Directed by: Mitch Glazer
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kelly Lynch, Danny Huston
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 419 minutes

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

“Magic City” is a fresh new series thanks to STARZ. It was created by writer and executive producer Mitch Glazer (“The Recruit”, “Scrooged”). Fans of the series can rejoice since the second season of “Magic City” is set to air on STARZ in 2013. Anchor Bay Entertainment is behind this great release, which includes all 8 memorable episodes of this sizzling mob drama. “Magic City” also packs an impressive cast with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”), Danny Huston (“30 Days of Night”) and Kelly Lynch (“The L Word”). The show has a really impressive sets, some amazing cinematography and one hell of a score. I can’t wait to see where this show goes with its second season.

Dangerous and decadent, “Magic City” begins in 1959, in Miami’s Miramar Playa Hotel where hotelier Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Watchmen, Texas Killing Fields) is conjuring up ways to finance his dream. He has essentially sold his soul to the devil: mob boss Ben “The Butcher” Diamond (Danny Huston, The Kingdom). Ike’s wife Vera (Olga Kurylenko, Quantum of Solace), a former showgirl, and his three children think he is an honorable man, but he just can’t break his pact with the most notorious criminal in town. So Ike’s life is a façade: his home and his business must be kept separate – but does he have the sleight of hand to pull it off?

The Blu-ray presentation both look and sound amazing for this show and really shines. The special features are very impressive for this season release. The features include various behind-the-scenes featurettes. The first is a basic all around production featurette “Starz Studios: MAGIC CITY”. Next up “The Cars of MAGIC CITY”, explores the period cars used for the show. “The Style of MAGIC CITY” looks into the shows fashion. “Building An Empire” looks into the show’s set design. “The Golden Age of Music” dives into the shows period’s music. Lastly, in “Miami Beach: The Real MAGIC CITY” takes a look at the real city and the filming locations.

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Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 113 minutes

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

When I heard that Tim Burton was directing Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins in “Dark Shadows”, I almost fell out of my chair. I am a big fan of the original series and low the duo’s past collaborations. This film was a bit disappointing and has a lot of story and pacing issues. Johnny Depp is brilliant in the film that otherwise feelings cloudy and claustrophobic. The screenplay is from Seth Grahame-Smith, author of “Pride & Prejudice and Zombies” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”. This was also the last film that was produced by Oscar® winner Richard D. Zanuck (“Jaws”). Besides Depp, this also has a great supporting cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green (my second favorite) and Chloë Grace Moretz. Upon second viewing this film improved a bit but not even close enough to make this one of my top 20 of the year.

The Blu-ray Combo Pack features a high-definition Blu-ray and standard definition DVD copy of the film as well as an UltraViolet digital streaming copy. The 1080p transfer looks nearly perfect and really shines. The colors in the film are absolutely sharp and works well with light and dark situations. The audio is also nearly perfect with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The film relies heavily on its score and themed 70’s music and it comes with very clearly with this track. The special features are decent but lacking any commentary tracks, which I would have liked to seen with this release.

The special features are primarily made up with nine behind-the-film Focus Points. The first is called “Becoming Barnabas”, which takes us through Depp’s transformation. “Welcome to Collinsport!” takes us on a trip through the created town. “A Melee of Monstrous Proporitions” looks into the plans for the final battle sequence. “Angelique: A Witch Scorned” is a character profile with Johnny Depp and Eva Green chatting about their plot-relationship. “Reliving a Decade” takes Collinsport into the music of the 70s. “Dark Shadowy Secrets” brings us into the mind of Tim Burton for the films props and special effects that bring this world alive. “The Collinses: Every Family Has It’s Demons” looks at the rest of the Collin family with Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and their co-stars. “Cooper Rocks Collinsport!” is a party featurette with Alice Cooper and cast on the roof of Collinsport Manor. “Vampires, Witches and Werewolves, Oh My!” examines the twists behind Burton’s plans to include his favorite classic movie monsters in the gothic universe of Dark Shadows.

Synopsis: From the wonderfully warped imagination of Tim Burton comes the story of Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), a dashing aristocrat who is turned into a vampire by a jilted lover and entombed for two centuries. Emerging from his coffin into the world of 1972, he returns to his once-majestic home, only to the few dysfunctional descendants of the Collins family who remain. Determined to return his family name to its former glory, Barnabas is thwarted at every turn by his former lover – the seductive witch Angelique (Eva Green).

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Director: John Huston
Starring: Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Tim Curry, Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking, Aileen Quinn
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 127 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love little ole’ Annie and her wonderful songs like “Tomorrow,” “Easy Street,” “It’s the Hard-Knock Life”.  This wonderful Blu-ray release from Sony celebrates the film’s 30th Anniversary with its very impressive Sing-Along Edition.  This film was adapted from the smash Tony Award®-winning musical comedy based on the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip.  It also packs one of the best musical casts including Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Aileen Quinn, Bernadette Peters, Ann Reinking and Tim Curry.  I remember the first time I saw this film with my then girlfriend (now wife) many years ago.  This musical still brings a smile to my face and has you singing along with little Annie and her friends. Highly recommended!

SYNOPSIS: The charismatic little orphaned Annie’s (Aileen Quinn) luck changes for the better when billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Albert Finney) arrives at the orphanage looking to take one of the children for a short time. Annie soon charms the billionaire with her lively warm nature and together they set out to search for Annie’s parents. With the mean head of the orphanage, Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett) attempting to hinder their plan, Annie’s search will prove to be quite a heartwarming journey.

This 30th Anniversary Blu-ray both looks and sounds amazing.  The 1080p transfer really brings out the color in the film and looks very sharp.  It’s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works perfectly with the sounds and sounds just amazing!  This release also comes with an Ultraviolet digital streaming copy.  The special features are not amazing but still good.  Exclusive to the Blu-ray is “Sing-Along with Annie”, which allows fans to sing along to all their favorite songs.  There is also a musical performance of “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” by pop group Play. There is only one production featurette called “My Hollywood Adventure with Aileen Quinn”, short but worth checking out. Lastly, the Blu-ray also includes the original trailers and TV spots from the film.

Director: Tobe Hooper
Starring: Bill Moseley, Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams, Bill Johnson, Lou Perryman, Chris Douridas
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 101 minutes

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

Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in 1974 and is still one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen. It has had three direct sequels, a remake and two sequels to that remake with the latest “Texas Chainsaw 3D” coming in January 2013. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2” is one hell of an ambitious big-budget sequel to a very small horror film. It might not have been the best idea for Hooper to go so mainstream in the sequel but is has become one of horror best sequels. Bill Moseley gives an amazing and cult classic performance as Chop-Top. The last Dennis Hooper is such a nut as Lefty. Of course Caroline Williams nails the role of Stretch, which is also such an iconic role in horror genre.

This sequel is not only more horrific but also funny as well. It follows Lefty (Hooper), who is a Texas Ranger looking to seek vengeance against the flesh-eating family from the first film. He also goes head-to-head in one of the most notable high-octane chainsaw showdowns with the legendary Leatherface. Radio deejay, Stretch, (Caroline Williams) is kidnapped and brought in between this battle and the family’s madness.

The Blu-ray presentation looks great with its restored 1080p transfer and original aspect ratio: 1.85:1. The audio track is decent but could have used a little extra umph with its DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The special features are very impressive with the ported extras from the 2006 DVD edition. There is a commentary with Director Tobe Hoooper and David Gregory, director of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth”. This is a little dull but still worth-wild for fans. There is another commentary track with actors Bill Mosely and Caroline Williams and special effects makeup creator Tom Savini. This one is the best and most recommended. There are six deleted scenes in “The Cutting Room Floor” mostly dealing with an abandoned story dealing with the Sawyers going hunting in the city. “It Runs in the Family Documentary” is an amazing 90 minutes documentary covering every aspect of the production. Lastly there is original Theatrical Trailer included.

Directed by: Andrew Currie
Starring: Eric McCormack, Jody Thompson, Conner Dwelly, Ryan Grantham
Distributed by: WWE Studios
Release Date: September 25th, 2012 (Exclusively at Walmart)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 83 minutes

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

I love the fact that WWE Studios is branching out with its films. I was surprised to see that Eric McCormack was starring in this film and not a wrestler but he was well-cast. The film has more horror and terror than a bunch of recent “horror” films I have seen this year combined. It is fast, intense and packs a hell of a bunch. It also aims to play a lot of tricks with your head. Even though the film runs just over 80 minutes it is non-stop and plays perfect to the genre and delivers a really fun-time.

Terrance Shade (Eric McCormack) takes his children on a holiday getaway to a cabin in the woods. But when a blizzard buries the house, the family finds themselves trapped and without communication. As the storm surges on outside, a sinister presence materializes. Unable to explain it, and unable to escape it, they quickly realize that maybe they haven’t locked the evil out…instead they’ve just locked it in.

The film looks and sounds great even though it is on DVD. It’s DTS-HD Master Audio track works perfectly with the suspense and delivers it very well. The special features are also fantastic and a great compliment to the film itself. “Blueprint to Fear: The Cabin” takes us on a tour inside the film’s haunted house. “Whiteout” focuses on creating the special effects and the blizzards. “Breaking Type: Eric McCormack” showcases his characters transforming into madness. Lastly “Manning Park” takes us through how they transformed a ski resort into the film’s set. After really enjoying the film, the features just aided my appetite for more.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake
Directed by: Robert Lorenz
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 51 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

If you don’t count his spot-on impression of Grandpa Simpson at this past months’ Republican National Convention, it’s been four years since Clint Eastwood has appeared on screen. It’s also been almost twenty years since he worked for another director besides himself. What could have brought Clint back for this amazing twin surprise? Loyalty. Director Lorenz has worked for Eastwood for almost two decades, serving as everything from assistant director to producer. Now, with “Trouble with the Curve,” he gets to show Eastwood everything he’s learned.

Gus Lobel (Eastwood) is a baseball scout. Though we’re told he’s signed every great Atlanta Brave from Rico Carty to Dale Murphy to Chipper Jones, we’re also aware that he’s much older than the other scouts he sits with as he travels North Carolina watching high school baseball and looking for the next great player. Gus is baseball through and though. He continues to speak with his late wife during visits to the cemetery (her head stone reads: “May the Lord Grant You Extra Innings.” His daughter (Adams) is a lawyer with the first name of Mickey. As in Mantle. Gus realizes that his eyesight is getting worse and, upon the request of the Braves, finds himself watching THE NEXT BIG THING with Mickey at his side and a rival agent and former pitcher (Timberlake) with eyes for both the ball player and Mickey.

A great companion piece to last year’s “Moneyball,” “Trouble with the Curve” is an earnest film whose major drawback is that it’s ending is telegraphed to the audience less than 30 minutes after the film starts. That being said, if you don’t spend a lot of time analyzing things it’s an enjoyable debut project for director Lorenz, thanks in great part to a committed cast. Eastwood’s Gus could be a cousin to “Gran Torino” senior citizen Walt. Gruff on the outside but with a soft, syrupy middle, Gus is content with his life on the road. Adams shines as Mickey, who slowly resumes the love for the game her father never knew existed while at the same time juggling an important legal presentation she must present in order to make partner at her firm. Timberlake continues to do solid work as a supporting character, continually learning what makes both Gus and Mickey tick. Also notable are John Goodman as Gus’ closest front office friend, Matthew Lillard and Robert Patrick as Braves execs and George Wyner and Bob Gunton as the leaders of Mickey’s firm.

Director Lorenz obviously studied Eastwood well on previous sets. His direction is simple and fluid, concentrating more on character than action. He also manages to catch brilliant glimpses of the North Carolina countryside as well as the sounds of baseball being played for fun.

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena and Anna Kendrick
Directed by: David Ayer
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 41 mins
Open Road Films

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

A high speed pursuit leads to a deadly shootout with a quartet of gang bangers, captured clearly on the police car’s video camera. Just another day in Los Angeles.

Several weeks later we join police officers Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Pena) as they return to duty. Currently enrolled in college and taking filmmaking as an elective, Taylor introduces himself by way of a monologue he records before starting his shift. The first day back is also going to be the first day of the rest of he and Zavala’s lives, though even they aren’t aware of that fact.

Told in an often startling documentary style, “End of Watch” is a gritty police drama that benefits from another in a string of outstanding performances by both Gyllenhaal and Pena. Writer/director Ayers is no stranger to the police or South Central L.A., having written such tough urban thrillers as “Training Day” and “Harsh Times.” Here he includes the true camaraderie between the officers that is more like brothers than co-workers. “If anything happens to you I will take care of your children” we hear one partner tell another. And they mean it.

The story starts and ends big with a large slow gap in between. Through happenstance both Taylor and Zavala find themselves in situation that puts them I direct contact with members of a Mexican drug cartel beginning to make their move in America. These are easily the two most exciting cops in L.A. as their duty days progress and they find themselves doing things that most police officers do in an entire career. The characterizations are strong, as is the cast. It’s really only the plot, which seems to come and go when the need serves, that keeps this from being an outstanding film.

Zheng Liu made his film debut in the action/thriller “Blood Money”. The film also co-stars rap superstar Pitbull and martial arts legend Gordon Liu. Zheng is already being compared to be the next Bruce Lee. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Zheng about his film, doing his own stunts and what he has planned next

Mike Gencarelli: How is it already being compared to be the next Bruce Lee?
Zheng Liu: I say this to people. Of course no-one can be Bruce Lee, It is crazy to say this. I don’t really like hearing it at all. It is embarrassing with me. I think what they are saying is that maybe I could be in films that go international like what Bruce Lee did. But Jackie Chan and Jet Li do this already. I hope people can see me not like someone else.

MG: Tell us about your experience filming “Blood Money”?
ZL: I always watched action and kung fu films and believed I could do what they do, but never thinking I would go into a film myself. When Greg the Director visited us in China, I did not know what he was here for. He filmed many students but said they were not what he wanted. Then they asked me to show him what I could do. Straight after that he asked me to go in the film. I was not sure about leaving Shaolin and going to another country away from my family, so I thought hard about it for nearly half a year. I decided to do it and my Master agreed to let me try this which would be a good way to maybe show Shaolin to the world through films. The

hardest part was actually saying the words in English as I was still learning. The other part was controlling my kicks and punches because I was making contact with the other fighters. Many people got hurt and it was hard physically doing all the stunts. But awesome also!

MG: What was your most difficult stunt in the film?
ZL: Breaking the steel bar over my head is difficult but I have done it many times before. It takes great concentration and power from within. Maybe the hardest stunt was when I did a running somersault over a motorbike that was coming at me at maybe 50mph. That was quite hard as any misjudgment and I slam into the motorbike.

MG: “Blood Money” was your film debut, what did take away from working on the project?
ZL: I think finding my true love of acting. I am very new to this and still have many things to learn, but it is very exciting to think that we can create all these real action stunts and spectacular fighting and show them to people around the world. Also show what Shaolin means to us all.

MG: How was it working with martial arts legend Gordon Liu?
ZL: I remember when our Director Greg showed me a picture of Gordon Liu and said to me that he would be in Blood Money. I said that he must have the wrong actor because this man is a very very big star in China. He would not go in a film with us. But he did. He is so nice and knows everything about acting and martial arts. When he sucks the air out of the flame, it is awesome. I have never seen this. He showed all of us many things when we were together. I have to thank him a lot.

MG: After “Blood Money”, what do you have planned next?
ZL: We have many films ready to make and our next film is probably in New York around winter time.Gregory has told me about this story and it sounds very strong. Not just action but when Chinese culture meets America culture in real life. We have many big stunts and fighting and action planned for this. It will look very real with real street gangs. A very scary but interesting story. I hope you see this next year. If we work hard maybe we can make many movies and help show Shaolin to the world

Brian O’ Halloran is best known for playing Dante Hicks in the “Clerks” series. He also recently appeared in the horror film “Mr. Hush”. Brian took out some time to chat with Media Mikes to discuss the future of the series and also his love for working in theater.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the film “Mr. Hush”?
Brian O’ Halloran: I met the director, David Lee Madison, at a horror convention and he was finishing up the edit for the DVD release. He told me about the film and asked me to be apart of the teaser for the sequel. I said sure that sounds fine. So we shot my scene earlier this Spring and he edited in to the end for the DVD release. It is kind of a tease of the tease.

MG: What do you enjoy most working in the independent horror genre?
BOH: The reason I like working with independent filmmakers is that you are not dealing with a studio and them telling you what you can/can’t do. Yes, there is a struggle with independent that you have to do out and find distribution and sell your piece. Don’t get me wrong I like that studios can bring in everything you need to make your film. But with independent films, I find that the storylines are stronger personally because they don’t have the money to do the flashy special effects and giant budgeting for A-list celebrities. You have to count on a better script to bring people to your project. These writers and directors really put in their heart and soul. As far as the horror genre, there is no other fanbase that I find that is well as hardcore fans. They are like the Howard Stern fans of film. Horror fans don’t let you slide either, they are not afraid to let you know when something sucks. But that also keeps the genre honest, if you think about it.

MG: Looking back on “Clerks”, almost 20 years, how can you reflect on its cult status?
BOH: What is great about it is that it is this timeless piece of filmmaking. It is about this guy that gets calls in on his day off and everybody can relate to something like that. It speaks to generation after generation. I am glad the fanbase has followed along these characters and are still asking “when is there going to be another?”. They are still interested in it.

MG: What’s the word that I hear about Kevin Smith resurrecting “Clerks: The Animated Series”?
BOH: You are hearing the say thing I have been hearing [laughs]. I should be talking to Kevin soon about this. But I would love to bring this back. I think it is a lot easier and cheaper to produce something like that then it was to do back in 2000, when we first do it. At the time it wasn’t really the right outlet for us, especially since ABC screwed us and only aired two episodes. When he twitted about a few months ago, I got blasted with emails asking if this was true. To today that was still one of the easiest and best jobs I have had. We also had such great guest stars the first time like Alec Baldwin, Gilbert Gottfried, Gwyneth Paltrow, James Woods and Michael McKean. I know that still today so many people love it. So I would love to do it again.

MG: Smith also recently teased “Clerks III” on Broadway, care to comment?
BOH: I saw that also. I saw that someone recorded his saying that during a recent book signing. He say that I would obviously be on board since I come from a theater background, which is true. It is going to be Jeff (Anderson), who is going to be difficult to get on board. He was also difficult when we did “Clerks II”. Until he saw some of the footage and was satisifed that we were going to do it right, then he was on-board. To get him to do a movie, where it is five weeks of shooting and then done, is one thing. But trying to get him to do seven-eight performances a week for six months, that is going to take a big bulldowser. I think if he is not on-board, no one would do it. It would be impossible to replace him. So if it happens, I do theater all the time and it would be the highlight of my theater career. To get to hang out on Broadway, I would be completely down.

MG: Besides film you do a lot of theatre, what do you enjoy most about stage?
BOH: I enjoy most the live feedback from the audience. If it is a comedy, you are earning their laughter and that is awesome to feel that energy. The opposite side is that while working it each night you are able to correct or improve on your performance. Each night is a new adventure. It get’s my blood going.

MG: What other projects do you have planned upcoming?
BOH: I am working right now on a comedy web series and right now it is called “New Jersey Theatre Players”. There will be a website, NJTheatrePlayers.com but is still under construction. We are just getting a bunch of friends together and just having fun. It is based on a community theater in New Jersey and the kookiness that happens with that. We just started shooting it at the end of August. Hopefully we will have the first few episodes completed by December and ready to launch by the beginning of the year.

Directors: Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Kazuo Mori, Kenji Misumi
Starring: Riki Hashimoto, Miwa Takada, Yoshihiko Aoyama, Kojiro Hongo, Shiho Fujimura, Hideki Ninomiya
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
DIstributed by: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Running Time: 240 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Mill Creek Entertainment is one of favorites. They are the studio that brought “Gamera” to Blu-ray. They really aim to give fan-favorites back to the fans and present them for the first time in gorgeous high definition. “Daimajin – Triple Feature Collector’s Edition” takes us traveling back to 1966 and includes “Daimajin”,”Return of Daimajin” and the rarely-seen “Daimajin Strikes Again”. The the trilogy also boasts a newly produced English dub for “Daimajin Strikes Again”. I have always been a fan of anything that came out of Daiei and these films are just glorious in HD. The special effects looks great back them and then look even better now.

Official Synopsis: In 1966, the Daiei Motion Picture Company – the studio behind Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon and the Gamera series – released a trilogy of films that combined elements of the popular daikaiju (giant monster) and jidaigeki (period drama) genres. Set during Japan’s “Warring States” era, the Daimajin movies told the story of Majin, a giant statue of an angry god that would come to life in times of desperation to punish evildoers. But when Majin’s rage was unleashed, it could be directed at both the wicked and innocent, alike. Acclaimed for their serious tone and spectacular special effects, DAIMAJIN, RETURN OF DAIMAJIN and the rarely-seen DAIMAJIN STRIKES AGAIN present a unique take on a monster who is both savior and devil.

This release isn’t just a lazy HD upgrade, this included brand-new high definition transfers from the original film elements. Mill Creek really did a great job and since this films are from 1966, they still look amazing. The audio tracks also just sound great, it reminds me of the early classic “Godzilla” films. The film is labels that the new English language track for “Daimajin Strikes Again” is a special feature for nonetheless it is very cool. There are also interviews with cinematographer Fujio Morita. Overall this is a fantastic release and highly recommended.

Director: Pascal Laugier
Starring: Jessica Biel, Stephen McHattie, Jodelle Ferland, William B. Davis
Distributed by: Image Entertainment
Release Date: Sep 25, 2012
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 106 minutes

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

I was really looking forward to this film, especially after French director Pascal Laugier’s last film, “Martyrs (2008)”. Well it wasn’t even on the same plain at all. “The Tall Man” is being labeled as a horror thriller but it is more horrible than horrific. After getting about 40 minutes into the film, I realized that I kept checking the clock. The next hour dragged and dragged. The film tries to be shocking by letting out revealing secrets, which just made it worse each time. The only good part of the film is that it stars Jessica Biel, but boy what is she doing in a film like this. Not even recommended for the most amateur of horror fans.

Official Synopsis: In an isolated, slowly dying mining town, children are vanishing without a trace – abducted, the townsfolk whisper, by a mysterious entity known locally as “The Tall Man.” Town nurse Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) seems skeptical…until her young David disappears in the middle of night. Frantic to rescue the boy, Julia lives every parent’s darkest nightmare in this twisting, shock-around-each-corner thriller.

The Blu-ray comes in collectible “O-card” packaging, but that doesn’t wow me much. The 1080p transfer does look sharp, especially in dark scenes. The audio includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which works with whatever suspense there is in the film (which is little). The special features are very disappointing just like the film itself. There is one 9 minute deleted scene that deserves to stay deleted. There is also a visual concepts gallery, which is a waste of time unless you absolutely love this.

Directors: Aun Hoe Goh
Starring: Diong Chae Lian, Gavin Yap, Kennie Dowle, Christina Orow, Jay Sheldon
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Sea Level” could be a cute movie but just feels a little two dimensional.  The characters are cute as well but the voices are horrendous.  All the great voice talent at there and we get a shark that sounds like Yogi Bear? Really?  The animation is very cool looking though.  I like the shading on the characters and the underwater environment is well rendered.  Lastly the baddies are also pretty bad-ass looking, maybe too bad for some little kids.  Nonetheless though the film deals with some very adult issues like poachers and as sweet as the film is it has a bit of a darker edge. For a kid though, it is colorful, funny and action-packed. So they will be entertained but then probably screaming to watch “Finding Nemo” or something better.

Official Synopsis: Pup, a bamboo shark, discovers egg sacs while playing around the ocean with his friends. When he sees human poachers stealing the eggs from his reef, Pup makes it his mission to save them. As he leaves the sea and enters the beautiful, yet dangerous, world of humans he’ll prove he isn’t too small to save his family.

Lionsgate only delivered this film on DVD but I have a feeling it would have looked ever better on Blu-ray or even 3D Blu-ray, since there were a few scenes calling for it.  The audio track sounds nice on DVD with its 5.1 Dolby Digital track.  The special features are also decent overall.  There is an interesting, yet short, Behind-the-Scenes featurette.  There is a feature on the Sculpture Design and also the Concept Art.  It really shows how much work went into this film.  Lastly there is a trailer gallery included.

Directed by: Alex Wright
Starring: Chris Olivero, Bobby Campo, Nazneen Contractor
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 89 minutes

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

When Halloween comes each year, there is always a flood of new horror pics.  Some are good but most are crap.  “Séance” kinda falls right in line with the crap.  It’s main pride is that it is from an executive producer of “Hellraiser”.  The film suffers from some really bad “grade D” acting. I mean when girls scream should it be scary-like and not annoying as hell? If you are looking for a good exorcism flick from this year, check out “The Possession”. I literally had a really hard time even just finishing this film.  Not to mention that the cover has zero to actually do with the film itself.

Official Synopsis: Four friends decide to break into the city morgue and record themselves holding a séance after Joey (Campo) accuses the other of being a fake psychic medium. When the group summons a demon by mistake, Joey breaks the circle of protection and causes himself to be vulnerable. Once possessed they will have to find a way to drive the demon out of their friend before it destroys them all.

Lionsgate delivers a nice DVD presentation, though in today’s times…why no Blu-ray? The audio track included is a 5.1 Dolby Digital, which sounds good for DVD. The only extra included on this release is the featurette is “The Making of Séance: The Summoning”.  It is worth checking out if you enjoyed the film and looking for just a little more.  Since that is really all you get, overall it is too short.  Lastly there is a trailer gallery included.

Directed by: Danny Cannon
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Armand Assante, Jurgen Prochnow, Rob Schneider
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Running Time: 96 minutes

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

“I am the Law!” – Easily one of the best quotes in any film.  Even better since it is said by Sylvester Stallone, so perfectly.  This film was not a big success as it was deemed too cartoonish for the character of Dredd.  This was also released during the decline in the Stallone’s popularity.  I personally have always been a fan of this film.  It has a lot of problems but overall it is a fun film…yes even though Rob Schneider is in it.  Disney to choosing to re-release this film on Blu-ray now to time it with the release of Lionsgate’s “Dredd 3D”. If you are a fan of this film though, then this is a no-brainer purchase.

Even though this film was a big-budget release, it never really seemed like high quality production.  The 1080p transfer though looks very impressive and definitely one of the best of the recent Disney catalog releases.  The audio track includes a nice DTS-HD MA 5.1. It does its job very well.  It is very loud and delivers a punch like Mr. Dredd himself. There is a lot of action in this film and overall it sounds very impressive. Alan Silvestri’s score also sounds very impressive with the track.

The special features are not as impressive though.  Basically the only feature is a short 20 minutes featurette called “Stallone’s Law: The Making of Judge Dredd”. It techincally is a new feature but not newly produced.  It is a this made-for-TV promotional piece from 1995,though it was not included on 1998 DVD of “Judge Dredd”. Lastly there is the theatrical trailer and opens with a short narration by James Earl Jones.  Overall the extras could have used a little amping up in the content area but Disney still delivered a great release overall.

Directed by: Jorg Ihle
Starring: Jewel Staite, Marc Bacher, Nikki Griffin, Justin Baldoni, Kellan Lutz,
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 97 minutes

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

I understanding marketing but it never seems to aggrevate me. This film is put up to be the Kellan Lutz show, but he has very few scenes and lacks a major role in the film. He is still front and center on the box. The box tagline also states “As twilight sets an epic battle begins”. Now this has zero to do with vampires and the creatures also hunt in broad daylight, so I am clueless. This film should be put up as the Jewel Statite show (who I love BTW), she is the whole film and the main star but gets snubbed. The creatures are ok but end up looking more like hairy men in dreadlocks. The second half of the film is the better half and feels like “The Descent” in the jungle.

Official Premise: A group of friends set out on a luxury yacht for a gorgeous island vacation. But they soon realize that they have veered off-course to a strange uncharted island. After a horrific boat crash shipwrecks them in the dense jungle, it quickly becomes evident that they are not the first to arrive to their new island prison. Instead, an unknown, cannibalistic beast stalks the group from the shadows, picking them off one-by-one.

The sound on the DVD is quite decent packing a nice 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track. The special features are let down as well. There is a making of featurette included, running just over 10 minutes. It is decent but too short. There is also a photo gallery and trailer thrown in. I think if this film just delivered itself for what it was it would delivered for me a much better viewing experience. I guess that is why this has sat on the shelf since it was made in 2009. Horror fans and fans of Staite, this is not the best horror title of the year but she is always a pleasure to watch. Overall, this will appeal only to confused “Twilight” fans looking to get see Kellan Lutz.