Actors: John C. Reilly, Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Carol Kraft, Doug Foster
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Cartoon Network
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Run Time: 132 minutes

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

I am a fun fan of anything that comes out of the mind of the comedy duo Tim and Eric from “Tom Goes to the Mayor” to “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”.  So I understand their rare brand of comedy and obviously this is not for everyone.  John C. Reilly is total gold playing Dr. Steve Brule.  “Check It Out with Dr. Steve Brule” is a fantastic spin-off from the madness that was created by Tim and Eric.  The show itself is even more awkward that its predecessors but it works…oh so well.  I recommend this show very highly…for your health! Where’s season three Adult Swim?

“Check It Out” Season 1 and 2 includes all 12 episodes from the series. It is a parody of a local market’s news magazine show starring Oscar-nominee John C. Reilly as Dr. Steve Brule. Each week our host Dr. Brule will introduce his audiences to local celebrities and interesting things around town as well as providing health and lifestyle tips. Produced by John C. Reilly ands Absolutely Productions.

I was hoping for some great special features here but they are most M.I.A. The only present extras are some deleted and extended scenes.  They are a nice continuous of the show but I feel like they could have done so much more.  I would have loved to seen some commentary tracks from Dr. Steve Brule and maybe even Jan and Wayne Skylar all in character.  But nonetheless, this DVD is a must purchase for all fans of Tim and Eric’s work and those looking to see Reilly in one of his most zaniest and funniest performances.

Actors: H.B. Halicki, Jerry Daugirda
Directors: H.B. Halicki
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Anderson Merchandisers
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Run Time: 98 minutes

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

Many probably don’t know but the 2000 action film, “Gone in 60 Seconds” with Nicolas Cage & Angelina Jolie, was actually a remake.  H.B. Halicki was the man behind the original 1974 “Gone in 60 Seconds”.  This film gave birth to the car-chase film genre and stars Eleanor, the only Ford Mustang in history to receive starring credit in a movie! This movie also prides itself on wrecking over 93 cars within it’s extremely long 40 minute chase-scene!  This film is the real deal, no CGI, when cars were crashed it was real.  If you are a car buff, then you have to check out the amazing driving and stunts in this film.

Official Synopsis: THE ASSIGNMENT: to steal 48 muscle and exotic cars! THE CHALLENGE: avoid getting caught! ELEANOR: She’s one fast and furious Ford Fastback Mustang– a superhero of car chases…buckle-up as she slams through 5 cities, cops after cops can’t touch her…wrecking over 93 cars in Eleanor’s 40 minute Chase-Scene! It slams you on a full-throttle ride you’ll never forget!

H.B. Halicki’s Original Gone in 60 Seconds comes in a sweet Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack. The film is restored in widescreen and digitally remastered in 5.1 Dolby & DTS Surround Sound. This film has never looked or sounded better. It also comes packs with a great collection of bonus features. “The personal life and times of H.B. “Toby” Halicki, the Car Crash King” looks into the creators legacy. There is an interview with Denice Halicki on the set of her filming the 2000 Remake of Gone in 60 Seconds, which starred Nicolas Cage & Angelina Jolie. There is a rare interview with the “Father of the Ford Mustang,” Lee Iacocca. If you are a commentary, there is a track from Jack Vacek (Director of Photography) & Warner Leighton (Editor). Lastly there are three featurettes “Cut to the Chase” including information about the real accidents caught on film!

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Hugh Laurie, Reese Witherspoon, Antonio Banderas, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett
Directors: Raman Hui, Gary Trousdale
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Dreamworks Video
DVD Release Date: August 28, 2012
Run Time: 102 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“DreamWorks Spooky Stories” arrives just in time to celebration Halloween.  This release features six shorts and included two new season’s themed specials from “Shrek” and “Monsters vs. Aliens” series.  In “Shrek’s Thrilling Tales”, we get three tales including “Shrek: The Ghost of Lord Farquaad” and the new shorts “Shrek: The Pig Who Cried Wolf” and and “Monsters vs. Aliens: Night of the Living Carrots”, There is also more Shrek goodness in “Scared Shrekless”.  “Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space” is last but not least. This is a great collection for kids to get in the mood for Halloween with their favorite Dreamworks characters.

“Shrek’s Thrilling Tales”: Join Shrek, Donkey, Puss and B.O.B as they get the fright of their lives in three spooktacular stories that will keep you howling with laughter. This Shrektastic Halloween treat includes The Pig Who Cried Werewolf, Night of the Living Carrots and The Ghost of Lord Farquaad.

“Scared Shrekless”: Halloween is Shrek’s favorite holiday – but instead of the usual tricks or treats, Shrek ups the ante and challenges the gang to spend the night telling scary stories. The last one to be Scared Shrekless wins. And don’t miss the Shreked-out parody of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

“Monsters Vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space”: The gang is back as special operatives dispatched to investigate a mysterious alien presence on Halloween. As the night unravels the innocent-looking pumpkins are revealed for what they really are – mutant aliens! Luckily the Monsters are there to smash the mutants’ wicked scheme to take over Earth.

The Blu-ray presentation on this release is extremely impressive. Each special is presented in 1080p high definition and looks fantastic. I am even more impressive though with the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track included on the special except “Mutant vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space” & “Shrek: The Ghost of Lord Farquaad”, which have Dolby True HD 5.1.  They all sound really fantastic and gave my surround sound a nice workout. There is not much additional extras included here though.  There is an optional pop-ups on “Night of the Living Carrots”. The World of DreamWorks Animation featuring previews and a few music videos. Still this is worth the purchase to get ready for the holiday season!

Actors: Zane Lamprey, Stephen McKenna
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Run Time: 614 minutes

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

I was a fan of Zane Lamprey and his crazy drinking madness since the days of “Three Sheets”. “Drinking Made Easy” is a fun show but it definitely is not for everyone. This DVD contains all 24 episodes from the outrageous second season. I never thought I would say this is possible but after watching this show, I personally have no desire to drink ever again. If you are a fan of this show season three has already started on HDNet on October 3rd. There are thirteen new episodes airing from October 3rd. So the madness continues…if his liver can survive.

Official Premise: Join the “Indiana Jones of drinking”, Zane Lamprey, with his buddies Steve McKenna and Pleepleus as they tour the U.S. looking for the best drinks, drinkers, and watering holes. Each week Zane and Steve visit a new city and explore its history, nightlife, and the local drinking culture. They are on a mission to show what libations and drinking lifestyles this fine nation has to offer and, of course, to make drinking easy!

It is hard to believe that one person is able to do as much drinking as Zane does. This season he made stops in the following cities: Maui, Kauai, Monterrey, Key West, Miami, Tampa, St. Augustine, Savannah, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Newport, Cape Cod, Portland, Memphis, Nashville, Asheville, Charlotte, Charleston, Seattle, Vancouver, Spokane, Missoula, Santa Barbara and Aspen.

There is also no shortage of special features on this DVD.  There is a commentary track from Zane and the crew of the show.  There is the one-hour special included as a bonus episode, which is called “Ultra Premium Imperial Reserve Platinum Epsecial”.  Fun stuff, definitely worth checking out for sure.  Lastly, there are additional bonus scenes from a few episodes and also some extended interviews.

Directors: Stephen Low
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 46 minutes

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

There is something about the 3D in the film’s made for IMAX theatres. They really pop much more than the really theatrical 3D films. The only issue with this film is that it is only 46 minutes like all IMAX features. Nonetheless, this still packs a thrilling 46 mins and is really entertaining. If you are looking for some fantastic 3D mixed with an inspiring story and some great action, then this film is definitely a no-brainer purchase.  Since this was originally created for exhibition in IMAX theaters, you know the scale is just so amazing and perfect for 3D Blu-ray.

Official Synopsis: “Rescue 3D” plunges audiences into the grueling, highly technical work of saving lives in the face of a natural disaster and introduces a few of the heroes who step up to make it happen. The film follows first responders as they train at sea, in the air and on the ground preparing for the worst that can happen. And then it does… When a magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes the Caribbean nation of Haiti, emergency teams jump into action. Within days, a massive effort is launched that brings military and civilian responders and hardware from around the world, and then the real work begins.  “Rescue 3D” is an odyssey of real-world disaster and emergency response captured (in 3D) with unprecedented scale and impact.

Image Entertainment delivers this film beautifully on 3D Blu-ray, its 1080p transfer is flawless and really delivers the goods.  There is also a standard definition Blu-ray as well for those who don’t have 3D TV’s but I would highly recommend this experience in 3D if possible. The specia features included are not huge but good for what is included.  There are interviews with the Rescuers from the film.  We get a chance to hear their tales of inspiration and courage.  Lastly there are a few trailers included as well.

The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

Own it on Blu-ray Combo Pack or Digital Download December 4

Actors: Steven Seagal, Steve Austin, Michael Pare, Bren Foster
Directors: Keoni Waxman
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 98 minutes

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

When I saw that Steven Seagal and Steve Austin were starring together in “Maximum Conviction”, I could request this faster to review.  I don’t care what people say but I think that Seagal can still kick some major ass.  Austin is also such a bad-ass.  The duo is also also behind-the-scenes producing on the film.  Steve Austin is executive producing, while Steve Seagal is producing.  You can tell that they are behind this film 100% and it is not just some cheesy action/thriller. If you are a fan of kick-ass action films, this is a no-brainer. Sit back, relax and get ready to have the Steve’s kick some ass!

Official Premise: When former black ops operative Tom Steele (Steven Seagal) and his partner Manning (Steve Austin) are assigned to decommission an old prison, they must oversee the arrival of two mysterious female prisoners. Before long, an elite force of mercenaries assault the prison in search of the new arrivals. As the true identities of the women are revealed, Steele realizes he’s caught in the middle of something far bigger than he had imagined. Fists will fly and bones will shatter as the situation escalates with every passing minute.

Anchor Bay is delivering “Maximum Conviction” as a DVD + Blu-ray combo pack. The Blu-ray looks sharp, especially with the action in the film. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track also sounds great on the Blu-ray. The special features are quite decent for this action/thriller. There is an audio commentary with Executive Producer/Director Keoni Waxman and Co-Executive Producer Binh Dang. There is a short but effective behind the scenes featurette. “Icons: Working with Legendary Action Stars” is a feature on these two get action stars Seagal and Austin working together. Lastly there is an interview with Steve Austin and Bren Foster.

Artists: Various
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Number of Discs: 2
Label: Capitol/EMI

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

2012 marks the 50^th anniversary of the iconic James Bond film franchise. While we are all highly anticipating the release of the 23rd Bond film “Skyfall”.  Capitol/EMI is releasing “Best Of Bond… James Bond”, which is a collection of 50 years of music over 50 tracks, all digitally remastered. If you are looking for all the memorable theme songs from all 22 official Bond films, then this is the release for you! I am not sure why Adele’s new song from “Skyfall” is M.IA., since it is being released during the 50th anniversary celebration.  I have always loved these themes, they also perfectly set the stage for the films and were always fun.  If you are a Bond fan this is a must though if you own these already from previous editions, then there is no real draw for this otherwise being a collector.

This release is available in a 23-track single-disc edition and 50 track deluxe edition.  Both editions feature all the themes  22 Bond films released since 1962.  The cover art is a really cool looking Bond “Golden Girl” and the official 50th anniversary logo.  The expanded edition adds several score pieces from The John Barry Orchestra and other original songs heard in the films by Dame Shirley Bassey, Marvin Hamlisch, The Pretenders, Moby, k.d. lang, David Arnold, and others. Honestly, I had a real issue with the second disc.  The tracks were not that sharp and overall the songs didn’t really put me in the mood for Bond. The first disc is really where the best tracks are for this release, I wouldn’t give the second disc even a second listen. But I am sure that mega-Bond fans would be excited to get all these tracks in one place for the first time.

 Track Listings: 

DISC ONE
1. James Bond Theme – The John Barry Orchestra [from Dr. No, 1962]
2. From Russia With Love – Matt Monro [from From Russia With Love, 1963]
3. Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey [from Goldfinger, 1964]
4. Thunderball – Tom Jones [from Thunderball, 1965]
5. You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra [from You Only Live Twice, 1967]
6. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – The John Barry Orchestra [from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969]
7. We Have All The Time In The World – Louis Armstrong [from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969]
8. Diamonds Are Forever – Shirley Bassey [from Diamonds Are Forever, 1971]
9. Live And Let Die – Paul McCartney & Wings [from Live And Let Die, 1973]
10. The Man With The Golden Gun – Lulu [from The Man With The Golden Gun, 1974]
11. Nobody Does It Better – Carly Simon [from The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977]
12. Moonraker – Shirley Bassey [from Moonraker, 1979]
13. For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton [from For Your Eyes Only, 1981]
14. All Time High – Rita Coolidge [from Octopussy, 1983]
15. A View To A Kill – Duran Duran [from A View To A Kill, 1985]
16. The Living Daylights – A-Ha [from The Living Daylights, 1987]
17. Licence To Kill – Gladys Knight [from Licence To Kill, 1989]
18. GoldenEye (Single Edit) – Tina Turner [from GoldenEye, 1995]
19. Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow [from Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997]
20. The World Is Not Enough – Garbage [from The World Is Not Enough, 1999]
21. Die Another Day – Madonna [from Die Another Day, 2002]
22. You Know My Name – Chris Cornell [from Casino Royale, 2006]
23. Another Way To Die – Jack White & Alicia Keys [from Quantum Of Solace, 2008]

DISC TWO
1. Dr. No’s Fantasy – The Monty Norman Orchestra [from Dr. No, 1962]
2. Under The Mango Tree – Diana Coupland [from Dr. No, 1962]
3. 007 – The John Barry Orchestra [from From Russia With Love, 1963]
4. Opening Titles (Medley): James Bond Is Back/From Russia With Love/James Bond Theme – The John Barry Orchestra [from From Russia With Love, 1963]
5. Into Miami – The John Barry Orchestra [from Goldfinger, 1964]
6. The Laser Beam – The John Barry Orchestra [from Goldfinger, 1964]
7. Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Shirley Bassey [submitted for Thunderball but not included in film, 1965]
8. Switching The Body – The John Barry Orchestra [from Thunderball, 1965]
9. Capsule in Space – The John Barry Orchestra [from You Only Live Twice, 1967]
10. Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown – Nina [from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969]
11. Bond Smells a Rat – The John Barry Orchestra [from Diamonds Are Forever, 1971]
12. Fillet Of Soul-New Orleans/Live And Let Die/Fillet Of Soul-Harlem (Medley) – The George Martin Orchestra featuring B.J. Arnau [from Live And Let Die, 1973]
13. Underground Lair – The John Barry Orchestra [from Live And Let Die, 1973]
14. Hip’s Trip – The John Barry Orchestra [from The Man With The Golden Gun, 1974]
15. The Pyramids – Marvin Hamlisch [from The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977]
16. Cable Car And Snake Fight – The John Barry Orchestra [from Moonraker, 1979]
17. Make It Last All Night – Bill Conti featuring Rage [from For Your Eyes Only, 1981]
18. The Chase Bomb Theme – The John Barry Orchestra [from Octopussy, 1983]
19. Snow Job – The John Barry Orchestra [from A View To A Kill, 1985]
20. Where Has Everybody Gone – The Pretenders [from The Living Daylights, 1987]
21. If There Was a Man – The Pretenders [closing credits song from The Living Daylights, 1987]
22. The Experience Of Love – Eric Serra [from GoldenEye, 1995]
23. James Bond Theme – Moby (Moby’s Re-Version) [inspired by the UA motion picture Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997]
24. Surrender – k.d. lang [closing credits song from Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997]
25. Only Myself To Blame – Scott Walker [from The World Is Not Enough, 1999]
26. Vesper – David Arnold [from Casino Royale, 2006]
27. Time To Get Out – David Arnold [from Quantum Of Solace, 2008]

Bruce Davison is one of Hollywood’s best character actors in the business. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on “Longtime Companion”. He is also known for his his role as Senator Robert Kelly in the “X-Men”. movie franchise. He recently directed Barry Williams & Danny Bonaduce in the Syfy creature feature “Bigfoot” and also recently worked with Rob Zombie’s on “The Lords of Salem”. Bruce can also be seen weekly on ABC’s new hit series “Last Resort”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bruce about his busy year and also what else he has planned.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved directing the creature feature “Bigfoot”?
Bruce Davison: Well, I had done some directing before for Showtime and few others. But I had done a few projects with David Latt at Asylum, like “Mega Fault”. I told him if he had any directing gigs come up to throw me a bone and that I would love to direct. I missed my chance with (Roger) Corman, back in the days. He calls me up one day and says “I am not giving you a gift, I am giving you a nightmare”. I went to Washington to shoot and I think we had a 14 day shoot that ended up being only 9 days. It was sort of like being the General at Dunkirk, I was trying to run two armies at the same time, shooting whatever footage we could and trying to juggle jello, basically.

MG: Tell us working with the duo of Barry Williams & Danny Bonaduce?
BD: I had the best time working with the two of them. I would just let them riff lots of time. I tried to get Florence Henderson and Shirley Jones to make an appearance at the end but it didn’t work out. They were wonderful and the best. The hours were impossible. The shooting schedule was insane. Danny was doing a radio show every day, getting up at 4am and then coming to shoot. But he was still so professional every moment. I feel that they pulled a lot of stuff together [laughs] out of their butts. We really had to. There was a lot of improvisation. And also at the same time, we were trying to create a Bigfoot. We had one difficulty after another; we had to shoot a raft scene in an afternoon, when we weren’t allowed to shoot in the water [laughs]. It was one thing after another. It was so difficult, it was laughable. If we didn’t have a scene of humor about it we would have probably killed each other. But we ended up having fun.

MG: It is funny how you directed “Bigfoot” and your first job directing was on the “Harry and the Hendersons” TV series.
BD: [laughs] I didn’t think twice. I figured that “Bigfoot” would be like “Mighty Joe Young” and “King Kong”, just another big behemoth monster that goes around biting the heads off pretty girls. We had all that going for us and it was completely different from “Harry”. People have said to be over the years “Wasn’t doing “Long Time Companion” difficult and emotional draining?” I have said “No, “Harry and the Hendersons” was”. Trying to get the Bigfoot on the van was much more difficult than playing something that was so close to the heart.

MG: You are co-starring in the new TV series “Last Resort”; tell us about your role?
BD: Pretty much, what you can expect you will have to wait and see. Admiral Arthur Shepard is the character I play. He is the father to Lieutenant Grace Shepard, the third-in-command on main submarine. He is a character that you don’t quite figure out where he is coming from for a while but things will evolve. He is an intriguing and interesting character and he has been a pleasure to play so far.

MG: How was it working with Rob Zombie on his film, “The Lords of Salem”?
BD: I am so looking forward to that film. I had the best time of my life working with Rob. I just adore him. I think the three girls playing the witches just go through the roof. I think he has a new franchise with them, since they are just outrageous. Dee Wallace, Patricia Quinn and Judy Geeson are great. I have a scene with them and I just chuckle every time I think about it. His wife Sheri Moon Zombie is just a dear. I am hearing that it is quite controversial and going to stir up the pot. I look forward to it. He is just brilliantly talented.

MG: Can you tell us about your role in film?
BD: I play an author named, Francis Matthias. I work at historical tourist traps in Salem, MA. I am like the investigator and trying to solve the mystery of what is going on. It is sort of like Martin Balsam in “Psycho”. It is a wonderful character. Maria Conchita Alonso plays my wife. I try and track down what is going on and well…get more than I bargain for [laughs].

MG: Lastly, tell us about your work the unofficial sequel To Martin Scorsese’s Film “Raging Bull”, “The Bronx Bull”?
BD: It is a whole other cup of tea and is told from a completely different angle. William Forsythe is going to really surprise a lot of people with this. He is a wonderful actor and is so close to Jake LaMotta in character in his later years. It is not so much connected to Martin Scorsese but it is a chapter two in the life of Jack LaMotta.

Actors: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito
Directors: Matt Shakman, Randall Einhorn
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: October 9, 2012
Run Time: 286 minutes

Episodes: 4 out of 5 Stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

Official Synopsis: In season 7 see the Gang prepare for the apocalypse, hit the beach at the Jersey Shore, produce a child beauty pageant, and take a walk down memory lane at their high school reunion. As they say, some things never change. So prepare for more depraved schemes, half-baked arguments and absurdly underhanded plots to subvert one another.

First airing in 2005, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has never failed to tackle timely subject matters through the uniquely twisted eyes of the Paddy’s Pub gang. Season seven, which kicked off with a dead hooker (“Frank’s Pretty Woman”) and covered everything from social networks to child beauty pageants, was no exception.

If Sweet Dee’s (Kaitlin Olsen) pregnancy was the notable addition to the sixth season, season seven was the year of “Fat Mac.” Series creator and executive producer Rob McElhenney put on fifty pounds for the sake of trying out its comedic possibilities. While McElhenney has shed the weight in the current season which began on October 11th, the decision paid off in spades in episodes on this set such as “How Mac Got Fat” and “The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore” (where Mac and Danny DeVito’s Frank introduced the world to getting drunk off of Rum Ham).

The Jersey Shore episode was definitely a season highlight in a year where the gang was so often found outside of their base at Paddy’s pub–a major leap forward for Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), who up until this season just couldn’t seem to make it out of the city limits successfully. Other season highlights include “Chardee Macdennis: The Game of Games” featuring a twisted combination drinking-board-physical-challenge game that only the Always Sunny gang could devise, and the two part High School Reunion finale. The latter of which corralled, for all intents and purposes, the rogues gallery of Always Sunny nemeses from past seasons including guest stars Judy Greer, Jason Sudeikus and my personal favorite David Hornsby as downward spiraling Rickety Cricket.

This season does find some weaker moments than earlier years of Always Sunny such as the flashback-heavy “Frank’s Brother”, however I can’t think of another show that is as consistently hilarious and surprising, especially after seven years. As far as sitcoms go, it also has one of the highest rewatchability factors as the writers continue to flesh out this alternate universe Philly with supporting characters and callbacks to past plots.

The extras on the Blu-Ray set are not as extensive as some of the previous sets, featuring four episode commentary tracks (of thirteen episodes), an enjoyable blooper reel and a drunken tour of Philly with recurring character Artemis. One misses the behind the scenes featurettes from past releases. On FX, the show is aired in HD and continues to look and sound great on this Blu-ray transfer.

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Vincent D’Onofrio  is known best for his roles in projects like “Men in Black”, “Full Metal Jacket” and TV’s “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”. Vincent recently directed an amazing horror film called “Don’t Go in the Woods”, starred in Jennifer Lynch’s “Chained”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Vincent about that role in “Chained” and if we can expect him to direct again soon.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with Jennifer Lynch’s disturbing “Chained”?
Vincent D’Onofrio: We had a mutual friend and she wanted me to read the script. I have known Jennifer for a longtime, even before she did “Boxing Helena”. So she sent it to me and I thought it would be a really good idea to do. I got in touch with her immediately and then we were off.

MG: How did you transform yourself into Bob for “Chained”?
VDO: It is all about telling the story correctly. You have to figure out a way to get away with the character that you are not going to overshadow the story but at the same time do it right. I brought this speech impediment into it to give notice that something is wrong with this guy and he has a past. His posture and that sort of stuff is in the story and is scripted well and a lot of that helps the character along. Mainly my job was to bring in this guy that can get away doing these horrific things.

MG:You have taken on so many unique character roles from “Men in Black” to “The Cell” to “Full Metal Jacket”; do you always aim for the most challenging roles or does it just end up working out for you?
VDO: I think it is a little bit of both. I worked on TV for almost ten years and it is nice to get back into playing different types of characters. I think that when you are a character actor you some great opportunities like the antagonist. I really enjoy it. If you pick the right ones, you can get lucky. I always look for a challenge and always try to pick different roles. I think sometimes I get asked and then sometimes I go after parts like that because I find them interesting.

MG:What do you enjoy most about working in the horror genre?
VDO: I love it. I just really do. It is a really fun genre to work in. I directed the horror film “Don’t Go in the Woods” and that was fun in one way and “Chained” was fun in another way. “Chained” is a very character driven piece and “Don’t Go in the Woods” is basically a horror/slasher musical. The idea of living in that world of horror, there is a lot that can be done creatively to make it different than something you have seen before. That is best thing about good horror films and why I watch them. The bad ones – the ones that are not as entertaining are the ones you’ve seen over and over. The ones that are the coolest are brand new and finds a way to re-tell the horror. Those are fun to watch.

MG:You are also working again with Jennifer Lynch on “A Fall From Grace” & “The Monster Next Door”; how those come about?
VDO: “A Fall From Grace” is definitely happening. I am will be working on that with her soon, once she gets the financing ready. So yeah, once she is ready…I am good to go.

MG:Tell us about your role in “Sinister”?
VDO: That is basically Ethan Hawke’s film. He is a good friend of mine. They asked me to cover over a help out with a character. I only worked on it for a couple of hours. I am only in the film a little bit as a favor but it is suppose to be really intense. The testing is amazing. I am looking forward to seeing it.

MG:I am a big fan of “Don’t Go in the Woods”, you plan on directing again soon?
VDO: Yeah I am doing to do it again. It is going to be completely different from that film. It is going to have to be something that I am committed to give a couple of years to. The next one will hopefully be a little bit bigger of a budget. We did “Woods” for only 100K and shot it in 12 days. So not too much bigger but I am working on this other thing currently. So keep an eye out.

Actors: Christian Slater, Stephen Dorff, Wes Bentley, Ryan Donowho
Directors: W. Peter Iliff
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

“Rites of Passage” packs a decent cast including Christian Slater, Stephen Dorff and Wes Bentley. Not A-list but definitely notable stars. The story itself takes too long to get started and ends up not delivers much before its close. There is some decent laughs, even though they are not really warranted. It ends me being a bit too formulaic for me, personally. I would say if you have nothing better to do on a rainy day, this might be worth a rent but its not special.

Premise: An anthropology student, invites a few of his classmates, and their professor to his family’s abandoned ranch – once a sacred Chumash burial ground – to recreate an ancient ceremony. There they meet Nathan’s psychotic older brother and his drug fueled friend. The students then embark on a rite of passage that no one will ever forget.

The Blu-ray presentation is good enough and holds up for the format. The 1080p video works well for the film. The audio included is a sharp DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The special features are lacking quite a bit. There is only a short “The Making Of” featurette and a trailer included. So if you are looking for commentary or anything decent to companion the film, you will be disappointed.

Starring: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, K.C. Martel
Directors: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Run Time: 115 minutes

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

“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year and this film time being released on Blu-ray.  It has been digitally remastered from the high resolution 35MM original film elements,  supervised and approved by Spielberg himself. This release also only the original theatrical version of the film.  The 20th Anniversary edition version with the alternate cut is not present here.  Not sure the reasoning for that but the original is always the best especially for this classic.  I wish they would release the original cuts of the “Star Wars” trilogy.  E.T. reminds me of a time when Spielberg was at his best. Let’s just say this film’s today don’t have the charm that they once did.  Fans of this film should be thrilled with this high-def upgrade.

The Blu-ray presentation is honestly one of the best of the year.  The combo pack includes Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet.  I am very excited about the digital streaming copy since this is one of those films that I would want to watch whenever/wherever. The did a wonderful job on restoring this film in its 1080p transfer.  The real stare of this release has to be its DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track.  It sounds like it’s from another planet…and works perfectly with John Williams’ timeless score.  Overall, this film has honestly never looked or sounded better.

The special features are just as amazing as the film.  There is a new retrospective called “Steven Spielberg & E.T.”, which the director reflects on the film and its response through the years.  Another Blu-ray exclusive is “The E.T. Journals”, which runs about an hour consisting of original behind-the-scenes footage shot during the production.  To sup up the HD extras, there are two short deleted scenes, which are well cut.

The rest of the extras are presented in standard definition and ports from the 20th Anniversary Edition DVD. “A Look Back”  is a documentary on the production, which runs about 40 minutes. “The Evolution and Creation of E.T.”  includes some good interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. “The E.T. Reunion” is a reflections with Spielberg, Thomas, MacNaughton, Barrymore, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote and producer Kathleen Kennedy on the film. “The 20th Anniversary Premiere” is featurettes with composer John Williams and a full symphony orchestra. “The Music of E.T.” is an interview with the master composer John Williams. There are six images galleries including designs, photographs and marketing.  Lastly, there is Special Olympics TV Spot and Theatrical Trailer included.

Starring: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Anna Lee, Maidie Norman, Marjorie Bennett
Director: Robert Aldrich
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Run Time: 134 minutes

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

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were known for there feuding both on and off the screen during making “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”. After 50th years, they still deliver some great performances in this film. Warner’s is releasing this film in their trademark Digibook release and it is definitely worth the upgrade for fans of this classic film. Warner Brothers delivers a real nice 1080p video, within its new digital transfer taken from the original camera negative and restored audio elements. This really makes the picture pop off the screen and looks amazing in black and white still after all these years. The original DTS-HD Master Audio Mono also works well with the 50 year old film.

The special features are great but nothing new for this 50th anniversary release. There is a commentary track from Charles Busch and John Epperson Epperson, which is relatively funny. “Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition” looks back on the legendary careers of both iconic actresses. “Behind the Scenes with Baby Jane” is short but neat vintage featurette on the production. The is an excerpt from “The Andy Williams Show” on 12/12/1962, when Bette was a guest on the show. “All About Bette” is a TCM special focusing on Davis and hosted and narrated by Jodie Foster. There is a “Film Profile” on Joan Crawford, which runs just under 30 minutes. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer.

Synopsis: Two icons from the golden age of Hollywood, Oscar® winners* Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, take their famous feud onscreen in Robert Aldrich’s newly restored thriller. In fierce, no-holds-barred performances, Bette Davis portrays aging ex-child star Baby Jane Hudson while Joan Crawford plays Blanche, the crippled sister Jane torments psychologically. As the sisters descend into madness, the tension builds to a shocking ending in this unforgettable Academy Award®-winning classic.

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Sean Stone is the son of well-known director Oliver Stone. Sean is not only directing but also writing and starring in his film “Greystone Park”, read our review here. Media Mikes had a chance to find out what it was like working on the film, with his father and what we can expect next?

Mike Gencarelli: How did the concept for “Greystone Park” come about?
Sean Stone: Well, it was about the same way that you see in the movie. I met Alex Wraith in October 2009 with my father, since he worked on “Wall Street 2”. We all had dinner one night and found that that Alex had been breaking into Greystone for like three years prior to meeting me. He would bring a camera to record his experiences; otherwise he said no one would believe him. He had an idea for a movie based on these experiences. The whole idea was based around that location itself, which was just so perfect. When he told me about it, I thought it sounded cool and had always wanted to have a ghost hunting experience, so I checked it out. When we went the first time, wee did get end up getting lost for real like in the movie but luckily we got out after an hour or so, once we found a door that wasn’t locked. But we said what would happen if we got lost inside and couldn’t get out. Then we kept writing the rest of the story based on that. That became the basis for about 80% of the film.

MG: How was it not only directing but also writing and starring?
SS: Challenging [laughs]. It is a big challenge to really immerse yourself into that world. In one sense it is easier if you are doing a documentary. But if you are operating the camera, giving lines and acting at the same time, it starts getting complicated. The hardest part was that there were certain things that we had to have staged. We had to make sure the camera was in certain places to hit right at a specific moment. That was really the tricky part from the directing point-of-view. Luckily, I was able to trust my actors to use the camera as their eye, for example. Then I would be able to be in a scene acting and still be able to cue, let’s say, a footstep or a door closing. I would have to be able to be conscious in and out of the scene. It is like a magician, having a  hand out and trying to setup a distraction for the reveal.

MG:What do you feel that the film brings new to the found footage genre?
SS: Well, ours is based on a true story. We actually broke in, went to these places and had these experiences. I have never been a big fan of the found footage genre. It is one thing to tell a story based on real events. It is another thing to just concoct a story and pretend it is real. I feel that “The Blair Witch Project” was the worst offender is that regard. Even the “Blair Witch” itself, I thought there was a real witch myself [laughs]. That was the age before internet, you didn’t know that stuff. But with “Greystone”, I don’t think we belong bunched in with films like those. We broke in, actually had these experiences and this is our story.

MG: How did you get your father, Oliver Stone, involved in this project as well?
SS: That grew organically out of the fact that I was going to play myself. Originally when we wrote it, I was going to have my friend play my character and just focusing on directing. But then the producers, Alex and a few other people I trust pushed me to play myself in the film. They said it would be more interesting. What happened next was that I called my father, their already was a character written for the father, and just asked him. At first he was hesitant, since he was thinking that people would say its nepotism or be extra critical about it due to that. But we decided just to do it anyway and he went with it. I think that there is a reality TV quality to that and I find it very interesting.

MG: Having worked with your father directing on numerous projects, tell us about your director style?
SS: What is interesting that before we even started shooting and just had the script, one of the investors said he told this project felt like “Natural Born Killers” meets “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. At first I didn’t understand that until we shot it and cut it. It does look like “Natural Born Killers”.  It is uses a lot of cuts, a lot of edits and even some stock footage. We used a couple different cameras on the shoot also to get a different feel. The overall effect has this hallucinogenic quality. It was not intended that way. The one thing that I learned from my father would be to shift styles depending on what kind of movie you are trying to tell. He has always been able to do that by telling one story in a classical shooting fashion and then tell another with a different avant-garde post-modern way.

MG: What do you have planned next?
SS: I am working on a martial arts comedy. It will be an homage to 70/80’s action hero cinema. It is called “Enter The Fist”. We have a website (http://www.fistthemovie.com/) up currently, you can check it out.