Actors: Olivia Munn, Peter Mayhew, Ray Park
Directors: Mark Edlitz
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: DOCURAMA
DVD Release Date: February 12, 2013
Run Time: 73 minutes

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

When it comes to “Star Wars”, am I a fan…OH YEAH! Am I crazy obsessed with “Star Wars” like these people in “Jedi Junkies”…OH NO! They are on a whole other level. This documentary is a showcase of some of the devoted fans of the franchise. The focus on this is really the fans.  It looks into conventions, fan films and the obsession of collecting. There are celebrity interviews Olivia Munn (“Attack of the Show”), “Phantom Menace” actor Ray Park (Darth Maul) and “Blair Witch Project” director Ed Sanchez.

“Jedi Junkies” is a one-of-a-kind feature film about the world’s most dedicated Star Wars fans. From lightsaber-wielding martial artists to a filmmaker who built the world’s only life-size Millennium Falcon, the film offers viewers a rare glimpse into extreme fans personal and professional self-expression.

The DVD comes with some decent special features. There is a commentary track from director Mark Edlitz. There are various deleted and extended scenes, these could have easily been put in the film since it was only 73 minutes to begins with. Lastly there are three featurettes including “The Stars of Star Wars”, “Build Your Own Action Figure” and lastly “The Cult of Slave Leia”.  If you are a fan of “Star Wars”, you should enjoy this documentary quite a bit and for those who aren’t it will change the way you look at the fandom that surrounds this whole world of “Star Wars”.

Actors: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, James Coburn, Steve Buscemi, Mary Gibbs
Directors: David Silverman, Pete Docter
Number of discs: 5
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Disney-Pixar
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4.5 out of 5 stars

This isn’t the first rodeo for “Monsters Inc” on Blu-ray. It was first released back in November 2009 to the high-def format. It was an amazing release and holds up very well to date. This new Ultimate Collector’s Edition presents this amazing film now in 3D, with 7.1 killer audio track and some great new extras. Is that enough to wet your appetite? My daughter is a big fan already of this film at the young age of eight months. She has a full outfit to transform her into Boo and has visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios in order to meet Mike and Sully. With the release of “Monsters University” hitting theaters this summer, this release is warm welcomed. Disney went all out with this release and is most definitely worth the upgrade whether it is for the 3D or the 7.1 track or the extras.

Official Synopsis: Believed by monsters to be toxic, children are strictly forbidden from entering Monstropolis.  But when a little girl named Boo accidentally follows Sulley back into his world, he finds his career in jeopardy and his life in utter chaos. Assisted by Mike, the two pals plot to rectify the mistake and return Boo to her home.  When the trio encounters an unexpected series of complications, they become embroiled in a cover-up catapulting them into a mystery beyond their wildest dreams.

Since the success of “The Lion King” in theaters, Disney has gotten the itch to go back and convert a view of their classic films. Next up with have “The Little Mermaid” this Fall, which is one that I am really looking forward to.  It is one thing to have the computer generated “Monsters Inc” but the real art comes from bringing the 2D animation into the third dimension. Nonetheless, this 3D presentation of “Monsters Inc.” is quite stunning. They really went through a lot of trouble in order to really make this look amazing. There is some really great depth added within this third dimension, whether it is on the Scare Floor or during the door chase scene. This film looks like it was truly meant and designed to be in 3D.

This five-disc release comes with the following 3D Blu-ray / Blu-ray / DVD Combo + Digital Copy. This is becoming the norm for Disney’s new releases and it does nothing but leaving you quite satisfied. Disney also has upgraded the Blu-ray’s audio track from the 2009 release, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 EX to a stunning Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track with both the 3D and 2D versions. This track is literally amazing. It would have been very easily and still satisfying for Disney to just leave the old track in there but they went a step further and delivered more.

This 2013 release not only included an amazing 3D transfer, 7.1 sound but also a trio of new and exclusive extras.  There is an extended 3-minute “Monsters University” sneak peek.  I am very excited to see that they also included Toy Story Toons short “Partysaurus Rex” (in 3D, as well). I was shocked that this wasn’t included on the “Finding Nemo 3D” release since it was included with the film when it was released theatrically. There are also Outtakes and Company Play (also in 3D), the gag reel from the Monsters, Inc. theatrical credits included.  The only extra left out from the 2009 release (which is now outdated anyway) is “Ride and Go Seek”, which was a tour of the Monsters, Inc. attraction in Tokyo. Lastly, I was very impressed to see that the classic 2001 short “For The Birds”The rest of the extras are good but taken from prior Blu-ray/DVD releases.

The next set of extras are located on the second disc.  There is an audio commentary track from the Director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, writer Andrew Stanton, and executive producer John Lasseter.  I have always like this track and it really gives a lot of details from this amazing collection of that on the film “Monsters, Inc.” There is a “Filmmakers Round Table”, which was filmed at the Hidden City Cafe with Docter, Unkrich, producer Darla K. Anderson, and story supervisor Bob Peterson. This was produced for the Blu-ray release exclusive and it is a blast to watch the genius flow through around this table. Lastly, there is also “Mike’s New Car”, which is the very fun short from the original DVD release of “Monsters, Inc.” I would have loved to see n this converted to 3D as well as “For The Birds”.

The remainder of the special features are located on the third Blu-ray and is a mix of HD & SD extras. “Roz’s 100 Door Challenge”  is an interactive trivia game. “Pixar Fun Factory Tour” is tour of the studio offices with John Lasseter (a little dated but still fun). There are four story Featurettes focusing n the pre-production featurettes of the film. “Banished Concepts” is a collection of five abandoned scenes. “Storyboard to Film Comparison” is a split-screen look at a few scenes. “Designing Monstropolis” introduces us to to work it took to create Mike and Sulley’s city. “Set Dressing” is a look at the props and cameras used on the film. “Location Flyaround” is a 360 degree looks at some of the film’s streets, rooms, and locations.  Too bad this wasn’t in high def, would have been better.

“Monster File” is a two-part EPK with some interviews from the voice actors. “Animation” is six-part feature focusing on the process, titles and the production. “Music & Sound” loos into the sound design and also Billy Crystal and John Goodman’s cover of “If I Didn’t Have You”. “Release” is a collection of promotional material from the premiere to trailers. “Monsters Only Section” is a few more featurettes including “New Monster Adventures”, “If I Didn’t Have You” music video, “Behind the Screams” which is an interview with Mike and Sully and “Orientation” which is a trio of animated videos “Your First Day,” “History of the Monster World” and “Welcome to Monsters, Inc”.  Lastly there is an art gallery of about 900 concept images and a farewell from the filmmakers included.

Starring: Allan Sherman, Bob Holt, Hans Conried, June Foray, Boris Karloff, Chuck Jones
Narrators: Eddie Albert, Boris Karloff
Directors: Hawley Pratt, Chuck Jones, Ben Washam
Number of discs: 5
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Running Time: 132 minutes

Specials: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

2013 marks Warner’s celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Seuss’ “The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins”. What better way to celebrate than give your “Hats Off to Dr. Seuss” with this amazing collector’s edition including five of his classic TV specials. The first is “The Cat in the Hat” (1971), “The Lorax” (1972), “Horton Hears a Who!” (1970), “Green Eggs & Ham And Other Stories” (1973) – which was formally titled “Dr. Seuss on the Loose” and includes “The Sneetches”, “The Zax” and “Green Eggs and Ham”.  Lastly “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” (1966) wraps ups this release. Each of these are available for purchase on Blu-ray previously. If you own these already then this is a simple repackaged box set but if you don’t then it is worth it to check this out. I look forward to sharing these TV specials with my daughter as she grows up.

The Cat in the Hat: It’s a rainy day at home and siblings Dick and Sally have nothing to do. But all of that changes when The Cat and his messy sidekicks, Thing One and Thing Two, burst onto the scene, bringing with them adventure and chaos much to the dismay of a worried pet goldfish. Then, The Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Daisy-Head Mayzie, a girl who mistakenly thinks that the flower blooming on her head will only bring trouble, but eventually propels her to fame and fortune. And finally, blast off to The Hoober-Bloob Highway, where every road from a space laboratory leads to Earth… and eventually to gratitude.

Green Eggs & Ham and Other Stories: Join Sam-Am-I and his persistent attempts at introducing a reluctant fellow to a most delectable dish. Their escapades take them across a zany landscape while assembling a cast of characters that only the imagination of Dr. Seuss can bring to life. Will Sam-I-Am convince his new friend to take a chance and finally try something new? Find out in this timeless tale the whole family will enjoy. Then, meet The Sneetches, who teach us that being yourself is the best way to fit in, while the story of The Zax reminds us that there is nothing to gain from being stubborn.

The Lorax: The award-winning tale of The Lorax tells the story of the greedy, tree-chopping Once-ler and his equally greedy, tree-chopping clan, the brave little Lorax who speaks up for the vanishing forest, and the boy who could right all the Once-ler’s wrongs with a seed and a lesson learned. Then enjoy Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? and Butter Battle Book, a pair of bonus Dr. Seuss television specials sure to delight.

Horton Hears a Who!: Based on the 1954 book of the same name, the 1970 animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who tells the classic story of an elephant named Horton who just so happens to be the only creature capable of hearing the people of a tiny planet floating on a speck of dust. Or perhaps just the only creature who will listen long enough to hear them. Fully remastered, the special also features Horton Hatches the Egg!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Every who down in Who-ville likes Christmas a lot, but the Grinch who lived just north of Who-ville did NOT! So the cuddly as a cactus Grinch (with termites in his smile and garlic in his soul) tries to wipe out Christmas for the cheerful Who-villains, only to discover: maybe Christmas, he thought doesn’t come from as store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more! Narrated by Boris Karloff and animated by cartoon legend Chuck Jones, it’s an award-winning Who-roast-beast-feast of a holiday classic.

When it comes to the Blu-ray presentations, each of these are equally very impressive with their 1080p transfers.  The colors are very crisp and really pop out well. You can’t forget that some of these specials have a few years under their belt.  There are various audio tracks on each of these specials.  The best of the bunch gets awards to “The Cat in the Hat”, “Green Eggs & Ham and Other Stories” and “The Lorax” with a nice DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track.  They are clear and work well with the dialogue and music.  Next up are good but not really up to Blu-ray full potential. “Horton Hears a Who!” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” both come with a Dolby Digital 2.0 (192kbps) track.  Seeing that these are two of my personal favorites, I was a little let down but overall it is not a total letdown.

On the scale of special features, this release delivers a nice collection of extras.  To start their are four additional TV specials including “The Butter Battle Book” (1989), “Daisy-Head Mayzie” (1995), “The Hoober-Bloob Highway” (1975) and “Pontoffel Pock & His Magic Piano” (1980). Other bonus features includes a sing along version of “The Cat in the Hat”, which is fun for the little kiddies (and the big kiddies also).  There is a 1994 documentary “In Search of Dr. Seuss”, which worth a watch.  There is a featurette for “The Lorax” called “The Trees! The Trees! The Voice Of The Trees”.  Another featurette includes “Dr. Seuss and the Grinch: From Whoville in Hollywood” follows the road from the pages to the screen. Lastly there are four interactive puzzles. Also I should mention that this release comes with a booklet of rate Dr. Seuss artwork including a few images of his hat collection.  I wish this was much longer but still very cool.

Former NYU student Justin Evans has been making movies since his school days, his latest inarguably his biggest feature to date. His latest film, “A Lonely Place for Dying,” stars Oscar nominee James Cromwell and “Hitchcock’s” Michael Wincott and will be released in the U.S. via iTunes on February 12, 2013. While preparing for this interview I learned that the film, a cold-war era thriller set in the 1970’s, has recently been banned from playing in Russia. Though Evans, who both wrote and directed the film, has received no official reason for the ban he assumes it’s because of his film’s controversial storyline. While preparing for the film’s release Evans took the time to answer some questions for Media Mikes.

Mike Smith: You co-wrote the script for “A Lonely Place for Dying.” What was your inspiration for the story?
Justin Evans: I’ve always been fascinated by the Cold War. It was a dirty, grimy, ethically confused game of global chess that somehow has a sense of romance and nostalgia for me. I have a particular affinity to the subject because I’m a Volga German. Our family immigrated to Russia in the 18th century and turned the Steppes into farm land. Russia made us two promises; the land would be ours forever and since we were not Russian we could not be forced to serve in their military. The Bolsheviks broke both promises with our people and my great-grandfather immigrated to the US in 1918. With a personal history of that scope I think it’s obvious why I’m obsessed with the Cold War.

MS: Not only does James Cromwell appear in the film he’s also a producer. How did that come about?
JE: We asked Jamie to be one of our producers. He said it was contingent upon our craftsmanship; if he liked the movie he’d give it his stamp of approval and be one of our executive producers. I guess he liked the movie!

MS: Even though the film was modestly budgeted it is well crafted, especially the special effects. How were you able to achieve this?
JE: Old fashioned hard work. I’d served as a visual effects supervisor on other projects. I found two VFX artists on the Internet and the three of us worked together for about four months. They completed about 250 visual effects shots. Most of them are hidden; the sky replacements, the sub-frame editing, digitally enhancing fake blood that was used on set..all of that work disappears into the background but provides a level of polish that is absolutely necessary in professional filmmaking. The glitzy stuff is the B-52 bombers and Washington DC street traffic. However, some of the invisible stuff was far more complicated. We did the work remotely. Occasionally, one of the artists would come to my house and we’d polish a shot on our Macbooks. We’d just hang out in my living room, drink some Red Bull and power through some shots while leaning over my ottoman. The tools are cheap. Its simply a question of how hard you’re willing to work. I’m lucky that I found two guys, Daniel Broadway and Marc Leonard, who have old-school work ethics and truly love their craft.

MS: In your opinion, does the continued quest for studios to have the all important opening weekend high gross make it hard for someone like yourself to get your stories told?
JE: That’s not what’s stopping us. Its more subtle and more pervasive than that. Its an intellectual laziness that says “I’ve never heard of you therefore you can’t possibly be talented.” We were told by a VP at Warner Brothers that he wouldn’t look at the movie “because if it were hot someone else would have looked at the movie and I’d have heard about it.” I released 22 minutes online and it was downloaded over 1.5 million times…and agents at Endeavor said “If this mattered it would be reported in Variety.” An ex-executive from Universal told us “I don’t understand your film. It’s a mainstream movie. It’s smart and its a popcorn film. But you don’t have big stars in it. You should have made something weird or cast Tom Cruise. Right now, you got nothing.” We were in 46 film festivals, nominated for 53 awards, won 29 including 18 for Best Picture. No one in the industry cared. Our trailer was downloaded 2.5 million times from iTunes Movie Trailers. No one in the industry cared. And no one ever said “I saw your movie and I don’t like it.” They said “I’m not willing to watch your movie because you’re not famous.” You can’t catch a break because the intellectual laziness creates a negative feedback loop.

MS: You did pretty much everything on this film except run the catering truck! Do you eventually want to narrow your career to one vocation, be it directing or writing, or are you happy having a hand in pretty much everything?
JE: I don’t know how to not be involved in everything. I know Photoshop so well that I can do the graphic design myself faster than if I had to explain my ideas to someone else. I’ve designed lighting and lenses and projectors so unless I can afford the world’s most expensive cinematographers I might as well do it myself. I interviewed a cinematographer for “A Lonely Place For Dying” and as I showed some of my storyboards the person wanted to know the mood of a particular shot. I said we’d have huge beams of god light coming in through these basement windows. The cinematographer blanches and says “That can’t be done unless you have 10K HMI’s.” I said “That’s not true; volumetric lighting is a matter of particle density, not light intensity. I can make a volumetric light with a flashlight if I have enough smoke in the air.” The cinematographer insists I don’t know what I’m talking about…and after awhile you get tired of those kinds of debates. Its just easier to do it yourself. I’m not trying to. Part of it is that I’m an Aspie and I really struggle with rephrasing things with the social lubrication people need so the truth can slip past their defenses. Its even worse if you can’t here my vocal tone or see my facial expressions. My communication style, when stripped of these nonverbal queues, makes me sound like an asshole to a certain type of person. I’m just stating facts; I willingly give up control when I find competent people. If I can’t…then I might as well do it myself. Hopefully I don’t sound like too much of a jackass saying that out loud. That being said, there is plenty I didn’t do. Brent Daniels did all the sound. Alone. By himself. He built the 5.1 mixing facility in his home and he put close to 1,500 hours into the dialogue, sound effects, music and mixing of this film. Ginger Ravencroft is a dear friend and a hell of a still photographer. She’s the reason we have 12 gorgeous theatrical posters. Daniel Broadway and Marc Leonard did 250 visual effects shots for the film. Without those people the movie would not be as good. So, I think the most accurate thing to say is while I wear many, many hats so do the people I trust the most.

MS: Are you planning anything currently?
JE: I’m the president of BryteWerks. We’re about to release our flagship digital motion picture projector. We have about 5 employees and an additional 25 contractors working on various engineering projects. I can’t go into the details of everything we’re doing but we’ve got some really cool products coming down the pipe. And I will get back to directing…but not until we finish our motion picture projector. We have pre-order customers to satisfy and this is a chance to really shake up the world. I’m already writing my next project. The rest is a secret.

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Actors: Kentaro Shimazu, Shigeru Matsuzaki, Rina Takeda
Directors: Noboru Iguchi
Rated: Unrated
Studio: First Look Pictures
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

What can you expect from a film titled “Dead Sushi”? Well take what you think and throw it away because it will leave your mouth wide-open saying “WTF is going on here!”. That is the way I was watching this film but that was I was expecting. I am very familiar with Noboru Iguchi’s work like “Machine Girl”, “Robogeisha” and the upcoming “The ABC’s of Death”. If you are fans of these films then you are going to LOVE this film. I never thought that I would enjoy a film about mutant killer sushi but this is a laugh riot packed with amazing gore and humor.

Keiko the daughter of a legendary sushi chef runs away from home when his Karate-style regimen becomes too severe. Finding work at a rural hot springs inn she is ridiculed by the eccentric staff and guests including the employees of a pharmaceutical firm there on a work retreat. But little do they know that a disgruntled former researcher has also come to the inn with a plan for revenge using a serum he developed that can awaken the murderous instincts of ordinary sushi turning it into bloodthirsty monsters! Keiko must use both her sushi training and her martial arts skills to save the others and defeat the flying killers.

I have to admit, I expected much more from the Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p transfer looks decent and is presented with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The audio tracks is where I was very disappointed. There is both a Japanese and English audio track but they are only available in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0. Not sure why they couldn’t go the HD route on this but this may work for DVD but not Blu-ray.  In terms of special features there is a decent making-of featurette.  The World Premiere Stage Greeting and Fantasia Film Festival interview are not-bad.  Though, the best feature is a “Dead Sushi Extreme Sushi Eating Contest”, definitely worth checking out.  Lastly there is a trailer included as well.

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I worked in the movie theatre business for 20 years. In that time I met hundreds of young adults who loved movies and planned to make them some day. But I’ve only had one who, at the age of 17, had already written no less than (5) full length feature films (and I still have the scripts to prove it). His name is Brett Alan Coker and he is now working with Kickstarter to help fund his next project. Hoping to get the word out, Coker talked with Media Mikes:

Mike Smith: Tell us about your new project.
Brett Alan Coker: The project is called “Lenexa (a docu•mys•tory)” and it’s a quasi-documentary. It is going to be done in the form of a documentary. But it is part truth and part fabrications. It is going to be a blend of coming-of-age tales from my own life and made-up stories of characters that I have created over the years with my writings.

MS: Sounds simple.
BAC: I really don’t know how else to describe it other than to say it is hopefully going to be a love letter to Kansas and to the city of Lenexa, as well as a home movie and a mystery.

MS: Talk about the story of “Lenexa”:
BAC: It is all predicated on an suburban legend of a treasure left behind by a group of guys that were petty thieves in the late 90’s. As the story unfolds you receive more and more information about the guys whom created and left the treasure, as well as deduce what the treasure actually is. If it in fact exists, what it is, and where it is. All the information needed to figure out the truth about mystery of the treasure will be in the documentary. But it is up to the viewer to piece it together.

MS: You’ve written several scripts. Have you filmed any of your work?
BAC: This project, hopefully, will be the first of many. Using the funds I am attempting to raise from Kickstarter.com I will be able to get the equipment and software I need to do this film, and many others after. I don’t know what you know about Kickstarter.com, but it’s a website that helps people crowd source funding for creative projects. It’s an all or nothing thing. I am looking for raise $5,000 by March 11th, 2013. And if I don’t hit that goal, I don’t get a dime. I could have $4,997.00, and if I don’t get the last $3.00 then…nothing.

To give a hand to Brett’s project, just visit:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thebac/lenexa-a-documystory-a-feature-length-film

Actors: Clint Howard, Brian Gallagher, Jen Dance, Shaun Paul Costello, Chelsey Garner
Directors: Jason Christopher
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
DVD Release Date: February 26, 2013
Run Time: 78 minutes

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

With a title like “Nobody Gets Out Alive”, how can you not be interested in this film? The film is really a low-burn horror/thriller that really tips its hat to the classic slasher films. The gore is super present and is not shy to keep the camera rolling.  Even be being desensitized, I was very shocked at how far they go.  The film also boasts an all too brief cameo from actor Clint Howard (“Austin Powers”, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”). If you are a fans of 70/80’s horror then I would definitely recommend checking this out for sure.

Official Premise: The film charts the tragic path of Hunter Isth (Gallagher), whose life is turned upside down when his young daughter is killed by a drunk driver. In mourning, depressed and angry, Hunter disappears and is rumored to have moved away from Braiden Woods. As years go by, Hunter and his devastating story evolve into a local legend, a myth that many consider to be just that, until a group of partying teenagers accidentally find themselves trapped in a brutal fight for survival… with a legend bent on vengeance!

The special features for the DVD are not amazing but worth checking out if you liked the film, especially the audio commentary track.  There is a short and sweet behind-the-scenes “making of” featurette, as well as outtakes.  I always find it odd to include outtakes in a horror film since it kind of clashes with the mood. Honestly, I was impressed that there was at least any special features here for this low-budget horror flick.  So something is definitely better than nothing.

Directed by: Chris James Thompson
Starring: Andrew Swant, Jeffrey Jentzen, Pat Kennedy, Pamela Bass
Distributed by: IFC Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running time: 77 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

I am not sure what it is about serial killers but the topic always sparks America’s interest. “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files” is a documentary/re-enactment film about Jeffrey Dahmer during the summer of his arrest. Andrew Swant plays the serial killer in those segments and that footage is mixed in with real interviews with Jeffrey Jentzen, the medical examiner from the case; Pat Kennedy, the lead detective; and even Dahmer’s actual next door neighbor, Pamela Bass. I loved the way that the real and new footage that was created and is blended almost seamlessly. Even though this film is just a documentary, it still disturbing and creepy.

Official Synopsis: In the summer of 1991 Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested in Milwaukee and sentenced to 957 years in prison for killing 17 people and dismembering their bodies. ‘Jeff’ explores the city of Milwaukee by meeting those surrounding Dahmer during and after his hidden spree. Recollections from Milwaukee Medical Examiner Jeffrey Jentzen, Police Detective Patrick Kennedy, and neighbor Pamela Bass are interwoven with archival footage and everyday scenes from Dahmer’s life, working collectively to disassemble the facade of an ordinary man leading an ordinary existence.

When you see the re-enactment footage with Andrew Swant playing Dahmer and then the actual court footage of Dahmer it is very disturbing and at first almost hard to tell the difference. As a film, I think this word be better suited as a TV special then a feature film. But nonetheless, it was interesting and definitely grasped my attention for the near 80 minutes. In fact, I actually learned a few things about this notorious serial killer. If you are interested in serial killers, then I would recommend checking this out.

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Actors: Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Darren Shahlavi, Jerry Trimble
Directors: Jesse V. Johnson
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Run Time: 95 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: None

All you had to say here for get me sold is Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren in an action movie together. Too bad it doesn’t heat up till the last 20 minutes. The film drags a bit but really gets going finally when the two action stars get together. There is such potential in this film for a real man’s man action shoot ’em up and it does deliver but needs a little shot of Red Bell. Nonetheless, Steve Austin is badass (not a shock here) and Dolph Lundgren plays the kick-ass baddie as well.

Official Premise: Vengeance Delivered. Guaranteed. Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren star in the bone-crunching action flick that delivers the goods: Austin is combat veteran Tommy Wick, a nightclub bouncer and stone-cold enforcer for a Seattle mob boss. Lundgren is `The German,’ an international crime lord and hardcore killing machine. But when Wick is asked to courier a mysterious package to The German, he’ll suddenly find himself hunted by relentless teams of hit men, mercenaries, assassins and sadists. Time is running out. The bodies are piling up. And for two very pissed-off men with a history of bad blood, the ultimate retaliation is about to be ripped wide open.

Despite the film itself, Anchor Bay delivers a very nice Blu-ray presentation.  The 1080p transfer is hot and works well with the action.  The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track really delivers as well and will have you dodging the bullets for sure.  The release comes as a combo pack with both a Blu-ray and DVD of the film included.  Lastly though, there are zero special features included on this release.   If you are an action junkie and fans of these two greats, I would give this a watch just to see them battle it out.

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Actors: John Cusack, Jennifer Carpenter, Dallas Roberts, Mae Whitman, Sonya Walger
Directors: Morgan O’Neill
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: February 19, 2013
Running Time: 104 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: None

When I think about John Cusack, I do not think about direct-to-DVD releases.  In fact it almost makes me upset since he is a really great actor and deserves better. I found out that this film had finished shooting in mid 2008 and has been stuck on a limbo shelf for the past five years.  I am not sure why since it has an impressive cast including Jennifer Carpenter from “Dexter” and Mae Whitman from TV’s “Parenthood” and “Arrested Development”. The film is a by-the-book serial killer thriller but delivers a nice surprise ending.

Official Synopsis: Present. Buffalo. The unforgiving winter. A killer roams the streets, abducting women on cold, quiet nights. All prostitutes, missing persons with no one to miss them. He leaves behind no traces, no clues; nothing. Detective Mike Fletcher (John Cusack) is the one cop on the force bent on bringing him to justice. Mike sees the tragedy in all of this: that these poor women are alone in life, and in death. They have no one to stand up for them – no one except him.

“The Factory” is directed by Morgan O’Neil, who is relatively unknown.  He has done two films “Drift” (2012) and “Solo” (2006) that no one has heard of. Thought he does a decent job here.  The film is produced by Joel Silver (“The Matrix” trilogy) and Dark Castle Entertainment. So you know that their is talent behind this. The DVD comes with no special features at all besides a an UltraViolet digital streaming copy. I understand why this film wasn’t released but if you are a fan of Cusack or Carpenter from “Dexter”, it is worth checking out.

Actors: Emilia Clark, Michelle Fairley, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Developed by: David Benioff, D. B. Weiss
Number of discs: 7
Rated: Unrated
Studio: HBO Studios
Release Date: February 19, 2013
Run Time: 561 minutes

Season: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

How are you going to top such a powerful season as the first of “Game of Thrones”. The show is so intense and gripping that you can literally watch the whole season in one sitting. The second season is spot on with the first and really delivers an equally impressive season. This season follows the path of George R.R. Martin’s “A Clash of Kings”, the second book of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. I personally haven’t read the book but from what I am told the book ranks better…but isn’t that the way it also is with literary purists. The second season of Game of Thrones was nominated for eleven 2012 Emmy awards (including Outstanding Drama Series) and ended up winning six. I feel that this season is a grand slam and guaranteed to entertain and satisfy. Besides the season itself there is also tons of great never-before-seen bonus materials included.

The epic drama set in the fantasy continent of Westeros picks up in the midst of a rapidly approaching winter season – that of the white raven. The episodes in the second season includes “The North Remembers”, “The Night Lands”, “What Is Dead May Never Die”, “Garden of Bones”, “The Ghost of Harrenhal”, “The Old Gods and the New”, “A Man Without Honor”, “The Prince of Winterfell”, “Blackwater”, “Valar Morghulis”. “The Ghost of Harrenhal” is easily the weakest of the season, though still gripping. “Blackwater” is easily the fan favorite of the season as well. This was the episode that really hooked my wife into this show. The second season’s cast is said to be the largest on television. Besides the returning cast from the first season, there are 29 new characters that are introduced with the episodes.

HBO has delivered a fantastic job with this Blu-ray, in fact this is already on the list for one of the best Blu-ray releases of 2013 to date. The 1080p transfer is flawless, as is the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. You literally have to duck for the sword and dodge the rolling heads. What I like most about the release is that it cares about the quality of the show over cost.  It gives each of the ten episodes a lot of room to breathe over the five 50GB Blu-rays .  Most companies would cram the mere ten episodes onto two discs.  This release also includes a DVD series of the show, those on the other hand are squished onto two double sided DVDs.  But this show really needs to be experiences on high def Blu-ray.  There is also a digital copy for iTunes and Ultraviolet available as an added option on the go.

The special features are just as great as the season and sure to satisfy all die-hard fans.  If you recall from “Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season” there were an amazing sevn commentary tracks…well second takes it up another level with twelve.  That’s right there are twelves audio commentaries tracks spread out over the five discs featuring cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington and more. Next up each episode has an “In-Episode Guide” which gives an interface that gives fans a chance to learn more about the characters, lands and histories of the Seven Kingdoms and beyond. There are also seven character profiles with bios, complete with cast and crew interviews including Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, Renly Baratheon, Stannis Baratheon and Theron Greyjoy.  If you are fans of “easter eggs”, this release has “hidden dragon eggs” to uncover even more content spread throughout the five discs.

The rest of the extras of located on the fifth disc starting with “Histories & Lore”. They are short animated videos told from each individual character perspective. “War of the Five Kings” is only for the die-hard fans and is a very details interactive guide to track the claims, strategies and key players involved in the battle for the Iron Throne. “Creating the Battle of Blackwater Bay” is a behind-the-scenes looks with developing and executing the ninth episode’s major battle. “Game of Thrones Inner Circle” is a roundtable sit down with cast/crew Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Michelle Fairley and Liam Cunningham and executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. “The Religions of Westeros” is a chat with Martin, Benioff and Weiss on the religious values that underlie on the series.

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Actors: RZA, Russell Crowe, Rick Yune, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Jamie Chung
Directors: RZA
Rated: R / Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Running Time: 96 minutes (Theatrical) / 108 minutes (Unrated)

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“The Man with the Iron Fists” is a real labor of love for the rapper RZA, he not only directs but also co-wrote and stars in this wannabe-grindhouse kung-fu film. Let’s say he might have taken a bit more than he can chew. The plot is a mess and all over the place. The film is co-written and produced by genre favorite Eli Roth and is presented by Quentin Tarantino but they don’t really lend anything to the film. I think the reason why I am so upset is that this film didn’t live up to what it could have been. The only thing that made this film barely watchable is the occasional and rare action and the gore. This definitely not for everyone but the hardcore genre fans.

I had a real problem with the constant narrative by RZA. You can tell that he is really trying to fill in the major plot holes with useless dialogue. The fighting scenes are great and are well choreographed. The blend of CG effects work sometimes and then look crazy fake the rest. Props needs to go to my buddy Greg Nicotero and his partner Howard Berger for delivering some really sweet gore, which like I said is one off the saving graces for this film. This Blu-ray contains a theatrical and an unrated cuts of the film. The theatrical runs 95-minutes long, while the unrated cut runs an extended 107-minutes. The 12 minutes are made up of additional plot and gore, which for the most part adds enough to the film to check it out again.

RZA…I am sorry but the guy is not an actor. He may be a great rapper but the dude can’t carry this film and drags in down. He plays it way too serious and almost laughable. Russell Crowe continues his travels to becoming my favorite actor after his fantastic role in “Les Misérables”.  I mean the guy literally guts a man’s stomach and screams “My name is Mr. Knife.  You can call me Jack”. This guy is the shit, hands down and he is a freak in this film. Byron Mann also kick-ass as the film’s main baddie. Keep an eye out for cameos from Pam Grier and Kung-fu legend Gordon Liu

Universal delivers in terms of the release here, yet again.  It comes in a two-disc combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet.  The DVD actually comes with both the theatrical and unrated cuts, usually that is not the case.  Universal also did the same with this year’s “Death Race 3: Inferno”.  The 1080p transfer on the Blu-ray is stunning and looks fantastic but with a supposed grindhouse film, should it really look this polished? The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track also works well with the action and RZA’s score. You can literally hear the bones breaking and the body parts flying. In terms of the audio/visual, this release is fantastic.  That again goes to Universal who has yet to disappoint recently with their stunning releases.

Back to the negative side again of this film, the special features are not spectacular. There are about 20 minutes deleted and extended scenes.  Some of decent but the rest is just filler.  There is a super short featurette called “A Look Inside”, which has RZA talking about the film. It was actually quite interesting and then the two minutes were up and it left you wanting more.  Next up we have “On the Set with RZA”, which is also very short and consist of five one-minute promos on the story, the cast and the special effects. Lastly “A Path to the East” is another two-minute behind-the-scenes with RZA. I was left wanting a lot more…and where is the animated short prequel that was made to promote the film?

Starring: Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy and John Cho
Directed by: Seth Gordon
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 52 mins
Universal

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I can only imagine what it was like to go to a movie during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Long before television, home video and the internet you could go, uninformed, to see a movie and every now and then leave the theatre realizing you had just witnessed the birth of a star. I felt that way after seeing the movie “Bridesmaids.” In a supporting role Melissa McCarthy totally blew me away. Of course, it wasn’t just me she impressed since she earned an Oscar nomination for her performance – a very rare feat for a true comic performance. Though I don’t see another nomination coming here, McCarthy continues to shine in the new film “Identity Thief.”

Sandy Patterson (Bateman) is a mild mannered Colorado-based account executive who has had to suffer with a first name that makes strangers think he’s a woman (his father actually named him after baseball great Sandy Koufax). One morning the phone rings with terrible news. Sandy is informed that someone has tried to use one of his credit cards. The woman on the phone also tells him that if he can provide some information that she can stop the fraud from happening. Sandy shares his info, not knowing that the voice on the other end of the line belongs to Diana (McCarthy) a scam artist living in Florida. Soon Diana, as Sandy, is buying jet skis, a car and rounds of drinks for her friends. She also gets into a bar fight. When she doesn’t show up for court a warrant is issued for Sandy’s arrest. Understanding he’s in a tight situation from which the police can offer no help, Sandy decides to travel to the Sunshine State to confront his new self.

Packed with some great physical comedy by both stars, “Identity Thief” does a fine job of making a complete film out of a one-joke plot line. This is due to the chemestry between Bateman and McCarthy. Bateman, who was once “Teen Wolf” (or Teen Wolf 2 to be exact) has carved out a solid new career as the everyman that many in the audience can relate to. He has some great moments, especially at home with his wife (Amanda Peete) and daughters. Just as his life was getting good (new job, major raise) it begins to fall apart. His credit score is below 240, which isn’t a good thing to have when you work with other people’s money! While his idea to retrieve Diana may seem far fetched, it makes sense to a simple guy like Sandy.

McCarthy makes Diana believable as well. Even when she’s conspiring to get away from Sandy or complaining to anyone that will listen about her Fiber Myalga you feel a wee bit of sympathy for her situation. Of course the two leads have some great supporting characters to lend them a hand, including “Modern Family’s” Eric Stonestreet and “Terminator 2” bad guy Robert Patrick. When they show up on screen, in seperate moments, they breathe like into the film just as it appears it will stall. Some of the bits are included because they seem funny though aren’t really needed and add an extra 20 minutes or so to the film that it really doesn’t need.

That being said, I recommend you see “Identity Thief,” even if it’s just so you can witness the continued rise of a shooting star.

Starring: Jude Law, Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta-Jones
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 46 mins
Open Road

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

An empty room. On the floor, a set of bloody footprints. Fade to black.

Martin (Channing Tatum) has just been released from prison where he did time for insider trading. His wife, Emily (Mara), appears to be happy that he’s home though the combination of a husband in prison and an uprooted life has given her an anxiety condition that is out of control. After a car accident Emily meets Dr. Banks (Law), a psychiatrist who feels the accident was anything but. He offers to help Emily, unaware that soon he will be the one needing help.

An old fashioned thriller in every sense of the word, “Side Effects” gives you just enough clues to stay in the game but never reveals enough to get you to drop your guard. The clever script, by Scott Burns, is full of twists and turns that take you from one character to the next, silently scratching your head and wondering who do you believe?

The storyline is helped by a cast just as serious as the material. In his best work since “Cold Mountain,” Jude Law is brilliant. He gives Dr. Banks a heart that one normally doesn’t see in the typical Hollywood shrink. With a wife (Vinessa Shaw) and step-son at home he strives to do what he can for both his family and his patients. Mara continues the great promise she showed in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Emily is sometimes happy, sometimes sad and, sometimes, both at the same time, which is very hard to portray believably on screen. You want to root for her but you take a step back, unsure if you should. Zeta-Jones is well cast as a former doctor of Emily’s while Channing Tatum continues the run of fine performances that started last year.

For a director supposedly mulling retirement, Steven Soderbergh has kept busy. This is his fifth feature film since 2011 and, after roles in the recent “Haywire” and “Magic Mike,” Side Effects” completes a Channing Tatum trilogy! Busy or not, Soderbergh is still at the top of his game, crafting a film that gives you clues that may or not tell all that you need to know.

Actors: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, Juno Temple, James Marsden, Peter Stormare, Amanda Plummer, Dolph Lundgren, Rosie Perez, Rebel Wilson, James Caan and Johnny Knoxville
Directors: Jonas Åkerlund
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: February 19, 2013
Run Time: 96 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

If you are familiar with award-winning film and music video director Jonas Åkerlund known best for films like “Spun” and
Lady Gaga’’s “Paparazzi”” music video. “Small Apartments” is a real trip to say the least. Having known Jonas’ work, I had an idea what to expect but still didn’t see this film coming. When I say Matt Lucas was starring, I expected laugh out loud comedy. What we got here is more of a black comedy murder cover-up. It has its funny moments but the best part has to be this film’s collection of talent who pop in and out. Not sure if I could watch this again but one viewing was manageable.

Matt Lucas is the star of this film but it also packs some fun appearances from actors Billy Crystal (“When Harry Met Sally”), Juno Temple (“The Dark Knight Rises”), James Marsden (“X-Men: The Last Stand”), Peter Stormare (“Fargo”), Amanda Plummer (“Pulp Fiction”), Dolph Lundgren (“The Expendables”), Rosie Perez (“White Men Can’t Jump”), Rebel Wilson (“Pitch Perfect”), DJ Qualls (The New Guy”), James Caan (“The Godfather”) and Johnny Knoxville (“Jackass: The Movie”). This is a zany cast for a zany film for sure.

Official Synopsis: Trapped in a seedy LA apartment, Franklin Franklin (Matt Lucas) has a dead landlord on the kitchen floor and is surrounded by eccentric neighbors: the stoner (Johnny Knoxville) and girlfriend (Rebel Wilson), the wanna-be stripper (Juno Temple) and the artist (James Caan). To add to his chaos, a drunk investigator (Billy Crystal) is questioning him about his landlord. But none of this fazes Franklin. He dreams of Switzerland, and waits each day for an envelope from his institutionalized brother (James Marsden). Then, one day the envelope doesn’t come and Franklin becomes unhinged. Little does he know…his crazy brother has the secret that will set him free.

When it comes to special features there is nothing really going on here besides two pretty useless featurettes.  The first featurette is  “How to Build A Gravity Bong” with Johnny Knoxville.  He gives instructions on how to craft the ideal smoking device…real charming. The other feature is a short behind-the-scenes look into the production. Even though I wasn’t completely in love with this film, I would have loved to have a commentary track with the director and maybe a few of the cast members.