Never really got into the hype for “Falling Skies”. I love me a good alien show but this one never really locked me down, after being well through the second season. The main draw for this box set is to upgrade from previously released DVD sets to Blu-ray transfers. So if you are a fan of the show it is likely a no brainer to pick these up based on price and amount of shelf space.

Official Premise: Noah Wyle (“ER”) stars in this compelling series set in the wake of a devastating alien invasion of Earth, portraying a Boston-area professor who leads a ragtag band of survivors in an effort to rescue human society. As he and the members of his improvised army of resistance fight to overcome their losses, the extraterrestrials regroup for more attacks-mysteriously targeting children as part of their hidden plans of conquest. Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy co-star.

Audio and video are solid enough with the 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 aspect ratio packed with soundtrack of Dolby TrueHD 5.1. Looks good sounds good – 4/5. There are 52 episodes are spread out on 15 discs. Special Features are plentiful. There is literally over 11 Hours of bonus content. A few highlights include a bunch of audio commentaries, various behind-the-scenes and production featurettes, a few Q&A panels with cast and crew members and “minisode” episode prequels.

Blu-ray Review “Shameless: The Complete Series”

Shameless features a star-studded cast, includes William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan and Jeremy Allen White. The talent in this show is extraordinary. There is no shock why this show last 11 seasons, because its a powerhouse.

Official Premise: Eleven seasons. Six children. But there’s only one Frank Gallagher, the proud, working-class patriarch of the independent Gallagher family, who without him would be…perhaps better off. When Frank’s not at the bar spending what little money they have, he’s passed out, leaving his kids to fend for themselves.

Audio and video are typical for a TV series, I would say 4/5 stars. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks work well and the 1080p transfers in 1.78:1 aspect ratio looks solid.  This comes packaged with a slip box enclosing two bigger cases. The first one comes with seasons 1 through 7, while the second offers seasons 8 through 11. Each case has flip trays with hinges.

The special features aren’t terrible. The earlier seasons have a varied number of 2-4 featurettes circling the production as well as deleted scenes and commentaries. The later seasons feature deleted scenes primarily. There are also some unaired scenes included and a music video.

TCM All American Massacre (inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Coming Soon from DRagonStudios

After twenty-five years, the wait is almost over. You can finally be part of one of the most sought-after lost films in horror history All American Massacre, starring Miquel Nunez (Return of the Living Dead) & Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2) NOW crowdfunding on Cinebacker.com

In the wake of the groundbreaking success of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its cult-classic sequel, director Tobe Hooper, his son William Tony Hooper, and horror icon Bill Moseley came together to explore a new nightmare rooted in the Texas mythos. The result was All American Massacre, a micro-budget fan-driven project conceived as an experimental extension of the world established by the original films.

All American Massacre was never intended for commercial release. It was created as an early fan film one of the first of its kind developed outside the traditional studio system and made primarily as a creative exercise rather than a market-driven production.

That was twenty-five years ago.

The resulting footage was believed lost, spoken of only in whispers among horror fans and collectors, with repeated promises of release that never materialized.

Until now.

When DRagon Studios lawfully acquired the raw All American Massacre footage from a private seller, our first priority was the professional restoration of the material and a full assessment of how it could be completed and presented to modern audiences within a documentary.

During this process, the project evolved beyond a standalone film. All American Massacre is now being developed as a central component of a feature-length documentary that explores its troubled production history, cultural significance, and long-standing place within The Texas Chainsaw Massacre mythology.

The documentary will also incorporate carefully staged reconstruction scenes inspired by key moments from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986). These reconstructions are designed to visually connect the original films with All American Massacre widely regarded by fans as the unofficial third chapter framing the project as a “trilogy of nightmares” that begins with the first two films and is followed by the long-lost spin-off.

Our objective is to assemble All American Massacre in the most complete and respectful form possible, finally allowing audiences to see this footage for the first time, presented alongside a documentary that fully contextualises its creation, legacy, and relationship to the wider franchise.

The result will be:

A feature-length documentary examining the film’s history, legacy, and cultural impact

Reconstruction sequences linking The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1 & 2) with a recreated version of All American Massacre, designed specifically as a companion experience for fans.

All American Massacre presented as a companion film, forming part of an expanded Texas Chainsaw Massacre mythology.

Win Passes to the Kansas City Premiere of “Crime 101”

 

Mediamikes has teamed with their friends at Amazon/MGM to give (25) readers and a guest the chance to be among the first to see the new film, “Crime 101” in Kansas City.

 

The film will be screened on Tuesday, February 10th at the Screenland Armor Theatre in North Kansas City, Missouri.  The screening will start at 7:00 p.m.

 

To receive your pass, click HERE.  The first (25) readers to do so will receive a pass for (2) to attend the screening.  This is a first come-first serve giveaway.  Once the allotted passes have been claimed, the giveaway is ended.

 

“Crime 101” opens nationally on Friday, February 13th.

 

Good Luck!!

Film Review: “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die”

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson and Michael Pena
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Rated: R
Running Time: 133 minutes
Briarcliff Entertainment

 

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

 

Imagine you’re sitting in a diner when a crazed man (unwashed for years but recently trimmed beard), wrapped in plastic with tubes dangling from his pants, storms in screaming, “I am from the future.” Thumb over a glowing button, ready to obliterate himself and everyone else, he announces that AI is about to rat-fuck the world and he needs a handful of strangers to help fix the future. You wouldn’t go. Right? “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” asks what happens when half a dozen people in that LA diner go, “Sure.”

 

Since it’s Gore Verbinski directing and Sam Rockwell playing the lunatic, of course the man is from the future. What starts as a bleakly funny “Black Mirror” sketch slowly expands into a string of “Black Mirror” episodes, both past and present, explaining why these people join him and just how unhinged their mission becomes. The absurdist comedy is strong, and while the film is technically anti-AI, it’s not in the usual “technology run amok” way. Instead, it holds up a mirror to the ways we’ve voluntarily outsourced societal functions to technology because dealing with real issues would require effort, empathy, and other things we’ve collectively misplaced.

 

Without spoiling the future-gone-sideways gags, Verbinski’s thesis is blunt: for every problem, there’s a technological solution. But instead of ocean-cleaning robots or cancer-curing models, the solution here is to further normalize school shootings. It comes complete with tiered pricing and the ad-supported version for those who can’t afford dignity. It’s bleak, but it’s also very funny in that “we deserve this future” way.

 

Rockwell’s manic energy works in short bursts, so Juno Temple, Michael Peña, Haley Lu Richardson and others carry the emotional stakes as the volunteers on this bizarro adventure that may (or may not) involve killing a child who may (or may not) be one keyboard stroke removed from becoming an “Akira” creature. Describing it without sounding like a monster is hard; the dystopia is constantly undercut by zany dry wit.

 

A film like this keeps escalating, so sticking the landing matters. The finale half-sticks it as both a bit of a cop-out and an earned payoff. Social satire + time travel rarely behaves in the third act, but even when it wobbles, the ride is worth it. It’s the rare AI comedy that feels original in both messaging and execution, and while the flaws are visible, the ideas linger. I suspect a second viewing will reveal more.

 

“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” is profound and silly at the same time. It’s an AI film arriving before a wave of bad “AI-gone-wrong” movies (looking at you “Mercy”) floods theaters. It’s unique, funny, and uncomfortably close to the world we’re already building, if not already living and breathing in.

 

Film Review: “Arco”

Starring the Voices of: Roma Fay, Juliano Krue Valdi and Natalie Portman/Mark Ruffalo
Directed by: Ugo Bienvenu
Rated: PG
Running Time: 89 minutes
Neon

 

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

There are a few things that make me suspicious of people: hating animals ranks high, and as a critic, hating kid-driven adventure stories is a red flag. It’s OK not to like some, but to not like all of them? Serial killer stuff. That’s because there’s an innate wanderlust baked into films like “The Goonies,” “E.T.” and “How to Train Your Dragon.” “Arco” doesn’t just stir that longing to explore the world, it reminds us of the world we’re actually living in.

 

Arco (Juliano Krue Valdi) is a 10-year-old boy living in 2932, an era where nature appears to have harmoniously reclaimed humanity in the clouds. It’s basically the Garden of Eden via sustainable urban planning. Instead of exploring the lush environment, Arco impatiently waits for his family to return from their time-travel expeditions. In this universe, people travel through time for holistic purposes. Arco’s father brings back plants from the dinosaur era to cultivate, not sports almanacs to gamble with. And nobody needs a DeLorean; they suit up and ride rainbows, as if a first-grade class designed time travel after parachute play. Arco steals his sister’s suit and rides the rainbow anyway.

 

In 2075, Iris (Romy Fay) lives in a household run entirely by a nanny-bot. Her parents are too busy to cook, clean, or tuck her in. When Iris discovers Arco unconscious in the woods, she drags him home and learns he’s from the future. They both learn…he might be stuck here. It’s the kind of child-like adventure you’d sketch on a notebook margin during a boring school day.

 

“Arco” gives us two dystopias. 2075 feels painfully plausible: suburban bubbles shield families from climate disasters, while robots and AI substitute for human connection. 2932 is gorgeous, but humanity lives on pillars above a flooded Earth. Adults in the audience will see the ecological alarm bells; the kids just see the magic. Yet both Arco and Iris seem to intuit the peril their worlds are in. Children often understand environmental stakes faster than adults. It echoes “C’mon C’mon,” where kids articulate climate fears more blatantly than the grown-ups interviewing them.

 

And still, “Arco” refuses to be bleak. It’s silly, adventurous, and sweet, with detours involving conspiracy-minded weirdos who know Arco is from the future and absolutely do not want to help him get back. All of it builds toward a third act that ups the peril, lands the themes, and might put a lump in your throat. Visually, the hand-drawn animation blends 1970s American aesthetics with Miyazaki. The artistry reinforces the film’s core belief that love, family, compassion, and simply talking to one another could fix more than we assume. It may even repair the damage we’ve already done.

 

Film Review: “Mercy”

 

  • MERCY
  • Starring:  Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson
  • Directed by:  Timur Bekmambetov
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  1 hr 39 mins
  • MGM/Amazon Studios 

Our Score:  4 out of 5

 

A.I.  Artificial Intelligence.  It’s everywhere these days.  You can’t throw a rock and not hit something that has been affected by the increasingly popular technology.  Take the city of Los Angeles.  Crime has gotten so bad that the criminals are now made to occupy designated “red zones.”  The court system is so overwhelmed that the most heinous crimes are now judged by the Mercy Court in a trial that not only presumes the defendant is guilty but gives them just 90 minutes to plea their case. If found guilty, execution is instantaneous.  Detective Chris Raven is a supporter of the process.  In fact, he was the cop that made the arrest resulting in the very first trial (and execution).  But when he finds himself on trial for his wife’s murder, Detective Raven begins to wonder if maybe he should rethink his opinion.

 

Full of twists, turns and some amazing set pieces, “Mercy” is a film that makes the viewer constantly second guess themselves.  Is Raven guilty?  If he isn’t, who is?  And, more importantly, in a world where EVERYTHING is captured on film, how did they do it?

 

My Chris Pratt viewing history consists of mostly television’s “Parks and Recreation,” “Moneyball” and the MCU.  He’s always been solid but he’s never really carried a film.  Here he proves himself a very capable dramatic actor, his work going up and down the spectrum from dry humor to true despair.  As the “Judge” – an A.I. image who professes that her verdict will strictly be rendered on facts presented – Ms. Fergusson also excels.  She is emotionless and to the point, dismissing any suggestion from Chris that is not based on facts.

 

Visually, the film manages to show two sides of L.A.; one sleek and modernistic, the other cloaked in dismay and chaos.  The action scenes are well paced with a scene featuring a semi-truck rampaging through the steets a highlight.

 

To sum it up, “Mercy” is a wild ride at the movies!

 

On a scale of zero to five, “Mercy” receives ★★   

“Sinners Sets Record with (16) Nominations for the 98th Annual Academy Awards

 

Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s supernatural period drama about twin bootlegging brothers, set a new record when the nominations for the 98th Annual Academy Awards were announced this morning, earning an impressive (16) nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Actor.  This breaks the previous nomination record of (14) set by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land.  One of the nominations came in the newly created category recognizing the film’s casting.  Other films with multiple nominations, including Best Picture, were One Battle after Another (13) with Frankenstein and Marty Supreme both getting (9) nominations.  Other Best Picture nominees:  Bugonia, F1, Hamnet, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value and Train Dreams.   Oddly enough, one year after the film Wicked earned (10) nominations, Wicked for Good received no recognition, not even in the technical categories (Visual Effects, Sound, etc) where it placed the year before.

 

First time acting nominees include Michaeel B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo from Sinners, Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) and Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value).  They were nominated alongside previous Oscar winners including a trifecta – Leonardo Di Caprio, Benecio del Toro and Sean Penn, all nominated for their work in One Battle after Another and two-time Best Actress winner Emma Stone (Bugonia).

 

The 98th Annual Academy Awards will be presented on Sunday, March 15th, on ABC television.

 

Here is a complete list of nominees:

 

Actor in a Leading Role

Timothée Chalamet

Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio

One Battle after Another

Ethan Hawke

Blue Moon

Michael B. Jordan

Sinners

Wagner Moura

The Secret Agent

Actor in a Supporting Role

Benicio Del Toro

One Battle after Another

Jacob Elordi

Frankenstein

Delroy Lindo

Sinners

Sean Penn

One Battle after Another

Stellan Skarsgård

Sentimental Value

Actress in a Leading Role

Jessie Buckley

Hamnet

Rose Byrne

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Kate Hudson

Song Sung Blue

Renate Reinsve

Sentimental Value

Emma Stone

Bugonia

Actress in a Supporting Role

Elle Fanning

Sentimental Value

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas

Sentimental Value

Amy Madigan

Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku

Sinners

Teyana Taylor

One Battle after Another

Animated Feature Film

Arco

Elio

KPop Demon Hunters

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2

Animated Short Film

Butterfly

Forevergreen

The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Retirement Plan

The Three Sisters

Casting

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle after Another

The Secret Agent

Sinners

Cinematography

Frankenstein

Marty Supreme

One Battle after Another

Sinners

Train Dreams

Costume Design

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

Sinners

Directing

Hamnet

Chloé Zhao

Marty Supreme

Josh Safdie

One Battle after Another

Paul Thomas Anderson

Sentimental Value

Joachim Trier

Sinners

Ryan Coogler

Documentary Feature Film

The Alabama Solution

Come See Me in the Good Light

Cutting through Rocks

Mr. Nobody against Putin

The Perfect Neighbor

Documentary Short Film

All the Empty Rooms

Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud

Children No More: “Were and Are Gone”

The Devil Is Busy

Perfectly a Strangeness

Film Editing

F1

Marty Supreme

One Battle after Another

Sentimental Value

Sinners

International Feature Film

Brazil

The Secret Agent

France

It Was Just an Accident

Norway

Sentimental Value

Spain

Sirāt

Tunisia

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Live Action Short Film

Butcher’s Stain

A Friend of Dorothy

Jane Austen’s Period Drama

The Singers

Two People Exchanging Saliva

Makeup and Hairstyling

 

Frankenstein

Kokuho

Sinners

The Smashing Machine

The Ugly Stepsister

Music (Original Score)

Bugonia

Frankenstein

Hamnet

One Battle after Another

Sinners

Music (Original Song)

“Dear Me”

from Diane Warren: Relentless; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“Golden”

from KPop Demon Hunters; Music and Lyric by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon and Teddy Park

“I Lied To You”

from Sinners; Music and Lyric by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson

“Sweet Dreams Of Joy”

from Viva Verdi!; Music and Lyric by Nicholas Pike

“Train Dreams”

from Train Dreams; Music by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner; Lyric by Nick Cave

Best Picture

Bugonia

F1

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle after Another

The Secret Agent

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Train Dreams

Production Design

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle after Another

Sinners

Sound

F1

Frankenstein

One Battle after Another

Sinners

Sirāt

Visual Effects

Avatar: Fire and Ash

F1

Jurassic World Rebirth

The Lost Bus

Sinners

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Bugonia

Frankenstein

Hamnet

One Battle after Another

Train Dreams

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Blue Moon

It Was Just an Accident

Marty Supreme

Sentimental Value

Sinners

 

 

Hallmark Channel’s Jaicy Elliot and Rafael de la Fuente talk their latest film, “Love on the Amazon”

Jaicy Elliot and Rafael de la Fuente are some of the hottest stars at Hallmark and they are celebrating their latest film, “Love on the Amazon”, which premiere 1/17/26 at 8pm EST. The duo took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about the movie and what it was like filming in the real Amazon.

Here is the premise from the film “Claire travels to Brazil and hires Danny, a riverboat captain, to help her deliver an important message for her sister Amelia, a marine biologist studying pink dolphins on the Amazon River.”

Here is our interview with the stars:

Here is a trailer for the film:

Film Review: “No Other Choice”

Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin and Park Hee-son
Directed by: Park Chan-wook
Rated: R
Running Time: 139 minutes
Neon

 

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

Yoo Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) is living the good life, or at least the upper-middle-class representation of it. He has a roof over his head, his childhood home no less, a homemaker wife (Son Ye-jin), and two kids who have the freedom to explore their hobbies. His steady job at a paper company keeps everything humming. That’s why it stings when Man-su informs his family that the company has been bought out by Americans and he’s officially on the chopping block. But he’s determined. Determined to get another paper job. Determined to provide. Determined because, in his head, he’s the best at papermaking, almost like a South Korean Dwight Schrute.

 

A year later, that determination dissolves into humiliation. The family is pinching pennies. Hobbies are no longer affordable. And during an interview, Man-su is told bluntly and cruelly that he’s too old and too inferior to get back into the game. It’s here that Man-su decides to change tactics. The adaptation he chooses, however, involves murder.

 

What’s compelling is who Man-su decides needs to die for him to return to his former life. His choices reflect a broader working-class crisis: instead of blaming the systemic forces that push us down, we’re encouraged to blame each other, an eerie representation of our current climate where we second guess and distrust our neighbor, immigrant, or that slightly more valued coworker. “No Other Choice” is full of these digs at capitalism, and they land harder because they’re not delivered as sermons, but as survival logic.

 

Tonally, the film balances the bleakness with a surprising layer of absurd comedy. There’s a Looney Tunes quality to the murder attempts and the prior plotting. It’s inept, overcomplicated, and occasionally slapstick in a way that even Wile E. Coyote would diagnose as poor engineering. The misunderstandings and bursts of rage sometimes flirt with soap opera parody, but Park Chan-wook never lets the humor overwhelm the dread. It’s just enough to keep us breathing while Man-su makes things increasingly worse for himself.

 

Man-su lives by capitalism’s favorite rule: survival of the fittest. But in his mind, being “fit” means returning to the comfort he once reached. He craves the house, the status, the security, and the feeling that life finally makes sense. It’s not greed, exactly. He’s not looking to kill his way up the corporate ladder to become CEO. It’s the horror of losing something you were told you deserved, whether through indirect pressure, upbringing, societal standards, etc.

 

On the surface, “No Other Choice” feels predictable: the arc is clear, the anti-capitalist critique is worn openly, and the runtime lets you marinate in it a touch too long. But that roughness becomes sharper because of the comedy. Without the absurdity, the film’s obviousness would dull its knives. With it, the absurdity becomes the point. We’re looking in the mirror and wondering why we’ve allowed ourselves to reach this point.

 

Comparisons to “Parasite” are inevitable for American audiences, and while “No Other Choice” doesn’t reach those same highs, it distinguishes itself in what it finds tragic. “Parasite” is about clawing and scrounging upwards into the comfort zone, even if it’s fleeting and brief. “No Other Choice” is about what happens when you live and adapt to that comfort zone, only for a single economic decision to kick you back out. Where “Parasite” wastes no seconds, “No Other Choice” occasionally feels like it needs the runtime of a comedy. “No Other Choice” might have weasled its way into my favorite films of the year if it was shorter, punchier, meaner.

 

Even so, the film lingers. It’s funny, but it’s the kind of funny that gives the working-class viewer a pit in their stomach. It’s a pit that whispers, in a very real way, that absurd solutions begin with realistic scenarios. And that’s a feeling Americans, and apparently South Koreans, know all too well right now.

 

Film Review: “28 Years Later: Bone Temple”

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell and Ralfie Williams
Directed by: Nia DaCosta
Rated: R
Running Time: 109 minutes
Sony Pictures Releasing

 

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

In my review of “28 Years Later,” I noted that the film needed “Bone Temple” to really understand what Alex Garland was aiming for. I still don’t fully know, but this film offers a lot more to chew on. Picking up right where the prior film ended, we learn that the soccer-hooligan-looking “Warriors” gang is actually a Satanist cult (I wasn’t expecting that either). Led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), they force Spike (Alfie Williams), the lead of the prior film, into a ritual built around the simple principle of kill or be killed. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), creator of the titular bone temple, begins to bond with the infected Alpha from the previous film, whom he names Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Again, I wasn’t expecting that either. These two threads converge in what I can only describe, without spoilers, as the greatest use of an Iron Maiden song on film.

 

What fascinates me about these new “28 Years Later” entries is the way Garland keeps trying to deconstruct the zombie genre the same way “28 Days Later” detonated it two decades ago. This time, Nia DaCosta is the one corralling his ideas, and the tonal shift is noticeable. The editing isn’t a gore-splattered machine gun over London backwoods; DaCosta brings more humanity without imitating Danny Boyle, making the film more watchable without defanging it.

 

What’s most surprising is that “Bone Temple” behaves like a counter-middle chapter. Yes, it’s technically the fourth film, but “28 Years Later” is being shaped as a trilogy. And instead of going darker, “Bone Temple” goes more hopeful. Spike’s path pulls him deeper into Jimmy Crystal’s orbit, where apocalypse becomes an opportunity for domination. On the other end, Dr. Kelson humanizes the infected, believing empathy might be the only way out of hell. Fiennes has a blast playing a loner who decides to befriend the most lethal cannibal alive. Together, these arcs reduce the apocalypse to two pathways: brutal control or stubborn compassion.

 

If that sounds simplistic, it’s deliberately so. Garland has always flirted with the big themes, militarism, pandemics, survivalism, etc., but here the real axis is science vs. religion. Kelson embodies the scientific impulse, acknowledging science’s role in creating the nightmare while believing it is also the way out. Crystal embodies faith. He believes faith is why the world has crumbled like tissue paper and he has adorned himself as a messiah figure to lead the way. Even at the end of the world, the two remain in conflict, and religion happily weaponizes science when it serves its power.

 

All of this leaves a single question: where do we go in the final film? After “28 Weeks Later” jammed conflicting themes and styles together, “Bone Temple” gives the series a breather. It’s still bloody and bizarre, but it’s also personal and weirdly optimistic. For the first time in the franchise, perception becomes the enemy. That makes Garland’s landing in the final film that much harder.

DVD Review “Law And Order: The Complete Original Series”

When it comes to crime drama series, you just immediately think about Law & Order. This show started it all. It was the biggest of all of them too running 20 seasons long over more than a decade. I mean don’t pick up this complete series unless you have A LOT of time on your hands. This DVD set includes over 345 hours of content, delivered with an Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. If you are a fan of this show it is a must have for sure.

The Emmy® Award-winning series Law & Order is one of the longest-running crime series of all time. Law & Order: The Complete Original Series captures every powerful episode from the first 20 seasons.   Dick Wolf ‘s primetime series covered the dedicated New York City police who investigated crimes and the district attorneys who prosecuted the offenders. Known for its hard-hitting, ripped-from-the-headlines style, the series showcased the talents of numerous illustrious stars from stage, film, and television.   Rediscover Law & Order’s intelligent writing and the riveting acting that inspired a brand of successful dramas that continues to captivate audiences around the globe.

This DVD set doesn’t stop at just 20 seasons of television, it also includes a ton a special features including deleted and extended scenes, cast profiles, a set tour, crossover episodes and more. There are profiles on Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin and Fred Dalton Thompson. There is an interview with Park Dietz. The crossover episodes are from Homicide: Life on the Street and lastly there are two featurettes including “The Creation of Law & Order” and “Law & Order: The First Three Years”. Great extras for a great release. Highly recommended!

4K UHD Review “Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way”

 

Let’s start this off with, I am not a fan of Jason Sudeikis at all. I think he is incredibly overrated and that this show is nothing special at all. I know people love it and say its so great but I never caught on. This 4K release isn’t anything special either, in fact it is kind of disappointing. Besides Warner Bros.’ 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision transfer, which is clean and doesn’t give any issues. It is a good upgrade from the previous Blu-ray release.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is honestly disappointing since Warner Bros. didn’t give us the same Dolby Atmos audio like it was presented on Apple TV+. This eight disc set is differently packed than the Blu-ray. Season 2 is spread over three discs rather than two. Sadly, though, there are no bonus features  included again here and there is no poster either from the earlier set. This is really a let down due to the price and topped with the lazy 5.1 audio, this release doesn’t score a goal.

Season One – Discs 1-2
“Pilot”, “Biscuits”, “Trent Crimm: The Independent”, “For the Children”, “Tan Lines”, “Two Aces”, “Make Rebecca Great Again”, “The Diamond Dogs”, “All Apologies”, ” The Hope That Kills You”

Season Two – Discs 3-5
“Goodbye Earl”, “Lavender”, “Do the Right-est Thing”, “Carol of the Bells”, “Rainbow”, “The Signal”, “Headspace”, “Man City”, “Beard After Hours”, “No Weddings and a Funeral”, “Midnight Train to Royston”, “Inverting the Pyramid of Success”

Season Three – Discs 6-8
“Smells Like Mean Spirit”, “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea”, “4-5-1”, “Big Week”, “Signs”, “Sunflowers”, “The Strings That Bind Us”, “We’ll Never Have Paris”, “La Locker Room Aux Folles”, “International Break”, “Mom City”, “So Long, Farewell”

‘IOMMI: The Godfather of Heavy Metal’ Volume One, Limited docuseries from Gibson Films is now streaming on Gibson TV

GIBSON FILMS
LAUNCHES 2026 MUSIC DOCUSERIES
“IOMMI: THE GODFATHER OF HEAVY METAL”
VOLUME ONE PREMIERES WORLDWIDE TODAY

WATCH HERE

Featuring Interviews with Tony Iommi, Brian May, SLASH, Zakk Wylde, Yungblud, and more

Click on the image to play Volume One “Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal,” the new limited docuseries from Gibson Films, streaming now on Gibson TV.

Watch/share Volume One “Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal” HERE.

NASHVILLE, TN – Gibson Films—the storytelling studio from Gibson dedicated to original, artist-driven content that celebrates music history, culture, and the instruments that shape sound—proudly announces the worldwide premiere of Volume One of its new limited music docuseries, Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal, streaming exclusively via Gibson TV throughout 2026. Watch the global premiere of Volume One—the first installment of the limited series—out now WATCH HERE.

From the smokestacks of Birmingham, England, to stages around the globe, Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal traces the life and legacy of Tony Iommi, the pioneering guitarist whose sound and vision forged the foundations of heavy metal. Beginning with his working-class upbringing and the birth of Black Sabbath, the series shows how Iommi’s genre-defining riffs and groundbreaking albums reshaped rock, ignited a global movement, and inspired generations to pick up the guitar.

Volume One features Tony’s music history and a deep dive his massive influence on countless other luminaries of heavy music with in-depth interviews with Tony Iommi and a star-studded lineup of peers and disciples—including Brian May, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Yungblud, Scott Ian, John 5, Phil Anselmo, and Blackie Lawless—plus appearances by Tom Morello and Troy Van Leeuwen, and firsthand accounts from Birmingham icons Rob Halford and Justin Broadrick.

The series examines how Iommi’s innovations—and the groundbreaking work of Black Sabbath—continue to reverberate across musical styles and eras, cementing their legacy as the architects of one of the most enduring and influential genres in modern music history.

“I’m very grateful to Gibson for this new documentary series and for honouring my role in the story of heavy metal” says Tony Iommi. “Hearing the kind words from so many incredible artists is really humbling. Thank you all for telling the story with such heart—and to the fans who’ve kept it alive. Long may it continue!”

“Tony Iommi is the godfather of heavy metal—the creator, the sonic architect, the rifflord who started it all. El Padrino, as I like to call him” says Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. “It’s an incredible honor for all of us at Gibson to pay tribute to Tony with this epic Gibson Films release.”

“No matter what regional metal scene or sub genre we explored, every artist we interviewed always pointed the finger back to Tony” adds Mark Agnesi, Director of Brand Experience at Gibson. “He is the Riff Lord!!!!”

“Tony Iommi remains the undisputed godfather of heavy metal. Through his iconic riffs and uncompromising vision, he gave birth to a sound that was rooted in darkness and became the foundation for generations of musicians,” continues Todd Harapiak, Media Director at Gibson and Producer of the series. “It’s been truly remarkable to have so many artists unite for this series and hear how Black Sabbath changed the course of their musical lives. The Godfather of Heavy Metal not only celebrates the journey of Lord Iommi and Sabbath but also shines a light on the stories of the countless bands who carried their torch forward.”

Parents hated it. Their kids loved it. As the Summer of Love faded, an ominous new sound rose from Birmingham—Tony Iommi was its architect. His genre-defining riffs with Black Sabbath birthed a musical language that became a way of life, uniting millions through rebellion, passion, and a relentless sound that refuses to fade.

Volume One of Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal is streaming now, worldwide, exclusively on Gibson TV, WATCH HERE.

Read more about the show on the Gibson Gazette HERE.

Above: Tony Iommi. Credit Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archive.

Film Review: “Marty Supreme” (Review #2)

 

  • MARTY SUPREME
  • Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa Azion)
  • Rated: R
  • Running Time: 149 minutes
  • A24        

Our score:  4.5 out of 5 

Like Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel before him, Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) has a single-minded confidence in his goal. The former knew for certain that the Las Vegas strip would eventually become an unstoppable geyser of cash. Marty believes his skills with a table tennis racket will lead him to riches and recognition.

 

While Siegel, despite a few setbacks that cost the gangster his life, was right about the future of Sin City, Marty’s less outwardly rewarding quest is consistently entertaining and occasionally poignant.

 

Like his protagonist, co-writer-director Josh Safdie takes some odd risks. Two of his leads aren’t full time actors, his story takes odd turns and its post-World War II setting seems an odd place to hear 80s bands like Tears for Fears. Thankfully for viewers, Safdie and screenwriter Ronald Bronstein appear to have consistently better judgement than their 23-year-old protagonist.

 

Marty is a day from being promoted as his uncle’s shoe store and isn’t lying when he says he can sell footware to amputees. He’s also gifted at frustrating Ping-Pong players across the world.

 

It’s easy to see why Marty might want to take long lunch breaks and neglect the gig that’s actually bringing in cash. His mother is ailing from a variety of non-existent illnesses, and his uncle has a habit of reneging on promised payments. Journalists are also indifferent to assistant managers at shoe stores and grub up his jaw-droppingly arrogant remarks. He boasts that as a Jew, his skills with a paddle are Hitler’s worst nightmare.

 

Survivors of the Holocaust might not find his attempts at wit successful.

 

He’s also assuming there’s a demand for the glory of table tennis that might not exist in the real world. He’s even gotten his friend Dion (Luke Manley) to produce a series of custom orange Ping-Pong balls proclaiming “Marty Supreme” on the outside. He tells anyone willing to listen that his face will be on the cover of a Wheaties box momentarily.

 

Now, if only he can get the money for his flight to the tournament in London.

 

Back in New York, he’s been romantically involved with Rachel (Odessa A’zion), who just happens to be married to someone else (Emory Cohen), and he runs cons on the side with cab driver named Wally (Tyler the Creator). His family offer him no support and are even enlisting the local cops to stunt Marty’s dreams. Marty also makes the mistake of tangling with a dog loving gangster (moonlighting director Abel Ferrara).

 

If Marty’s life weren’t already complicated enough, he flirts with a movie star (Gwyneth Paltrow) despite how his arrogance can make him off putting at times. Her husband Milton Rockwell (“Shark Tank” judge Kevin O’Leary) dislikes the cocky fellow but wants to use potential popularity to sell his company’s merchandise in Japan. He’ll pay Marty a king’s ransom if he’ll play against the Land of the Rising Sun’s fearsome champion (Koto Kawaguchi) and throw the match.

Safdie and Bronstein are loosely adapting the life of real life table tennis champ Marty Reisman, but their own tale is consistently engaging because Marty’s wish for something more than a mundane existence is relatable. The two also populate the film with dozens of great supporting characters and surprising twists that have greater weight than simply winning matches.

 

Chalamet has a gift for playing characters who can do despicable things while keeping an audience’s attention. A lesser performer might make viewers tire of Marty’s broken promises. As I mentioned earlier, the mob got tired of waiting for Siegel’s assurances about Vegas to materialize. Chalamet also has the right physique and looks at home behind a paddle.

 

As with “Uncut Gems,” which Safdie co-directed with his brother Benny, “Marty Supreme” benefits from a frantic pace that makes it’s two-and-a-half hour running time breeze by. He stages the matches well and handles some sharp changes in tone effortlessly. The movie goes from silly absurdity to moments of danger effortlessly.

 

It probably helps that Safdie has cast two antagonists who aren’t known actors, but who can play their roles better than most professional thespians. Kevin O’Leary is so appropriately cold and contemptuous that one might see why his wife might be tempted to stray with a naïve braggart like Marty, and it’s easy to believe he clawed his way to a fortune. Similarly, Ferrara projects a dangerous aura that his affection toward a dog can’t dissipate.

 

The real Marty Reisman had a long career, and Safdie ends his own tale while his athlete is still young. Perhaps he knew well enough wrap things up while the game was going well.

 

On a scale of zero to five, “Marty Supreme” receives ★★½    

 

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