Directed by: Kevin MacDonald
Starring: Bob Marley
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Running Time: 145 minutes

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

If you are a fan of great films such as “Touching the Void”, “The Last King of Scotland”, then you would should know director Kevin Macdonald. He is the man behind this excellent documentary, “Marley”, which is also executive produced by Ziggy Marley and Chris Blackwell. I remember the first time that I heard my first Bob Marley song. That song was “No Woman, No Cry” and it changes the way I look at music. This documentary is very fun and very entertaining and must for all fans of Marley’s work and legacy.

The music of Bob Marley is so unique and has had such a big impact on music history. This documentary is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend Bob Marley. It ranges from his early days through his rise to worldwide super-stardom. You can tell that this isn’t some trashy unauthorized documentary, since it is made with the support of the Marley family. The film features rare footage and performances. The interviews are really in depth and are featured from the people that knew him best.

The Blu-ray presentation is great, for a documentary. The 1080p transfer works well, even with the archive footage. The audio track shines especially with Marley’s music. The special features are just as impressive as the film. There is a great commentary track with director Kevin Macdonald and Ziggy Marley. “Around the World” focuses on the relevance of Bob Marley’s muisc today. “Children’s Memories” includes additional interviews with Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley and Cedella Marley. There are also an extended interview with Bunny Wailer. There is a cool feature called “Listening to I’m Loose”, which takes a unique look into the famous song. Lastly there is a photo gallery and theatrical trailer included.

Presented by: The History Channel
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: A&E Home Video
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 45 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the events that occurred with the Titanic.  “Titanic: 100 Years in 3D” contains powerful untold stories of passengers and crew combined with amazing 3D HD imagery.  It gives us a unique view of the event of the Titanic in a way never before possible. The History Channel delivers yet another amazing 3D Blu-ray release.  My only main issue is that I would have loved this to be a little longer, only running at about 45 minutes.

Back in 2010, an expedition lead by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and RMS Titanic, Inc. went on location to document the entire wreck site of Titanic.  This wasn’t your typical dive though since it includes high-resolution optical video, sonar, acoustic imaging, and 3D HD video and acoustic modeling. To match these amazing visuals they are accompanied by the untold stories of people who were on the ship, narrated in voice-over by actors.

The 1080p 3D transfer looks awesome and really adds a lot of depth.  The film is presented in aspect ratio of 1.78:1.  I personally didn’t see James Cameron’s “Titanic” in 3D when it was re-released this year.  I know that this release won’t match the quality of the 3D but it sure looks great to see the Titanic presented in 3D. The audio contains an Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which sounds impressive.  The only special features for this release are English, Dutch, German, Polish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Spanish Subtitles…if you consider that a special feature.

Directed by: Vernon Sewell
Starring: Derren Nesbitt, Glynn Edwards
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Redemption Films
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Running Time: 91 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Burke and Hare” is directed by Vernon Sewell, known best for “Ghost Ship” and “The Blood Beast Terror”.  This classic dark comedy/horror film has been newly remastered in HD and is the first time ever released on Blu-ray!  The film shows its age a little on Blu-ray but still manages to entertain with its campy humor. Kino/Redemption Films continues to release this classic gems and gets props for at least trying.  I would say that this release is for hardcore horror fans strictly and personally I enjoyed John Landis’ recent remake of this quite more.

The premise for the film follows, a pair of low-life thugs Burke (Derren Nesbitt) and Hare (Glynn Edwards), who deliver human specimens to the Edinburgh Medical College. Though they have their unique way of retrieving the bodies often by robbing the graves of the recently dead.  Though due to the lack of available options, the pair turn to murder to continue the flow of bodies.

“Burke & Hare” looks decent with its Blu-ray1080p transfer but not amazing.  The film is presented though in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1  I am assuming that the 35mm wasn’t in the best shape and even though Kino remastered the film, there weren’t any extensive restoration done.  The film’s audio track included is LPCM 2.0 track, it is also decent but nothing amazing. It

The special features are a little light as well for this release.  There is a short documentary called “Grave Desires: Corpses on Film”, which runs just barely 15 minutes. It features expert insight by Dr. Patricia MacCormack into grave-robbing and cadavers from the film.  Francois Pascal is featured in a new interview, in 1080p, chatting about  how she got involved.  Lastly there is trailers for other Redemption releases.

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Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Touchstone / Disney
Running Time: 113 Minutes
Release Date: August 7, 2012

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

John Cusack has always been one of my favorites. I am not sure what it is but he is just always nails his roles. This film is one of his best roles, easily. When “High Fidelity” was released, it introduced me to some great music, Jack Black and some of the best comedic lines in film. It is very hard to believe that this film is actually 12 years old. It still holds up though and still delivers the laughs. It still ranks in my top 5 of comedies since 2000. Those who previously own this DVD are wondering if this is worth the upgrade to HD. It is definitely worth the jump for sure.  Highly recommended for those who love music, Jack Black and, of course, Cusack.

The film follows Rob Gordon (Cusack), the owner of a fading record store, Championship Vinyl, which does what is says…sells vinyls. He is a walking enclycopedia of music, living and breathing it.   He spends his days battling with two employees Dick and Barry creating their all-time favorite top-five lists throughout music.  When Rob’s long-term girlfriend Laura walks out on him, he examines his previous failed attempts at romance and tries to seek to find what went wrong.

The Blu-ray presentation itself is very well done by Disney! The 1080p transfer comes with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and a video codec of AVC/MPEG-4.  Overall it looks very sharp in its HD transfer.  Since music is a very big part of this film, the audio track is very important.  There is a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track included with 48kHz/24-bit, which is basically perfect with the dialogue and the music.

The special features are good overall but there are no new HD extras included on this release.  First up is some great interviews with Writer/Producer John Cusack split into five different sections. There is also a “Conversations with Director Stephen Frears”, also split into five sections. These both are very informative about the film. There are nine “Deleted Scenes”  that are well worth checking out. I have always loved the scene with Beverly D’Angelo, which is hysterical. Lastly there is the theatrical trailer included.

Starring: Slipknot
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 159 minutes (incl. extras)

Blu-ray Concert: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Where you are a fan of Slipknot or not, they really know how to put on a amazing live performance. Their latest album “All Hope is Gone” was released back in August of 2008 and honestly it has never left my iPhone since it was released. This concert was filmed on June 13, 2009 at the Download Festival, in Donington Park, England. Let me tell you this concert looked like it was a mega blast with the band nailing it in front of 80,000 fans! Even though the best fan to experience this band is live, which I have done personally, this is the best second option and will not leave you disappointed. This concert was initially released on DVD from Roadrunner Records on September 28, 2010. This is a great upgrade for all Slipknot fans and very highly recommended.

“Slipknot {sic}nesses Live at Download” was released on Blu-ray by Eagle Vision, part of Eagle Rock Entertainment. They are known for releasing most of their music Blu-rays with an 1080i transfer in 1.78:1. I am not sure why they can’t bump it up to 1080p. Well, either way this Blu-ray concert still looks damn good and is a real upgrade from DVD. Besides the video, the most important part of this release is the audio track. There is sweet DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track as well as an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 Stereo track. I obviously prefer the 5.1 track and it does not disappoint on Blu-ray, it is extremely sharp,  on key and kicked my surround sound’s ass!

The special features are most presented in SD but I really enjoyed them, nonetheless. There is a 45 minutes documentary directed by the band’s M. Shawn Crahan aka Clown titled “Audible Visions of {sic}nesses”. It gives us a look backstage with the band covering a variety of performances. One of my favorite Slipknot songs ever is “Snuff” and there is “The Making of Snuff” included as well with a lot of backstage footage and one of my favs, Malcolm McDowell.  Though it is still weird seeing Corey Taylor in drag, LOL. Lastly there are four music videos including: “Snuff” (only extra in 1080i), “Dead Memories”, “Sulfur”, “Psychosocial”.

“Slipknot {sic}nesses Live at Download” Track Listing:
01. 742617000027
02. (Sic)
03. Eyeless
04. Wait and Bleed
05. Get This
06. Before I Forget
07. Sulfur
08. The Blister Exists
09. Dead Memories
10. Left Behind
11. Disasterpiece
12. Vermilion
13. Everything Ends
14. Psychosocial
15. Duality
16. People = Shit
17. Surfacing
18. Spit It Out

Directed by: Jesse Baget
Starring: Gina Gershon, Val Kilmer, Kelli Giddish, Ray Liotta, Wayne Duvall
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 91 minutes

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

“Breathless” is one of those films that you would normally pass up.  It packs much more than you would expect.  It is gory, it is brutal and it packs a shit load of twists and turns.   There are more twists and turns in this film than a windy road. It is also packs an impressive sexy cast including Gina Gershon and Kelli Giddish.  The supporting cast has no shortage of talent including Val Kilmer and Ray Liotta.   If you are looking for a fun and crazy ride, I would definitely consider giving “Breathless” a chance.

The film follows a housewife, Lorna, (Gina Gershon) who is fed up with her small-time thief husband Dale (Val Kilmer).  After finding out that he robbed the local bank for  $100,000 and didn’t plan on sharing. She holds him hostage with her friend Tiny (Kelli Giddis).  Things go array when she accident shoot him dead, the two need to find the money, dispose of a dead body, avoid the local sheriff (Ray Liotta) and outsmart a persistent private investigator (Wayne Duvall). Though in this thriller, you are not able to trust anyone and there is no shortage of back-stabbing.

This release comes within a combo pack with the Blu-ray and DVD included. The 1080p video is sharp for this low-budget production and is presented with an aspect ratio 2.35:1. The audio included sound great with its Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track.  The special features are a little weak only including an audio commentary with writer/director Jesse Baget and producer Christine Holder.  There is also a short “Making of Breathless” behind-the-scenes featurette.

Peter Gabriel: Secret World Live
Blu Ray and DVD (also available as Digital Video)
Eagle Vision
Total Running Time: 135 minutes (including extras)

Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The process of Peter Gabriel creating a follow-up to 1986’s critically-acclaimed “So”, an album that ushered in a global audience for the former Genesis front man, must have been akin to Michael Jackson trying to follow up “Thriller”.

“Sledgehammer”. “In Your Eyes”. “Big Time”. “Don’t Give Up”. “Red Rain”.  They’re ALL on “So”.  Talk about daunting.

Six years later, “Us” was released and although it wasn’t the uber hit-generator that “So” wound up being, it was one that was artistically more layered and emotionally richer.  The subsequent “Secret World” tour that was launched a year later also upped the ante in terms of theatrics and stage presentation.  Gabriel collaborated with Canadian playwright, actor and director, Robert Lepage, to create a show that that went beyond the simple definition of a live concert to one that was a journey through the heart and soul of the songs that comprised it.  The set was a fairly elaborate one: a large square stage and a smaller circular one connected by a conveyor belt.  Throughout the show, band members could travel between the two areas or use both to maximize the effect of any song’s individual scale: grand (“Steam”) or intimate (“Don’t Give Up”).  A large screen suspended to an overhead tram allowed for a variety of abstract images to be projected onto it or, in one of the show’s most memorable visual moments, for a silhouette of Gabriel to expand and contract in time with the sound of slow respiration.  At the end of the show, hidden trapdoors allowed Gabriel to literally pack up his superlative back-up band in a suitcase and disappear under a slowly-descending dome.  For a show that was largely analog in nature, it was a true spectacle with a “wow” factor that buried the needles.

Unfortunately, the filmed version of the “Secret World” tour proceedings never received the home video treatment that it truly deserved.  The 1994 VHS edition was limited both by that media’s low resolution and trapped within the confines of a standard 4:3 aspect ratio.  The laserdisc, also released in 1994, benefitted from that format’s increased resolution, but suffered from the horizontally compact presentation – as well as that technology’s near-dead-on-arrival fate.

With the advent of DVD, “Secret World Live” was reissued in 2003.  Touting itself as a “widescreen re-mixed and re-mastered” version, the disc wound up being a huge disappointment to viewers due to the video being extremely pale, grainy and lossy – so bad, in fact, that many fans (this reviewer included) were glad that they had held onto their videocassette copy.  It was that bad.

The recent DVD reissue and first-time Blu-ray issue of “Secret World Live” finally let the luminance and brilliance of the Macedonia, Italy stop on the European leg of the tour shine in full.  Both the visual and audio components of the film have been cleaned-up and bolstered to a degree that the earlier editions can now safely be sold off on eBay or, better yet, used as a cutting boards, serving trays and drink coasters.  Interestingly enough, as was true with the initial “widescreen” DVD, it appears that both of the new editions are also cropped versions of the original film which was shot in 16mm.  The extent to which the shots are cropped varies shot-by-shot.  In most instances, the widescreen version allows us to see more of the horizontal picture at the expense of the vertical.  Given that both the 4:3 (1.33:1) and the 16:9 (1.77:1) versions seem to missing image content that was clearly present in the original negative (see comparison pictures), it makes one wonder if “Secret World Live” will be reissued again at some point in the future as an edition that accurately reflects the aspect ratio (1.85:1) that it was actually filmed in.

While both the Blu-ray and the reissued DVD have substantially better picture quality than any of their predecessors, the difference between them is fairly insubstantial.  “Secret World Live” wasn’t filmed in high-definition, so the 1080i spec listed on the back of the Blu-ray case might falsely raise expectations that the Blu’s presentation will be super-clear and crisp which isn’t really the case.  Both the 2012 releases correct the grain and pixelation of the earlier editions not by upping the sharpness but, rather, smoothing out the overall image.  The net result is a softer picture than one might hope for but one that is far-and-away the best we’ve seen to date.  If the A/V buck stops here with “Secret World Live”, fans should easily be satisfied with the outcome.

The best enhancement that the 2012 editions offer up is superior sound quality. The DVD offers threeoptions: Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Surround 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround for the DVD.  The Blu-ray carries two: LPCM Stereo and DTS HD Master Audio (inexplicably, Dolby options are absent).  Both are plenty punchy and detailed – especially the Blu’s DTS track.

The same bonus features that found their way onto the 1994 DVD are also on the 2012 releases – save for the somewhat out-dated  “film taster of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Growing Up’ tour” which has been replaced by a 2011 performance of “The Rhythm of the Heat” with the New Blood Orchestra (itself a teaser for Gabriel’s recently-released “Live Blood” DVD and Blu-ray).

Is it worth it to pick up a copy of this now 19-year old concert?  You betcha.  With “Secret World Live”, Peter Gabriel and his team of esteemed colleagues managed to create a depth of atmosphere and varied mood that live concerts viewers seldom see.

Is it worth the re-buy?  Ditto.  Emphasis on “see”.

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Stone Temple Pilots: Alive in the Windy City
DVD (also available on Blu-ray)
Eagle Vision
Total Running Time: 92 minutes

Our Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Of the grunge trinity – Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots – STP has always been the band that is totally about straightforward, no bullshit rock and roll.  That’s not to say that the other two bands weren’t able to go full throttle but, in Nirvana’s case, the music became secondary to the iconic (and now divine martyr) Kurt Cobain.  And while Pearl Jam’s “Ten” will be one of the best debut albums of all time, subsequent releases became more Eddie Vedder-centric and increasingly more tepid.

Of course, it would have been very easy for STP’s musical career to become completely overshadowed by the chaotic self-destructive force of nature that is lead vocalist Scott Weiland.  His drug and alcohol addictions are notorious and, because of them, the history of Stone Temple Pilots is riddled with stops and starts as Weiland exited and reentered the band – sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not. The odds were against them but, despite this, they’re somehow still on the scene and producing songs that are every bit as powerful as the ones from their debut album 20 years ago.  Their story is a “Behind the Music” documentarian’s wet dream – second only to Def Leppard’s.

Just as their 2010 eponymously-titled sixth studio album proves that they can cut tracks that rival the classics from their heyday, “Stone Temple Pilots: Alive in the Windy City” shows that they are still a band that, to quote Donald “Duck” Dunn from “The Blues Brothers” film, can “turn goat piss into gasoline.” They’re a fierce act – one that would probably cause any Bieberhead in the crowd to spontaneously combust.

“Windy City” captures the newly-reformed band in a March 2010 gig at the Rivera Theatre in Chicago.  They don’t waste any time with pleasantries or introductions but, instead, launch into a devastating performance of “Vasoline”.  Weiland doesn’t greet the crowd until three songs in when he introduces the song “Hollywood Bitch”, one of four tracks from their latest album.  He’s got a somewhat unsettling stage persona: one that makes one wonder if he’s really kicked his multiple bad habits or is in remission – but he’s on all thrusters and in peak form when they launch into the track and the 14 remaining tracks.

Unfortunately, the visual aspect of the DVD isn’t nearly as stupendous as the music.  Simply put, STP just isn’t that interesting to watch.  Except for Weiland’s swagger filled with stagger, his trio of band mates is pretty stationary throughout the entire show.  While abstract patterns are projected onto a backing screen, the cameras bob and weave and the editing cuts quickly to the measures of the songs.  It’s pretty cut-and-dry stuff that would probably be yawn-inducing if the tunes weren’t the grungy gems that they are.

Mike G and I get asked a lot of questions when we talk to people about our site. The main one: “How much money do you make?” The answer…not a dime. Usually the next question is “Why do you do it then?” There are plenty of good answers but the one I give the most is that sometimes, when the planets align themselves just right, you’ll get to talk with someone that you really admire. This week that someone was Ms. Beverly D’Angelo.

I first spotted her in Clint Eastwood’s “Every Which Way But Loose,” where she played the very lovely Echo (“what’s you name?” Echo. “What? “ECHO!”). But it was her next film, the musical “Hair,” where I was smitten. I could see why John Savage’s Claude Bukowski would go to the ends of the earth to be near her. She followed up “Hair” with a stunning portrayal of Patsy Cline in the Oscar winning “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” In the three-plus decades since she has carved out a career as diverse as any actress of her generation. From comedies like “Paternity” and, of course, the four “Vacation” films to dramas as powerful as “American History X” and the television presentation of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Ms. D’Angelo has continued to grow as an artist.

“You made me join the Army,” I tell her over the phone. When she asks why I tell her it’s because I wanted to find my own Sheila, which makes her laugh. We then talk about her latest film, “I Heart Shakey,” her music and the latest on the (possible) next chapter in the “Vacation” series.

MIKE SMITH: What attracted you to “I Heart Shakey?”
BEVERLY D’ANGELO: The story. I’m a mother and I love family entertainment. It’s a very sweet story with great values.

MS: What can you tell us about your character?
BD: I’m one of the baddies. The family has to check Shakey into a dog hotel. But it turns out that, even though the facade of the hotel is quite fancy, I stick him into what is almost like a back storage area…from which he promptly escapes!

MS: You did a few musical parts early in your career, including “HAIR” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Did you ever give thought to recording and releasing an album?
BD: I did have an album deal in the 80s. There was a time when the music industry didn’t regard actresses as someone that could have a successful recording career. It was an entirely different approach. They wanted singers who had a very definable identity and of course, being an actress, you don’t really want to be labeled as one persona so strongly. I had a deal with A & M. I recorded it, didn’t like it and was very blasé’ and decided I wouldn’t release it. Of course now that I’m older I say to myself, “was I an idiot.” (laughs) A lot of the recordings I’m on are all soundtracks. I’m on the soundtrack of a movie I was in called “In the Mood.” I sang “Stardust” in a film that Neil Jordan wrote for me called “The Miracle.” I’ve written source music for films and television…a guy walks into a bar and the song is what’s on the jukebox. I wrote the song I sang on“The Simpsons”…”Finally Bagged Me a Homer.” And there is some stuff on YouTube of me singing at the Viper Room. But as far as being able to say, “Here’s my CD, go buy it now,” nope…don’t have it.

MS: You’ve done all kinds of films…comedies, musicals, dramas. Do you have a preference?
BD: I approach everything the same way, whether it’s a comedy or a drama, as far as what I do as an actress to prepare. The genre’ doesn’t make that much difference as to what I do to prepare. You enter a certain kind of state of mind for each project that you do. Hopefully you can sync yourself up stylistically to the script, the director and, most importantly, the actors that you’re working with.

MS: When we know we’re going to talk to someone we often ask our readers to submit a question they’d like to ask. And the majority want to know if there’s another “Vacation” film in your future?
BD: (laughs) There is a company that is doing a remake…they’re calling it a re-boot. There have been a few articles out discussing a re-boot which would feature Rusty, now in his forties, taking his family across the country to Wally World. There has been a lot of flirting in the press with the producers saying, “we have a role for Chevy andBeverly…we really hope to get them on board,” but Chevy and I agree that they’re going to have to come to us. Chevy and I want to work together. We want to do something.

MS: What do you have coming up?
BD: I’m starting a film called “The Bounty Killers.” It’s a post-apocalyptic look at the future where the media stars and cultural stars are the Bounty Killers who systematically hunt down and get rid of the CEOs that have caused the demise of the economy and culture. And in January I’m doing a film called “The Arranged Marriage of Moonbeam,” which is based on the life of the film’s writer/director (Mollie Englehart). If you can imagine “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” but here the family is a communal one. Here the young woman is a lawyer who can’t seem to find a husband so she returns to where she grew up, where her mother decides that the best marriage is an arranged one.

Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill
Directed by: Akiva Schaffer
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 38 mins
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Remember those old commercials for Certs? “It’s a breath mint,” they’d say. No, “it’s a candy mint.” It was really “two…two…two mints in one.” I bring this up because the new film “The Watch” is like a Certs. Actually many Certs.

Evan (Stiller) is the guy every neighborhood has. Friendly and outgoing, Evan is eager to do anything and everything for his neighbors. He prides himself on his diversity. He includes among his friends a man from India and a Korean woman. He still doesn’t have any black friends but he’s working on it. Evan manages the local COSTCO store and seems to have the perfect life. And when tragedy strikes, it’s up to him to…..WHOA! I know just now you re-read this paragraph and mumbled to yourself, “tragedy? I thought this was a comedy.” It is. And a horror film. And a relationship drama. Have a Certs!

Sometimes side-splittingly funny, “The Watch” goes off in so many different directions that the pitch meeting must have sounded like, “it’s “The Burbs” meets “Alien” meets “Men In Black” meets “The Hangover” meets God knows what else. The film seems to have borrowed from every popular genre’ of the past 30 years. Which can lead to a film that’s occasionally hilarious but mostly uneven. The blame for this falls directly on the shoulders of script writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (who gave us the much better “Superbad”) with an assist from Jared Stern. It’s almost as if they were just throwing out ideas and incorporated them into one story.

On the plus side (the comedy side) the cast is first rate. Stiller has perfected the comic “everyman” persona and is in fine form here. Vaughn also plays off of his strength, that of the wise ass who seems to have everything (think “Old School”). Hill seems to still be in “21 Jump Street” mode as a wanna-be cop regulated to patrolling the neighborhood. Completing the quartet of “watchers” is Richard Ayoade, a very talented Brit filmmaker whose 2010 film “Submarine” was executive-produced by Stiller. Supporting work by R. Lee Ermey and a very creepy (and unbilled) Billy Crudup add to the laughs. On the minus side, you have an alien invasion story that includes some pretty graphic killings. You also have Stiller and his wife trying to have a baby while Vaughn frets about making sure his young teenage daughter doesn’t. I will say this – you get a lot thrown at you in an hour and a half. It’s up to you to decide what to catch.

Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
Starring: Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean, Colleen Camp, Madeline Khan
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Paramount
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Running Time: 94 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

“Clue” may not be one of the biggest hits of all-time but I have been watching it just under 30 years now. It also seems to get better and better with each viewing. In fact I still have my VHS copy of the film, so this Blu-ray upgrade is really worth the price of purchase…as long as you don’t care there are no special features (more on that later). I think that I can quote this film for hours…every line is magic, courtesy of Jonathan Lynn and John Landis. The cast is great and still such a riot featuring the comic talent of Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean and the late Madeline Khan. I look forward to sharing this film with my daughter as she grows up.

“Clue” is a very silly whodunit adaption of the classic Parker Brothers board game. We meet a cast of colorful people including Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Ms. Scarlet, Mr. White and Mr. Green, who are all being blackmailed. They are gathered in a mansion and end up having to solve a string of murder but which one of them is the killer.  The movie also sets a history record with three different endings, each one funnier than the last.

Let’s talk about the Blu-ray presentation now. The film itself never looked so good. It was always rather dark but this is a great upgrade from the old DVD. The 1080p transfer is sharp and the amount of noise is barely noticeable. Great job Paramount! The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono audio track works perfectly with this film and especially with John Morris’ classic score. So next up is special features and they list the three alternate endings as a bonus features but I don’t agree. Those endings were included as part of the film itself in the original VHS release, so I am not buying it. Lastly there is also a theatrical trailer included. I wish they would have put a lot more effort into extras, maybe for the upcoming 30th anniversary.

Directed by: Lisa Azuelos
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Demi Moore, Ashley Greene, Douglas Booth, Thomas Jane
Rated: PG-13
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 97 minutes

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

I think Lisa Azuelos should have thought twice before remaking her own 2008 feature “Laughing Out Loud”. Miley Cyrus is not what she was when she was on “Hannah Montana” and Demi Moore…well, is anyone excited by her anymore? The film really tries to be a modern day “Clueless” for this generation but without the comedy and bright colors. They even used the same song but in French Supergrass’s “Alright”. Nice Try but sorry…epic fail! Best part was the films co-stars including Thomas Jane, Ashley Greene and Gina Gershon.

In today’s world of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Miley Cyrus starts as a teen girl dealing with the peer pressures of high school romance and friendship, all while dodging her protective mother (Demi Moore). This film is a coming-of-age comedy, hold the comedy and the coming-of-age.

The film looks decent on Blu-ray and comes with a shocking DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, which is completed wasted. The special features included are an audio commentary with director Lisa Azuelos and cast members Ashley Hinshaw & Lina Esco, I guess Miley was getting her nails done. Lastly there are three short behind-the-scenes featurettes including “The Cast of LOL”, “Like Mother, Like Daughter” and “Lots of Love For Lisa Azuelos”.

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Directed by: Haofeng Xu
Starring: Yang Song, Yuanyuan Zhao
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 110 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

This action-packed martial arts film stars Yu Chenghui from the TV series “The Legend of Bruce Lee” and is from the writer of the film, “The Grandmasters”. Well action-packed is a strong word, the film attempts to be action-packed but drags quite a bit. The sword play in the film is very impressive though, I just wish there was more of it. Fans of martial arts films, might want to check this out but it is not one of the best of the bunch.  Also the 110 minute running time hurts the film quite a bit, would have worked better at around 90 minutes.  It is not epic enough to hold that length.

The premise is as follows “In the Southern Chinese city of Guancheng, during the Ming Dynasty, there lived four families, each of them faithful keepers of martial arts. Anyone who wants to establish a new form or technique of kung fu has to fight their way through the families’ gates. But when one man’s request is rejected, he will be put through a series of fights, determined to prove that his sword is invincible.”

One of the film’s pluses is that it comes with a Mandarin and English 5.1 Dolby Digital track. When the film does have action, it sounds great. Also the English dub track is not as bad as most, even though original Mandarin is preferred. This film would have looks great on Blu-ray, not sure why that release was skipped. The special features are very disappointing only packing a trailer included.

Directed by: Pal Sletaune
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Kristoffer Joner, Henrik Rafaelsen
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Running Time: 96 minutes

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

Every since her amazing role in the “Dragon Tattoo” trilogy, Noomi Rapace has been blowing up. She has even made a great dent so far in America with “Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows” and the amazing “Prometheus”. This film is Norwegian import brought forward in the US to capitalize on that success.  My only real issue is that the film is angled as a horror film but it is a strong psychological thriller.  Besides that this film is worth checking out and of course  Noomi is fantastic as usual.

Anna and her 8-year-old son move to a new home in order to escape an abusive husband . In order to keep an extra ear out for her son, she buys a baby monitor. But she starts to hear strange noises in the monitor from elsewhere in the building and witness another child being attacked. Anna needs to get to the bottom of this mystery and find out what is real and what isn’t before she loses her sanity and her child.

The film itself takes a slow pace to the finish line but this suspenseful Norwegian film is full of unexpected twists. I love a film that is able to seal the deal with its ending and not fall flat.  I liked that fact that this film was released with the original Norwegian audio track. Though I was left rather shocked that that Noomi didn’t record her own dub track, since she has learned English. The special features are lacking lastly only including deleted scenes and a trailer.

Starring: Harold Perrineau
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 282 minutes

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

This is yet another Japanese anime adaption of Marvel’s great superheros. Blade is not as popular of a Marvel character but this series kicks some major ass. It comes packed with an entertaining and smart story and is action-packed throughout. They also made Blade to be a hell of a bad-ass and really fights non-stop. Each main character really gets a good back story and it is detailed well why they are fighting these vampires. Overall, this series stands out along with “X-Men” and completely trumps “Iron Man and Wolverine” anime series.  Keep an eye out for a Wolverine-crossover, stopping by to help our half-breed vampire hunter Blade.

The story goes back to the origin of our half-breed Blade. When his pregnant mother was bitten by a vampire, she gave birth to Eric Brooks a baby boy with all the strengths of a vampire and only one of its weaknesses. The vampire hunter know as Blade is struggling to find his mother’s murderer Deacon Frost. His search leads him to Southeast Asia and along the way discovers a vampire plot to take down the world.

Harold Perrineau, known best for TV’s “Oz” and “Lost” really kicks ass with voicing Blade. I prefer the Japanese audio if anything since maybe it makes the anime-style series seem more true. The special features included on this DVD are also pretty decent including three featurettes. “Marvel Anime Universe: Blade Reborn” looking into the creation of the series. “Blade: The Vampire-Slayer” focuses on Marvel’s version of Blade with classic vampire stories. Lastly “Blade Meets Wolverine” is an interview with creator of the series.

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