Starring: Milo Ventimiglia
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 284 minutes

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

When it comes to Japanese anime version of Marvel characters, how can you go wrong. If you have seen the previously released series for “X-Men” and “Iron Man”, you would know what I mean…or at least with “X-Men”. Like “Iron Man”, I was not a big fan of the “Wolverine” series. When I come to think of it though, I have never been a big fan of the character Wolverine, especially not in any of the X-Men live action movies. If you want to see a great Marvel Anime series be sure to check out “X-Men” and “Blade” series, unless you are a die-hard Wolverine fan.

This aspect of this series that I enjoyed most was the homage to Frank Miller’s Wolverine graphic novel from the 1980’s. When Mariko, the love for Logan aka Wolverine for you newbs, is forced back to Japan by her crime-lord father, Shingen…Logan vows to get her back at any cost. He enters the world of corruption and violence and teams up with young assassin, Yukio in order to battle their way through the Japanese criminal underworld. Keep an eye out for some known faces like Omega Red and Cyclops.

Milo Ventimiglia scowls as his voices the titanium filled character and does a decent job. 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: Wolverine Reborn” dives into the creation of the series. “The Ferocious Anti-Hero: Wolverine Defined” focuses on our main character. Lastly “Wolverine Meets X-Men” is an interview with creator of the series.

Directed by: Joseph Kahn
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Shanley Caswell, Spencer Locke, Dane Cook, Parker Bagley
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 93 minutes

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

If I have to say nothing else about “Detention”, it is definitely original. This comedy-horror takes aims the specifically at the current generation and misses all other targets by a long shot. Director Joseph Kahn is known for the completely forgettable “Torque” and even spoofs his own film in this. While watching though, I just wasn’t 100% sold, I couldn’t get over the feeling that if I was in high school that I might have liked this much more. I am big fan of the horror genre, but maybe I didn’t fit the demo. I just wish that you can choose to watch a Dane Cook free version of it.

“Detention” is comedy-horror hybrid, which follows group of high school seniors must prevent themselves from becoming the victims of a slasher movie villain terrorizing their small town of Grizzly Lake. Of course they have to do all this while in Detention. Get the title placement there?! This is not your typical high school comedy-horror though visiting aspects of body switching, time travel, and even a human-insect hybrid. This is the aspect that sold me since obviously it wasn’t the appearance of Dane Cook.

The Blu-Ray presentation looks and sounds great and comes with some decent bonus materials, including a feature-length featurette. The 1080p transfer looks good for a low budget film and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track works well with the film’s music soundtrack. The special features included are “Cheat Mode: The Unbelievably Mind Melting Making of Detention”, it is pretty detailed on the production. There are a featurette focusing on the key fight scene in “Fight Rehearsal”. “Riffing with Dane” is a montage of Dane Cook, aka press skip. Lastly there are three screen testes for Shanley Caswell, Aaron David Johnson and Yves Bright.

Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Matt Barr, Tom Berenger, Powers Boothe
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 290 minutes

Mini-Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

When I saw that there was going to be a new TV miniseries about Hatfield-McCoy saga, I was interested but then I saw it was from The History Channel and it locked in my attention. After watching the nearly five hour mini-series, I honestly didn’t want it to end. The acting is outstanding…well except for Jena Malone playing Nancy McCoy. Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton and Tom Berenger proved they can be completely kick-ass. Even though this was made for TV, it is one hell of a production, it is really well-done and fine tuned. I know this series was a super big hit for The History Channel so I really hope they make more mini-series like this one.

“Hatfields & McCoys” follows the story of a two families that feuded a war against each backed by vengeance, courage, and sacrifice.  They went on to change history of their region forever. It begins with ‘Devil’ Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy, they were close friends and comrades fighting together in the Civil War.  When they returned to home they faced tensions, misunderstandings and resentments that led to an all out war between the families.

The Blu-ray delivers a wonderful presentation.  It’s 1080p video is impressive and showcases the locations and effects very well.  The star of this release is the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track, which is nailed with the non-stop action and war in this series.  The special features though are a bit disappointing overall.  There is a basic behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of Hatfields & McCoys” and a music video for “I Know These Hills” featuring Kevin Costner and Modern West. the music video is pretty cool, though. I’ve liked Costner when he hits up his music side.

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 113 minutes

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

With the remake of “Total Recall” on the way, Lionsgate is re-releasing this classic sci-fi film in a new Mind-Bending Edition. The Blu-ray boasts a new, director-supervised and approved transfer, which was taken from the original negative. After the last go-round for “Total Recall” on Blu-ray it left a lot of fans highly disappointed. This release will not disappoint and is available for an extremely “mind-bending” price as well. Fans of Schwarzenegger who want to see him head to Mars in high definition, I highly recommend picking up this release.

The film takes place in 2084, a time when we have colonized the planet Mars. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Quaid, a construction worker who dreams of visiting Mars. Since his wife (Sharon Stone) has no plans to move to Mars, Quaid find a company called Rekall which will implants artificial memories of a trip to the red planet. However things go array during the memory implant, Quaid realizes that his actually memories have been covered up and he is secret agent from Mars, or is he?

If you recall, the last go on Blu-ray for this film back in 2006, the video and audio presentation were very disappointing. This release definitely brings a much better looking 1080p video transfer. It was even approved by Verhoeven himself as the way he intended the film to look. This DTS-HD Master 5.1 audio track is also an improvement over the previous Blu-ray releases DTS 5.1 ES Matrix and Dolby Digital 5.1 EX. 6 years have delivered new wonders to Blu-ray and this release definitely needed an upgrade.

If the Blu-ray presentation wasn’t enough this Mind-Bending Edition also included some new kick ass features. There is an all-new interview with Director Paul Verhoeven, running over 30 minutes reminiscing about the film. There is also a super cool “Restoration Comparison” looking into how the film was transferred to high-def from original film’s negative. There is decent but not amazing commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Verhoeven. There are two Behind-the-scenes featurettes included. “Models and Skeletons: The Special Effects of Total Recall” runs about 30 minutes and is presented in HD. “Imagining Total Recall” is in SD but still very cool. Lastly there is a photo gallery and theatrical trailer included.

Directed by: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Starring: Sean Hayes, Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Running Time: 92 minutes

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

The Farrelly Brothers are believed to be directors that really known comedy, especially since they created the classic “There’s Something About Mary”. Though honestly their last three films haven’t really impressed me at all. “Stuck on You” was lame. “Hall Pass” was a one joke movie. “The Three Stooges” could have been amazing when Jim Care, Benecio del Toro and Sean Penn were attached but they went the cheap route with it and got a lesser cast attached just for the sake of getting it made. Overall it does get a few laughs and it gives props to the classic humor of the original Three Stooges.  It even used some of the sounds from the original shorts but then they had to throw in the “Jersey Shore” cast, which was the last straw for me. Let’s just saw the film is far from poifect!

“The Three Stooges” follow Moe, Larry and Curly as they head out on a mission to save an Orphanage. Their back story is that they were left on a doorstep of that same Orphanage and raised by the nuns.  When the trio find out that the Orphanage is being forced to close its doors, they find a way to save it.  Of course it’s not that simple and hilarity, mischief and mayhem ensues.

The Blu-ray presentation unlike the film is pretty good.  The 1080p transfer looks sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track sounds good and works well with the Stooges’ finger-poking, nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing.  The release itself comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray, a DVD disc and a digital copy of the film. Hardcore fans of the Stooges, should stay away from this film but new fans or causal fans of the comedy trio should get a laugh or two.

The special features on this release are decent but not amazing.  There are about ten minutes of deleted/extended scenes.  They seemed to fit well with the film and could have been really used.  “What’s the Big Idea? A History of The Three Stooges” feature the Farrelly Bros chatting about why they made the film. “Knuckleheads: Behind the Scenes of The Three Stooges” is a very short behind the scenes featurette on the production. “Did You Hear That? The Three Stooges Sound Effects” is a cool feature about how they used some original sounds from the early shorts. “Poifect! Casting The Three Stooges” talks with the three leads.  “The Three Stooges Mash-Up” is a montage of slapstick scenes, I enjoyed this a bit. “Original Screen Test” is the footage used to cast the films leads. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

 

Related Content

• Blu-ray Review “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood”
• Blu-ray Review “Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut + Theatrical”
• Blu-ray Review “Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie”
• “Tales from the Golden Age’ is Now Available on SundanceNow.com
• New Trailer and Poster for “Johnny English Reborn”

Distributed by: Discovery Channel
Release Date: July 31, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Episodes: 4
Running Time 212 min

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Discover Channel’s “Shark Week”, I am one of its biggest fans. I count down the days to next year following each completion. I was expecting a lot from the 25th Anniversary Collection and was let down a little. I prefer last years Blu-ray release much more titled, “Shark Week: Jaws of Steel Collection”, which included eight episodes instead of only four. I simply expected much more from the 25th Anniversary release. Overall though who don’t own the prior “Shark Week” Blu-ray releases, should consider picking this up, especially for its low-cost.

This 25th Anniversary Collection features the the following Shark Week episodes “Great White Shark: Uncaged”, “Blood In The Water”, “Ultimate Air Jaws” and “Mythbusters: Shark Special”. I am a big fan of all of these, especially “Blood In The Water” except the “Mythbusters” episode. I have never enjoyed the “Mythbusters” show at all even when it crossed over into “Shark Week”. Lastly where’s is my favorite special “Shark Hunter: Chasing the Great White” focusing on the late great Frank Mundus??

Now the Blu-ray release itself is impressive. The 1080p transfers on each episode is sharp and looks great. It is also presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1.  The audio track is also impressive for this Blu-ray. There are no special features included but I guess what can one expect behind bonus episodes. I wish they would have given this release a bit more umph and delivered a real 25th collection with multi-disc and numerous more episodes/

Jourdan McClure is the director of the recent horror film “Rogue River”.  The film is a great entry into the genre, it doesn’t re-create the wheel but it kicks some major ass.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jourdan about his new film and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us how you got involved with “Rogue River”?
Jourdan McClure: I had the story but I needed someone with the ability to take the screen play in the direction it needed to go. I turned to Kevin Haskin, who I had known before and he then brought in Ryan Finnerty, who is another talented screenwriter. Together they created this little world of contained nastiness that “Rogue River” became.

MG: How do you feel this horror film differs from others that are out there?
JM: I think the film is a bit more hyper-realized in terms of its color and photography. I really wanted to pay attention to the aesthetics of the film. We knew going in that we weren’t making the most original plot. We really wanted to play with the idea that execution was going to be key. This film relies more on atmosphere and tension.  The thought of something really fucked up happening inside this surreal environment was what we were after. I also wanted the craziness of what was going on to look really pretty. For me this was a great way to start with this being my first film.

MG: What was the biggest challenge on the shoot?
JM: Pre-production was very short on the film combined with this being my first movie made things a little difficult, but we were just running on adrenaline. The weather was pretty tough as we had a stretch of days that the temperature was about 9 degrees. I felt bad for the actors who had to be out in that working while I watched wearing a parka.

MG: What do you enjoy most about the horror genre?
JM: The horror genre incorporates everything. You can throw drama, comedy and or action into these types of films. I love when a movie tries to just be a movie. It takes you to a place you may not necessarily be able to go while adding in some real life elements. I like the idea of stylized fiction. Horror is great because you can be thrown in to hell and at the end of the film you can walk out. It’s like when someone cuts you off while driving and you want to stab them in the face. Being a horror directo,r I can write a scene like that, have it acted out and not get arrested. (Laughs)

MG: What other projects do you have coming out?
JM: I have a film titled “Children of Sorrow” which stars Bill Oberst Jr. The film involves a girl who loses her sister to a cult. The film is a POV movie. So you will see the story from each of the characters. It’s not a found footage film, but it takes aesthetics from that. This is a much more sinister film than “Rogue River”.

Zachery Bryan is known best for his role in the TV series “Home Improvement”.  He is currently spending his time working on his production company, Vision Entertainment Group. Their latest film is titled “Rogue River” and is a excellent entry to the horror genre.  Media Mikes had a chance to discuss the film with Zachery and find out what Vision has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you become involved with producing “Rogue River”?
Zachery Bryan: I was a child actor for quite a few years and then made the transition into adult acting. My producing partner, Adam Targum, and I were at a Dodgers game talking back and forth about what we wanted to be doing and we were a little frustrated with the creative side of our business. We decided to start Vision Entertainment Group. Right off the bat, we found a script that we attached a director to and sold that project to Lionsgate. We were not very involved on the physical side of that project. For the next project, we raised the money and produced it ourselves. We found a phenomenal investor and we started looking for scripts. “Rogue River” was one that came very quickly to us. We liked this script for a few different reasons. The price point of the film was pretty reasonable as we didn’t want to start with a large budgeted film. We actually filmed it in the Rogue River area of Oregon. We also liked it because it was a script that wasn’t reinventing the wheel from a plot stand point. There were some original set pieces however. This had all the “it’s” that we needed. We are really excited for the film to be coming out.

MG: How would you categorize the film?
ZB: It is definitely horror genre. Our log line would be that the lead character has lost her father and takes his ashes to spread at the Rogue River. Things ultimately go wrong and she ends up being held captive. The film has quite a few twists and turns.

MG: What do you like most about working in the horror genre?
ZB: It’s good from a business sense as there is a great demographic out there. Horror has an extremely strong and dedicated fan base. The film will make its way out there and people will hopefully see it.

MG: What was the biggest challenge of working on the film?
ZB: From a production stand point, I would have to say the weather. We filmed from November in to December in Southern Oregon…and it was freezing. We had things breaking all the time due to the weather. Other than that things went really smooth.

MG: Having grown up in the TV business with “Home Improvement”, how do you compare from producing?
ZB: They are both so different. Acting is much more emotional. Producing is long hours and you are with the project from start to finish and sometimes even longer. I like producing because I like making decisions. I look at it as you are the painter not just the paintbrush. You get to work on every aspect of the project not just one specific part.

MG: What do you have planned next to produce?
ZB: Our next film titled “The Grief Tourist” is not horror at all. This film is a very art house type film about a guy obsessed with following serial killers. The film stars Michael Cudlitz and Melanie Griffith.

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with actress Linda Harrison. Ms. Harrison is best known in the Pop Culture world for her work in the first two Planet of the Apes films as well as Ron Howard’s Cocoon and its sequel. She is also a fountain of behind-the-scenes knowledge thanks to her marriage to Oscar-winning producer Richard Zanuck. Ms. Harrison was also originally slated to play the role of the police chief’s wife in Jaws. As Mr. Zanuck relates on the extended behind-the-scenes version found on the Jaws boxed laser disc set, Ms. Harrison was offered the role. However, Universal Studios president Sid Shienberg had offered the part to his wife, actress Lorraine Gary. According to Mr. Zanuck, to smooth things out, Shienberg picked up the telephone and called the producer of the upcoming film Airport 1975, William Frye. “Bill,” Shienberg said, “you’ve got another passenger on your airplane.”

Born in Maryland, Ms. Harrison was the first runner-up in the 1965 Miss USA pageant. In November of that year, she signed a seven year deal with 20th Century Fox. Her television debut came in back-to-back episodes of Batman in 1966. She was then cast as Nova in Planet of the Apes and its sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes. She has also appeared in the above-mentioned Airport 1975 (she is billed as “Augusta Summerland”), Cocoon, Cocoon: the Return, and had a cameo in Tim Burton’s updated version of Planet of the Apes.

Now divorced from Zanuck, she is the proud mother of two sons, Harrison Zanuck and DeanZanuck, who both work in the film industry. Interested fans are encouraged to check out her web site, www.LindaHarrison.com. Still as strikingly beautiful in person, Ms. Harrison sat down with me at the recent Planet Comicon in Kansas City.

Mike Smith: It’s been our four decades since the original Planet of the Apes was released. Did you ever think while filming that you were creating something that would be, and still is, regarded as a true classic?
Linda Harrison: I think somewhere in my mind I may have thought that. I saw it as an unusual film and went on from there to do other things.

MS: Including the recent Apes film, in which both you and Charlton Heston have a cameo, you’ve appeared in 6 major films. Heston is in 4 of them. Coincidence?
LH: I know. It’s just incredible how much I’ve worked with him. Things just seem to fall that way.

MS: If Beneath the Planet of the Apes had ended on a happy note, with everyone alive, who do you think Nova would have ended up with: Taylor (Heston) or Brent (James Franciscus)?
LH: Taylor! (laughs) No hesitation!

MS: Are there any outtakes of you laughing hysterically when Heston goes into his “you maniacs!” speech at the end of Planet of the Apes?
LH: (laughs) No, I don’t think I laughed hysterically. It was a pretty, I won’t say somber set, but we were dealing in new territory that had never been done on film. So everybody was really at attention, wondering what the next shot was going to be. It was pretty unusual to be sitting there with apes!

MS: My favorite film is Jaws. I was so taken by the film and the performances that I ended up starting Roy Scheider’s official fan club and helped run Richard Dreyfuss’s. Had Sid Sheinberg not outranked Dick Zanuck, you would have been bombarded with mail from me YEARS ago! Did you know from reading the script that Jaws wasgoing to be special?
LH: I remember when Dick was reading the galleys (which is basically the book before it’s published) that he had a really great instinct that this would be a great picture. He knew it would be tough trying to make a 25 foot shark, but he pulled it off. It’s that really classic horror film that still surprises and scares you (mimics a shriek) when you’re not expecting it.

MS: Please tell me that had you done Jaws you would have passed on Jaws: the Revenge?
LH: Oh, sure!

MS: So, what are you doing now?
LH: Actually I’m now what they call a convention celebrity. I try to do one show a month, some do more. I’m also concentrating on my web site.

MS: Are the fans very receptive?
LH: Very. More then I ever imagined.

 

Related Content

• Selene Luna chats about her career and working with Margaret Cho
• Interview with Pollyanna McIntosh
• Interview with Debbie D
• Interview with Barbara Nedeljakova
• Q&A with Angelina Jolie Talks “In The Land Of Blood And Honey”

Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, Marina Spirtis
Number of discs: 6
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Running Time: 1184 minutes

Season One: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

I have to first admit that I am new to the whole “Star Trek” universe. Earlier this year, I have completed watching the Original Series, the Animated Series and currently I am halfway through Season Six of “The Next Generation”. Let me tell you I am completely immersed in this series and I feel like I have been living and breathing “Star Trek” over the last few months. I have purchased shirts, iPhone cases and even baby onesies to only enhance my trek into becoming a full on “Trekkie”. I feel that my review would actually provide a unique perspective to this release, especially since I am not your typical hardcore fan. When I recently watched the first season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, courtesy of Netflix, I couldn’t help by thinking how terrible this series looked and it really needed an HD upgrade bad! Well, all of our prayers have been answered because this release brings the first season re-mastered beautifully in high-definition and just in time for the show’s 25th anniversary.

Firstly, when they say that this season has been restored, they are not saying that lightly. This show looks like it was ran through the cleaners and it is super pristine with proven before/after results. It is also is presented in the original 4:3 ratio, which should be a must for fans. Those who think that it would be better widescreen should know that this show was specifically shot for full screen ratio and wouldn’t even be able to be converted to widescreen without distorting the picture. Even though the first season isn’t the most highly regarded in the series it is still a great start and only a sample of what we can expect for future seasons. One thing that I was hoping for though was a better case presentation, the season’s 25 episodes are spread out among six discs delivered in a slim BD case with a slipcover. I liked “The Original Series” Blu-ray packaging way more than this but nonetheless fans of “Star Trek” couldn’t have asked for a better high definition jump to warp speed for this classic sci-fi series.

Let’s talk a little bit about the video presentation for season one of “The Next Generation”. These episodes haven’t been just remastered from the existing film masters, they actually went back to the original 35mm camera negatives and redone all the visual effects, all in high definition. The special effects are completely updated and revised, sort of what Lucas did with the “Star Wars” trilogy. The 1080p transfers of each episode are extremely sharp and are very impressive, summing up a really excellent restoration. There are two audio tracks included on this release. There is a mind-blowing DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track and a retro Dolby Digital 2.0 track as well. Personally the 7.1 track completely trumps the 2.0 track, the clarity of the sound is super clear and also completely restored. You honestly feel like the action is happening all around you and you are flying through space with the USS Enterprise.

Click play to watch the incredible side-by-side look at the transformation of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” into high-definition.

This release also includes a bunch of exclusive special features including never-before-seen archival footage, many brand new interviews and much more! Honestly the special features are worth the purchase alone for any true “Star Trek” fan. The extras are split over the 1st and 6th discs. Disc 1 starts off with a promo for Season Two of “The Next Generation” on Blu-ray, which I was very pleased to see that they are planning these seasons back-to-back. It is even more exciting since it revealed that it will contain a brand new, high definition 75-minute roundtable with the cast of “The Next Generation”. You can really tell that they are looking to please their series fans and not just cash in on a high-def release. There is the retro 1987 series introduction trailer, a season one vintage promo, three more launch promos as well as three episode promos. The real draw for this disc though is a brand-new 25-minute documentary titled “Energized: Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level”, which focusing on the remastering process and how they went to the original camera negatives and restored the visual effects in HD.

The rest of the special features are included on disc six, mostly vintage extras from past DVD releases but still worth checking out. Included are four production featurettes, “The Beginning”, “Selected Cast and Crew Analysis”, “The Making of a Legend” and “Memorable Missions”. It covers quite a bit of ground. Next up is a great three-part 95-minute documentary called “Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation.” It provides some really comprehensive information about the series. The first part is called “Inception” , the second is “Launch” and last is “The Continuing Mission”. Don’t miss this for sure! Lastly there is a great 8-minute gag reel. “Star Trek: TNG” has always had a great sense of humor and this shows it. There is also another teaser for season two on this disc as well. I really am looking forward to what they are planning next, especially after this already amazing release.

Directed by: Adam Deyoe
Starring: James C. Burns, Scott Peat, Marissa Merrill, Corsica Wilson
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Image Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 88 minutes

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

When it comes to zombie films, there are definitely no shortage. In fact there is almost a new one every month. “Dead Season” stays above the rest and delivers some great effects, gore and entertaining story. It is a film that is not afraid to get its hands dirty and really dive deep into the zombie genre and delivers a kick-ass fun time. It is low-budget but looks the complete opposite. Fans of the horror genre should consider giving this latest zombie entry a try. You should be pleasantly surprised for sure.

When the zombies apocalypse breaking out, we follow two survivors who are looking to flee the chaos and make their way to a remote island and looking to start a new life. Of course once they make it to the island there are already hordes of the flesh-hungry undead and other people already on the island. They are forced to join forces with the island group in order to survive and escape from the zombies with their lives.

Image Entertainment has been releasing some pretty great titles in the horror genre recently after this last months “Some Guy Who Kills People”. I wish they would bring these films to the Blu-ray format though. There are some decent special features included on this DVD at least. There is a Making of featurette. As well as a few deleted scenes and outtakes included. Lastly there is a trailer included for the film. I commend Adam Deyoe for taking zombie and without recreating the wheel delivering an great addition to this genre.

Verne Troyer is known best for his role of Mini-Me in the “Austin Powers” franchise. He has also worked with Terry Gilliam on two film and even worked on “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. Verne took out sometime to chat with Media Mikes to discuss his films and what he has planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: You are recently appeared at Spooky Empire convention in Orlando FL, what do you enjoy most about attending conventions and meeting fans?
Verne Troyer: Well I think what it comes down to, is that if it wasn’t for the fan I wouldn’t have a job. I get to come down meet them and be able to chat and have some physical reactions with them.

MG: Tell us about appearing on the TV series “Celebrity House Hunting”?
VT: It is show on Bravo. I went to three houses I was interested on buying in Michigan, where I am from. I put in an offer on one but it just didn’t end up working out. But it is a good show.

MG: What do you enjoy most about doing reality TV?
VT: It is not necessarily that I enjoy doing it. I would like to focus more on film work. But you also need to pay the bills, you know.

MG: Tell us about your upcoming film “Keith Lemon: The Film”?
VT: I went to Belfast in Northern Ireland, UK, which is where we shot it for two months. The best way I can describe it is just to go to YouTube and type in “Celebrity Juice” and you will see the character that this film is based on.

MG: How was it working with David Hasselhoff?
VT: [laughs] I have been friends with him for a long time, so it was really great!

MG: How was it working with Terry Gilliam on “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” & “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”?
VT: Definitely when people ask me about Terry, my best description is really ‘crazy cool’ [laughs]. He is just amazing. Having him want me to do “Imaginarium” is such a great honor. As far are working on it, it was tough because in the middle Heath passed away and somehow we went back and finish it. I am sure for everyone including myself, that it was one of the hardest things I had to do. He was there one day and gone the next.

MG: Looking back on the “Austin Powers”
franchise, what did you enjoy most about playing Mini Me?
VT: I think it would have to be the chemistry that me and Mike (Myers) had. i never in my wildest dreams thought I would have chemistry with a comedy guniess. He makes it fun. We improved all the time and just had to try and react off of him. It was fun.

MG: Any word about “Austin Powers 4”?
VT: That is what everyone is asking me. I do not know. I hope so. If they do I definitely want to me apart of it again.

MG: What do you have planned next?
VT: I want to let the fans know I have a tour planned in Australia coming up. They can follow me and see my updates on Twitter. It is traveling to all the cities and I will be there for two and half weeks. I will be posting pictures and try and make it fun and interactive.

Starring: David Janssen
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1210 minutes
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Release Date: July 10, 2012

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Warner Archive is studio behind this new fantastic release. This is the first time that the complete season of “Harry O” has ever been released on DVD.  David Janssen, who is probably known best for his role in “The Fugitive”, recreates the role of a detective in this show. Though after watching this season, I must saw that this might have been David Janssen at his best. If you are reading this WB, please don’t keep us waiting and release season two ASAP!

“Harry O” blends a mix of action and humor.  It definitely represents some good ole’ fashioned television. This releases consists of six DVD, which include all 22 episodes from the entire first season.  Besides David Janssen, the show also co-stars Henry Darrow and Anthony Zerbe and includes a bunch of special guests including Stefanie Powers, Linda Evans, Martin Sheen, and Cab Calloway. The DVD looks great for a show from the 70’s and comes presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 and is in full frame. The audio comes in a Dolby Mono track, which also sounds great for its age. Besides containing the entire first season, this DVD release also comes with a special bonus of the original pilot episode “Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On”.

Harry Orwell is a decidedly different detective. And Harry O is decidedly different TV show. Forced off the force thanks to a bullet lodged near his spine, former police detective Harry Orwell gets by on his disability pension and the occasional private detecting gig (“100 bucks a day. Plus expenses”). No flashy car for the downtrodden Harry – he’s as apt to get around town on bus as he is on foot. But he’s as savvy as he is sophisticated, and though he might have to avoid the slugfests, he can crack any case. Even if it sometimes breaks his heart. Harry O features an actor at the top of his game, playing a character complex enough to contain his talents.

LOS ANGELES (July 2, 2012) – XLrator Media proudly announces the VOD and DVD release of WE THE PARTY. Written and directed by Mario Van Peebles, WE THE PARTY takes a close look at today’s youth culture. The film stars Snoop Dogg, YG, The New Boyz, The Rej3ctz, The Pink Dollaz, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Tiny Lister, Melvin Van Peebles, Mandela Van Peebles, Simone Battle, Moises Arias, Orlando Brown and Quincy Brown.

The film is available on VOD on all providers on July 19, 2012, and in stores on July 31, 2012 at an SRP of $20.99 for the DVD and $26.99 for the DVD/Blu-Ray combo.

A revealing look at contemporary youth culture, writer-director Mario Van Peebles’ WE THE PARTY shows teenagers as they are, not as adults would like them to be. Set amidst the latest trends in music, dance and fashion, WE THE PARTY is a colorful, cutting-edge comedy set in an ethnically diverse Los Angeles high school during America’s first black president. The film focuses on five friends as they deal with romance, money, prom, college, sex, bullies, facebook, fitting in, standing out, and finding themselves. Evoking such classic teen comedies as The Breakfast Club and House Party but with an attitude and style all its own, WE THE PARTY captures the hopes, confusion, challenges and dreams of today’s teenagers as they plunge headlong into an uncertain future.

The DVD and Blu-ray bonus features include a feature-length commentary by writer-director Mario Van Peebles and actors Mandela Van Peebles and Makaylo Van Peebles, 4 music videos from the film (“Truth,” “She’s a Vegan,” “A Light at the End of the Tunnel,” and “Forever”), and the theatrical trailer.

WE THE PARTY was released in theaters on April 6, 2012 by XLrator Media in association with MVP Filmz.

We The Party iTunes link
http://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/we-the-party/id537379658?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

We The Party Official Trailer

Connect with We The Party online at:

www.Facebook.com/wethepartymovie

www.Twitter.com/Wethepartymovie

www.Youtube.com/wethepartymovie

www.Statigr.am/wethepartymovie

WE THE PARTY –Specifications
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Rated: R
Street Date: July 31, 2012
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
SRP: $20.99 for the DVD and $26.99 for the DVD/Blu-Ray Combo
Aspect Ratio: 16×9 1.79
Special Features: Feature-length commentary by writer-director Mario Van Peebles and actors Mandela Van Peebles and Makaylo Van Peebles, 4 music videos from the film (“Truth,” “She’s a Vegan,” “A Light at the End of the Tunnel,” and “Forever”), and the theatrical trailer.

Joe Turkel is known best for his role of Lloyd the Bartender in “The Shining”.  Joe also played the iconic role of Dr. Eldon Tyrell in Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”.  Media Mikes had a rare chance to chat with this amazing actor, courtesy of C & V Promotions, to discuss his iconic roles and tell some great stories.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you originally get invovled with Stanley Kubrick on “The Shining”?
Joe Turkel: That was the third picture I did with Stanley Kubrick. He first saw me in a little picture I did called “Man Crazy”. He liked the work I did and said he would like to use me in a picture he did called “The Killing” in 1956. He said it was a little role but he had something better coming up. Little did I know then but he was talking about “Paths of Glory”. He changed my life.

MG: Having worked twice before with Kubrick; did his style change over 20 years later on “The Shining”?
JT: He took a lot of time then but a lot of time on “The Shining”. He had a lot of attority and he wasn’t afraid to use that attority. Like with “Eyes Wide Shut”, he had a rule that anyone like producers or related to the film will not be permitted on the set. He just had this attority.

MG: How did you prepare for this unique role of Lloyd the Bartender in “The Shining”?
JT: It was just another part for me. I approached it like I would any other and that was it.

MG: How was it working with Jack Nicholson?
JT: Jack Nicholson is just the greatest. I’ll tell you a story about Jack. I am responisble for his career. In 1961 he has just come out from the East Coast and I had been there for ten years. He was broke most of the time. One day I was at the race track with a friend of mine and I hit a daily double for $4,400 dollars. Now that is a lot of money in those days. As I was getting the money settled, my friend saw Jack and I told him what just happened. Kenny, my friend, told me he owed Jack $800 bucks. So I told him to pay him and I gave him the money. Jack said to me “You know something Turkel, I was going to go back to New York but it is too fucking cold. I will take this money and it will get me through the winter.” But during the winter, he got lucky got a role and the rest is history.

MG: With a role that is consists of two scenes, how can you reflect on the impact they had on the film?
JT: I was suprised they had such an impact. Stanley and I were talking on set about how good it was and I told him “Stanley, thanks but I don’t want to wait 25 years between pictures”. We were both New Yorkers so we had this special bond. He told me we would work together again but that was the last time I saw him.

 

MG: Since the films are so different; did the productions of “The Shining” and “Blade Runner” differ much?
JT: Ridley Scott three times during my filming and asked me how I thought Stanley Kubrick would approach certain scenes. He was completely enamored with his work. Steven Spielberg said he was “the grandmaster of filmmaking”. So for Ridley Scott to come over and ask me for suggestion it was amazing.

MG: How did you prepare for the such an iconic character, Dr. Eldon Tyrell?
JT: Well I mad it that way [laughs]. I played it that way. It was a nice role and I did well. I have had better roles. I have had worse roles. Everything I have done has been unique from the fucking ruler of the world to a bartender. They were all crazy. I also like to do
comedy, which I have done over years in television.

MG: How do you feel about Ridley Scottworking on a sequel after all these years?
It is not going to be as good as the first. Sequels never are. The first one is always the one looked at.

MG: What do you like most about meeting your fans at conventions?
JT: It’s amazing. Just amazing. They are so gratitous. They are so happy to meet me. When I did a Q&A, the house was completely packed. They were asking questions about Kubrick and “Blade Runner”. I was taking pictures at the bar in full costume as Lloyd The Bartender from “The Shining”, so that was really cool as well.