Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Martin Sheen, Christopher Walken
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 141 minutes

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

It is hard to believe but “Catch Me If You Can” turns 10 years old this year. I remember seeing it in the theaters for the first time and being blown away. But I have to admit that I have yet to see it again since then. What better time to revisit this release that the wonderful Blu-ray first-time on Blu-ray thanks to Paramount. This is one of Steven Spielberg’s last great films. It also starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in one of their best roles to date. The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive and looks sharp with its new 1080p transfer and presented in its original aspect ratio: 1.85:1. The Blu-ray also treks a sweet DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which works with the fast-dialogue before the characters. Timed with the release of Spielberg’s latest “Lincoln”, 10 years have been kind of this film and I highly recommend this Blu-ray.

Official Premise: Frank didn’t go to flight school Frank didn’t go to medical school Frank didn’t go to law school because Frank’s still in high school! Inspired by the true story of a brilliant young master of deception and the FBI agent hot on his trail. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. successfully passes himself off as a pilot, a lawyer and a doctor all before his 21st birthday!

The special features include over an hour of extras that are very impressive but basically ports from previous DVD releases. “Catch Me If You Can: Behind the Camera” is a nice look into the Steven Spielberg production. Next up, “Catch Me If You Can: The Casting of the Film” is a five part feature that goes into detail on each character including, Leonardo DiCaprio as “Frank Abagnale, Jr.”, Tom Hanks as “Carl Hanratty”, Frank’s Parents: Christopher Walken and Nathalie Baye, The Strong Family: Martin Sheen and Amy Adams and Jennifer Garner as “Cheryl Ann”. “Scoring: Catch Me If You Can” focuses on John Williams’ score. The next four features look in to the real Frank in “Frank Abagnale: Between Reality and Fiction”, including “Meet Frank Abagnale”, “Frank Becomes a Pilot”, “Frank’s Careers” and “Frank Gets Caught and Turns His Life Around”. There is plenty of background information here. The last two featurettes focus on “The FBI Perspective” and “Catch Me If You Can: In Closing”. Lastly there are three Photo Galleries focusing on Cast, Behind-the-Scenes and Costume Design.

Actors: Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, James Gleason, Nancy Gates
Directors: Lewis Allen
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 76 minutes

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

Frank Sinatra is known for his wonderful voice but some forget what a fantastic actor he is as well! Sinatra comes back right after his Oscar-winning turn from “From Here to Eternity” playing the role of a psychopathic hit man. It is awesome to see “Ol’ Blue Eyes” get a chance to play the baddie.  Image Entertainment has done a wonderful job restoring this film to Blu-ray since it was transferred from the Original 35mm Studio Fine Grain Master Print.  So the presentation on Blu-ray could not get any better.  Fans of Sinatra should not miss this film and Blu-ray.  Did mention it would make a wonderful Christmas gift for all dads! Hint, Hint!

Official Premise: Terror comes to the sleepy small town of Suddenly when a cold-blooded assassin takes a family hostage. Now, the clock is ticking and every precious second counts as they band together to stop this methodical killer before he can carry out his shocking plan. Academy Award-winner Frank Sinatra (From Here to Eternity) gives a “tour de force” (The New York Times) performance in the most astonishing role of his career. Sterling Hayden (The Killing) costars as the sheriff who is pitted against this cool and cunning psychopath in a tense battle of wills. Available in pristine HD with superior picture and sound, this is the definitive collector’s edition of this controversial classic of unnerving suspense.

For a film that is nearly 60 years old, it looks stunning within it’s 1080p transfer.  The audio track included is a DTS-HD master Audio 1.o track, which also works very well with this low-budget film noir thriller.  The special features are primarily commentary track but are worth the purchase alone.  There is a brand new audio commentary track from Frank Sinatra Jr, which is a must listen.  There is also a brand new audio commentary track with Dr. Drew Casper, a Professor of American Film.  It is more fact based but still very informative. There is a bonus short film included directed by Francis Thompson “N.Y., N.Y.: A Day in New York (1957)” and featuring amazing music from Gene Forrell. Lastly there is an image gallery included.

Actors: Matt Smith, David Tennant, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, Karen Gillian
Number of discs: 41
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 20, 2012

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

BBC Home Entertainment is answering the prayers of every Doctor Who fan just in time for the holiday season with the release of “Doctor Who Limited Edition Gift Set”. This limited edition Doctor Who collector’s box feature over 70 hours of “Doctor Who” amazing-ness plus many more of special features. The set also includes a collectible 11th Doctor Sonic Screwdriver, three original art cards and the comic book, “Doctor Who at Comic Con.” To honest I was a little disappointed with the packaging since it is a bit of a pain to open and close. Also in order to get to the comic book and card, you need to remove all of the contents. The 11th Doctor Sonic Screwdriver alone is a $30 value and is overall pretty rad to play with. The three original art cards are super cool as well and will look nice in a frame. Lastly, the comic book included “Doctor Who at Comic Con”, is a nice addition as well. This should satisfy all fans of the series but if you have been purchasing each series DVD as it has been released, the extra disc and goodies might not be worth the price.

This gift set includes the series in it’s DVD format spread out of 41 sci-fi packed discs. There are no Blu-ray’s included though. We all know that first few series of “Doctor Who” were shot on standard definition video, but since the 11th Doctor they have been releasing them on Blu-ray. So in this gift set, I understand them including only DVD to keep it uniform but I still prefer my Blu-ray releases of Series 5 and 6. So we get Series 1-6 and The Complete Specials (The Next Doctor / Planet of the Dead / The Waters of Mars / The End of Time Parts 1 and 2) included in their previously released packaging. Series 1-4 has never been released on Blu-ray and are currently only available on DVD. While Series 5-6 and The Complete Specials are also currently available on Blu-ray.

This gift set also includes a DVD of never-before-released specials including: “The Women of Doctor Who”, “The Timey – Wimey of Doctor Who” and “The Destinations of Doctor Who”. “The Women of Doctor Who” looks at the great women behind ever time lord. “The Timey – Wimey of Doctor Who” looks into what timey-wimey is exactly with star Arthur Darvill. “The Destinations of Doctor Who” takes up in a time machine to the travels through the universe, you never know where you”ll end up including the year 5 billion. These specials have all originally aired on BBC America but have never-before-released on DVD. They are must have for all “Whovians”.

Series 1 includes all 13 episodes of the BBC sci-fi classic, which served as the reboot for the show. It was written by Russell T. Davies and starred Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor. His joins up with companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) to save the world. I liked Eccleson as the Doctor but something was a little off about the way he portrayed him. Episodes included are: “Rose”; “The End of the World”; “The Unquiet Dead”; “Aliens of London”; “World War Three”; “Dalek”; “The Long Game”; “Father”s Day”; “The Empty Child”; “The Doctor Dances”; “Boom Town”; “Bad Wolf”; and “The Parting of the Ways”.

Series 2 included all 14 episodes, primarily written by Russell T. Davies. It also introduces a new Doctor, played by David Tennant. In this series, it features the tenth Doctor continuing to travel with companion Rose Tyler. I liked Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor but Tennant taking over was simply brilliant. Episodes included are: “The Christmas Invasion,” “New Earth,” “Tooth And Claw,” “School Reunion,” “The Girl In The Fireplace,” “Rise Of The Cybermen,” “TheAge of Steel,” “The Idiot”s Lantern,” “The Impossible Planet,” “The Satan Pit,” “Love & Monsters,” “Fear Her,” “Army Of Ghosts” and “Doomsday.” This series really has some of the best episodes to date.

Series 3 includes all 14 episodes and stars David Tennant as the Doctor with companion Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) after Rose Tyler became stuck in the parallel world..forever. I was never a fan of this series but it has seen grown on me, since it packs some wonderful intense episodes. Episodes included are: “Smith and Jones”, “The Shakespeare Code”, “Gridlock”, “Daleks in Manhattan”, “Evolution of the Daleks”, “The Lazarus Experiment”, “42”, “Human Nature”, “The Family of Blood”, “Blink”, “Utopia”, “The Sound of Drums”, “Last of the Timelords” and the 2006 Christmas special “The Runaway Bride”, starring Catharine Tate.

Series 4 includes all 14 episodes and continues David Tennant playing the Doctor, in his last go around (until the specials) with yet another companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), who appeared first in “The Runaway Bride”. Episodes included are: “Partners in Crime”, “The Fires of Pompeii”, “Planet of the Ood”, “The Sontaran Stratagem”, “The Poison Sky”, “The Doctor”s Daughter”, “The Unicorn and the Wasp”, “Silence in the Library”, “Forest of the Dead”, “Midnight”, “Turn Left”, “The Stolen Earth” and “Journey”s End”. Overall decent season but not a big fan of Catherine Tate but at least we get more Rose Tyler. Also very sad to see the end of Tennant playing the Doctor.

Series 5 includes all 13 episodes and begins the next wave of the franchise with Matt Smith taking over as The Doctor and Karen Gillan, as his companion, Amy Pond. This is by far one of my favorite seasons as a whole, in sense of the storyline. Episodes included are: “The Eleventh Hour”, “The Beast Below”, “Victory of the Daleks”, “The Time of Angels”, “Flesh and Stone”, “The Vampires of Venice”, “Amy’s Choice”, “The Hungry Earth”, “Cold Blood”, “Vincent and the Doctor”, “The Lodger”, “The Pandorica Opens” and “The Big Bang”. This series is just a wonderful introduction to the companion and really dives the story right from the beginning.

Series 6 includes all 13 episodes and returns the adventures with Matt Smith as the Doctor and Karen Gillan as Amy Pond. Also joining them is Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams and Alex Kingston as River Song. This season started with the death of the Doctor, which ran through the whole series. Definitely an exciting arc for the show. Episodes included are: “A Christmas Carol”, “The Impossible Astronaut”, “Day Of The Moon”, “The Curse Of The Black Spot”, “The Doctor’s Wife”, “The Rebel Flesh”, “The Almost People”, “A Good Man Goes To War”, “Let’s Kill Hitler”, “Night Terrors”, “The Girl Who Waited”, “The God Complex”, “Closing Time”, “The Wedding Of River Song”. These episodes reveal quite a lot of the series. Matt Smith is quickly becoming my favorite Doctor. Amy Pond is also my favorite companion to date.

Series 1 special features include commentary by cast and crew on all episodes, numerous making-of featurettes, video diary with Piper and an interview with Eccleston. Series 2 special features include commentary by cast and crew on all episodes, video diaries with Tennant, Doctor Who Confidential and Picture-in-picture commentary on The Girl in the Fireplace, The Age of Steel, The Impossible Planet, and Doomsday. Series 3 special features include commentary by cast and crew on all episodes, Doctor Who Confidential, Music and Monsters, Freema’s tour of the studio, David Tennant’s Video Diaries, Deleted scenes and Outtakes. Series 4 special features include commentary by cast and crew on all episodes, Doctor Who Confidential; video diaries with Tennant; Deleted scenes; Teasers and trailers; Retrospective featurette and Children in Need “Time Crash”. Series 5 special features include audio commentaries from cast/crew; newly filmed scenes written by Steven Moffat, called “Meanwhile in the Tardis”; Doctor Who Confidential; Monster Files; Outtakes; video diaries and Teasers and trailers. Series 6 special features include audio commentaries from cast/crew; five Night and the Doctor specially recorded scenes and episode prequels; two sketches recorded for the UK’s Comic Relief charity event; Monster Files; Doctor Who Confidential and BBC1 Trails.

I highly recommend this limited edition gift set if you are just being introduced to this show or if you have never purchased any of the previously released DVDs. If you are looking for something to hold you over until “Doctor Who” returns next year with the second part of series seven, which features a new companion joining the 11th Doctor. Until then…enjoy revisiting this fun and exciting series.

Starring: Dave Rastovich, Isabel Lucas
Directed by: Justin Krumb
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Saltwater Collective
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Running Time: 86 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Prior to finding this film, I was well aware of pro surfer Dave Rastovich and his career.  He is not just your typical surfer though he is also a an activist and embarked on a mission to protect dolphins, whales and the oceans that they all share and also to inspire change. This film is nothing short of inspiring.  It is not force fed to “save the oceans etc”. It really shows the love that Dave has for the water and it’s inhabitants. This five-year journey spans all of the world from Australia to the Galapagos to Tonga to California to Alaska and Japan. Like I said it really feels like an adventure and hopefully this will get people to realize what is happening and make a stand.  Even though, I have know about Dave prior to this film, I have have a new respect for him and his passion is infectious.

Official Premise: “Minds in the Water” documents the journey of traveling professional surfer Dave Rastovich, From an ocean minded admirer to an ocean activist. Through the charismatic journey of Dave’s life witness an adventure spanning the globe from Australia and the Galapagos to Tonga, Alaska and Japan. See first hand how one surfer’s quest to protect dolphins and whales has blossomed into a movement of like minds. Minds In The Water message: if ocean minded people are to pass on a sustainable culture, then they must become responsible stewards of their coastal environment.

This award winning documentary not only tells the story of Pro soul surfer Dave Rastovich but also has appearances from Hayden Panettiere, Isabel Lucas, Howie Cooke, Chris Del Moro, and Captain Paul Watson.  There is also some great tunes included from by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack Johnson, and Xavier Rudd. Definitely a very chill soundtrack to relax to.  I see this film being revisited very often just to experience the vibe and it’s message.  The film is executive producer and directed by Justin Krumb, who is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker and the founder and president of The Saltwater Collective and RoughCuts Productions.  He is the perfect fit for this film and does a wonderful job leading and directing this doc. Highly recommend for not just surfers but everyone who cares about these very important issues.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.mindsinthewater.com/
OFFICIAL TRAILER ON YOUTUBE:

William Joyce is the author of the “The Guardians of Childhood” series, which is being made into the film, “Rise of the Guardians”. William also served as executive producer on the film. William recently released the third novel in “The Guardians of the Childhood” series, called “Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies” and also a picture book “Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask William a few questions about turning his series into a film and chatted about his new books.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your work on DreamWorks Animation’s “Rise of the Guardians”?
William Joyce: The upcoming DreamWorks Animation “Rise of the Guardians”, set for release on November 21, is based on my book series “The Guardians of Childhood.” It takes place 200 years after the team’s formation in the books; it tells the story of Jack’s recruitment to the team and centers around four of the guardians; Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and the Easter Bunny. The Guardians of Childhood book series tells a sweeping tale of the ongoing battle between Pitch, lord of nightmares, and the eponymous guardians, consisting of figures such as the Man in the Moon, Nicolas St. North, the Tooth Fairy, Bunnymund the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, Mother Goose, and Jack Frost. I also worked as the executive producer, so I collaborated on all aspects of the film. Design, story, and casting.

MG: What was the most challenging aspect of bringing “The Guardians of Childhood” to screen?
WJ: Narrowing the story down to a 90 minute film, then bringing that story to the screen. Animated feature films are titanic endeavors, and take years to realize.

MG: Tell us about the next novel in the series “Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies”?
WJ: Toothania, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies, is the third and the newest in The Guardian series. It delves into the secret world of the third Guardian, the mysterious Tooth Fairy. This third chapter book presents you to Her Royal Highness, Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairies. There’s a lot more to her than has been previously understood.

MG: How many other book do you have planned in this series?
WJ: The Guardians of Childhood Series and The Guardians series will consist in total of thirteen books; the seven picture books in The Guardians of Childhood series and six chapter books in the Guardians of Childhood series.

MG: How did the idea for picture book “The Sandman: The Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie” come about?
WJ: I’ve been working on a unified mythology for the icons of childhood since my daughter asked me if Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy knew each other. As a parent, I felt that Santa Claus, the Man in the Moon, all of them had become a little diminished. They deserve to be thought of as grand. Heroic. Epic. If Spider-Man has an origins mythology, then why not the characters we actually believed in? Creating a voice for their stories became my mission.

MG: Tell us about the road to “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” winning the Best Animated Short in 2011 Oscars?
WJ: We started Moonbot Studios three years ago, in my hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. It’s an unlikely place to have an animation studio. We are, I believe, the 104th largest city in the United States. But we love it. Shreveport is home. To do the short we had to mortgage our houses and hunt for every nickel we could rub together. It was a huge risk. But we believed in ourselves and the story. Most of our employees were fresh out of college. Working at Moonbot was their first job. When we won, the whole city, the entire state of Louisiana, went nuts. It was like a Frank Capra movie come to life. They gave us a ticker tape parade, a key to the city, and sang for he’s a jolly good fellow. Our lives became like the movies we’d been inspired by and loved. It was surreal, unspeakably happy and perfect. But now our employees are totally spoiled.

MG: What can you tell us about your next film “Epic”?
WJ: Epic is an upcoming 3D computer animated fantasy-adventure film based on my children’s book “The Leaf Men.” It’s an epic adventure that just happens to be in the secret world of a teenage girl’s backyard. A race o tiny beings threatened by an ancient evil. I like to think of it as an intimate epic. It’s being produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Chris Wedge, the director of Ice Age (2002) and Robots (2005). It stars the voices of Beyoncé Knowles, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Knoxville, Aziz Ansari, Pitbull, Jason Sudeikis, and Steven Tyler. The film is scheduled to be released on May 24, 2013.

Michaelbrent Collings is the writer of the latest film from WWE Studios, “Barricade”. The film was released on DVD on September 25th and I recommend it highly. Michaelbrent is also a black-belt martial artist and in his past life was an attorney. Currently, he is focusing on writing full-time not just screenplays but also novels. His latest novels are called “Apparition” and “Billy: Seeker of Powers”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michaelbrent about his his work with WWE on “Barricade” and also what else he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you go from black-belt martial artist to attorney to writer?
Michaelbrent Collings: Geez, there’s a question whose answer could go on FOREVER. Short answers: I’ve been involved in martial arts for much of my life, dating back to the day I realized that a teen who weighed all of one hundred pounds was going to have a full life working as a doormat for bigger kids. Also, I realized that girls did not, as a rule, dig guys that they could out-bench press. Martial arts seemed like a good way to both take better care of myself and build up some seriously lacking strength. Thus I became the towering colossus of manliness I am today. As for the attorney to writer thing, I always liked writing, but never liked the idea of being “that guy.” You know, the guy who’s 40 years old and still living in his parents’ basement while trying desperately to convince girls he’s “just waiting for his big break.” So I went to law school, the last refuge of the incompetent. And as soon I started making money as a writer, I was pretty much out of there (the law thing, that is). So now I’m no longer a lawyer, just a writer. And my wife and family both assure me I’m much happier because of it.

MG: How did you get involved writing the screenplay for WWE Studios’ “Barricade”?
MBC:It was actually an original script that I took to them. I had written this ghost script called BARRICADE, and a lot of people in Hollywood liked it. It ended up going to WWE Studios, where Richard Lowell and Sharyn Steele, two of the producers there, got their hands on it. They loved it, but it wasn’t right for the studio at the time. Sharyn (who is still a great friend of mine and a peach of a gal) ended up going her own way, but Richard stayed at WWE Studios. A couple years later there was a management change at WWE Studios. The new VP walked in and told Richard that they wanted to do a ghost movie. Richard, it turned out, had more or less kept BARRICADE on his desk for the intervening years, and handed it right to the VP (another really cool guy named Steve Barnett). Steve loved it, so Richard called me in to the production company’s offices and I met with him and Steve. I think they’d probably already decided that they wanted the script at that point, but wanted to make sure I was someone they could work with. Well I already liked Richard, and Steve and I hit it off really well, so the next day I got a call that they wanted to option the script. They did so, and then they purchased it a bit later, and voila!

MG:How does the film compare to the page?
MBC:It’s different in a lot of ways. I mean, for one thing it’s a surreal experience to go from a hundred or so printed pages to an hour and a half of film that cost millions to put together. Not only that, but everyone who works on it puts their imprint on it. So when WWE Studios purchased my original script, the first thing that happened was they hired me to do a rewrite to accommodate some of the producers’ “visions” of the piece. The ending was changed a lot, due to a belief on their part that the ending I had (which was quite dark) wouldn’t be something American audiences would like. Then they hired a director, and I understand he pushed the script more toward the psychological thriller aspect, when originally it had been a 50/50 blend of psychological thriller AND ghost story. And then there were changes to accommodate production scheduling, location issues, editing, etc. etc. etc. So in the end it was nearly as much of a surprise for me to watch the finished product as it would have been for anyone else in the world.

MG:Tell us about your next film “Darkroom”?
MBC:DARKROOM is a really cool script I did that deals with a girl getting out of prison. She’s young, went to jail on a manslaughter charge, and now she lives in a halfway house during parole. As part of her parole she has to get a job, and lands as a gofer at a real estate photography company. She shows up to work on day one (the company is shooting a gloomy mansion, of course), and is told that the model they were counting on didn’t show up so she’s got to fill in. The photo people give her a change of clothes, she changes in the bathroom… and when she comes out she’s been locked into the mansion. Turns out the photo company is owned and staffed by a group of crazy siblings who tortured and killed their own mother, and now intend to reenact the fun with her. So it’s basically one of those “feel good” movie for the whole family flicks you’ll probably see on the Disney channel at some point. Ha!

MG:You have written many novels, how does it compare to doing film?
MBC:It’s totally different. I love doing both, but the way I describe it is that they’re like two different languages. Screenwriting requires an extremely high level of precision and clarity because there are only a very few words to describe characters, location, action, and dialogue. But at the same time, books are tough because you have to keep an audience’s attention for many hours of reading, as opposed to just one or two for a script. Some stories lend themselves to one or the other. I like stories that work for both, because I love to write novels of scripts and vice-versa.

MG:Tell us about your latest and upcoming novels?
MBC: My latest novels are called APPARITION and BILLY: SEEKER OF POWERS. APPARITION is a crazy-scary book about a family where the mother tries to stabe her two kids to death. The dad saves them, and the mother then turns the knife on herself. A year later, Dad and the two kids are still putting their family back together… and he starts fantasizing about killing his children. Turns out there is an otherworldly entity at work, one that feeds on the blood and death of children, and one that possesses the kids’ own parents to do the dirty work. BILLY is the other end of the spectrum: it’s a young adult fantasy that’s the second book in my bestselling BILLY SAGA. It’s about a misfit kid who discovers that his favorite teacher is a wizard and that he (the kid) may be the key to a war between two factions of magic-users. The kid may also be a weapon that destroys the entire world, so it’s definitely a high-stakes book, but with lots of fun and humor as well. And upcoming… I have a novel called HOOKED that I’m working on and it should be out before too much longer. I can’t say too much about the plot because it’s THAT fun, but I will say I hope it will be kind of the anti-TWILIGHT: teen vampires done right. No sparkles.

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Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Section 23
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

“Ninja Scroll” is easily one of the most influential anime EVER…that’s right ever. It ranks up there with “Ghost in the Shell”, “Fist of the North Star” and “Akira”, as the best things to ever come out of Japan…in terms of anime that is. It was also one of the film that is responsible for introducing and hooking in the US into the format. The film is 20 years old next year but is still completely bad-ass and is able to hold its own in the genre. It is still very graphic as well and packs a nice warning stating “Contains intense scenes of graphic violence” and trust me that warning should not be taken likely. This release is long awaited and thanks to Sentai Filmworks it is presented in HD for the first time.

Official Premise: Swords shatter, blood sprays and demons suck the life out of dying men as the wildest samurai adventure ever made is unleashed to tear your senses asunder! Jubei Kibagami has always been the master dealer of death, but in rescuing a ninja woman from a monster he sets loose a chain of events that puts death in his own veins and sends them on a nightmarish odyssey through a surreal and devil infested ancient Japan. How do demonic possessions, an annihilated village and a man Jubei thought safely buried in his past all connect? If Jubei can’t piece the blood-soaked clues together, his only consolation will be that he won’t live to regret it for very long! Prepare your mind and steel your gut for the insanely gore-packed orgy of violence that still stands alone and unchallenged as the ultimate anime action feature: the epic milestone in animation that is the legendary NINJA SCROLL.

The Blu-ray presentation is glorious. The 1080p transfer is extremely impressive for an animated film almost 20 years aged. The colors are still sharp, especially the red…get it? The audio tracks are also very impressive with a English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. But I am still a fan of the origonal Japanese audio which is delivered in a stunning DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. The only thing disapoointing about this release are the special features. The only extras are an exclusive Japanese commentary track from the director Yoshiaki Kawajiri and a trailer and TV spot. Fans of the film though are going to be satisfying enough it this amazing transfer to Blu-ray that it should be enough to warrant the purchase alone.

Actors: Ayano Shiraishi, Tsutomu Tatsumi, Akemi Yamaguchi, Yoshiko Shinohara, J. Robert Spencer
Directors: Isao Takahata
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Section 23
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Run Time: 89 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Grave of the Fireflies” is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka. Sentai Filmworks is the company behind this fantastic release.  They  know their anime and you know that a film/series is in good hands when they are handling it. This has been labeled is one of the top twelve anime of all time by Empire. It has always been a favorite of mine.  It is sweet, yet harsh and powerful.  It tells such a strong story and the animation is just amazing.  For this Blu-ray release, there is also a new English dub track included, but I am still partial to the original Japanese track. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of this film, I highly recommend this release.

Official Premise: As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying.

This Blu-ray release has a superb 1080p transfer.  The animation really pops out and the colors look stunning.  The film is not extremely bright though due to its circumstances but it still has that “Wow factor”.  Whether you are a fan of the Japanese of English audio, they both have very sharp DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks.  Also included is the original English 2.0 track if you were a fan of that one from the DVD. Besides a stunning Blu-ray presentation, there is not a lot going on in the special features front though.  There is some cool storyboards for the film, as well as deleted scenes in storyboard format. Lastly, there is the Japanese theatrical trailer included.

Starring: Brian Narelle, Cal Kuniholm, Dre Pahich, Dan O’Bannon
Director: John Carpenter
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 83 minutes

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

I remember the first time that I saw “Dark Star” was in the early 90’s when the box called out to me at the local mom and pop video store.  Since then I have always been a fan of this campy sci-fi that was before its time.  In fact it was released two years prior to “Star Wars” but never really found a large audience, must like all of Carpenter’s films outside of “Halloween”.  I still enjoy watching this film and after all these years, I still get some good laughs out of “Dark Star”.  VCI Entertainment is behind this “Thermostellar Edition” and for price the it is set at, it is a no-brainer for fans of sci-fi and Carpenter’s work.

Official Premise: In the mid twenty-first century, mankind has reached a point in its technological advances to enable colonization of the far reaches of the universe. DARK STAR is a futuristic scout ship traveling far in advance of colony ships. Armed with Exponential Thermosteller Bombs, it prowls the darkest reaches of space on a mission to seek out and destroy unstable planets ahead of the colonist. But there is one obstacle that its crew members did not count on — one of the ship’s thinking and talking bombs is lodged in the bay, threatening to destroy the entire ship and crew!

In this “Thermostellar Edition”, it is a real step up from the VHS copy that I used to watch but the 1080p transfer presented in 1.85:1 is far from perfect. But that is set flat out at the start of the film with Dan O’Bannon’s text prologue, in which he almost apologizes for the transfer state.  So overall it not perfect but still a far cry from terrible.  With the audio on this release their are two tracks, the first is an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 track and also a supped up LPCM 5.1 surround track. I actually enjoyed the 5.1 track quite a bit, especially with Carpenter’s score.

The special features are out of this world…get it? (sorry).  To start there is an audio Commentary by “Super Fan” Andrew Gilchrist, which is decent but not amazing. The star of this release though is the nearly two hour retrospective called “Let There Be Light: The Odyssey of “Dark Star””.  It includes some really great interviews with the cast but Carpenter declined to be a part of the documentary and is only available via archive audio.  Still it is a nice companion to the film. There is an interview with Sci-Fi Author Alan Dean Foster, who did the novelization. There is another interview with Brian Narelle who played Doolittle in the film.  There is a “3D Guide to the Dark Star Ship” which allows viewing of various locations on the ship. Lastly, there is trivia on the film.

Actors: Fred Grandy, Henry Polic II, Buck Kartalian, Michael Lane, Julie Newmar
Directors: James Sheldon, Herman Hoffman
Number of discs: 2
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 18, 2012
Run Time: 312 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Not to be confused with the 80’s movie of the same name, “Monster Squad” was a campy Saturday morning kid’s action adventure series. It was created by the same team that was behind the 1960’s “Batman” series and has the exact same camp feel. Thanks to VCI Entertainment, all 13 episodes of this cult classic series are available again on DVD after being out of print for a long time. They are fully restored and are a great way to experience this 1976 series again on DVD. The episodes are still very fun…and did I mention they are campy?  This is a must own for all horror fans and lovers of classic monsters.

Official Premise: Originally screened on Saturday mornings on NBC in the late 70s The show stars Fred Grandy (The Love Boat) as Walt, a criminology student working as a night watchman in a wax museum. To pass the time, Walt built a prototype “Crime Computer”. When Walt plugged in his Crime Computer, the “oscillating vibrations” brought to life three legendary monsters. Dracula, The Werewolf and Frankenstein. These creatures hated and feared for centuries are now determined to make up for their past misdeeds by using their unique abilities to fight crime and bust super villains wherever they find them. Together they are the Monster Squad!

All 13 episode are included over two discs, the first disc includes 1: Queen Bee, Episode 2: Mr Mephisto, Episode 3: The Tickler, Episode 4: The Ringmaster, Episode 5: Music Man, Episode 6: No Face, Episode 7: The Astrologer.  The second disc includes – Episode 8: Ultra Witch, Episode 9: The Wizard, Episode 10: The Skull, Episode 11: The Weatherman,  Episode 12: Lawrence of Moravia and Episode 13: Albert/Alberta. Each episodes does look quite nice for a show that is over 35 years old. There is a little grain throughout but still impressive. There are really no special features on the release but to be fair, there is a stills gallery included. Lastly, there is an episode Synopsis on the inside of the DVD case.

Actors: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison, Jack Warner, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley
Directors: Brian Desmond Hurst
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 86 minutes

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

When you think about “A Christmas Carol”, you think about Alastair Sim portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge.  It is one of the times and will always be one of my personal favorites.  The Charles Dickens’ story in general is my favorite Christmas tale, in general though.  Thanks to VCI, yet again, for keeping this classic alive and delivering a release that complements this wonderful film. This Blu-ray edition has been digitally restored with a new 1080p, 24fps high definition transfer master produced from the 35mm negative and fine grain.  The film couldn’t look any better.  There are two audio tracks included. The original LPCM Mono track, which I prefer and then the upgraded LPCM 5.1, which I feel doesn’t really suit the film and its time.  I look forward to sharing this film with my daughter as she grows and she will get to experience it in it’s wonderful presentation here.

Official Synopsis: Alastair Sim’s tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens’ story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Some of Britain’s best filmmakers united behind Sim, who was joined by a delightful cast of accomplished and acclaimed English actors; creating what many today believe to be the best and most faithful production of Dickens’ immortal tale. Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.

This 2012 release comes in a combo pack with both the Blu-ray and DVD of the film.  The film is packed with some wonderful extras on both the Blu-ray and DVD. Let’s start with the DVD, which besides including the film in standard definition includes exclusive extras which are not on the Blu-ray.  The first is “Campbell Playhouse: A Christmas Carol”, which is the original 1939 radio dramatization that is narrated by Orson Welles and stars Lionel Barrymore.  This is a real treat for sure.  Lastly, there is a Biblographic Essay from Fred Guida on the film, which has such a vibrant history.

The special features on the Blu-ray are also extremely impressive and all presented in HD (which is shocking). There is an decent length introduction from Leonard Maltin. “Dead to Begin With: The Darker Side of a Classic” is a 30-minute feature with commentary by Sir Christopher Frayling talking about the production during the post-World War II era. “Scrooge by Another Name: Distributing A Christmas Carol” is look into the life of Richard Gordan, the distributor for Renown Pictures. “The Human Blarney Stone: Life and Films of Brian Desmond Hurst” is career retro wiht great-great nephew Allan Esler Smith. Alastair Sim Version: Too Good to be Shown only at Christmastime” is a chat about the film with Fred Guida, author of “A Christmas Carol and it’s Adaptions” Lastly, “Silent Dickens” is a collection of Dickens’ silent work from 1922 now in HD, “Scrooge” and “Bleak House”. There are some features missing from last year’s 60th Anniversary release including the trailers, a featurette “Scrooge Revisited”, the commentary track from Marcus Hearn and George Cole and the Reproduction of the American Pressbook insert.

Actors: Charles Durning, Tonya Crowe, Larry Drake, Lane Smith
Directors: Frank De Felitta
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 11, 2012
Run Time: 96 minutes

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

If you are a fan of horror, then you surely know about “Dark Night of the Scarecrow”.  The film has never had love from studios and was only just finally released on DVD for the first time in late 2010, thanks to VCI Entertainment.  It is hard to believe that this was a made-for-TV movie back in the day. Even for a TV movie, the film is still extremely disturbing and unsettling.  If it wasn’t for VCI, this film might still be missing and might have never seen the light of day. This Deluxe Collector’s Edition includes some great new special features and worth the purchase you don’t already own this.  There are certain horror films that have stood the test of time and this is certainly one of them.  Thanks to VCI, the film was given a wonderful restoration for the DVD release and really looks amazing.

Official Premise: When young Marylee Williams (Tonya Crowe) is found viciously mauled, all hell breaks loose in her small rural town. Officious postmaster Otis P. Hazelrigg (Charles Durning) leads a gang of bigots in pursuit of the suspect: her mentally challenged friend Bubba Ritter (Larry Drake). Finding him hiding inside a scarecrow, they exact brutal mob “justice”…only to discover a tragic mistake! Now a strange apparition stalks the land seeking each of them out, as the legend of the Scarecrow begins.

This DVD comes with two fantastic audio tracks, a Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono & 5.1 Surround track.  I prefer the 2.0 since it feels original but the later is very well-done.  Like I mentioned above, the transfer is very sharp and the colors look brand new and not from 1981 at all, especially within its original aspect ratio – 1.33:1. There special features are a nice improvement from the 2010 release.  There is a commentary track from director Frank De Felitta and writer J.D. Feigelson.  There are two trailers including the Original CBS World Premiere Trailer and CBS Rebroadcast Trailer.  There is also a great Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery included.  The new features include “Bubba Didn’t Do it: 30 Years of the Scarecrow” (2012 Extended Version) it is directed by Daniel Griffith and produced by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures.  It includes a new video interview with composer Glenn Paxton.   There is also the “DNOTS Cast Reunion Q & A” -that was recorded at the 2011 Frightfest Film Festival in Louisville, KY.

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Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner
Directed by: Bill Condon
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

It’s over. Finally. The epic vampire meets girl, girl meets vampire, wolf-boy takes his shirt off a lot adventures known as “The Twilight Saga” has reached its end with “Breaking Dawn: Part II.”

For those of you that may have missed the story: Bella (Stewart) is a high school girl living in a remote town in Washington state. One day she catches the attention of Edward Cullen (Pattinson), whose skin is pretty pale, even for someone living in the Pacific Northwest. Bella also has a friend, Jacob, (Lautner) who would like to be more than friends. Seems Edward is a vampire, Jacob a wolf and Bella confused. After four films and a lot of bad special effects, featuring characters running fast and turning into wolves, Bella and Edward are married and Bella has a bun in the oven. Because the baby is half vampire Bella has some complications during birth. In order to save her Edward turns Bella into a vampire. I’ve just save you 490 minutes of your life.

As “BD:II” begins, it’s been a few days since Bella gave birth. Still unsure if she can control her newfound blood lust, her family has kept her from seeing her baby daughter, named Renesmee. To ease her hunger Bella has taken to chasing down deer in the woods as well as well as other forest creatures. But what should be a happy time turns downright tragic when the Volturi, one of the lead groups of vampires, learns of Renesmee’s existence and believes, incorrectly, that the baby has been turned into a vampire the old fashioned way. Joined by vampires sympathetic to their cause, the Cullen clan gathers themselves for what could be one hell of a battle.

There are so many things wrong with this film that I’m not sure where to start. Actually, I do. What may have been an engrossing series of novels is really reduced to scene after scene after scene of bad clichés, including making sure that the vampires from Ireland have red hair and freckles. Too bad they couldn’t make them drunks as well. The special effects (moving along quickly, transforming into wolves) are horribly rendered. You would think for a film series that has grossed over a billion dollars that they could have found a decent special effects house by now. But the biggest problem is Renesmee. No, not her name (when Jacob calls the child “Nessie” Bella is outraged – “You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?”). For reasons I haven’t yet figured out the production appears to have gone to a CGI baby and youngster to stand in for Renesmee. With its creepy facial features and dark eyes the baby looks nothing like her supposed mom and dad. As the child gets older her face begins to take on hard angles that makes her look like older but, again, computerized. I may not be a doctor but believe me there is no way that Stewart and Pattinson would ever produce a baby this ugly.

Finally, a word of warning to parents with younger children. Somehow this film managed to obtain a PG 13 rating despite featuring no less than a dozen incidents of people having their heads violently ripped off. Maybe the ratings board feels that vampires aren’t really people so it doesn’t matter what happens to them. Some of the younger girls in the screening I attended were visibly upset by the on screen images so use your judgement.

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 29 minutes
Dreamworks

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

January 1865. Having just won re-election to a second term as president, Abraham Lincoln is greeting soldiers, black and white, at an encampment. The black soldiers ask Lincoln if there will ever be a black soldier made an officer. Another asks him how tall he is. The white soldiers claim to have seen Lincoln that fateful day in Gettysburg. But what all of the soldiers have in common is that they all have memorized Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Proudly they recite it, line after line, making it quite clear that they know exactly what they’re fighting for. But no one knows the battles going on behind the battle.

Told with the touch of a master painter, “Lincoln” is an epic canvas on which our 16th president comes alive before our eyes. Played with great skill (and an almost uncanny resemblance) by Daniel Day-Lewis, Abraham Lincoln is shown to be a man of great compassion. While he and his wife Mary (Sally Field) continue to mourn the death of their young son, Willie, the president struggles to bring an end to the Civil War while at the same time trying to get a constitutional amendment passed outlawing slavery. And while he earns assurances that the Republican members of the House of Representatives will support the amendment he will also need the help of several Democrats. To this end he is not above making deals and promising jobs to the Democrats who will soon be out of work as the Republicans won a majority of seats in the last election. He may not always be “Honest Abe” but his goals are admirable.

As one of this generations greatest actors, two time Oscar winner Day-Lewis is a shoo-in for a chance at a third trophy. He has given Lincoln a soft, high pitched voice, though one that has been called quite accurate by historians. Gentle of disposition most of the time, Lincoln only wants to bring his country back together…but on his terms. Field, another double Oscar winner, breathes life into Mary Lincoln, making her more interesting then the way history has painted her (grieving mother needing institutionalization). And Gordon-Levitt bounces back from the mistake that was “Looper” to portray oldest Lincoln child Robert, who feels guilty he’s at school and not in the army fighting to bring his father’s dream to life. Director Spielberg has also filled the cast with some of the greatest character actors around including David Strathairn, Hal Holbrook, John Hawkes, James Spader, Tim Blake Nelson and Tommy Lee Jones.

Spielberg has won Oscars in the past for directing historical dramas like “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” Here he allows his camera to sit among the men of history and let the audience feel a part of the action. As usual, his long time musical collaborator John Williams sets the mood with another great score.

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Starring: Adam G. Sevani, Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman
Director: Scott Speer
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

When it comes to the “Step Up” franchise, this series has really developed into more than just a movie.  The series all have decent plots and acting but really shine in the music and the dancing.  That is what these movies are all about and they really succeed in doing so.  “Step Up 3: The Streets” was the first to enter the third dimension, which may have seen like a way to get more money but the film really benefited from it.  “Revolution” takes the 3D effects on step further or if I can say a step up (sorry).  I was blown away by the dancing and the use of the 3D in this film.  I was wondering how they would out due themselves this time around but they definitely delivered. If you are a fan of great dancing, fantastic choreography and looking for an overall good time…be sure to join the revolution (sorry again!).  Bring on “Step Up 5”!

Kathryn Renée McCormick and Ryan Guzman take the lead in this new installment. Kathryn is known best for appearing on various seasons of the dance competition show “So You Think You Can Dance”. Even though this fourth film in the series features two new leads, it saw a flood of returning characters from the previous films. Alyson Stoner returned playing Camille Gage from the first and third films. While
Adam G. Sevani (“Moose”), Mari Koda (Jenny Kido), Harry Shum, Jr. (Cable) and Stephen “Twitch” Boss (Jason) have been with this series since “Step Up 2: The Streets”. I liked they there is that continuity and these characters return each film.

Official Premise: Emily (McCormick) arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and soon falls in love with Sean (Guzman), a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called “The Mob.” When a wealthy businessman threatens to develop The Mob’s historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people, Emily must band together with Sean and The Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause.

Since “Step Up” franchise relies heavily on music, it is always an important aspect for me. This Blu-ray comes with a very impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, which sounds amazing…but actually gets a little showed up. I was really shocked to see that this release includes the brand new 11.1 DTS Neo:X Surround Sound track (compatible with Any DTS Neo:X-Enabled AV Receiver). That’s right kiddies, this track allows you to watch and experience this film in a room-shaking 11.1 surround sound. “The Expendables 2” was the first Blu-ray to utilize this features and Lionsgate is doing it again with “Step Up Revolution”. This is a high intensity audio experience which truly elevates the 3D home theater entertainment to a new level. DTS Neo:X is presenting the film the way it was meant to be heard. I would expect to see this quite a bit in the future.

“Step Up Revolution” comes in a combo pack with a 3D Blu-ray, which has the film also in 2D.  There is also digital copy included, as well as an Ultraviolet digital streaming copy. The box presentation is also very unique.  If you look at the cover, the people on it are imprinted onto a plastic cover that goes over the typical Blu-ray case.  When you remove it, it is just a sunny reflection of Miami  behind it. Pretty neat and clever and a nice extra touch. The film itself really looks sharp on Blu-ray.  Like I said earlier, the 3D really pops well on this 1080p transfer.  The colors are very vibrant and alive as well!

The special features are very impressive for this release.  There is an audio commentary track with director Scott Speer, choreographer Jamal Sims and cast members Kathryn McCormick and Ryan Guzman.  This is a really a must listen for all fans of the film, don’t miss it.  There are four solid featurettes focusing on all aspects of the production in “Becoming A Star”, “Choreography” (my favorite), “Dancing On Their Own” and “Making The Mob” (pretty amazing). Adding to the mob featurette is also “Flash Mob Index”, which gives you a 1-click stop for all their dance sequences. There are two music video including “Goin’ In” – J Lo featuring Flo Rida & Lil Jon and “Hands In The Air” – Timbaland featuring Ne-Yo.  Lastly there are a few deleted scenes, rounding out this very impressive release.