Actors: Chuggington Characters
Directors: Sarah Ball
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 61 minutes

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

Having a five month old daughter, I have to admit that I am familiar with the Chuggington brand name. She is not old enough yet to completely go nuts for it but she surely love the colors and music from this series. I have to admit it is definitely entertaining and cute to say the least. The episodes are also very short running 15 minutes, so it is not too overwhelming. With the holiday season right around the corner, this DVD release focusing on the show’s winter adventures. There are six very cute and very chilly episodes included within “Icy Escapades”. I would highly recommend this release for all parents with kids.

Offical Premise: In this traintastic collection of winter adventures, the crew takes to the tracks as snow and ice cover Chuggington! When the rails become frozen, it’s up to Wilson, Koko, and Brewster to save the day and keep the town moving! With help from their fellow Chuggers, the trainees get rescued from a blizzard, dig their way out of snow drifts, and even take to the skies when the wintery winds lift Hodge from the rails! Share in the journey as the trainees learn important lessons like teamwork and problem-solving, while discovering there’s snow-place like Chuggington!

For a kids DVD, usually the episodes are enough since they will most likely just be put on loop for the kids to watch over and over and over. But this release actually includes some decent bonus features for the kiddies. There is a bonus Badge Quest episode called “Honk Your Horns”. There is a cute little featurette called “The Chugger Spotlight: Speedy, Frostini”. Lastly there are various coloring and activity sheets to print for kids via the your DVD-ROM drive. I look forward to future episodic releases of this series for sure.

Starring: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough
Director: Billy Wilder
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 110 minutes

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

Being a film buff everyone know’s that “Sunset Boulevard” is a must in your library. The film still engages you like it was just released today. The acting is nothing short of spectacular. William Holden and Gloria Swanson are such iconic characters actors and they can never be replaced. “Sunset Boulevard” heads to Blu-ray for the first time ever. It looks good in its 1080p transfer, with its 1.37:1 showcasing the original aspect ratio. Since the film is over 60 years old, there is some noticeable grain throughout the film. Still due to the film age it does get some high points in my book.  This is a must for all fans of classic cinema.

This is not just catalog title that is being released to Blu-ray. “Sunset Boulevard” was fully restored and made to maintain the look/feel that was originally created by the director and cinematographer. Since there was no original source that survived. The restoration team ended up having to use a 35mm negative for the main source for its 4K restortation. So in terms of that what we have as the finished product is impressive. The audio on the Blu-ray is also impressive with its minimalistic yet true to the original film, Dolby TrueHD Mono track.

The special features here are the very impressive for this release with over two hours of extras, including a never-before-released deleted scene “The Paramount-Don’t-Want-Me Blues”, which was obtained from the Academy Film Archive and features Academy Award-winning songwriters. Together these extras really aim to paint the picture for the entire story of “Sunset Boulevard”. There is an audio commentary track from Ed Sikov, author of “On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder”. Not the most engaging track but still very informative if you are a film buff.

There are various featurettes included, some of which start to repeat themselves but are worth checking out at least one. “Sunset Boulevard: The Beginning” dives into the cast and the character dynamics. “Sunset Boulevard: A Look Back” talks about the alternate opening, reaction to the film and overall the film’s legacy. “The Noir Side of Sunset Boulevard” looks into the aspects of the film that made it a noir classic. “Sunset Boulevard Becomes a Classic” look onto the culture impact that this film had to date. “Two Sides of Ms. Swanson” dives into the life of Gloria Swanson with the help of her Granddaughter. “Stories of Sunset Boulevard” is more behind-the-scenes look into the production. “Mad About the Boy: A Portrait of William Holden” looks into the film’s star and his life.

“Recording Sunset Boulevard” reflects on Franz Waxman’s classic score. “The City of Sunset Boulevard” takes a look into the shooting location used in this classic. “Franz Waxman and the Music of Sunset Boulevard” is another look into Franzz work with the insights of other known composers. “Morgue Prologue Script Pages” includes a reproduction for the various versions of the famous cut opening sequence. There is an interactive map of Sunset Boulevard with videos on various locations. “Behind the Gate: The Lot” looks back at the history of Paramount Pictures. “Edith Head: The Paramount Years” looks into the life of the famous costume designer. “Paramount in the ’50s” takes us back to view Paramount’s best films from the 1950s. Lastly there are various photo galleries and an HD theatrical trailer included.

Actors: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott
Directors: Marc Webb
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 9, 2012
Run Time: 136 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I received “The Amazing Spider-Man” to review, I was both excited and disappointed. I had missed the film in the theaters due to the birth of my daughter. So I have been highly anticipating this release. The film was originally released in theaters in 3D and IMAX. So I was not thrilled to find a standard DVD to review. Would anyone even buy just the DVD anyone especially with all the Blu-ray combo packs that are released? Either way let’s get to the film itself. It was actually pretty freaking kick-ass. The plan to reboot this series has worked and now I also can’t wait for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in the summer of 2014.

When “Spider-Man” came out in 2002, it was something new and really kicked off the whole superhero phase that we are in today. The sequels, well are a different story, I was never a big fan of them. In general, I was not never a fan of Tobey Maguire specifically in the role of Peter Parker. He spent more time crying, moaning…and even dancing (boy, I wish I skipped “Spider-Man 3”). “The Amazing Spider-Man” really did the franchise up right. I actually wish in fact that this was the first in the series and replaced the first three.

Andrew Garfield was quite awesome as the web-slinger and really owned it. Emma Stone was also very charming in the role of Gwen Stacy, count me in. Denis Leary was a nice addition to the series, as well. Let’s get to the topic of the villain, The Lizard was an interesting choice but I feel that it really worked out. I am a big fan of Rhys Ifans (and have even rode a rollercoaster ride with him) and he also nailed this role. The film had some good comedy but wasn’t campy at all. There was a real darker feel to the story as well, which I enjoyed. Not as dark as “Batman Begins” but still a good re-start for the franchise.

When I saw “Spider-Man 2 & 3”, I thought it had way to much special effects and lack of stories. This film was packed with special effects but were all effective and worked well with the film. It would probably be even better on Blu-ray and in 3D. A few other aspects that I enjoy from the reboot was the finding of the mask and even his web shooters. “The Amazing Spider-Man” also featured the best Stan Lee cameo yet out of any superhero film yet.

The special features are quite disappointing. There is much more included on the 3D/2D Blu-ray combo packs. Yes there are even 3D extras, which is also extremely rare. But all we get here on this release are less impressive. There is an audio commentary track from the filmmakers. There are a few short deleted scenes and stunt rehearsals. Lastly there is a production art gallery, which focuses on The Oscorp Archvies. OVerall, I give high thumbs up the film but highly recommend skipping this DVD release and picking up the 4-disc combo pack for sure!

Starring: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen
Director: Sarah Smith
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 97 minutes

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

When it comes to Christmas films, I always get excited. Whether it is animated or live action…doesn’t matter. “Arthur Christmas” is fun and ‘pretty’ to look at. The 3D also really adds a lot of depth to the film and makes the colors really pop out. When I first saw this in the theaters, I am not going to lie and say I wasn’t a little bit disappointed. But after viewing a second time, I have to say that it definitely is one of those films that grow on you. It may not be the best Christmas movie ever but it is still quite a bit of fun. Also if you are looking for a way to kick start some Holiday spirit that I would highly recommend this. Fun for the whole family. Guaranteed to become a must watch in my house each year!

The film is made from a combo of Aardman Animations, known best for claymation films like “Chicken Run” and “wallace and Gromitt” and Sony Pictures Animation (“The Smurfs”). It has a nice feel to its animation style and has a lot of nice character designs. The voice cast is made up of mostly UK actors like James McAvoy (“X-Men: First Class”), Hugh Laurie (TV’’s ““House””), Bill Nighy (“Love Actually”) and Jim Broadbent (“Moulin Rouge”). So expect a lot of British humor. Kids are also going to love the fact that Justin Bieber’s single, ““Santa Claus is Coming to Town”” from his album “”Under the Mistletoe” is included. I remember when I was forced to sit through that in the theaters (it was very painful), but again it is not for me…the kiddies will love it for sure.

Official Synopsis: The film tackles the question of how Santa delivers all his presents in one night. When Santa’s elves and their high-tech system of present delivery forgets to deliver one present to a young girl in England, Arthur embarks on a mission to safely deliver her pretty pink bicycle. Arthur decides it’s up to him not to disappoint this little girl and ensure that she will still believe in the magic of Christmas, even if it means conquering some of his own fears. With Arthur’s determination and Grand-Santa’s quirky cynicism, the operation is bound to be an adventurous one.

This release comes in a three disc combo pack including a Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The transfer looks very sharp and super clear.  The star though has to be the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.  It really captures the action and showcases the score very well. The special features are very kid-friendly.  There is a cute “Elf Recruitment” video.  There is a decent behind-the-scenes featurette called, ““Unwrapping Arthur Christmas”, which focuses about the Clause Family and the production.  Lastly, there are five progression reels included that dive into  how the filmmakers had created these fun characters in “Arthur Christmas Unwrapped”, “Arthur’s Office”, “Grand Santa”, “Invasion” and “Trelew”.

Directed by: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
Voices of: Alan Reed, Jean Vander Pyl, Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Gerry Johnson, Don Messick, John Stephenson
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 99 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Flintstones” are a timeless cartoon that can never be replaced. Warner Archive is releasing a pair of classic Flintstones specials on DVD for the first time. “The Flintstones Prime-Time Specials Collection – Volume 1” includes the special “The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone” and “The Flintstones Little Big League”. These classic Hanna-Barbera specials are perfect for cartoon fans of all ages. I would think that this being being released now to steal some spotlight from Halloween. If you are a fan of the series (I mean who isn’t) then this is a great addition to your collection.

“The Flintstones Meet Rockula” originally aired during Halloween of 1979 and “The Flintstones Little Big League” originally aired April of 1978. These are classics have been LONG out of print before Warner Archive released these as part of their Hanna–Barbera Classics Collection. These episodes are newly remastered and looks sharp for specials that are well over 30 years old. They are presented in 4 X 3 FULL FRAME with their original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Being a fan of this show since I was a kid, this release is a real treat to get to own these fantastic specials.  Time for Volume 2! Bring it on!

Synopsis: Following a spate of Saturday morning spin-offs, America’s favorite Stone Age family returned to network prime-time with a full slate of hysterical pre-historical specials – no quitting time for Fred! In The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone, the Flintstones and the Rubbles travel to fear-fraught Rockysylvania thanks to a big game show win. Fred and Barney soon stumble upon – and awaken – the legendary Frankenstone Monster, who promptly revives his vampiric master, Rockula. When Rockula falls head over batwings for Wilma, will Fred end up having an undead-old time? Flintstones Little Big League sees Fred and Barney facing off as opposing Little League coaches while Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles duel across the diamond. Swept up by competitiveness and paternal pride, their friendship ends up in the dug-out doghouse. Meanwhile, a cop, a judge and Mr. Slate are all putting pressure on Fred to win at all costs – what’s a cavedad to do?

Starring: Terrance Zdunich, Paul Sorvino, Jessica Lowndes, Sean Patrick Flanery, Briana Evigan, Bill Moseley, Emilie Autumn, Shawn Crahan, Dayton Callie and Alexa Vega.
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Release Date: October 23, 2012
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 55 minutes

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

Click here to enter our giveaway for a chance to win a Numbered Copy of “The Devil’s Carnival” Ringmaster Edition
Click here for our interview series for “The Devil’s Carnival”

If you are a fan of “Repo!: The Genetic Opera”, then you surely know about Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich latest creation “The Devil’s Carnival”. This is the way that films should be made. It was done completely independent of any studio and ends up all the better for it. The film just got finished touring the country during its 40-city road tour and its 26-city encore tour and is now available on this Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on this “Ringmaster Edition”, which is limited edition of 6660 units.  This is sure to become a very sought upon collector’s item. There is also “The Sinner Edition”, which is available only at Hot Topic stores and even includes different behind-the-scenes and commentary tracks, the film on DVD and an extended audio soundtrack as well.

This film has a tremendous cast including Sean Patrick Flanery (“The Boondock Saints”), Briana Evigan (“Step Up 2: The Streets”), Jessica Lowndes (“90210”), Dayton Callie (“Deadwood”), Paul Sorvino (“Goodfellas”), Terrance Zdunich (“Repo!: The Genetic Opera”), Alexa Vega (“Spy Kids”), J. LaRose (“Saw III”), Bill Moseley (“The Devil’s Rejects”), Emilie Autumn (Singer/Songwriter), Nivek Ogre (Lead Singer of Skinny Puppy”), Shawn Crahan (Clown from the band Slipknot), Marc Senter (“The Lost”), and Ivan Moody (Lead Singer of Five Finger Death Punch). Can you believe this freaking cast? If you are fan of “Repo!” then you will notice a few familiar faces here.  But let me tell you this film is so much different from “Repo!” but trust me that is not a bad thing.

The music in this film actually supersedes that of “Repo!: The Genetic Opera”. (Hope you take that as a compliment Terrance). I have been listening to this soundtrack on loop since it was released this past April.  I never seem to get tired of the songs…well maybe “The Devil’s Carnival” just a little. Five Finger Death Punch’s Ivan Moody really owns “A Penny For A Tale”. Emilie Autumn completely mesmerizes you with “Prick! Goes The Scorpion’s Tale”. Dayton Callie scores with a fun track “666” with the help of the Carnies. Even Sean Patrick Flanery delivers on his track “Grief”. Terrance Zdunich seals the deal with the track “Grace For Sale”, which wraps the film on a high note.  Also be sure to stay through the credits for my favorite song “In All My Dreams I Drown” with the amazing Jennifer Lowndes and Terrance Zdunich.

Official Premise: “An Obsessed Father (Sean Patrick Flanery), a kleptomaniac (Briana Evigan), and a gullible teenager (Jennifer Lowndes) are cast from Heaven by God (Paul Sorvino). They find themselves wandering the frightening, unsympathetic midway of “The Devil’s Carnival”. Unbeknownst to these condemned attendees, their lives – and the sins that paved their paths to Hell – have become tethered to specific fables in a book read by Lucifer (Terrance Zdunich)”. “The Devil’s Carnival” puts a unique spin on Aesop’s Fables. If you watch the special features you will hear Zdunich talking about how there is over 600+ different fables (That’s a lot of SEQUELS!).  This chapter includes “The Devil and His Due”, “The Dog and Her Reflection”, and “The Scorpion and the Frog”.  There is literally so many different ways that it can continue going down the line.

The special features are made for the fans with a lot of love.  I review a lot of Blu-ray/DVDs each week and it is sad to see the extras that some films come with.  This amazing release has not one but three commentary tracks, each one unique.  The first is with director Darren Lynn Bousman and writer/actor Terrance Zdunich. Out of the 55 minutes, there is not a millisecond of dead air.  The duo gives a lot of great information about the film and this labor of love for them.  The next is completely different with the cast including Emilie Autumn, Briana, Sean Patrick Flanery and Marc Senter.  This one focuses more on stories and rants from the cast and less on detailed production but is still fun as hell.  Lastly there is an amazing “A Repo Reunion” commentaries track with Darren Lynn Bousman, Bill Moseley, Ogre, Paul Sorvino, Alexa Vega and Terrance Zdunich.  This is my favorite of the three and is just a riot.  Sorvino and Vega definitely steal the show and help deliver a really entertaining commentary.

There are three featurettes included with each one outdoing the next.  The first is called “The Devil Made Me Do It: The Making of The Devil’s Carnival” and nearly runs an hour, fans are going to flip for this.  This includes interviews with pretty much all the cast and gives some amazing insight into the short seven-day production and road to the screen. The next one is a makeup featurette called “The Devil’s in the Details: The Special Makeup & Prosthetic Effects of The Devil’s Carnival”.  There is a lot of amazing details that went into this film that might be overlooked and this featurette puts all that into the spotlight.  The last featurette is called “A Devil of a Time: The Devil’s Carnival Road Tour”.  Like I said earlier in the review, this film toured 40 cities and then another 26 encore cities.  This featurettes is a look into the fans that supported this film and made it the success it is.  Wrapping up these great features is the theatrical trailer & web teasers for the film.

The Ringmaster Edition also includes a collectible booklet with song lyrics.  Remember that when DVD’s used to actually come with inserts?  The only thing that I have to comment on is that the film is a Blu-ray/DVD combo but comes in a standard DVD case.  Since this is a limited edition release, I would have preferred something a little more special or at least a Blu-ray jewel case. And don’t worry, if you are a fan of this film stay tuned because Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich are hard at work with the second and third chapter of “The Devil’s Carnival”. Please support independent film because without the fans, this film and others like it will never see the light of day. See you at the road tour for “The Devil’s Carnival: Part 2”.

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 17 mins
The Weinstein Company

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

April Fool! A couple of years ago the world thought Joaquin Phoenix had slowly gone crazy. He grew a wild beard and declared himself through with acting, aiming to start a career as a rapper. Thankfully the whole episode was a stunt…an experiment for a documentary film featuring Phoenix called “I’m Still Here.” Now, with the release of “The Master,” Phoenix is not only still here but truly, and hopefully, here to stay!

Freddie Quell (Phoenix) is a sailor, serving his country during World War II. To say Freddie has problems is an understatement. Freddie loves women. So much so that one day, to relieve some pressure while on the beach, he builds and then sexually mounts a female shaped sand sculpture he helped build. Upon his discharge he drifts aimlessly between jobs, the only solace he seems to find is inside of any bottle that will have him. One night while wandering the docks he stows away on a yacht which is being used as a wedding chapel for the daughter of Mr. Lancaster Dodd. Dodd is an author and the founder of The Cause – kind of a thinking man’s belief system. His many years at sea taught Freddie how to take ordinary household chemicals and turn them into some first-grade hooch! Dodd (Hoffman in the film’s second great performance) takes a liking to Freddie, and his homemade liquor, and takes him under his wing. Soon each man will learn a lot not only about themselves but about each other.

A masterpiece of acting, “The Master” is sure to be in the front of the line when Academy Award nominations come out. Visually the film is a delight, with cinematographer Mihai Malaimair, Jr.and production designers Jack Fisk and David Crank vividly recreating the past of this country. As always, Anderson’s words and direction are both bold and memorable. But the reason to see this film is the leads. Hoffman and Phoenix put on a virtual clinic and are ably supported by Amy Adams, who plays Hoffman’s wife – the very strong woman behind the man.

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Christopher Chacon is a world-renowned Anomalist and regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the scientific exploration of paranormal, supernatural and anomalous phenomena, as well as the occult/metaphysics and mysticism. For nearly thirty years, Christopher has traveled the world extensively investigating and researching thousands of cases dealing with every type of phenomena imaginable, including; possessions/exorcisms, all manner of psychic phenomena, haunts/poltergeists, UFO/alien close encounters and encounters with unknown life-forms, just to name a few. He has additionally participated on countless international expeditions involving ancient mysticism, the occult and archaeological discoveries relating to the supernatural.

Christophers past experience includes decades of Parapsychological research, as well as a background of being a professional illusionist/magician. Christopher is also a former veteran investigator/researcher with the Anomalistics Division of The Office of Scientific Investigation and Research, a private scientific think-tank that was in operation until 2000.

He continues to internationally consult for private organizations, religious and academic institutions, government agencies and corporations in dealing with phenomena and situations that often defy the known laws of nature and physics. Because of Christopher’s vast knowledge and extraordinary first-hand experiences, he is frequently sought after by those in the entertainment industry who are in need of a credible expert in these subjects to lend authenticity and a one-of-a-kind creative perspective to Movies and TV series. His incomparable reputation in this field has resulted in being featured on countless international TV and radio shows, popular documentaries and numerous publications. With “Paranormal Activity 4” now in theatres, and a fifth chapter recently announced, Media Mikes sought out Mr. Chacon to talk about the things we can’t easily explain.

Mike Smith: What sparked your interest in investigating the world of the paranormal?
Christopher Chacon: Wow! That’s going way back. I would have to say, initially, it was originally in college. My background is in magic and illusion. I’m a performer. People would approach me and tell me they were having a haunting or some other type of unusual circumstance. From an illusionist standpoint you can easily see how people can often misunderstand certain circumstances and how they can be tricked. So in a lot of these situations I would observe and then tell them “this is what’s really happening.” They were just misperceived. It wasn’t a ghost…it wasn’t a close encounter. And then at some point I began working with a para-psychologist and we started doing research on a larger bulk of cases. It was at about that time that I was exposed to a poltergeist case where the phenomenon could not be dismissed. It kind of defied the laws of nature and physics. It was the case that told me that I had to embrace the fact that there’s more out there then you could learn at any college, university or in academia. That continued for a good 12 years and then I began working for a scientific organization…a think tank…that basically adopted the method of approaching phenomena as anomalies, using a very unbiased and objective point of view. We investigated thousands of cases all over the world. After I left I still kept being contacted by people who had unexplained phenomena…whether it was a priest who was doing an exorcism and phenomena was happening in the atmosphere that he couldn’t explain or someone who’s experiencing extreme poltergeist activity in their building when there is no environmental explanation for it. I would go and consult and assess these situations.

MS: Does the fact that you have a theatrical background…performing…help you when you’re investigating? Do you look at something and think, “well, if I was going to do THIS I would start by doing THAT?”
CC: Not in respect to trying to reach a conclusion skepticism wise. When I was with the scientific group they actually tried to re-train us…they wanted us to approach each phenomena objectively. There is something called the “Observer Effect,” which means that when you walk into an environment you actually bring your pre-dispositions with you. So your observations may be tainted. Somebody who believes in ghosts and goes to investigate a phenomena may not be objective while the person who is extremely skeptical is on the other side of the spectrum. So when I go to investigate I try not to walk in with any preconceived bias. I’m open to the possibility of what the phenomenon is…how things can be misinterpreted. People have had what they thought was a poltergeist case only to have it turn out to be an alien abduction case or something like that effect. It’s not always a good thing to try to come to a conclusion too quickly. My background in magic and illusion, of course, assists the fact that when I get a phone call from somebody who says they’re experiencing something and they want me to come out there I insist before I head out there that they have to rule out rationale explanations first. They do so and in 70 – 80% of the cases they find another explanation. I explain to them that, in a psychological arena, things can be misperceived. Whether it be due to their own psychosis over what’s going on or just circumstantial events. So 70 – 80% have rational explanations in that category. But keep in mind there’s another 20 – 30% that, even after you’ve gone through all of the categories, you’re still left with something that truly defies the laws of nature and physics. It’s an anomaly.

MS: Have you ever truly feared for your safety while observing a phenomenon?
CC: I’ve never feared for my life, so to speak, but I’ve definitely been startled. When things pop out at you when you don’t expect them, especially when you’re focused on a phenomenon or an environment. When something jumps out at you or moves, especially when it’s volatile…it does startle you. There’s no question about that. In the thousands of cases I’ve been on…and I’m talking the most volatile ones…I’ve had my nose broken twice. I’ve had my hair burned off three times. I’ve been asphyxiated several times and had my ribs broken. I’m not saying this was done by a creature or a poltergeist or a possession. There are just some kinds of severe phenomenon that are unexplainable.

MS: There are quite a few “reality” shows on television now dealing with the paranormal. Do you watch any of them? And have you ever questioned their findings?
CC: Well, I do understand how the process works for entertainment, especially for television. And the need to ramp something up to something more sensational than came before…with so many television stations they have to keep trying to outdo each other. 20-30 years ago you had a handful of shows. Things like “Unexplained Mysteries.” Things then were more scientific. The integrity level was very high. To answer the first part of the question, no. I really don’t watch. Mostly it’s becase I don’t have the time.

MS: Finally, do you have a favorite experience from all of your years of working?
CC: A favorite experience? (laughs) Wow. There have beem literally thousands of cases of unexplained phenomenon. The most disturbing, obviously, is one where someone is traumatized. I’ve worked hundreds of cases where the victims suffer from PTSD, usually as a result of the experience. Post traumatic stress disorder takes over. This usually happens with possession-type cases. Those are the worse one to get involved with. As for poltergeists, again the cases that come to me are the most volatile in nature so it’s difficult to say which is the most fascinating. I will say that there are cases where you actually observe the phenomenon. You understand the basic laws, like gravity, and when they’re being defied they’re pretty fascinating. It’s extraordinary to see it happening. In the case I’m currently working on…in the center of the house…there’s a phenomenon where all light seems to be absorbed. When you’re in the area you can hear whispers in it…dogs stay away from it. If you put light into it spectrophotometers show that the light is being abnormally observed in this one area then in any other part of the house. To encounter those kind of things is really quite extraordinary!

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Oliver Robins is known best for his work in the classic horror film “Poltergeist”.  He has also worked on films like “Airplane II: The Sequel”. Currently Oliver is focusing on writing and directing with his latest film, “29,000 Wishes, 1 Regret”.  Oliver took out some time to chat about his experience on “Poltergeist” and working with Steven Spielberg.

Mike Gencarelli: Were you aware of how physical the role in “Poltergeist” was going to be?
Oliver Robins: For the most part I did because in the script it really explained what was going to happen. In terms of how they were going to execute those scenes I had no idea. It was presented to me like I was going to camp. And that’s exactly how it was. I had a great time. Every time I went to the set I had a new adventure. Because when you’re a kid you pretty much accept everything. They’d say, “OK, Oliver, today you’re going to be bolted to this wall and hung up by wires. We’re going to turn the room around and you’re going to scream into the camera because at the angle you’re hanging at it’s going to look like you’re flying.” And as a kid you’re thinking, “OK, that sounds fun.” Then the next day they tell you you’re going to be back in the room and giant tree arms are going to come at you. They want you to jump on the tree arms while screaming at it. Then they throw sugar glass at your face but they do remind you to cover your face when they’re doing it. And as a kid you’re having a great time. It’s like “what’s next?” As an adult you might step back and think it’s kind of crazy. But I used to love climbing trees so it was a blast to me.

MG: So it was really more like fun then work?
OR: Oh yeah, I had a great time. And it was a great bunch of people. Steven Spielberg. Kathleen Kennedy. Frank Marshall…they were a great group of people to work with. I didn’t want to leave the set when we were done every day. I had to because of the labor laws. “Sorry Oliver, you have to go home.”

MG: There has always been a lot of speculation as to whether Spielberg or Tobe Hooper was the director in charge. Can you lend any insight into this?
OR: I’ve learned that people seem to like controversy in pretty much everything in life. And this is one that will never go away no matter what people say. You can say that Steven Spielberg did NOT direct the film, bottom line, but people don’t want to believe it. They want to be conspiracy theorists because the falsehood is more exciting in many ways then the truth. As for Spielberg, he wrote the script (NOTE: the Original story for “Poltergeist” came from Steven Spielberg, who shared screenplay credit with Michael Grais and Mark Victor)…he was the producer. And he had a vision that he shared with Tobe. But Tobe directed me. I mean, it was investigated by the DGA (Director’s Guild of America) at the time. But when it comes to the nitty gritty, Tobe told me where to stand. He told the camera operator where to put the camera. All of the rules that I learned in film school about what a director does Tobe did. As far as what happened behind the scenes, I’m sure Steven explained what he was going for. I mean, when you’re the writer and the producer, you do what any writer would want to do. Explain your vision and your intent. Hope that they are executed as a team. And I think they worked as a great team. So in terms of what I saw on set, Tobe was the director. At least that’s my perspective on it. (NOTE: When “Poltergeist” opened in June 1982 these rumors were already circulating. Tobe Hooper has maintained that these rumors cost him an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Ironically, a week later “E.T.” opened. That film earned Spielberg a Best Director nod).

MG: How was the change going from scary “Poltergiest” to the zany “Airplane 2?”
OR: I had seen the original “Airplane,” so I knew the tone of the piece. I loved “Airplane” so I knew what kind of performance they were going for. It was a dream job for me when they gave it to me. Ken Finkleman, the director, was very patient. He told me what he wanted…the very broad and over the top reactions. I had a lot of fun doing it. And the adult actors were basically doing the exact same thing so I just followed their lead.

MG: What is it like for you now to watch films you made back when you were a kid?
OR: I just recently looked at “Poltergeist” again. Obviously I’m a bit prejudiced but I think it’s a fantastic movie. As good as the films being made today without any of the great technology that exists now. I think that with the advent of all of the new CGI technology we’re almost losing some of our filmmaking capabilities and techniques. It’s as if CGI is now almost a crutch. I mean in “Alien” you hardly see the “Alien” whereas now they show everything when maybe you don’t need to show everything. Not to mention that with a lot of CGI effects today it’s almost hard to suspend disbelief. Getting back to “Poltergeist,” that film is so scary because of the stuff you never even saw. It’s in your head because you really don’t know what you’re looking at. It’s all in your mind. And I think that’s brilliant filmmaking. And it’s not just a horror film. A professor told me that compassion will always win over camera. Which means you make a film with story and character and relationships and the special effects are secondary. And that’s true about “Poltergeist.” Sure it’s scary but it’s the family and their relationships that you care about during the movie.

MG: Now you’re focusing on writing and directing. Talk about taking that path in your career.
OR: It was on “Poltergeist” that I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker. Steven Spielberg loaned me a Super 8 camera and at 10 years old I started making films. And it became a passion that I fell in love with. I fell in love with telling stories. I made a 15 minute film called “The Crystal” that won first prize at a French Film Festival. I realized I wanted to do this as a career. So on the advice of Mr. Spielberg I went to the USC Film School (NOTE: Besides Steven Spielberg, note USC Film School Alumni include George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis and Ron Howard), graduated and I’ve been pursuing filmmaking pretty much ever since. I love all genre’s of film. From comedies to romantic comedies to dramas and family dramas. Hopefully I’ll be able to tell many stories.

MG: You wear pretty much every hat possible on your new film “29,000 Wishes, 1 Regret.” What was the inspiration behind the film?
OR: My inspiration was that I wanted to do a film about our times right now. And I learned it was going to be difficult to raise funding for a film about a young couple who loses everything because of the recession and realize they’re never going to live the life they hoped for. So they decide to charge what’s left on their credit cards and then kill themselves. That story line proved next to impossible to raise money through the traditional means. And I didn’t want to wait ten years to make this movie. I thought it was timely and that it had to be done right now. We had the technology to do it. We had the cameras. So we went out and did it. I’ve been to film school and I said to myself, “Let’s go out and let me see if I can fill every behind the scene role on the movie.” I brought in a couple of friends to assist, one to be DP and one to run sound. But sometimes they weren’t available so I’d have to do everything myself. But what I loved about it is that it allowed me to work very close with the actors and allowed me to really just focus on their performances. I didn’t have to worry about funding or paying back money. It was really just our time that we were spending. And we could really just tell the story that we wanted to tell. Of course the downside is that we didn’t have an infrastructure. We were kind of scattered trying to assemble everything while shooting this film basically by the seat of our pants. So there was an upside and also a darker side to this level of filmmaking. But I think it really tested my ability. To be able to make a film with pretty much nothing…just me and my camera. For all intensive purposes the only thing I really had going was my knowledge of cinema from film school. It’s the same equipment. Now a high school kid can get the equipment as a holiday gift and go out and do the same thing without a lot of money.

MG: Where can people see the film?
OR: They can buy it right now on Amazon, (https://www.createspace.com/334235) or they can download it as well on Amazon. Just type “29000 Wishes, 1 Regret” on Amazon and they can watch it at a moment’s notice. The film has a distributor and it should be available on network television later this year.

MG: Tell us why you started your own clothing line, Cursed Clothes?
OR: I had been going to different horror conventions and thought that it would be great to give fans a little bit more of the movie I was in. So I got with a designer to create “Poltergeist” – inspired T-shirts to hand out. And we had so much fun creating these T-shirts that I thought it would be fantastic to do with other films…all of my favorite films from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Even movies from now. So we created an entire line of horror inspired clothing. And that’s how we came up with Cursed Clothes, (www.cursedclothes.com). We’re creating designs for all of the films that I love. “

Dustin Mills is the director of the wild and crazy film “The Puppet Monster Massacre”. Dustin took out some time with Media Mikes to chat about that film as well as his new film “Zombie A-Hole”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about what the inspiration was behind “The Puppet Monster Massacre”?
Dustin Mills: It’s the same with every film idea I come up with. I am just trying to make films that I would want to watch. I look for holes in the B-Movie universe and try to fill them.

MG: Are you surprised with the response this film has gotten?
DM: The response has been rather mixed, and honestly the only places it sells well are Horror Conventions. I think my surprise came from seeing it featured in magazines and websites that I had read for years. We were in HorrorHound, Fangoria, and there was a review on AintItCoolNews. That was wild. That’s the stuff that makes my heart race.

MG: When can we expect the sequel to this film?
DM: I really want to make one, but so for we haven’t had a ton of luck with raising the funds. I have the outline, I have started the screenplay, but now it just boils down to hard numbers. I’m not going to make the film until I can give it everything it needs. My plan right now is to produce some low budget exploitative short films to sell with the sole purpose of raising money for PMM2. It will happen… its just a matter of time.

MG: Tell us how it was going to puppets to “Zombie A-Hole”?
DM: It was much much easier. Production was smoother because I wasn’t playing every single part (we had no puppeteers for PMM) and post was easier because we had real locations instead of a greenscreen that required keying and or matte paintings and 3d backgrounds. The only thing that is more difficult about a live action film vs something like PMM is that you have to be willing to relinquish control and improvise and let your actors help build your world. Making a virtual backlot puppet film allows you to have a much narrower mind, but working with people and weird conditions forces you to be a resourceful soldier.

MG: What was your biggest challenge besides the budget of $1K?
DM: The budget was never actually a hindrance. I like working with nothing. A low budget like that forces you to be a renegade and I like that. there is something really exhilarating about shaking your camera while your actor’s wife blows fog over your car with a $20 fog machine and a fan that barely works and a couple of your buddies bounce the trunk up and down so it will kinda sorta look like the zombie hunting cowboy is driving at night. I live for that shit. The biggest challenge I guess was just time. Its hard to line up schedules, and we had a medical emergency with one of our actors that set us back for a month or so (not an onset injury mind you). That’s really it. Once we got folks together there was never really anything that held us back too much.

MG: Sticking with the horror genre, who are your idols?
DM: Thats a hard question because I have two sets of idols. I got my mainstreamers like Robert Rodriguez, Guillermo Del Toro, Sam Raimi, Dario Argento, and Fred Dekker. But then I also have my indie heroes. People like Eric Stanze, Bill Zebub, Fred Vogel, Jason Eisener, Kevin Strange, The Kuchar Brothers, and a few others. These are guys with true vision who know how to make their budgets and indie status work for them. I may not even like every movie they put out, but I respect the shit out of them. My grandaddy idol at least for right now is Jim Wynorski. I’m not sure the world will ever truly appreciate his genius.

MG: Favorite horror film?
DM: My favorite horror film and probably favorite film of all time is “The Monster Squad”. It embodies just about everything I love about horror and the magic of the movies.

MG: Tell us about your upcoming “Theatre of the Deranged II”?
DM: Well James Bressack is spearheading this wacky anthology and on it I have an animated short that is sort of inspired by anime and the sushi typhoon films called Girl Girl: Mutant Lesbo Vengeance. Its going to be quite strange and extremely bloody. I am pretty excited about it, and I am in good company on that collection. James really gathered a good group of filmmakers and I am pretty honored to be rubbing shoulders with them.

MG: What else do you have set on the horizon?
DM: I am putting the finishing touches on Night of the Tentacles. It will be out early next year probably. I am shooting a film called Kill That Bitch which will be out early next year as well. I am shooting a puppet porno music video for a Las Vegas band called The Fat Dukes of Fuck that is perhaps the strangest thing I have ever done. I recently did a video for one of their member’s other band called Demon Lung, check it out here. I have two other projects; one of which is already filmed and the other I am filming currently. I’m honestly not sure how much I can say about them so that might be a tale for another time.

Starring: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox and Rachel Nichols
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 41 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When you’re best known for playing a sassy black grandmother it takes a lot of guts to step into shoes formerly worn by Morgan Freeman. So right off the bat I have to give Tyler Perry a tip of the hat. And he more than earns it as he steps into the title role of “Alex Cross.”

Detective (and Dr.) Alex Cross and his team (Tommy (Edward Burns) and Monica (Nichols) have been called in to solve the torture/murder of a mysterious woman. Clues left behind point to a future victim, who is saved by the group but not before inflicting some whip-ass on the law. As a way of reassuring himself, and the team, Cross informs the others that, based on his information, there will be no retribution for their attempts at foiling the bad guy! Wrong, Alex. Shall we say…dead wrong?

Based on the character and popular novels created by James Patterson, “Alex Cross” is a familiar story for those who have read them. Here, instead of Washington D.C. the trio work for the Detroit police department. All have things going on in their lives. Tommy and Monica have been quietly dating for the past couple months, something that is obviously frowned on upon in the department. Alex has been offered a job with the FBI, but it means uprooting his family. So with all of this happening they are assigned the duty of protecting Leon Mercier (Jean Reno), a French businessman who may or may not be a target. Let the game of cat and mouse begin.

Before I go any further let me answer the big question – …Yes. Though he hasn’t yet attained the quiet gravitas that Morgan Freeman brings to almost every role, Perry is fine as Cross. Part Batman, part John McClane – Perry’s Cross does not have toned abs or a chiseled face, which makes him even more believable. On the other side, “Lost” star Matthew Fox is downright terrifying as a killer who believes in giving his clients their money worth. His eyes sunken and dark, Fox appears to have lost almost all of his body fat, making his frame long and sinewy. A role that could have been played so broadly is nailed perfectly. Director Cohen, who has helmed movies ranging from “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story” to the original “Fast and the Furious,” keeps the action moving and earns extra points for featuring a climactic scene inside an old and crumbling movie theatre. The story is pretty much by the book, with the good guy and bad guy matching wits as if playing a deadly chess game. Some of the plot points do tend to go astray but for the most part the story stays on point and makes you look forward to a second chapter.

Traci Lords is an actor/singer/producer/director.  She has appeared in films like “Cry-Baby” and “Blade”, as well as the recent “Excision”.  She also released a new compilation album called “Traci Lords Presents: M2F2”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Traci about her new film “Excision” and also her new album.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with a film like “Excision”?
Traci Lords: It happened like “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell Happened, “Blade” and “Cry-Baby” all happened, through my agent, Stephen LaManna. I saw the short that Ricky Bates Jr. had done years before for his final school project. I thought it was very interesting. We had several meeting and I ended up doing some screen testing for the role. I thought that I had played the role of Pauline, played by AnnaLynne McCord, before in my career. I have also played the role that Ariel Winter plays in the film as well. But I have never played a woman like Phyllis, that was as controlling and uptight. When I read it one of my concerns what how do you make somebody that is this tough in ways – how do you make her likable  – how do you give her humor? That was one of the challenges with this role. I had to figure out how to not make her one note and make her a real person.

MG: Phyllis is one great character, how did you prepare for the role?
TL: I just kept trying to put myself in the frame of mind of a parent that has one of their children dying. The closest experience I had to that, and thank God, is having two cats. The cat didn’t like ended up dying and the one I like survived. It is a terrible analogy but it is the only one I had going into the movie. What does that feel like? Trying to figure out what the other way would feel like? To be a parent and not like one of your children, probably has to be the worst feeling in the world. The torment about that is something that I just chewed on and focused on. There were wonderful actors all around me and that made it easier to come about. AnnaLynne McCord created a very unlikable strange, wonderful, bizarre character in this movie. She would come to the set as that character and it was not hard to be annoyed by her in that sense. So it helps my portrayal of Phyllis, since I just had to look in front of me.

MG:What was it in the script that jumped out of you that made you want to be apart of this project?
TL: I think the aspect that compelled me most had to be the director, Ricky Bates Jr. I think he is a really interesting person. He wrote something, whether you like it or not, it is bizarre enough to make you think. The fact that he as confident as he is as such a young filmmaker, I thought that was very intriguing. I am curious to see what he will do with more experience.

MG: John Waters is this film, you worked with him on “Cry-Baby” & “Serial Mom”, did you get a chance to reunite?
TL: That was really my doing. Ricky was a fan of John Waters and John is very dear friend of mine. I put the two of them together and John said he would do the movie, much to Ricky’s delight. John flew in for a day and we had a fun time on the set. Seeing the film for the first time at Sundance this past January, when John comes on the screen, the whole audience just lost it. You don’t expect him in that role of a priest. Ricky really cast against type in this film. It was just delightful.

MG: What do you enjoy most about working in the horror genre?
TL: I have done a lot of work in the horror genre. It is nice to return here. I liked to bounce around much with different genres like “Blade” and “Cry-Baby”. I haven’t done a real juicy dark drama in quite a while. I think I do something funny next.

MG: Last year your single “Last Drag” was hot on the charts, any plans for new music?
TL: As a matter of fact, I released “M2F2” last week on iTunes. There are ten tracks on the album, eight of which are already charting here and there. That is really great. I have three tracks on it, since it is “Traci Lords Presents”, So it is a compilation of tracks from Sea to Sun Records. It is definitely a love record, meaning that you can put it on in the beginning of a date and play it straight through no matter what happens. That was the idea behind “M2F2” aka “Music 2 Funk 2” [laughs]. I see myself doing more and more compilations like that. Really I want to continue to act and sing but also focus more on writing, producing and directing of my own stuff. I think there are so few wonderful roles for women, especially of my age. So I guess I going to have to write my own now.

MG: What else do you have plans in the cards?
TL: I am also currently adapting my book “Underneath it All”, my life story that came out in 2003 from Harper Collins into a bio pic.

Actors: Lauren Ambrose, Steven Pasquale, Geena Davis, James Woods, Ellen Burstyn
Directed by: Mikael Salomon
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 160 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Coma” is based on the bestselling novel by Robin Cook. This A&E Miniseries is also executive produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. The miniseries originally aired on A&E over two days this past Labor Day weekend. “Cona” runs just shy of three hours and blends both suspense and sci-fi. The issue with this miniseries is that is it too short or too long and I will explain further. The story is explain well for the first half and then realizes that it is running out of time and crams in all the pay-off into the rushed ending. This would been a lot better if they cut out some of the middle and or extended the ending.

Official Synopsis: A healthy patient suddenly falls into a coma. It’s not an impossible event, but it is rare. So why does it keep happening at Peachtree Memorial? Lauren Ambrose stars as Dr. Susan Wheeler in this thriller about a medical student who discovers that something sinister is going on in her hospital after routine procedures send more than a few seemingly healthy patients into comas on the operating table.

For TV mini-series, this film has a terrific cast including Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under”), Steven Pasquale (FX’s Rescue Me”), Geena Davis (“Beetlejuice”). Also there is a terrific supporting cast including James Woods (“Disney’s Hercules”), Richard Dreyfuss (“Jaws”) and Ellen Burstyn (“Requiem for a Dream”). The DVD does not come with any special features included, unfortunately. I would have like to see some featurettes on the whole sci-fi angle of the series. Since there is such a stunning cast would have loved to see some interviews etc.

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Directed by: Joe Chappelle, Steve Miner, Rick Rosenthal
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Paul Rudd, Kim Darby, Marianne Hagan, Mitch Ryan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Josh Hartnett, LL Cool J, Michelle Williams, Sean Patrick Thomas, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tyra Banks, Busta Rhymes
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Running Time: 88, 85, 90 minutes (respectively)

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers: 3 out of 5 stars
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Halloween: Resurrection: 3 out of 5 stars

Echo Bridge is the studio behind this Miramax Triple Feature release. Though previously released individually before, this is the first time that “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers”, “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” & “Halloween: Resurrection” has been released together. These are all the films that are under the Miramax label, as “Halloween 1-5” are under other distributors. I am a little disappointed though with the missing features on “Resurrection” from its solo release. But even though these aren’t the best film in the series, if you are a fan of this franchise now you can have a chance to get all these films together in one Blu-ray release.

Official Premises: “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers”: In a single horrifying night, Michael Myers’ masked reign of terror changed Halloween forever. Now, six years after he was presumed dead in a fire, Myers has returned to kill again—and this time there’s no escape. As the homicidal fury builds to a spine-tingling climax, the long-hidden secrets of the screen’s most maniacal murderer are revealed…with shocking results. “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later”: Now the headmistress of a private school, Laurie Strode is still struggling with the horrifying, 20-year-old memories of the maniacal killer Michael Myers…when he suddenly reappears with a vengeance. “Halloween: Resurrection”: Reality programmers select a group of thrill-seeking teenagers to spend one night in the childhood home of serial killer Michael Myers. But the broadcast turns deadly when Michael himself decides to crash the party.

This Blu-ray presentations are these releases are varied but mostly with mixed results. “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” comes with a 1080i transfer and a 2.0 Stereo track, not the worst but also not the best. “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” comes with a 1080p transfer, but is the worst of the bunch and also comes with a 2.0 Stereo track. Lastly we have “Halloween: Resurrection”, which is the best of the trio with its 1080p transfer and its 5.1 DTS audio track. But like I said earlier don’t celebrate yet because the solo release for “Resurrection” also came with a Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS-HD MA, and LCM 2.0 Stereo tracks, which are missing here. Also missing for “Resurrection” is the special features from the solo release as well. So got to take the good with the bad.  Still worth the price of the cheap Blu-ray.

Directed by: Greg Spence, Gregory Widen, Patrick Lussier, Joel Soisson
Starring: Christopher Walken, Eric Stoltz, Viggo Mortensen, Virginia Madsen Elias Koteas, Vincent Spano, Russell Wong
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 6th 2012
Running Time: 428 minutes

The Prophecy: 4 out of 5 stars
The Prophecy II: 3.5 out of 5 stars
The Prophecy 3: The Ascent: 3.5 out of 5 stars
The Prophecy IV: Uprising: 3 out of 5 stars
The Prophecy V: Forsaken: 3 out of 5 stars

Finally! Echo Bridge has released all 5 “The Prophecy” films in one Blu-ray release. They have previous been split up in all shorts of different sets. But now we get “The Prophecy / Prophecy II / The Prophecy 3: The Ascent / The Prophecy IV: Uprising / The Prophecy V: Forsaken” all together in one release…and it is great! There is no upgrades from previous release, so if you have them then stick with those.  But if you’ve been holding out, then this is your time! I have been a fan of these films (yes, even the sequels) and I am happy to get a chance to have them all in collection.

“The Prophecy” follows an L.A. homicide detective, who while fighting to stop the forces of evil, finds an unlikely ally in an elementary school teacher. Together they race against time and terror to save the world as we know it. The Prophecy: God’s Army” brings the returns of Christopher Walken as the menacing angel Gabriel. The only hope for survival in the battle of good and evil lands in the unborn child of an innocent woman (Jennifer Beals)…unless Gabriel catches her first. “The Prophecy 3: The Ascent” concludes the Gabriel trilogy, as fearsome armies of rebel angels wage war in heaven and on Earth, Pyriel, the brutal Angel of Genocide, rises to power and intends to destroy mankind. The only one on Earth with the ability to stop the bloodshed is Danyael, who was born of an angel and a woman.

Next we come to the sequels without Christopher Walken: “The Prophecy: Uprising” jump starts the series again, when an ancient religious manuscript lands in the hands of an unsuspecting young woman, she is suddenly thrust into the center of an epic battle between ruthless fallen angels. “The Prophecy: Forsaken” follows the fighting for control of the Lexicon – an ancient religious text that reveals the arrival of the Antichrist – a group of fallen angels will stop at nothing to capture it and the young woman who possesses it.

The Blu-ray presentation on all these films are similar to the previous releases from Echo Bridge, that which are quite impressive. All five of these films are presented with 1080p high definition transfer except “The Prophecy 3: The Ascent” which is only 1080i, not sure why this could be fixed. The audio tracks are split up with all different results.   presented with a Dolby Digital have a sharp 5.1 DTS track.   “The Prophecy 3: The Ascent” comes with a 5.1 track and lastly “The Prophecy II” only comes with a 2.0 Stereo track. There are no special features included on these very full release. If you are a fan of the series and looking to own the complete series, then this is a cheap and quick way to get these films on Blu-ray.

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