LIFE BLOOMS THIS SPRING WITH DISNEYNATURE

DISNEYNATURE’S BREATHTAKING FEATURE “WINGS OF LIFE” LANDS ON BLU-RAY^® COMBO PACK, DIGITAL AND ON DEMAND APRIL 16, 2013, IN TIME FOR EARTH DAY

 BURBANK, Calif. (March 8, 2013) — Spring is in the air—literally—as Disneynature prepares to unveil “Wings of Life,” a spectacular, closer-than-close, high-definition look at the intricate world of butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and bats, and their life-sustaining collaboration with flowers. Directed by Louie Schwartzberg (“America’s Heart & Soul”) and narrated by Academy Award^® winner Meryl Streep, “Wings of Life” will be available on Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack, Digital and On Demand on April 16, 2013—just in time for Earth Day.

“In the chaos and craziness of our day-to-day lives, few of us stop to consider what’s happening behind the scenes in nature that makes our lives possible,” said Streep. “This film is a stunning adventure that literally takes flight alongside all kinds of winged creatures—butterflies, bees and bats—each working hard to pollinate our planet.”

Said Schwartzberg, “For me, the joy of doing this film is to be able to explore worlds that humans can’t easily experience—bats sipping nectar in the middle of the desert at night, orchid bees expertly manipulated by a bucket orchid, exotic hummingbirds flying like airborne dancers, and a clustering monarch colony with millions of butterflies. I hope to share the spectacle of nature and to spark in others the sense of wonder I have about the natural world.”

Employing multiple cameras, both time-lapse and high-speed cinematography and extraordinary patience (while nature took its time unfolding), filmmakers shot on location in more than a dozen areas, ranging from the El Rosario Preserve in Michoacán, Mexico, to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Park in Arizona. “Wings of Life” features extraordinary imagery shot with digital cameras—one capable of frame rates of up to 1500 frames per second, and the use of a pinhole lens, which allowed the cameraman to get within millimeters of an insect subject while retaining a clear view of the background. The resulting imagery—intimate and breathtaking—is brought to life for audiences through spectacular high-definition picture and sound quality.

To celebrate the debut of “Wings of Life,” Disneynature has made a contribution to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) to protect pollinators worldwide. The DWCF has already supported more than 20 projects across North America focused on protecting pollinators and their habitats. Grants have helped conservationists save endangered butterflies, expand habitat for honeybees and educate children about the importance of pollinators and how they can help protect them.

The “Wings of Life” Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a sneak peek at Disneynature’s 2014 big-screen adventure “Bears.” In an epic story of breathtaking scale set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, the film, which is currently in production, follows two mother grizzly bears as they impart life lessons to their impressionable young cubs.

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

From Disneynature, the studio that brought you Earth, Oceans, African Cats and Chimpanzee, comes Wings of Life — a stunning adventure full of intrigue, drama and mesmerizing beauty. Narrated by Meryl Streep, this intimate and unprecedented look at butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, bats and flowers is a celebration of life, as a third of the world’s food supply depends on these incredible — and increasingly threatened — creatures.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg, Wings of Life utilizes riveting high-speed, time lapse and macro filmmaking to showcase in spectacular detail these unsung heroes of our planet.

Actors: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman
Directors: Peter Ramsey
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
DVD Release Date: March 12, 2013
Run Time: 97 minutes

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

“Rise of the Guardians” is based on author William Joyce’s the “Guardians of Childhood” book series, read our interview with him here. The film was released in theaters and really got a bad rep. I think people don’t really understand why this film wasn’t the biggest animated film of the year. It came out with no competition but luckily it had some great legs nonetheless. I personally wasn’t thrilled the first time I saw it. I liked it but wasn’t blown away…that is because I did not see it in 3D. Wow, what a difference. This film really gets its wings with the addition of the third dimension. It also really has grown on my since. My 9-month also daughter also seems to really like it (not in 3D though, since the glasses don’t fit). But she goes crazy over this gorgeously animated film. If you like Dreamworks other titles like “How to Train Your Dragon”, this isn’t on par for story but production and quality it is.  I would recommend checking this out for sure, especially in 3D if possible.

Official Premise: When an evil spirit known as Pitch Black (Jude Law), the reviled Bogeyman, lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians — Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), the Sandman and spirit of winter Jack Frost (Chris Pine) — must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imaginations of children all over the world.

Since their success with “Shrek”, one of the great things that Dreamworks has really delivered consistenly with their animated films is amazing voice casts.  This film really boasts a very fun and colorful cast of actors including Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman.  Alec Baldwin is a blast playing good ‘ole Saint Nick.  Jude Law is a fantastic baddie voicing the Bogeyman. Speaking of sound, Dreamworks really delivered one heck of a fantastic Blu-ray presentation here. The Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track is a think of beauty.  The film represented so well here with this track, especially the action scenes, which there are quite a few of.  It delivers the dialogue from the voice cast perfectly as well.  I really had to keep adjusting my 7.1 surround sound speakers so that it didn’t rumble my frames off the walls.  The 1080p transfer is also another gem of this release.  The 3D really adds so much wonderful depth to the film. The colors are so prominent and sharp that they literally jump off the screen. If you don’t have 3D Blu-ray, this release also comes with a standard Blu-ray, a DVD and a Ultraviolet Digital Copy. I have to say easily a 5/5 score just for the audio/video on this release.

The special features just continue on the successful path for delivers an impressive Blu-ray release. First off we have a don’t miss – audio commentary track including the director Peter Ramsey and producers Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein.  It gives tons of information about this giant production and is very entertaining. “Behind the Magic” is a great four part feature series to explore the filmmakers’ journey with the look, characters, effects and music, including “Dreaming Up the Look”, “Naughty & Nice: Designing Memorable Characters”, “Enchanting Effects” and “Creating an Epic Score”.  All of these factors are such a part of this film being a success.  “The Man Behind the Guardians” is a feature on the author William Joyce and how his novel is brought to life. “Dreamers and Believers” looks into the the characters of the film with the cast and crew. “Sandy’s Dream Guide” is an interactive guide to interpret your dreams. Lastly there are two additional interactive games that are exclusive to the Blu-ray,  The first is called “Jack Frost Snowball Showdown” and the second is “Rock, Paper, Scissors with Sandy”, both fun for kids to enjoy!

Actors: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Mark Strong, Scott Adkins
Directors: Kathryn Bigelow
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 19, 2013
Run Time: 177 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

As I am sure everyone does, I remember exactly where I was on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Being a native New Yorker, I think that it affects us even more. “Zero Dark Thirty” brings us right back to that day with their very intense black screen opening sequence. I have to say I am typical not a big fan of war movies, though this film is not that. The film nears three hours yet it completely grasps your attention throughout. It only let up is when they were doing the Seal raid on Bin Landen’s compound. I felt like it broke apart from the rest of the film. Before that though I didn’t check my watch once and was completely enthralled in the drama. Kathryn Bigelow has done it again, after “The Hurt Locker”, she delivered another very powerful film and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Official Premise: For a decade, an elite team of intelligence operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty reunites the Oscar® winning team of The Hurt Locker, director-producer Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal, along with producer Megan Ellison, telling the story of history’s greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous man.

Jessica Chastain was amazing in this film. She is probably one of my favorite actresses right now. She was amazing and stole the show in “The Help”. She kicked some ghost ass in “Mama” and yet she still takes on this extremely intense role and delivers one of the best performances of the year. She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture in the Drama. Like Bigelow, I can’t wait to see what she is doing next. I really love the strong female role that Bigelow had created here. I also thought that Jason Clarke was absolutely amazing and another great performance after “Lawless” (also with Chastain). I would have love to see more of him. I was really taken back by every single scene he was in.

Let’s get to the special features, which I was dying to get to after watching this film. To start I was a little disappointed. I feel like this was rushed to DVD quickly due to the awards. I would have loved to see some commentary tracks included and also some longer featurettes. The four featurettes included are very informative but all run under ten minutes. First off we have “No Small Feat”, which is a brief look at the making of “Zero Dark Thirty”. “The Compound” is a look into how the film rebuilt the compound. “Geared Up” shows the cast training with the authentic SEAL gear. Lastly “Targeting Jessica Chastain” shows her talking about the role of Maya and her reflections.

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Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Rated: PG
Running time: 2 hrs 10 mins
Disney

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It’s one of the most beloved films of all time. When I was a young boy I would see this film on television each year and always know that Easter was close. The film, of course, is the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz.” And while there have been many different “Oz” stories in many different Medias (books, film, stage) it’s taken almost 75 years for a prequel to come along. May I present “Oz: the Great and Powerful.”

Kansas. 1905. We’re visiting a traveling circus and have been invited to see the midway show featuring a magician that calls himself “Oz.” Thanks to simple naiveté (and a seemingly endless supply of music boxes), Oz keeps finding new assistants for his act in every town. However, a jealous boyfriend chases him around the grounds into an empty hot air balloon. Just when he seems to have gotten away cleanly Oz and his balloon are sucked into the middle of a tornado and whisked away to a place both magical and frightening. Oz.

Visually spectacular, “Oz: The Great and Powerful” is a beautifully created film that really takes advantage of both super-sized screens and 3-D. The film is filled with much homage to the original, including the fact that Oz works at the Baum Brothers Circus and that, after beginning in black and white, the film erupts into beautiful, cheerful color. In fact Oz’s first few moments in Oz is a perfect example of technology and creativity working together in harmony.

As the story takes place before the plot of the 1939 film, there is no Dorothy or Toto. Instead we are introduced to a group of witches. Theadora (Kunis) is young and beautiful. She tells Oz that he is the Wizard that has been prophesized to come to Oz and end the tyranny of the Wicked Witch of the West. Glenda (Williams) is an even more beautiful witch. Evanora (Rachel Weisz) is the third witch and also the overseer of all that the Wizard will inherit. But, as in all good stories, things are not always as they seem. All three actresses are strong in the performances. Fine work is also turned in by Zach Braff, who plays both Oz’s valet in Kansas as well as voices Finley, the flying monkey that Oz saves early in his arrival and who swears his loyalty to him. Fine supporting work as well from Tony Cox and Bill Cobbs. If there is a weak link in the chain it’s Franco. He seems to be unsure on how to project sarcasm or how to be “tongue in cheek.” Instead he ladles on the smarm. I can see why both Robert Downey, Jr. and Johnny Depp were director Raimi’s first choices for the role.

Still, the film has enough imagination to make even the most hard core “Oz” fan happy they returned to the Yellow Brick Road.

On March 12th, Ang Lee’s extraordinary Life of Pi arrives on Blu-ray and DVD with many special features that delve into the making of this challenging and visually stunning film. Life of Pi tells the story of Pi Patel, a boy whose sent adrift on a lifeboat after a disastrous ship sinking with only a bengal tiger to accompany him in his struggle for survival. Life of Pi took home the most Academy Awards for a single movie at this year’s awards (for Best director, cinematography, visual effects and musical score) and director Lee joined his editor Tim Squyres and writer, David Magee in New York this past week to talk about bringing Yann Martel’s novel to the screen.

People compare the level of immersiveness in this film’s 3D with Avatar’s. At what point in the development process did you decide to do it in 3D and how did that affect the writing?
Ang Lee: In the very beginning when we think about the structure of the script, I thought of the 3D thing. Which was about six months, nine months, before Avatar was released.
David Magee: Yea we hadn’t seen Avatar yet–we were talking about 3D in our first dinner together.
Tim Squyres: We had saw a bunch of 3D movies, good ones and bad ones…
Ang Lee:  I think the success of Avatar did two things for us. One is really legitimizing 3D as a storytelling tool. I think that’s a huge jump, James Cameron really pushed that. We wouldn’t have that argument. The second thing was it helped us arguing with the studio which, they say, ‘this is literature, this is not [an] action movie, why would …you want to add like a quarter [of the budget] just to do 3D, why?’ I think our film will help film makers make the same argument such as we took it from Avatar...I really give James Cameron the credit to elevating the 3D into a storytelling tool. I think that’s a huge step and I think everybody will just add things on top of that. We learn new things. I think the way it was used was very conservative. I think we could do more but everybody’s doing what we think is good for the audience at that time…This is not a mature language yet. We’re still sort of finding it. Establishing it.

With the amount of features on the Blu-Ray sort of pulling back the curtain on the whole process, do you think this makes audiences more appreciative of what they see? Or do you think it takes a little bit away?

Tim Squyres: There’s still lots of secrets. We’re not giving everything away!
David Magee: There are also two kinds of people in the world: There are people who like to watch a magic trick and go ‘I don’t wanna know how they did that’ and there are people who like to watch a magic trick and figure out how it’s done. And I think it’s totally appropriate for either of those people–look, if you’re the one who doesn’t want to know, don’t watch those extra features. Clearly we’re going to show you how this works, just stop.
Ang Lee: I don’t mind sharing How-to. I think that’s really fun and it’s educational for young filmmakers…I think really the mystery is in the charm, the spirit of the story. In the performance. I wouldn’t share how I deal with actors. What they go through. I would share very limited of that artistic thinking, how I hold a story, how I examine that within the film’s structure. People ask me about symbolism…and I staple it. I can not tell you, I am not going there. But I think the making is fun.

While young Pi Patel was played by  new comer Suraj Sharma, the older version of Pi was portrayed by film veteran Irrfan Khan (Amazing Spider-man, Slumdog Millionaire) Did Suraj get to interact with Khan at all in order to discuss their takes on the character?

Ang Lee: A little bit, he’s still starstruck by Irrfan Khan, he’s just like the best actor taboo. So he idolized him. Not that [Suraj] ever acted before but you know, he’s a smart young man, so he knows there’s the real-deal for acting. He looked up to them. I gave him personal acting lessons and of course acting with those wonderful actors was help. I think most of all he has the ability to just believe in a situation and respond accordingly. And he has a really soulful face. There’re people that are just–I think I have a good grasp on if that works cinematically or not. That’s kind of the person, people act for him.

How was the audition process for Pi?
Ang Lee: There’s no sixteen year old movie stars, so we got to get someone new. So we know the deal. I think before we meet the boy, it’s very hard for a company to commit to a project, the expense, it would be hard for me too. Even if I already have the script, if you don’t have the boy you believe in, then you don’t have a movie, we should probably just drop it. I think I was pretty lucky…when I see Suraj, I don’t know, he looks like Pi to me…His face is full of possibilities. The deep, profound way he looks when he is thinking… I’ve done movies long enough and I think I’m also talented enough to know, to tell, to trust a thing. This is the third time in a role I’m making a movie with…a first-timer lead to carry a movie. I think it’s a matter of you believing them and then you check whether they have the ability to believe in what they’re told. I tested him. He looks right and I tested him, [his was] the most poignant reading I’d experienced with the screen test. I told him to tell the second story as if it’s for real like in his circumstances–the mother is your mother, you know, I gave some equations, it took a little while and then it just started. Halfway he’s crying–and for five minutes, eight minutes, he didn’t get out of the character. That’s tremendous talent. I don’t know what else you can–people got tears! And the casting director that’s shooting’s got tears in their eyes. When I showed that tape, that face, to the studio, they want to make the movie. One of the reasons they wanted to make the movie is we got that boy. So I don’t know what else you can trust. You gotta have some faith at some point, you got to take the leap of faith. But it’s instinct, quick impression, it’s also a quick calculation I guess. I can see that will work…He didn’t melt down, he didn’t get sick at all….The last three months we shot nothing but him. Every shot is him. We’re shooting all in order and he’s losing weight at the same time. At lunch time he’s doing crunches, we gave him a slice of apple. The last month he’s going kind of crazy!

Created by: Craig Gerber
Voices of: Ariel Winter, Wayne Brady, Sara Ramirez, Travis Willingham, Jess Harnell, Tim Gunn
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 5, 2013
Run Time: 48 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess” is a full-length movie that also served as a pilot to the television series. The show introduces us to the latest (and cutest) Disney princess, Sofia. This series lives on Disney Junior, which is a 24-hour channel made for preschoolers (and my 9-month old’s favorite channel). Watching this film (and series) with my daughter, Bella, really makes my day a little brighter.  She just lights up from the moment the theme song starts and is kicking her little legs for the beautiful colors and wonderful music. I also have had the privilege to chat with the creator Craig Gerber, read here, and I just love his passion behind this project. The good news is that “Sofia The First” was already renewed by Disney Junior for a second season, which would bring the episode total to 45 already. But I am sure that this is only the beginning of this wonderful franchise.

The story is set in a new storybook world called Enchancia.  Like I said the film introduces Sofia, an everyday day whose life suddenly transforms when her mother marries the king and she becomes a princess, Sofia the First. Assisting her in the transition is the help of three headmistresses of Royal Prep Academy – Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather, you might know them as the fairies from the Disney’s classic “Sleeping Beauty”, also the royal steward, Baileywick and some cute woodland creatures led by a sharp-talking rabbit, Clover.  The film also gets a special appearance from Disney Princess Cinderella to share her wisdom with new fellow Princess Sofia. With the help of her new friends, Sofia tries to get used to this new life of royalty, while holding onto her own hopes and dreams.

Ariel Winter gives life to Sofia and really could not be a better voice for her. Wayne Brady is also very fun as Clover the rabbit. Overall though, this film is so magical and has that Disney charm. I have watched it numerous times now and it never gets boring.  It not only entertains kids (and their big kids) but also educates and teaching some very important values. The songs in the film are also very classic Disney and yet very hip. “Rise and Shine” is a really sweet song and a new princess instant classic. Since Cinderella makes an appearance, it is only right that she should have a song as well with Sofia.  That song is “True Sisters” and it is also very fitting for a princess. So speaking of music, this DVD also includes a Royal Sing-Along version of the film, as an added bonus. This DVD also comes with a free “Princess in Training Activity Kit” with stickers and tiaras.  I would recommend this very highly for any Disney fan young or old.

Actors: Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner, Yul Brynner, John P. Ryan, Stuart Margolin, Arthur Hill
Directors: Richard T. Heffron
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Run Time: 108 minutes

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

“Futureworld” is the sequel to the crazy science fiction thriller “Westworld” from 1973. Thanks novelist Michael Crichton, he created the high-tech Disneyland for adults known as Delos. Of course if you’ve seen “Westworld” you know that it isn’t all colorful songs and fun like the park. I have always been a big fan of “Westworld”, I loved the twist and it still makes me smirk today. “Futureworld” is a great follow-up and continuation of this story. It also boasts an amazing cast including Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner and the return of the amazing Yul Brynner, which was also his last film role. Speaking of “westworld”, that was also recently released on Blu-ray this month from Warner Bros, so be sure to get that as well.

Official Premise: Do you remember that disaster at Delos a few years ago when the Westworld robots went out of control and killed a few guests? Well, the entire resort has now been rebuilt and redesigned to be completely fail-safe. To combat the lingering adverse publicity, Duffy, the Delos representative, has offered the IMC Communication Network exclusive rights to the new Delos story. Tracy Ballard (Blythe Danner), the network’s top commentator, has been assigned the story with Chuck Browning (Peter Fonda), the newspaper reporter who broke the original Westworld disaster story. But as Tracy and Chuck’s private tour starts, they get the feeling the entire resort might not be as safe as Delos thinks…

Shout! Factory delivers a strong and sturdy Blu-ray release of this film. It is not perfect but it does the job and it is easily worth the upgrade from DVD. The 1080p transfer cleans up the film really well and looks solid within its 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The audio track included is also a nice DTS-HD Master Audio. It works well with the films action and Fred Karlin’s score. The special features included though are very disappointing for this release. It only includes a Theatrical Trailer, some Radio Spots and a Still Gallery, Hint to Shout! Factory, now we just need the short-lived 1980 television series “Beyond Westworld” finally released. Of all films that are screaming for a remake, this would be a great candidate.

Actors: Fred Ward, Belinda Bauer, Peter Coyote
Directors: William Dear
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

What really makes a cult classic? I remember seeing this film on the video store self when I was a kid. This 1982 cult classic has been out of print on DVD for many years now. Thanks To Shout! Factory it is finally getting a proper released on high-def Blu-ray. Fans are going to be thrilled with this release. If having it on Blu-ray isn’t enough, it also includes the complete and uncut version of the film. Now back to the cult classic question…this is not the best film ever it’s plot could be summed up in 30 minutes.  But if you love sci-fi, motorcycles and a kick ass score (thanks to Michael Nesmith, “Repo Man”) than you will love this film and understand why it is considered a cult classic.

Official Premise: Lyle Swann (Fred Ward) is a champion off-road racer who accidentally gets zapped into a time-travel experiment and sent 100 years into the past! When a gang of brutal bandits steals his motorcycle, Swann must outsmart the local cowboys and submit to the desires of a beautiful outlaw woman (Belinda Bauer). Armed with only his wits and a map from an Exxon station, will Lyle Swann survive the Wild West and get back to his future?

Shout! Factory delivered a very beautiful looking and sounding Blu-ray.  The 1080p transfer is amazing for a film that is over 30 years old.  The motorcycle racing footage is very clear and impressive. If you are used to watching this film on TV or VHS, you are going to feel like you are watching an entirely new movie. The audio track boasts an impressive DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio, which is a real step up from the Dolby Stereo track.  The special features includes an audio commentary track with Director William Dear.  There are also new interviews with Producer Michael Nesmith and William Dear.  Lastly there is a Storyboard Gallery included.

Actors: Alan Arkin, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Duvall, Nicol Williamson, Laurence Olivier
Directors: Herbert Ross
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Run Time: 113 minutes

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

Putting Sherlock Holmes with Sigmund Freud in a movie together sounds like it would be a blast.  The film is decent with a good Blu-ray presentation from Shout! Factory. I loved the performances from Alan Arkin, Robert Duvall and Nicol Williamson.  Alan Arkin played Freud very well and that accent is a riot.  Robert Duvall is fun as Dr. Watson and Nicol Williamson plays Holmes very sharply.  He’s no Robert Downey Jr. but he’ll do (just kidding).  The script has it’s issues and the film runs a little long. Yet the film was still nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay, so maybe it was just me, but I like I said I still enjoyed it.

Official Premise: The world’s two greatest masters of the art of deduction, Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund Freud, meet for the first time in this delightful mystery adventure based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Meyer. Stylishly directed by Herbert Ross, the film boasts a superb cast headed by Nicol Williamson as Holmes, Alan Arkin as Freud, Vanessa Redgrave as Lola Deveraux, Laurence Olivier as Professor James Moriarty, and, in a brilliant example of off-beat casting, Robert Duvall as Dr. Watson. To this ingenious tale of detection, addiction and abduction must be added the excitement of the chase – capped by a sword fight on top of a puffing locomotive roaring across Europe!

Shout! Factory delivered a nice Blu-ray presentation within the film original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The 1080p transfer looks good but the colors feel a little dimmed, that could be that it was taken from an older master and not given much love during restoration. Still worth checking out if you are a fan of the film. The audio track includes a sweet DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, which works perfectly for the sharp dialogue and fun score. The only special feature included is “When Sherlock Met Sigmund” with Nicholas Meyer.  It is an interview with Meyer chatting about the production and the film’s reaction over time.

Actors: Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Jason Alexander, Mary Kay Bergman, Corey Burton
Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Number of discs: 3
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Run Time: 159 minutes

The Hunchback of Notre Dame: 4 out of 5 stars
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is another one of Disney’s underrated films.  This was released in the mid-late 90’s during introduction of Pixar and their computer generated animated films like “Toy Story”.  “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” didn’t make the cut with its “boring” 2D animation and was not given the respect it deserves.  I love the music in the film thanks to the genius of Alan Menken (“The Little Mermaid”, “Tangled”). Disney has paired this film, which is hitting Blu-ray for the first time with its painful direct-to-video sequel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame II”. The sequel barely runs an hour and is one of my least favorites of the Disney’s mass explosion of direct-to-video sequels. Still though, if you are a fan of the first film then this Blu-ray is surely worth the upgrade to high-definition.

Official Premise: Rediscover the majestic musical adventure of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame II – together for the first time in stunning Blu-ray high definition. Bring your family together for the extraordinary tale of Quasimodo in a soaring celebration of the beauty inside all of us! Join the world’s most unlikely hero as he meets his first real friend, Esmeralda, while fighting to save the people and city he loves. The legendary story continues as Quasi reunites with his gargoyle friends to protect the cathedral’s most famous bell and find true love. The Hunchback Of Notre Dame soars with a magnificent score by renowned composer Alan Menken (Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin). Enjoy both magical films, bursting with brilliant animation and unforgettable characters, together on Disney Blu-ray.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” looks very vibrant with its 1080p transfer.  Honestly, though it is not perfect and it feels a little 2D and does pop like other recent classic hand-drawn animated films has.  But that doesn’t mean that it is not impressive.  In fact “The Hunchback of Notre Dame II” believe it or not also looks quite impressive.  Despite the fact that it is not the greatest film, it sure does look sharp even with its direct-to-video features. Both films also include a very impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The first film contains some wonderful songs and a great score, thanks again to Menken and his work is represented very well here. The second film also packs some songs, not as good, but still sounds very nice with this track. Also I should mention that both films are located on one Blu-ray disc and the additional two DVDs include each film on their own disc.

The special features are disappointing and are simple ports of the films previous DVD releases.  First we have an audio commentary track for the first film with directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise and its producer Don Hahn. Decent track and some decent information shared. “The Making of The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is a decent length featurette with host Jason Alexander and with voice cast Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Kline, and Tony Jay and many more talented people who works on this film. There is a “Multi-Language Reel” for the song “A Guy Like You”, which was translates into sixteen different languages. There is “Behind the Scenes with Jennifer Love Hewitt”, which is basically a short interview with actress talking about her role.  Lastly “A Gargoyle’s Life” has Jason Alexander’s character Hugo reciting a poem with clips from the first film.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is not the only animation classic being released on high-def Blu-ray. March 12th will also bring the release of “Brother Bear 1 & 2″, “Mulan 1 & 2″ and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Of course like Disney is smart to release their films like that ”Mulan”, ”Brother Bear” and “Hunchback” with their direct-to-video sequels because otherwise I do not think that anyone would be interested in owning them. So I look at these direct-to-video sequels as a bonus feature really. I am not sure how “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” fits into this trend but that is one release that I am highly anticipating.

Actors: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, Pat Morita, Harvey Fierstein
Directors: Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook
Number of discs: 3
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Run Time: 167 minutes

Mulan: 4 out of 5 stars
Mulan II: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Mulan” was at the tail end of Disney’s hand-drawn animation success.  I have always been a fan of “Mulan” and I always thought it was underrated.  The music and songs are memorable and it has fun characters like Mushu (thanks to Eddie Murphy).  The film also creates another classic Disney princess, who is not only pretty but also very strong.  I think having a daughter of my own that resonates a little more with me. “Mulan II” on the other hand is quite a different story. It comes from a time that Disney was making sequels left and right to their products just for the sake of the buck.  To be honest though, it is not as bad as I remember.  Maybe that is due to its impressive Blu-ray transfer (more on that below).  So obviously the main draw here is to own “Mulan” for the first time on high-def Blu-ray.  The film is also celebrating its 15th anniversary, which is cause for celebration.

Official Premise: Celebrate the 15th anniversary of Disney’s critically-acclaimed masterpiece Mulan with this sensational 2-movie collection – presented for the first time in Blu-ray high definition. Mulan’s triumphant tale of honor, courage, and family pride shines brighter than ever with new digitally mastered picture and sound! Disney’s original animated classic magically transforms an ancient Chinese legend into a spectacular motion picture event. Relive all the wonder and excitement as Mulan breaks tradition by joining the Imperial army accompanied by her hilarious guardian dragon, Mushu. The adventure continues in Mulan II, as newly engaged Mulan and Shang journey to a distant city in a valiant quest to save their beloved empire. Your whole family will adore these two extraordinary films on Disney Blu-ray.

Alright now more on the audio/video presentation.  Disney is known for going out of their way to deliver very impressive high-def transfers of their classic animated films.  “Mulan” ranks up their with the best of them. The 1080p is extremely sharp and really showcases the beautiful animation and colors used throughout this film. There is something about hand-drawn animation that just really looks amazing on Blu-ray.  Even though, I love me some Pixar films, I really have a special place in my heart for the slight imperfections in the lines and it just reminds you that everything does not need to be perfect.  “Mulan II” also (believe it or not) looks quite amazing with its 1080p transfer.  Of course, it is not as good as “Mulan” since it carriers that direct-to-video look, but the colors look good and sharp even though. Like the 1080p video, “Mulan” also packs a fantastic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track.  It works very well with the music and action. “Mulan II” also sounds great but again a notch below the first.  The songs (even though not great) sound decent and the dialogue is clear. Also I should mention that both films are located on one Blu-ray disc and the additional two DVDs include each film on their own disc.

The special features are probably my least favorite aspect of this whole release.  “Mulan” packs nothing new at all for it’s 15th anniversary and just rehashes its DVD features, all presented in SD.  There is an audio commentary track with Producer Pam Coats and directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, decent and very informative.There are seven deleted scenes (like usual) in storyboards mode with introductions by director Tony Bancroft. “Classic Backstage Disney” runs about an hour with numerous behind-the-scenes featurettes including “Mulan’s Fun Facts,” “The Journey Begins,” “Story Artists’ Journey,” “Design,” and  “Production”.  Lastly “Classic Music & More” includes more featurettes including “Songs of Mulan,” “Mulan’s International Journey and five music videos. “Mulan II” fares even worse with only three short extras.  “Voices of Mulan” looks into the return of several original cast members, as well as the new voices.  There are three deleted scenes, surprisingly in HD. Lastly there is a music video for “I Wanna Be Like Other Girls” by Atomic Kitten.

“Mulan” is not the only animation classic being released on high-def Blu-ray.  March 12th will also bring the release of “Brother Bear 1 & 2”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1 & 2” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.  Of course like Disney is smart to release their films like that “Mulan”,  “Brother Bear” and “Hunchback” with their direct-to-video sequels because otherwise I do not think that anyone would be interested in owning them.  So I look at these direct-to-video sequels as a bonus feature really.  I am not sure how “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” fits into this trend but that is one release that I am highly anticipating.

Actors: Lee Powell, John Wayne, Gene Autry, Clayton Moore, George Reeves and Adam West
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Legend Films
DVD Release Date: February 26, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

I know the action heroes serials were before my time, I still always loved watching these with my Grandfather. I mean firstly who doesn’t love heroes like Superman, The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet? Not today’s flashy reboots but the classics serials. I remember the classic cliffhangers, “Tune in tomorrow to see…” George Reeves is always who I think of first when I think of Superman. I always love going to Walt Disney World’s Sci-Fi Diner to see “Rocket Man” still blazing on the big screen. These serials aren’t as showy as today’s films but they have that certain charm of what it was like in the good ‘ole days.

Official Premise: The movie serials came to be known as Cliffhangers because time and time again, the chapter close would find the hero or heroine literally hanging off a cliff or caught in the jaws of death — only to be continued the following week, where he or she would accomplish a daring and miraculous escape. Many serials of the 30s and 40s served as inspiration for modern-day epic films such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones. This compilation features segments of some of the best serials starring western and superheroes alike including Batman, Superman, Flash Gordon, The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet, Rocket Man, John Wayne and so many more!

Legend Films is releasing this 1992 special, which is basically a collection of trailers and excerpts  showcasing some of these classics.  It starts off with a narration but then jumps right into the trailers and let’s them do the talking. As described above there is a little bit for everyone here whether you were a fan of superheros, westerns, or sci-fi. I would have loved to see a few actual full serial episodes included, but still though the trailers are quite fun.  They also reminded me of sitting in the drive-in cars at Walt Disney World’s Sci-Fi Diner. So if you are a fan of these serials then you will get a kick out of seeing them again and together on this DVD.

Available on Netflix April 19, 2013

Created by: Art Clokey
Voices of: Dallas McKennon and Art Clokey
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Legend Films
DVD Release Date: February 26, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

As I am a child of the 80’s, I came to love “Gumby” during his revival in the late 1980’s. I remember it also being my first reveal with claymation or stop-motion animation besides the Rankin/Bass holiday specials. I don’t know what it is but I have always had a special place for this green clay hero and his little dog Pokie. There are way over 200 episodes spanning from this series dating back to the mid-1950’s. So since I doubt we will ever get a complete series release, the closest we ever came was with Rhino’s 7-DVD boxed set with over 100 episodes from 2002, I am excited to see that Legend Films is giving this series some love. I hope that this release is the first of many volumes of this series.

Official Premise: Legend Films is proud to offer this collection of the best episodes from Gumbys Original Adventures series. See Gumby and Pokey as they find adventure and learn valuable lessons along the way. Watch Gumby as he attempts to sneak away for fun with Pokey by setting robots to do his chores in Yard Work Made Easy, see a wonderful masterpiece of music and animation in Gumbys Concerto, and find out how Gumby helps the poor King save his only daughter with a 25 cent toy in Sad King Otts Daughter. These claymation masterpieces are just as heartwarming and charming today as they were at their beginning — more than fifty years ago! Its perfect entertainment fun for the entire family!

The 16 episodes included here are: “Tree Trouble”, “Lion Drive”, “Yard Work Made Easy”, “Sad King Ott’s Daughter”, “The Block Heads”, “Gumby’s Concerto”, “The Glob”, “Baker’s Tour”, “The Black Knight”, “The Kachinas”, “In a Fix”, “The Witty Witch”, “The Groobee”, “Gumby Racer”, “Rain for Roo” and “Hidden Valley”. There is a nice combination of episodes from the 50’s and 60’s run of this show. I still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing the first time I saw the episode “Gumby Racer”. That really brought back some fun memories. The episodes are old and aren’t restored at all here but it is great to see them like I remember. Here is a fun fact for horror fans the episode of “Gumby” titled “Clay Play” (not on this release) appeared in an episode of “Freddy’s Nightmares” titled “The End of the World”, also from the 80’s.

Actors: Richard Harmon, Sean Rogerson, Leanne Lapp, Dylan Playfair, Stephanie Bennett
Directors: John Poliquin
Rated: Unrated
Studio: NEW VIDEO GROUP
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Run Time: 98 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

I watch a lot of crappy horror movies and I am a fan of “Grace Encounters”, which was not one of them.  So when I heard that there was a second film in the works, I was thrilled.  “Grave Encounters 2” takes what was good about the first film and then really builds on its success. This film really takes a cool and unique approach to the story and comes packed with bigger scares and some great twists. The first film was written and directed by The Vicious Brothers, click here for our interview with them, but on this film they stepped aside from directing and focused on writing. This was a good move as the film is much smarter. Even though, this didn’t really leave me with the same “WTF” feeling watching it a second time, it is still a blast and a must watch for any fans or hater of the first film!

Official Premise: “Grave Encounters” was a found-footage horror phenomenon that many people believed was just a movie. Film student Alex Wright is out to prove them wrong in “Grave Encounters 2″. Alex is as obsessed with the first film, as the 20 million people who viewed its viral trailer on YouTube. While he and his friends research the events and visit the real psychiatric hospital depicted in the original film, they find themselves face-to-face with unspeakable evil, banking on the hope that their knowledge of the original film will help them survive the sequel.

This release comes as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.  The 1080p transfer works well with the darkness of the film but you have to remember this was shot handheld and made to look raw. So it’s not perfect but is sharp and delivers with the way it is meant to look. At least New Video released “Grave Encounters 2” on Blu-ray since they only gave the first film a DVD release. The special features are a bit of a let down. The only thing included is “An Interview with The Vicious Brothers, Presented by American Express”. Having spoken with these guys, they are very entertaining and fun but I would have loved to seen a commentary track or some featurettes. Either way I am still counting down the days till “Grave Encounters 3″! Bring it on!