Actors: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Sean Bean
Directors: Ridley Scott
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: 20TH CENTURY FOX
DVD Release Date: June 7, 2016
Run Time: 151 minutes

Extended Edition: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to double dipping on their home video releases, Fox is the king! “The Martian” is the latest film to get a second life on Blu-ray with this Extended Edition release. This all-new extended cut features over 10 minutes of footage not shown in theaters. The film itself before this extension was already an amazing film! The new footage doesn’t really change the film in any way besides giving some new details about our characters. The real selling point of this new Blu-ray is that there is more than two hours of new behind-the-scenes content and the fact that it includes the original Theatrical cut as well. If you didn’t purchase this film originally when it was released, now is definitely the time to pick this up.

Official Premise: Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Matt Damon), The Martian is a breathtaking sci-fi adventure directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Prometheus) and based on the #1 New York Times best-selling novel. When an American astronaut (Damon) is left behind during a mission to Mars, he must find a way to survive on the barren planet until a team of scientists can devise a rescue plan to bring him home!

The audio/video presentation of this film on Blu-ray is stunning. I could only imagine it would be topped by the 4K presentation on Blu-ray. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 really blew me away with the space scenes and overall sound delivery. The new special features include an audio commentary by renowned director Ridley Scott, writer/executive producer Drew Goddard and author of the novel Andy Weir. There are two mighty in-depth features looking into the science of the film. The first is “The Long Way Home: Making The Martian”, which runs nearly 80 minutes and the second is “The Journey to Mars 101” which runs over 2 hours, which is jam packed with information.

There are two NASA based featurettes including “Dare Mighty Things: NASA’s Journey to Mars” and
the shorter “Ridley Scott Discusses NASA’s Journey to Mars”. Lastly there are still a few deleted scenes left on the second disc as well as some theatrical trailers. That concludes the new content but also included is all the bonus features included in the original The Martian Blu-ray release as well, so set aside a good amount of time to get through all this wonderful content!

Starring: Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rachel House
Directed By: Taika Waititi
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 101 minutes
Orchard

Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

Last year New Zealand director Taika Waititi breathed life into the vampire genre with his brilliant What We Do in the Shadows, my favorite comedy of 2015. The director this week turns again to his home turf to even more success for the quirky tale of Ricky Baker in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Wilderpeople is an unconventional spin on the tried-and-true old mentor meeting his younger match that manages to be action packed, unpredictable and heartfelt without veering into the saccharine territory oft trod by coming of age stories. Not only has Waititi matched my expectations based on his Shadows and “Flight of the Conchords” work but he’s significantly upped my excitement for his next project–Thor: Ragnarok (as if that was even possible!)

Julian Dennison stars as a ‘real bad egg’ called Ricky Baker, an orphan from the city who’s been to his share of foster homes. Child services drops him at a remote farm in the New Zealand bush kept by the sweet Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and bearded grump Hec (Sam Neill). Bella invites Ricky to dub them Auntie and Uncle, though Ricky and Hec are less than keen. When the welcoming Bella passes away leaving Ricky under Hec’s care, his new country life looks about to be ripped from under him again by child services. Naturally Ricky flees to the wilderness with Hec following along. They quickly become a pair of outlaws–everyone believing Hec a kidnapper–and infamous for evading a country-wide manhunt.

As Ricky Baker, newcomer Julian Dennison delivers a star-making performance. He is the perfect age for this little adventure of Waititi’s. A foster child who’s been passed around with a long list of ‘offenses’ (which child service agents will rattle off at the drop of a hat to hilarious effect), Baker is on the verge of puberty and of actually buying into his own bad reputation but is still very much malleable. There’s glimpses of Ricky posturing his ”gangsta” image between his wardrobe or his Scarface references but the brilliance of Dennison is watching the child that he actually is come to the surface. Dennison’s vulnerability is exposed when faced with the prospect of being separated from his most stable home to date. Meanwhile, his curiosity and eagerness to learn the bush life chip away at his city-kid exterior and the fact that he’s wont to spout haikus only makes him all the more endearing. There are a million layers to Ricky Baker and Dennison plays them all with great heart.

This isn’t at all to belittle the terrific support Dennison receives from his adult cast. It’s been 23 since Sam Neill begrudgingly led some kids through Jurassic Park and the years and the beard have only hardened his ornery exterior to perfection. His soft center is tougher to wear down to, but Ricky is game for the challenge. And there aren’t any dinosaurs that Neill needs to evade, but as the formidable Paula from Child services, Rachel House is an absolute scene stealer with dreams of being the Terminator. Rounding out these guys is an appearance from frequent Waititi collaborator Rhys Darby used to wacky effect as Psycho Sam.

Despite some real live threats in the bush and some choice language from kids and adults alike (“Like hell!” abounds), I can’t help but feel that Hunt for the Wilderpeople might be a perfect family film. Shot in beautiful locations, it’s hilarious without being malicious, populated with quirky characters forming genuine human bonds and I can’t stress enough the joy I derived from Dennison’s honest performance. Add to all that an action packed finale and you’ve got A Summer Movie to compete with the biggest of blockbusters. As Uncle Hec says, truly “Majestical.”

June 24 – I screened Hunt for the Wilderpeople at TFF 2016, it is now in limited US release. Visit Wilderpeople.film for trailer and local release dates. 

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali
Directed By: Gary Ross
Rated: R
Running Time: 139 minutes
STX Entertainment

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

American Civil War movies are either critically claimed masterpieces (“Gone with the Wind” or “Glory) or the bane of moviegoers existence (“Gods and Generals” and “Gettysburg”). “Free State of Jones” fall somewhere in between. There’s enough entertainment and magnificent acting to keep it afloat, but too many nauseating history lessons and a lack of narrative to make it watchable. It may get some future use in high schools across the country, but could also be a punishment for a rowdy classroom.

“Free State of Jones” follows Newton Knight (McConaughey) a MacGyver of 19th century America. He’s a nurse as battles wind down, a soldier when war flares up, a farmer at home, a blacksmith and carpenter when the script calls for it, and many other things. Knight watches too many of his friends, family, and countrymen die for a cause he doesn’t believe in. He views the Civil War as a rich man’s war being fought by the poor residents of Mississippi. So he goes AWOL, evading troops on the lookout for the fresh deserter.

Knight goes into hiding in the swamps where he befriends runaway slaves and slowly starts attracting other deserters to his camp. Over time, he collects more slaves and deserters to help form his own militia. Their core belief isn’t anti-Confederate, but more around the belief that no army or government should steal from the people and that the people have a right to what they create with their own bare hands.

The movie takes place from 1862 to 1867, which already has any historian reading that scratching their head. The Civil War ended in 1865. Un-effectively, “Free State of Jones” is like two different movies. One about the small rebellion against Confederate beliefs and the fallout of the Civil War in the South with Knight having to constantly defend the rights of his African American friends.

Narratively, it’s a mess. At no point does the movie blatantly or subliminally promote a unique theme or message. “Free State of Jones” is another; white man comes to save the day for minorities, history lesson from Hollywood. The movie highlights the corrupt system in place after the war, which prevented minorities from voting in the political process. That could be a link or statement of affairs today in this political climate, but I’m not willing to give the creative team behind “Free State of Jones” that much credit.

It’s a well shot movie that captures the essence of war, but McConaughey is the true highlight of the movie. He works well with the emotional and physical toll of war as he progressively becomes older in “Free State of Jones”. But I can’t help but dislike his character for some of the selfish plot points in the movie. It doesn’t help that the movie constantly jumps forward around 80 years into the future where Knight’s relatives are going through a legal battle. It’s another speed bump that slows down the overall pace of the movie.

“Free State of Jones” is definitely a unique tale for the Civil War that highlights the divide in a traditionally proud part of the country. Even today, people still sport Confederate flags and re-enact famous battles. There’s something interesting that can be said about how war can divide even the most patriotic of people. But “Free State of Jones” doesn’t want to talk about that. It seems more obsessed with messages we’ve heard before and reminding us that slavery is still evil.

“A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary”
Director: Shaun M. Colon
Writer: Greg Pratt
Open-Ended Films/ Leaders & Flares/Charlie Uniform Tango
Runtime: 84 minutes

Our score: 5 out of 5 stars

“A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary” is half inspirational story of chosen family and community and half debauchery as it tells the story of Fat Wreck Chords founder Fat Mike (bassist for the band NOFX) and his ex-wife Erin-Kelly Burkett. “A Fat Wreck” has it all from the birth, growth and struggles the label has endured over its 25 years to the thriving label we know today who continues to put out some of the best punk rock albums year after year.

If you were into punk rock in the 1990’s then chances are you at one time or another listened to a Fat Wreck Chords released album or band. Group’s such as Strung Out, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name and Propagandi and many others were fortunate enough to call Fat Wreck Chords their home while at the same time making a phenomenal impact on the evolution of punk music. “A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary” is the story of that monumental label and the bands who helped define 90’s era punk rock. From candid interviews with label founders NOFX bassist Fat Mike and his ex-wife Erin to clips and interviews with the multitude of bands who have made up the labels roster during its past 25 years through today. For the first time in one spot the entire story of how this small independent label grew from a bay area basement to one of the most recognized and respected labels in punk rock. It’s all here!

How can you not like a killer punk rock soundtrack, fresh interviews and puppets!? Yes I said Puppets! “A Fat Wreck” from beginning to end is pure gold. If you were/are a fan of 90’s era punk rock then you owe it to yourself to watch this. The film is more than just another documentary about a group of musicians and a label that kick started a lot of careers, Underneath all of that is a refreshing story of family, unity and fun that everyone needs to check out.

Creators: Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland
Starring: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Sarah Chalke, Spencer Grammer, Kari Wahlgren, Brandon Johnson
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 7, 2016
Run Time: 220 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

If you haven’t heard of Rick and Morty, seriously just stop reading and watch this show immediately since it is literally one of the best cartoons to hit TV since “The Simpsons” (and feel free to quote me on that Cartoon Network). Adult Swim really has a huge hit on their hands with this show and I just honestly can’t get enough of it. The show has amazing replay value and I feel like I can watch it over and over and over. It is also so extremely quotable that sometimes I laugh completely out of the blue just randomly relating daily life situations to events from the show. Totally classic and must see! Can’t wait for season three later this year!

Official Premise: Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland) is still living with his daughter Beth’s (Sarah Chalke) family and causing more trouble than ever. This season the rest of the family, his son-in-law Jerry (Chris Parnell), grand-daughter Summer (Spencer Grammer) and grand-son Morty (Justin Roiland) are dragged into Rick’s intergalactic adventures, as he faces new threats and mysteries of his secret past are revealed. Can the family survive Rick’s insanity and all the chaos the universe throws at them?

Cartoon Network and Warner Home Video really stepped up their game for this Blu-ray release. Since they usually only go 1080i and a Dolby Digital 2.0 track for shows like “Adventure Time”. This second season of “Rick and Morty” comes stocked with a beautiful 1080p resolution with an
original aspect ratio: 1.78:1 and really kick ass HD Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track for each episode. Also they include a digital HD copy of the entire series to add to your streaming accounts.

There some good bonus content included for this season as well. Most importantly there are not only animatics for every episode but also audio commentaries for every episode with cast and crew. This is worth the purchase of the Blu-ray alone!! There is also a Behind the Scenes into the season as well as Deleted Animatic Sketches. Lastly a really amazing bonus that is given for us hardcore fans is an actual Plumbus Manual Premium included.

Cast: Mark Duplass, Katie Aselton, Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas
Format: DVD
Rating: Not Rated
Number of Discs: 2
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: June 7, 2016
Genre: TV Series

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

Let’s start with the fact that I am not a fan of football, fantasy football or sports in general, so right off the bat this show didn’t really call out to me. What I can appreciate though is a great cast including Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, who are some of my favorite comedy actors, as well as Katie Aselton and Jason Mantzoukas. There is a whole lot of talent here that makes this show worth checking out for sure. Unfortunately this is the last season but the show has a great run on FX with seven seasons. Whether you are just finding out about this show or a hardcore fan, it’s worth checking out.

If you aren’t familiar with the show here is a series premise: A partially scripted comedy which follows the lives of six men who belong to a fantasy football league. The men take their contest extremely seriously and often will do anything to gain an advantage or win at any cost. Their obsession with fantasy football bleeds into other activities of their daily lives, affecting their jobs and families. A variety of colorful characters from the local community, from local business owners to a homeless man, get caught up in this zany world of fantasy sports.

Here is a season premise: Huddle up for the final outrageously funny season of the fantasy football comedy that’s always out of bounds. This year, the scheming smack-talkers find themselves embroiled in a string of scandals, kicking off when Pete discovers that his ex-wife Meegan is sleeping with a fellow league member. Next up, Taco flies into the drone zone, Kevin and Pete play chicken with their private parts, Jenny gets slot-shamed and Rafi hooks up with a watermelon. From blind-spot shenanigans to fake-book deflategate, Season Seven hits a highpoint by sinking to new lows.

The first disc includes the following episodes season 7: “Other Draft, The”; “Draft of Innocence, The”; “Blind Spot, The”; “Deflategate”; “Bully, The”; “Beer Mile, The”; and “Trophy Kevin”. There are also some Deleted Scenes included on here as well. Disc 2 includes the following episdoes “Last Temptation of Andre, The”; “Yank Banker, The”; “Block, The”; “Adios y Bienvenidos”; “13 Stages of Grief, The”; and “Great Night of Shiva, The”. Lastly there are also more Deleted Scenes on this disc as well as a Gag Reel, Alt Nation and Taco Tones for fans of the series.

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Strawberry Shortcake: Campberry Stories DVD
Street Date: June 7, 2016
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Total Run Time: 66 minutes

DVD Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Growing up in the 80’s and having a younger sister, there was no shortage of “Strawberry Shortcake” in our home. 30 years later and it is still extremely relevant and going strong. “Campberry Stories” is the latest DVD release in the series of episodes from this TV series. I  have to admit, this show honestly keep my attention when my daughter watches it. It is cute, funny and very colorful. So out of all the kids shows that I am “forced” to watch, this one is definitely one of easier ones to get through. Any fan of the series will want to pick up this latest collection of themed episodes.

Official Premise: It’s time for tall tales and small kindnesses in this berrytastic animated trio. Strawberry Shortcake and her pals are on their annual campout in Very Beautiful Meadow when they decide to see who can tell the most OUTRAGEOUS story. Plum, Cherry and Orange get things started with different made-up reasons to explain why they’re late to the party. Sour tells everyone an imagined adventure involving her and her sister, Sweet. And Apple tells the campers about a thrilling cross-country race… only she insists it really happened. It’s going to be a berry difficult decision to choose the best tale!

Fox has been putting out these DVDs in this series quite regularly. They are only on DVD, not Blu-ray but come with a bonus Digital HD copy, which is great to be able to stream on the road. The format for the DVD is Widescreen 1.78:1 and the audio tracks included are English Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish Surround Dolby Digital 2.0. There are some decent special features as well for the kiddos including “Exclusive Berry Sweet MASH UP videos”; “Meet Strawberry Shortcake & Friends”; “Best of Sweet Sunshine Adventures” and lastly some fun printable coloring pages and activity sheets to enjoy outside of the DVD as well.

Directors: David Greene, Marvin J. Chomsky, John Erman, Gilbert Moses
Starring: Ben Vereen, John Amos, LeVar Burton, Olivia Cole, Vic Morrow, Louis Gossett Jr.
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 7, 2016

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

“Roots” is a modern piece of TV history. This series had stood the test of time with some of the best performances since on TV ever. It is brutal sometimes, hard to watch but simple outstanding. Especially with the rebooted series which just aired on TV this past month, this is the perfect time to revisit this classic. It is presented in it’s original broadcast with all the program bumpers intact at the beginning and end of each episode. If you haven’t seen this series ever or not for a long time, now is the time to revisit this for sure!

Official Premise: His name was Kunta Kinte. Kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in America in 1767, he refused to accept his slave name of Toby. Heirs kept his heroic defiance alive, whispering the name Kunta Kinte from one generation to the next until it reached a young boy growing up in Tennessee. His name was Alex Haley. And he proclaimed Kunta Kinte’s name to the world. Through the lineage of one family, Haley and his Pulitzer Prize-winning ROOTS told a story for all America and the world. Seen by 130-million viewers during its premiere telecasts and the winner of dozens of awards, the David L. Wolper production remains a vital and engrossing entertainment landmark decades later.

This 40th anniversary release includes all the episodes in their original aspect ratio of 1:33, which has never looks better. Strangely the box specs say that the video is 1080i and that audio is Dolby Digital but that is definitely not the case because this series boasts a solid 1080p 24 frame video with sharp DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 sound, especially for a 40 year old TV series. You can tell that they actually did a lot of work to keep this series looking better than it ever has. The real bonus for me is that there is also a digital HD copy of the series included for you to watching streaming additionally.

The special features are also jam packed with content include two news features. The first is
“Roots: The American Story Continues” which features Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Blair Underwood, Debbie Allen, Tavis Smiley, Shonda Rhimes and Reverend Al Sharpton talking about the effects of the series on their lives. The second is “The Cast Looks Back”, which includes original cast members including LeVar Burton, John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr., Ben Vereen, Cicely Tyson, Ed Asner, Sandy Duncan, Georg Stanford Brown and Lynne Moody share reflecting on the series.

Also included are a few great features like “Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated an Entire Nation”; “Connecting With the Past”; “The Struggle to Make Roots” and even an original screen test from Mr. LeVar Burton. Lastly there is an Alex Haley Interview by David Frost and a look back into the series with “Roots: One Year Later”. So if you are a fan of this series, you will not be let down with the additional content included in this very special 40th anniversary release.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Amy Ryan
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 54 mins
Warner Bros

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review By Mike Smith

It’s 1996. The last day of high school. And two young men are about to have two very different experiences. For Calvin “the Golden Jet” Joyner, it’s a day spent receiving the accolades of your classmates as you are honored for your achievements in, well, pretty much everything. For Robbie Weirdict, it’s a final day of humiliation, as the portly youngster is tossed, naked, into the middle of the same assembly.

20 years later, Calvin (Hart) finds himself stuck in a job he doesn’t really love, spending more time on Facebook than work. When he gets a friend request from Bob Stone (Johnson), he hesitates at first then, like most people, accepts it. He soon learns that Bob is really Robbie and that he has changed quite a bit. When the two mismatched men reunite it’s an eye opening for both of them.

Funny as hell, with a sweet message built in, “Central Intelligence” is successful in part thanks to its genius casting, which makes Hart the Bud Abbott-like straight man while Johnson grabs the majority of the laughs. And what isn’t funny about a guy Johnson’s size who shows up everywhere wearing a fanny pack? It seems Bob may or may not be a rogue C.I.A. agent looking to sell weapons to the highest bidder. He enlists Calvin’s help in part because Calvin was the only person who seemed genuinely friendly to him in the past, while Calvin goes along because he still feels sorry for what Robbie went through in school.

Hart has learned to tone down his Chris Tucker-like screaming and gives a fine performance here. The supporting cast is just as good, including Ryan as the C.I.A. agent in charge of finding Bob and Danielle Nicolet as Calvin’s high school sweetheart and now wife. But the real star here is Johnson. Always a very likable performer, his comedic work here recalls his standout performance in 2005’s “Be Cool.” A gentle giant with a heart of gold, Bob Stone seems ready to greet the world each morning with a smile. It’s Bob that makes this film the best comedy of the summer so far.

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Starring the Voice Of: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks and Hayden Rolence
Directed By: Andrew Stanton
Rated: G
Running Time: 103 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Back in 2003, “Finding Nemo” was the crown jewel of animated movies. After 13 more years of storytelling innovation and cleverness on Pixar’s end, “Finding Nemo” isn’t quite the pinnacle of Pixar’s animation catalogue anymore. It’s known that Pixar is willing to do sequel, just as long as it’s as emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating as the original. “Finding Dory” does both, even while treading familiar waters.

The protagonist this time around is Dory (DeGeneres), obviously. The blue surgeonfish still suffers from short-term memory loss, but one of Nemo’s (Rolence) class field trips knocks a cobweb loose in Dory’s brain. Memories of her parents come flooding back in an instant. Soon Dory’s head is swimming in a sea of longing and sorrow for her parents. The how’s and why’s of her separation from her parents are still a bit fuzzy, but those will come as the story progresses.

Marlin (Brooks) begrudgingly follows Dory on her journey. “Finding Dory” is a more compact journey. Instead of crossing the vast ocean, the trio heads to California where they wind up at the Monterey Marine Institute and get separated. Dory is snatched up and placed inside the confines of the rescue center. As she slowly makes her way around, Marlin and Nemo spend the movie playing catch-up.

There isn’t any real peril, since the humans they encounter don’t want to hurt them and the other aquatic life populating the Institute are all non-aggressive. But Pixar has always been able to do a lot with a just a little. The smaller confines of the settings give way to Dory utilizing an octopus (referred to as a septopus by Dory because one of tentacles was ripped off) named Hank (Ed O’Neil). Hank provides the out of water transportation for Dory, eliminating a lot of the unique ways that the fish could possibly be using to get around. But that’s just a small complaint in an otherwise nearly perfect film.

Ever since “Cars 2”, there’s been apprehension before every Pixar movie. Especially in a sequel that seems warrantless. But the folks behind “Finding Dory” have repackaged and rebranded what made the first one so good. The animation, as always, is a mesmerizing Kaleidoscope trip through the sea. It’s easy to get washed over by the stunning imagery and forgot about the small little tweaks here and there that continually push what the boundaries of computer animation.

DeGeneres is tasked with carrying a lot of the poignant plot points through Dory. The blue fish that was a gag in the original now provides a lot of the heart-rending story. It’s nice to see the childlike wonder of Dory turn into childlike pain that her parents are gone. The themes are either hidden, creating a greater depth of meaning, or the themes are upfront and in focus so that kids can subconsciously learn and grow in a positive way. Pixar once again finds a way to make adults and kids alike find that soft spot of their heart that brings a tear to the eye.

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Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton and Ben Foster
Directed By: Duncan Jones
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 123 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1 out of 5 Stars

There’s a really wonderful book called, “Tales from Development Hell”. Author David Hughes summarizes the agonizing process that movies sometimes go through to get made. Some of those movies are failed passion projects, while others are ill-conceived ideas. If Hughes ever considered writing a sequel, “Warcraft” would be the most interesting chapter. I’d really like to know why this was made and given such a grotesquely huge budget.

From a financial standpoint, “Warcraft” makes sense. Over 100 million accounts have been made on the online videogame, “World of Warcraft”. That figure speaks volumes to an ignorant studio executive with no knowledgeable grasp about videogames. The failure by Hollywood to recognize the clear, and distinct, creative differences between cinema and videogames is common knowledge by now. “Warcraft” is a bore in desperate need of a skip button. It’s another lazy attempt by the studios to cash on naïve videogamers.

There are way too many names, places, and exposition to wade through, even by video game storytelling standards. Generally the gamer has to endure five to 10 minutes of information, before they get to click away at their mouse and keyboard. Their payoff is instantaneous. Of course that’s to assume that the run-of-the-mill gamer would care about the story in a point-and-click adventure. “Warcraft” on the other hand spends 20 to 30 minutes explaining things before getting to humdrum action sequences, leaving the viewer without a payoff.

The “Warcraft” movie is about the orcs making their way through a portal, to the human realm. The human realm has dwarves, elves, and probably some other generic fantasy creatures. The orcs are escaping their desolate, uninhabitable world, in hopes of staking a claim and inevitably taking over the human realm. There are a lot of sweeping scenes that imply we’re in a world much larger than the one imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien. But Tolkien’s world has actual stakes and characters we care about. “Lord of the Rings” is a fine wine that will be cherished for decades. “Warcraft” is more like a mosquito in the summertime.

The characters in “Warcraft” are unimportant. If the movie is not going to care about them, I don’t feel like I should either. Orcs are monstrous computer animated creatures, voiced by actors with nothing better to do. Their human counterparts are equally as unenthusiastic, but don’t have a CGI mask to hide behind. It’s hard to tell if they’re bored, avoiding laughter, or regretting their most recent life decision.

Have you ever been so emotionally and mentally exhausted by something that you don’t feel like explaining yourself? That’s how I feel about “Warcraft”. It’s hard for me to summarize and convey how emotionless and devoid of meaning it is, and why I loathe it so much. There are times where it slows to a crawl and feels like you accidentally hit pause on your DVR button. Then moments later it feels like it’s stuck on fast forward.

As someone who’s played the “Warcraft” games, but not enough to call myself a fan, I don’t understand the appeal of a cinematic adaptation. “Warcraft” has its head stuck in the clouds that nothing is wrong, when clearly everything is wrong. I now understand why this movie spent nearly a decade on the shelf, being passed up by acclaimed director after acclaimed director, before finally settling on Duncan Jones. “Warcraft” should have stayed in development hell. There’s no reason it should have been given life so it can drag viewers through hell.

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Directors: Byron Howard, Rich Moore
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Alan Tudyk, J.K. Simmons, Nate Torrence
Rated: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Run Time: 108 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Zootopia” is the latest smash hit from Walt Disney Animation Studios! They have been nailing it one hit after another. The story is not only fun but also sets a good picture of the world and gives real lessons (for those that can see them). I really enjoyed this from beginning to end and in fact better with repeat viewings. I have a four year old and we watch one A LOT!!! The voice cast is phenomenal starring Ginnifer Goodwin from “Once Upon a Time”, Jason Bateman from “Arrested Development”, Idris Elba from “Prometheus”, Alan Tudyk from “Wreck-It Ralph” and also Oscar winner J.K. Simmons from “Whiplash”. Keep the hits coming Disney! Can’t wait for “Moana” this fall!

Official Premise: The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like r itzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery.

As expected, like the film, the Blu-ray is gorgeous. The 1080p transfer is yet another winner from Disney. The colors are so amazing and vibrant in this film alone and it just pops out so well. Haven’t seen this in 3D but I can’t imagine it gets much better that this. The level of detail is also notable. I remember when “Monsters Inc.” came out and we saw the hairs moving on Sully and thought “Wow!” This movie improves on that 10x and just looks outstanding. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track also nails it completely. The score is amazing and the track is full and works great with the pop songs, thanks Shakira!

In terms of special features, there are some decent but short extras included here. First up, Research: A True-Life Adventure, which features the filmmakers playing in the real world in order to create this film’s characters and world. The Origin of an Animal Tale takes us through the film’s development from story to themes etc. Zoology: The Roundtables is a three-parter available with an introduction from the film’s star Ginnifer Goodwin aka Judy Hops. There are four short featurettes focusing on the film’s characters, the world created, the animation and the score as well as few Easter eggs. Lastly there is a music video for “Try Everything” by Shakira as well as a few deleted scenes and characters to check out wit intros from Rich Moore (the director).

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THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH COMIC-CON HQ
MARK HAMILL’S POP CULTURE QUEST
SET FOR FALL 2016

The stage and screen star will host and executive produce the new series with fellow Star Wars alum, Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian

SANTA MONICA, June 2, 2016 – Best known for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, Mark Hamill will bring his encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture and passion for memorabilia to Comic-Con HQ, the new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) destination that will extend the experience of San Diego Comic-Con into a year-round event.

Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest, a docu-style series featuring authentic stories about passionate fans and their collections, will be hosted and produced by Hamill. Production on the series will begin in June when he returns from shooting Star Wars VIII in the U.K. The series will debut on Comic-Con HQ this fall.

Hamill has been amassing memorabilia, including comic books, toys, lunch boxes, records, puppets, original artwork, and much more since the early 1970s. Now with Pop Culture Quest, he can share his appreciation and introduce other interesting collectors and their treasures to the Comic-Con community.

“I’ve been a collector all my life,” said Hamill. “This show is a natural outgrowth of that passion. Now I have an opportunity to collect other people’s collections! I can’t wait to see what’s out there and share it with the world. Collectibles are a living history of who and what we are, so we just might learn something…but there’s no doubt we’re going to have fun!”

Seth Laderman, EVP and General Manager, Comic-Con HQ, added, “From the moment I started talking with Mark about this idea over three years ago, his enthusiasm was infectious. It had such an impact on me that after I came to Comic-Con HQ, my first call was to him and his team about how to bring this show to our community. Passion is at the heart of all of our original series, with a goal to allow innovators like Mark the opportunity to create and bring their ideas to life. We couldn’t be happier to help Mark’s show find a home.”

Hamill will once again team with his friend and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian. Kazanjian was Executive Producer on Raiders of the Lost Ark and served as VP at Lucasfilm during the dramatic expansion of the company in the 1980s. Producer Darren Moorman, whose film Same Kind of Different as Me will be released next year, and longtime collector and vintage show promoter Scott Kinney will round out the producing team as Executive Producers on the series.

More news about upcoming programming and partnerships for Comic-Con HQ will be announced in the coming weeks. Anyone can register now for a free extended trial on Comic-ConHQ.com via web browsers and iOS/Android devices. The paid subscription service will officially roll out this summer across more connected devices and distribution platforms such as Roku, AppleTV and Amazon’s Streaming Partners Program, with additional devices becoming available in the months to come.

Starring: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin and the citizens of New York City
Directed by: Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 36 mins
IFC Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

In July 2010, New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was a firebrand on CNN, arguing it seemed for days in favor of President Obama’s healthcare plan. To supporters he was a national hero. Less than a year later he was a national disgrace.

The film picks up Weiner’s career in July 2013. Forced to resign his office after it was revealed he had texted sexually explicit messages and photos of his, umm, weiner (did you see what I did there?), he has decided to return to politics by announcing his candidacy for Mayor of New York City, something he had contemplated before his resignation. With his wife Huma by his side, he embarks on a 13-week adventure to win back the trust of his constituents and return to power. If only he could keep it in his pants.

A true “fly on the wall” documentary, “Weiner” gives the viewer almost unfettered access to the man and his campaign. What is admirable about the man is that he knows he’s going to take hits for the past. He acknowledges that and then is able to get his message out. With today’s presidential campaign taking horrible turns (with all of the mudslinging I really have no idea what ANYONE’S stand on the issues are), it is refreshing to see someone that concentrates on the message and not a sound bite. So strong and appealing here is Weiner that when other candidates bring up his past they are booed by the crowds. As the race progresses Weiner begins to lead in the polls. Things look good. Enter Carlos Danger. In the middle of the campaign more photos and texts by Weiner are revealed. At first he maintains that they are from the past and that he even noted when he resigned that other photos may surface. This story works until the woman who received the messages notes that she can’t wait to “be with” the next Mayor, who has been sexting her while using the name Carlos Danger. Because Weiner wasn’t funny enough?

It is here that the film takes ahold of you. What had been a funny (try not laughing at the various New York Post headlines that continue to run, including “He’s got Balls,” “Weiner Rises” and, my favorite, “Weiner – I’ll Stick it Out”) and possibly inspiring film about rising from the ashes becomes a bucket of cold water thrown in your face. For those who don’t follow politics, Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, is one of Hilary Clinton’s most trusted advisors. Bill Clinton actually presided over their wedding. She stood by her man during the first scandal and has actually actively canvassed for him during the Mayor’s race. She is there when the news breaks of the new texts and she seems to accept Weiner’s word that they are old. Then the word “Mayor” leaks and, in that quick instant, you can see the hurt and betrayal pass over her face. We are a witness to her pain and if feels terrible.

Needless to say, Weiner is done. He falls from first in the polls to garnering less than 5%. Now, no matter what his causes are, people are outraged at his actions. My father used to say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” and it’s the voters who fought hardest for him that are now turning on him. And here is where the real Anthony Weiner shows up. So enamored of himself that he is borderline annoying, he begins taunting those who would taunt him, assuring himself a rousing defeat, barely getting more votes than the gentleman from “The Rent is Too Damn High!” party. Which were more than he deserved. If I may be permitted to join the editors of the New York Post, in my opinion, Anthony Weiner is a dick head! (did you see what I did there?)

Starring: Andy Samberg, Imogen Poots and Bill Hader
Directed by: Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 26 mins
Universal

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

You may not know it but you are a fan of The Lonely Island. Fronted by Andy Samberg, this three-man group has created some of the most popular digital shorts for television’s “Saturday Night Live”, including “Mother Lover” and the Emmy award winning “Dick in a Box.” Hollywood has finally caught up with the trio and the result is their first motion picture, “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.”

It is a story as old as show business. A group explodes on the scene but, for some reason, only one member really grabs the spotlight. Sometimes that member refuses to let this happen. There is a great story about how the Beatles were offered a major tour when they were just starting out, with the caveat being they had to drop their then-bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. John Lennon refused. Still, when the talent rises, things change. The Supremes become “Diana Ross and the Supremes” while Destiny’s Child pretty much became Beyonce. Here the Style Boyz are soon taken over by their photogenic lead singer, Conner 4Real (Samberg). He becomes the face of the group, which includes DJ Owen and songwriter Lawrence, played respectively by co-directors/writers Taccone and Schaffer. As the two fall behind, Conner continues a Justin Bieber-like rise. His first album, entitled “Thriller, Also,” wins many awards. However, when Conner accepts credit (and ANOTHER award) for a song he didn’t write, the group dissolves. When his latest album doesn’t perform like it should, all of the stops are pulled out to ensure that Conner remains on top.

There are very few “SNL” inspired films that can sustain 90 minutes. For every “The Blues Brothers” or “Wayne’s World” that come out there are dozens of “Night at the Roxburry” and “Superstar” to contend with. “Popstar” is right in the middle. It does drag on some but Samberg’s performance is so infectious that you’re willing to let a couple slow parts go by. Part of the fun is the sheer number of musical cameos that fill the film. From Ringo Starr to Adam Levine to Seal to Snoop Dogg, I counted no less than ten musical icons that drop by. The film also satirizes “message” songs, including one that praises gay marriage while still inserting quick cuts of Conner asserting that he, himself, is not gay.

Besides Samberg, the supporting cast is also strong. It’s nice to see the other Lonely Island guys get some screen time, and it’s always nice to see some of Samberg’s former “SNL” cast mates working, including Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Jimmy Fallon and Tim Meadows. Special kudos go to Will Arnett as the “boss” who is constantly sucking on a big drink in a brilliant parody of the current “TMZ” television show. And extra credit to producer Judd Apatow, whose cameo is both brave and revealing. Conner 4Real may be hitting some hard times, but he is truly never stopping!

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