Starring: Owen Wilson, Lake Bell and Pierce Brosnan
Directed by: John Eric Dowdle
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 43 mins
The Weinstein Company

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

What do you do when your business goes under and you have to start over? For Jack Dwyer (Wilson), the answer is to move your wife (Bell) and two young daughters (Claire Geare and Sterling Jerins) to the other side of the world. Asia, we’re told – we never find out what country. When they get to their hotel, after being given a lift by a friendly fellow traveler, they are impressed to see a large banner with Jack’s photo on it, welcoming him and his fellow co-workers. Unfortunately that welcome will only last a few hours.

Brutally violent, “No Escape” keeps you on the edge of your seat as Jack leads his family in an attempt to escape what appears to be an uprising of the local population. A political assassination has triggered a mob mentality and, be it guns, clubs or a handy two-by-four, pretty much no one is safe from some kind of retribution. Wilson is probably the last person you’d expect to see as an action star, but here he lets the situation dictate his actions. He’s as timid of violence as you or I but, when his family is threatened, he slowly becomes like the people he is running from. “I killed somebody,” he almost casually tells his wife, Annie. She can only nod, having also been taken to the brink in the fight to keep her family safe. Bell is also well cast, displaying an inner toughness we haven’t seen in other films. As the mysterious “friendly” fellow traveler, Brosnan is cool as a cucumber, no matter what the situation.

Written by co-director Dowdle with his younger brother, Drew, the film captures both the anger of those causing the disturbance as well as the fear and frustration of the Dwyers. The story moves quickly, and you’re almost as breathless as those on the run when it ends.

Starring: Zac Efron, Emily Ratajkowski and Wes Bently
Directed By: Max Joseph
Rated: R
Running Time: 96 minutes
Warner Bros. Pictures

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Unlike a lot of my male cohorts, I’m willing to admit I like Zac Efron. I think he’s very talented, but he’s been stuck with fodder that simply wants him shirtless and smiling. But I’ll admit those are two qualities that go hand-in-hand with his likeability and charm that he radiates on screen. Maybe Efron’s charm was just the right amount for me to enjoy the shoddy script that inhabits “We Are Your Friends”.

Cole (Efron) is an aspiring DJ, hoping to break out in the electronic dance music scene. He’s talented, but bogged down by his gang of friends which play like a trashy version of Vincent’s from “Entourage”. Mason (Jonny Weston) acts like his scumbag manager, but only maintaining the scumbag part. As for his other two friends, Squirrel (Alex Shaffer) and Ollie (Shiloh Fernandez), they’re relegated to mop up duty as simplistic drug dealers who are occasionally called upon to shift a subplot in a different direction.

All four have their own personal dreams and goals, aspiring towards a grand life. They all appear to have delusions of grandeur, but it’s never really explained why they feel like they’re life is building towards a life of fame. Cole’s trio of friends are so underdeveloped, you sometimes wonder why Cole would bother clinging to a bunch of lowlifes. The lack of details in Cole’s gang plays in later when the movie asks you to care.

But because Cole is genuinely the only one of the group with talent, he’s the only one that seems to move forward with his aspirations as he catches the attention of an already established DJ, James (Bently). James continues to live off a couple of one hit wonders, simply playing music that caters to his inebriated audience. Seeing the chance to try something new, James becomes a mentor to Cole, but the mentor role is complicated when Cole falls in love with James’ voluptuous live-in assistant/girlfriend/sex doll, Sophie (Ratajkowski).

Most of “We Are Your Friends” is predictable. It times it comes off as cheap when it steals a lot of music biography elements, but when it wants to it manages to handle a few things differently. At a certain point, Cole is told to find his own voice instead of using other people’s music samples in his work. I’m assuming this is advice director Max Joseph was told, but unlike Cole, he can’t follow that advice. Joseph appears to pick out his favorite clichés, weaving them in. Visually though, Joseph has a wonderful style when he wants one. He turns multiple scenes into music videos while adjusting the audio levels to match blasts of music with the adrenaline and the lows of sound with the raw emotion.

The ups and downs, like the music our main characters plays, are tolerable or repulsive, depending on your age. “We Are Your Friends” is definitely a movie catered towards Millennials that appreciate EDM and the scene, much like a Baby Boomer who watches a documentary on Woodstock. So maybe Efron’s charm isn’t what has me recommending “We Are Your Friends”, but maybe it’s because of my age and because I have yet to crest outside its target audience.

Starring: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 1, 2015

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

I have been a long time fan of “The Vampire Diaries” since the first episode but since season five, I feel like it is losing me quickly with each new episode. I am tired of how they keep killing people off and then immediately bringing them back (*cough Bonnie cough*). This season is a big one for the show though since it is the final season with Nina Dobrev, the lead of the show, who is not returning for season seven. Honestly, this season was a bit shocking and definitely an improvement from the last. I am very curious now for season seven, and how they are going to continue this show without her.

Official Premise: The Vampire Diaries continues for a sixth season with delicious drama to sink your teeth into. Last season, after a passionate summer with Damon, Elena headed to Whitmore College with Caroline, not knowing Bonnie sacrificed her life for Jeremy’s. Meanwhile, Stefan and Caroline’s friendship deepened as they stood up to the Travelers, a nomadic witch tribe driven to strip Mystic Falls of magic and cast out its supernatural residents. In the shocking season finale, Damon, fearing he would lose his loved ones on the crumbling Other Side, made a huge sacrifice to bring them all back – with catastrophic and heartbreaking results. Season six follows the characters’ journey back to each other as they explore the duality of good versus evil inside themselves.

The Blu-ray comes with a Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfers are solid and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks work well with the show. The special features are decent and worth checking out if you enjoy the show. “The Vampire Diaries: Good Bite and Good Luck” is final farewell to Nina Dobrev. “The Vampire Diaries: Best.Reaction.Ever.” include fan reactions from social media to seasons important moments. There is also the “The Vampire Diaries: 2014 Comic-Con Panel” included. As well as a PSA “Come Visit Georgia”, some deleted scenes and a gag reel included.

Starring: Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Phoebe Tonkin and Charles Michael Davis
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 1, 2015

Season: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extra: 3 out of 5 stars

The first season of “The Vampire Diaries” spin off “The Originals” took some time to get started. The second season it starts to build up some steam but still doesn’t really stand alone for me. Maybe it is the supporting cast that I haven’t gotten on board with since I love the characters Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah (obviously this season is lacking Clarie Holt). Honestly, I am really losing interest in this whole “The Vampire Diaries” world lately. I really stopped watcing that show around season 5 and missed the sixth season all together. I am not sure if I plan to continue watching “The Originals” either, this season didn’t really win me over but it wasn’t terrible either. If you love these characters you will enjoy otherwise this is good for background noise.

Official Premise: As Original vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson returned to the vibrant, supernaturally charged city of New Orleans, he was stunned to learn – along with siblings Elijah and Rebekah – that Hayley, a werewolf, was pregnant with his child, and his vampire protégé, Marcel, whom the Original siblings had thought long dead, was ruling the French Quarter. Soon a bloody war escalated between vampires and witches, the stakes raised by powerful teenage witch Davina, and by Klaus’s bond with Cami, a student with a painful past, and a ruthless pack of wolves seized the opportunity to stage a violent coup. Now, in season two, a new status quo must be adjusted to, as the newly empowered werewolves control the city. Plus, Klaus struggles with weaknesses and Elijah fights to save Hayley – now a hybrid – from a vicious spiral of self-destruction.

The Blu-ray comes with a Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfers are solid and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks work well with the show. The special features are decent and worth checking out if you enjoy the show. “The Originals: Always and Forever” focuses on the cast and creators on season two. “The Awakening Web Series” takes a look into this companion series with Kol Mikaelson (Nathaniel Buzolic), also includes a behind the scenes look with the cast and creators of the digital series. there is also the “The Originals: 2014 Comic-Con Panel” included. As well as a PSA “Come Visit Georgia”, some deleted scenes and a gag reel included.

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Starring: Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware and Zachary Quinto
Directed By: Aleksander Bach
Rated: R
Running Time: 96 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 1 out of 5 Stars

The award winning videogame franchise, “Hitman”, has yet to create anything worthy of a film award, unless we want to start talking about Razzies. But I’ll concede that it’s damn near impossible to create a decent movie based on a videogame. A videogame story is easily understood because the person diving into it is ready to spend 25-40 hours with the main character, being the character, and interacting with the world the character inhabits. We have a fraction of that time in a movie. So, the idea of creating a videogame movie is an insurmountable task, but there’s no reason it should suck this much.

The perplexing story starts with a narrator giving us meaningless exposition about characters we have yet to meet and don’t care about yet. It then shows us Agent 47 (Friend). He comes after a long list of agents, biologically engineered to be uncaring killing machines, in an unexplained agent program. We watch him do what he’s been trained to do as he violently disposes of multiple people so that he can track down the whereabouts of Katia Van Dees (Ware). She is an even more mysterious person on the search for a man that she doesn’t know. In fact, she doesn’t know why she’s really searching for him or what he means to him. Hoping to get a hold of Katia before Agent 47, is John Smith (Quinto).

So who do these people work for? That’s a really great question that the movie never really answers or seems to bother itself with. Maybe Agent 47 is working for a syndicate interested in rebooting the agent program. Maybe he’s working for a world power that’s hoping to create its own agent program. Maybe he’s working for it’s a nefarious conglomerate hellbent on restarting the agent program. Simply remove Agent 47’s name from the previous questions, and put in Katia and John’s name where his is and you begin to see the problem.

What’s even more bizarre is that while it doesn’t explain what’s going on with these people, it feels really predictable when Katia and John deduce/admit who they are. Every five minutes it feels like a new person is directing the movie and there’s no clear direction or narrative in general. When the action stops, it’s dreadfully boring. But even when the killing flares up we’re simply watching these three characters interact while unnamed soldiers, police, henchmen, and guards get caught in the crossfire or become fodder for lazy kill scenes.

For being an alleged action movie, “Hitman: Agent 47” is about as entertaining as watching someone who’s watching someone play a videogame. It’s a bit morbid to say that “Hitman: Agent 47” should spruce up the joy by having fun murdering countless people, but it’s true. Watching an expressionless person kill an expressionless person followed by more expressionless reaction elicits about as much excitement in me as winning a game of solitaire in my downtime at work.

If my may indulge my nostalgia for a second…way back in 2000, I played the first “Hitman” videogame at a friend’s house. We had a blast, had our eyes glued to the screen, and talked about the game for weeks at school. We wasted hours on it and couldn’t wait to waste more on the inevitable sequels that were to follow. To those who created “Hitman: Agent 47”, you have tainted that memory with your garbage movie.

Actors: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Josh Dallas, Emile De Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue
Number of discs: 5
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Run Time: 966 minutes

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

“Once Upon a Time” is a show that has been better with each season. With the star of a new season, the series adds so many great characters into this fantasy world. ABC (aka Disney) has an endless number of characters to choose from to continue this series for quite some time. This season has been split into two halves, The Snow Queen, which mixes in the world of “Frozen” and introduces Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Kristoff to the show. The second half is the Queens of Darkness, which features a trio of villains including the return of Maleficent, and newcomers Cruella de Vil and Ursula. Other new characters introduced are the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Little Bo Peep, and Poseidon rounded out a very impressive fourth season. I can’t wait to see what they have planned for season five.

Official Premise: Soon after Emma and Hook unwittingly bring Elsa of Arendelle to Storybrooke, they encounter the mysterious Snow Queen, whose relentless obsession with both Emma and Elsa has chilling consequences. Meanwhile, it appears Regina has at last found true love with Robin Hood, but how will she react when her happy ending is thwarted yet again by a maddening twist of fate? Then, a banished Rumplestiltskin enlists the Queens of Darkness (Maleficent, Ursula, Cruella De Vil) in an insidious scheme to rewrite their own stories and corrupt the Savior by turning her newly blissful heart pitch-black.

The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive. All 23 episodes from season 4 look amazing with their 1080p transfer. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks also impressive as well. There are some decent never-before-seen bonus features included. “Defrosting Frozen” looks into the introduction from “Frozen” into the series. “Behind the Magic Tour” features Josh Dallas and Ginnifer Goodwin taking us backstage. “Three Who Stayed” focuses on the lasting three residents from Storybrooke. Lastly there are some bloopers, deleted scenes and some fun audio commentaries included rounding out this impressive release.

Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring: Paul Sorvino, Terrance Zdunich, Emilie Autumn, Adam Pascal, Marc Senter, Dayton Callie, David Hasselhoff, Tech N9ne, Briana Evigan, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
Production companies: Execution Style Entertainment/Limb from Limb Pictures
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 98 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Fa la la! It’s off to Hell we go…again! The carnival is back with a feature length sequel to 2012’s “The Devil’s Carnival”. I was a huge fan of the first film and the sequel is a great improvement on the first film. I mean who doesn’t love a horror musical?! There is definitely not enough of these available for us horror fans. Darren Lynn Bousman, who also directed the cult film “Repo! The Genetic Opera”, is back in the director chair for this sequel. “Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival” is definitely bigger and more fun than the first film. The songs are so well written and very catchy, kudos to Terrance Zdunich. You can tell that this film is a real labor of love to the fans and that everyone involved gave their all. A devilishly fun ride! A must for any genre fan!

At the end of the first film, which took place in Hell made it seem like in the second film we were going to be heading up to Heaven, as it does. We get to learn a little bit more about God (Paul Sorvino) and how he runs things up there and let’s just say that he makes the devil looks like a nice guy. Back in hell, Lucifer (Terrance Zdunich) reveals his plans to take the fight to the big guy and we get a great origin story to the character The Painted Doll, which means that the amazing Emilie Autumn takes front and center in this sequel. She is outstanding on the screen and deserves the spotlight.

Spotlight newcomers to the series include Adam Pascal, know for his role of Roger Davis in the original cast of the Broadway musical “Rent”. He is an amazing addition to the cast of this sequel. His voice is so powerful and he has such a presence in the film. Along we him, we have Kansas City born rapper, Tech N9ne, who plays the role of the The Librarian and reprises it from the sequel’s teaser back in 2013. The guy is not only a talented musician but also a great actor as well. I hope he plans to do more acting.

This horror musical also recruits a few legends including David Hasselhoff. Honestly, his character doesn’t add a lot to the film but just having The Hoff in the film is just fun. Plus I love when this guy sings! Barry Bostwick, aka Brad Majors from cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” gets to have some fun also along with some great makeup effects that almost make him unrecognizable. Ted Neeley also pops in, who is known for playing Jesus Christ in the 1973 film “Jesus Christ Superstar”. His song, “All Aboard (Everybody’s Doing the Ark)”, was my least favorite of the bunch and runs a bit too long for me. Lastly there are a bunch of original cast including Dayton Callie, Marc Senter, Briana Evigan, Bill Moseley, J. Larose, Nivek Ogre, who pop in as well to the sequel.

The film kicks off with the very intense song “Shovel and Bone” lead by Terrance Zdunich and featuring Briana Evigan. Great track but I felt like it runs a bit long as the film’s opening scene. Terrance makes up for it with his second song “After the Fall”, which is mesmerizing. “Only by Design” shows off the vocal talent of David Hasselhoff, which brought me back to seeing him on Broadway in “Jekyll & Hyde”. Even though his character could have been fleshed out a bit more, he is still classy as hell and commands that stage during this performance. Haters gonna hate, but I gotta tell you that The Hoff rules!

My favorite track is easily “Down at the Midnight Rectory” by Adam Pascal. The track has so much energy and is a blast to listen to. I love the jazzy feel to it. I was also really excited that Barry Bostwick got to show off his singing skills again with his song “The Watchword’s Hour”. Tech N9ne really scored with the track “Hitting on All Sevens”, my second favorite track in the film. Lastly I almost thought we weren’t going to get a track from Emilie Autumn but she delivers the epic “Hoof and Lap” before we close out. Each production is much bigger and these new songs easily top the first film’s music without question.

Overall, “Alleluia! The Devil’s Carnival” is well paced and works well as a feature as opposed to the original short film. I was expecting a little more from the ending but I do like the way it sets up plans for more and leaves your mouths watering. But if horror fans want to ensure that the carnival goes on then I would recommend you to check out the current road tour for this film and make sure to attend at a city near you. Click here for dates and tickets. Film’s like this can not be made without the fans support. I will be at the show in Orlando, FL, so come on down and let’s have some fun! The road tour is sure to be a blast with special guests and surprises.

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Starring: O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Corey Hawkins and Paul Giamatti
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 27 mins
Universal

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

In the movie business, timing is everything. On August 2, 1991, the film “Body Parts” opened to virtually no business. Two-weeks before the film opened, a young man’s arrest made national headlines. The young man was Jeffrey Dahmer. That was a textbook bad example.

This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Whatever your feelings are about the events that led up to Mr. Brown’s death, you can’t deny the fact that there is a large discourse in this country among young African-Americans and law enforcement. This isn’t something new. Almost a quarter-century ago this nation had the same problems, brought to a head by the videotaped beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles. The acquittal of the four policemen involved brought about the same reactions we are seeing today. It was this injustice, and many before it, that helped inspire a new kind of hip-hop music, referred to as “gangsta rap.” And when it came to the best of the best, you only had to watch the news and you quickly learned of N.W.A.

“Straight Outta Compton” tells the story of the group that took its life experiences, both good and bad, put them on its shoulder and told the people what was going on their world. Led by Ice Cube (Jackson) and Dr. Dre (Hawkins), the group went on to inform a nation that things needed to change. The film follows the group from earnest beginnings to the in-fighting and disagreements that follow. Along the way, the group meets two very different people with two very different ideas. First up is Jerry Heller, a white record producer who recognizes the group’s talent and promotes them. The second is Suge Knight, a hulk of a man who also wants a piece of the pie.

What makes the film so good is that this is not some tepid screen biography. With Ice Cube and Dr. Dre working behind the scenes, nothing is left out. This is N.W.A., bruises and all. The cast is outstanding, with (try to follow me here) O’Shea Jackson, Jr. playing his father, O’Shea Jackson, better known as Ice Cube. He captures the anger that is constantly bubbling just under the surface, as well as the fun sense of humor that Ice Cube often displays in interviews. As Dr. Dre, Corey Hawkins gives the most layered performance. It is his beats that propel the group to the top and his beats that led him to the place in the world he occupies today. Another stand-out is Jason Mitchell as money-man/reluctant rapper Eazy-E. Giamatti is strong as is R. Marcos Taylor, who makes Suge Knight so scary I found it hard not to squirm in my seat every time he came on screen.

Director Gray, a veteran of music videos, gives the film a slick, powerful look. It’s an outstanding achievement, putting it on my short list of the year’s best films.

And, of course, there is the music. It was the soundtrack of a turbulent time almost thirty years ago. Sadly, in some areas, those times haven’t changed.

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Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer and Hugh Grant
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 56 mins
Warner Bros.

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

As a young boy growing up in the 1960s I learned very quickly that the Catholic school system frowned on popular culture. Two times during my second grade year I was sent to the office. The first time came after I was scolded several times for playing the tambourine in music class off of my hip, like Davy Jones did on “The Monkees.” The second was when I held my pen to my mouth and commanded in a loud voice, “Open Channel D,” just like Napoleon Solo did each week on “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” Of course, I should have known better. As Whoopi Goldberg pointed out in “Ghost,” nuns can’t even buy underwear so why should they have a sense of humor?

It’s the start of the Cold War. An evil villain has obtained the ability to make an atom bomb. In an unprecedented move, the C.I.A. and the KGB agree to team up their two best agents: Napoleon Solo (Cavill) and Illya Kuryakin. Like the relationship between their respective countries, the two are wary of each other. But orders are orders.

A straight-forward action film that owes its look to James Bond (“Bond” creator Ian Fleming actually helped create the original television program, which was initially titled “Ian Fleming’s SOLO), Matt Helms and a plethora of spy films that came before it, “U.N.C.L.E.” works thanks to its cast and the steady hand of director Guy Ritchie. Englishman Cavill is spot on as Solo, so much so that I’m sure somewhere Robert Vaughn is smiling. Hammer is equally enjoyable as the easily-angered Russian. Hammer was pretty much lost in the crowd in the box-office fiasco that was “The Lone Ranger” and it’s nice to see him inhabit a character completely and confidently.

The set pieces are beautifully photographed and the action unfolds smoothly. If you’re expecting the kinetic editing tricks Ritchie used in the “Sherlock Holmes” films, prepare to be surprised. Long-time fans of the series may quibble a bit with the back-story given Solo. They may also be a step or two ahead of the script when Hugh Grant is introduced as Mr. Waverly. That being said, neither of those facts kept this fan from enjoying the film immensely.

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Studio: Cartoon Network
DVD Release Date: July 14, 2015
Run Time: 561 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Adventure Time” continues to be one of my favorite shows on Cartoon Network. The show is so inventive and plain out weird as hell. It has creativity slipping out from every scene. The colors are so rich and trippy. There is never an episode that doesn’t make me laugh out of loud yet at the same time a little freaked out. The fifth season is easily one of the best season’s to date as well. I love how the each episode of the show is able to be watched individually yet hardcore fans are able to appreciate the season’s continuity. I can’t get enough of this show…period!

Official Premise: Are you a Jake fan? Great! Because Season 5 has a ridiculous amount of momentous Jake moments!! Like when he became Jake the Dad. That time he tracked down Jake Jr.’s kidnapper (sort of). Who can forget the masterpiece that is his Most Delicious Sandwich?! And he shares these moments with his best bro Finn and friends in a total of 52 episodes, all for you!

Here is a full list of episodes: 1. Finn the Human, 2. Jake the Dog, 3. Five More Short Graybles, 4. Up a Tree, 5. All the Little People, 6. Jake the Dad, 7. Davey, 8. Mystery Dungeon, 9. All Your Fault, 10. Little Dude, 11. Bad Little Boy, 12. Vault of Bones 13. The Great Bird Man, 14. Simon and Marcy, 15. A Glitch Is a Glitch, 16. Puhoy, 17. BMO Lost, 18. Princess Potluck, 19. James Baxter the Horse, 20. Shh!, 21. The Suitor, 22. The Party’s Over, Isla de Señorita, 23. One Last Job, 24. Another Five More Short Graybles, 25. Candy Streets, 26. Wizards Only, Fools

Episodes Continued… 27. Jake Suit, 28. Be More, 29. Sky Witch, 30. Frost & Fire, 31. Too Old, 32. Earth & Water, 33. Time Sandwich, 34. The Vault, 35. Love Games, 36. Dungeon Train, 37. The Box Prince, 38. Red Starved, 39. We Fixed a Truck, 40. Play Date, 41. The Pit, 42. James, 43. Root Beer Guy, 44. Apple Wedding, 45. Blade of Grass, 46. Rattleballs, 47. The Red Throne, 48. Betty, 49. Bad Timing, 50. Lemonhope (1), 51. Lemonhope (2), 52. Billy’s Bucket List

If you are an “Adventure Time” fan then this a set is awesome because it features a whopping 52 episodes as listed above. That adds up to nearly 600 minutes of cartoon genius. The 1080p transfer looks awesome and really impresses on Blu-ray. There are two main downfalls to this Blu-ray though. The first is the audio track, which only boasts a poor Dolby Digital 2.0 track, which is barely DVD quality. The “Adventure Time” Blu-rays have all been the same with this feature and even though it sounds ok, we deserve better. The other is that that the only special feature included though is an exclusive Behind the Scenes featurette, which is cool but I would love some commentary for sure.

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Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh, Sufe Bradshaw, Kevin Dunn, Gary Cole
Rating: TV-MA
Studio: HBO
Release Date: July 20, 2015

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

Normally, I would never find myself watching a political satire like “Veep” but I am so glad that I have since it is easily one of the best shows on TV right now. It is not only smart but hysterical at the same time. This show has been developed so well over its run and in it’s fourth season it is the best that it has been to date. The characters are fleshed out so well and only getting better. Can’t wait for season five to start!

Official Premise: Having become president after her predecessor stepped down, it remains to be seen whether Selina Meyer’s team will outlast that of America’s shortest-serving president, William Henry Harrison. With the stakes for Selina and her team higher than ever before, she must still run for election, and in the weeks to come they will grapple with how to make her seem “presidential.”

So since we are reviewing this season for digital HD, which was available since July 20th, there are still a good amount of special features included. Like the also recently released season for Silicon Valley, only thing missing that I would like would be commentary tracks. Included are two featurettes, exclusive, never-before-seen deleted scenes and a trailer. “Great Debates” includes some very funny moments from the season. “Invitation to the Set” features Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the cast previewing the season.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Sofía Vergara, Michael Mosley, Robert Kazinsky, Matthew Del Negro, John Carroll Lynch
Director: Anne Fletcher
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Run Time: 87 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Hot Pursuit” is literally an embarrassment of a film. It is sad to say that this film stars Academy Award® winner actress Reese Witherspoon (“Walk the Line,” “Legally Blonde”) and Sofía Vergara, who won be over in “Chef” last year, completely lost me after this disaster. Even running less than 90 minutes, this film is painful to watch. Stay away from this unless have absolutely nothing better to do…and then still stay away.

Official Premise: In Hot Pursuit, an uptight and by-the-book cop (Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas, pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen. The film is directed by Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) from a screenplay written by David Feeney (TV’s New Girl) and John Quaintance (TV’s Ben & Kate).

Warner Bros is delivering this film as a combo pack. The 1080p transfer is good enough and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround works as well for the action that’s here. The extras are nothing special either with three features included. “The Womance” looks into Reese and Sofía’s team-up. “Say What?” has the actresses trying to speak each others languages. “Action Like A Lady” is an action montage. Lastly there is an Alternate Ending included.

Own “Hot Pursuit” on Blu-ray Combo Pack or DVD August 11th or Own it Early on Digital HD July 28th

Actors: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Felicity Jones, Ethan Suplee
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: August 4, 2015
Run Time: 99 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Honestly, have heard much about the film “True Story” but what a cast it boasts with James Franco, Jonah Hill and Felicity Jones. There is some major talent in here. I am shocked this film didn’t get more play time with the cast alone. Props to both Franco and Hill for taking the drama route. They definitely nail it. Worth checking out for performances alone.

Official Premise: After journalist Michael Finkel (Hill) is fired from The New York Times for embellishing a story, he learns that accused murderer Christian Longo (Franco) has been claiming to be him. Hoping this story will save his career, Finkel begins interviewing Longo in prison. But soon, the men find themselves in an eerie game of cat and mouse.

The special features included on this disc are decent, including over 15 minutes of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Rupert Goold. There are four production featurettes looking behind-the-scenes and into the true story of the film. There is an audio commentary with director Rupert Goold, discussing the film and his first time directing. Lastly there is a gallery and trailer included.

Actors: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Octavia Spencer, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller
Directors: Robert Schwente
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Run Time: 119 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Divergent Series” is really not one of my favorite franchises in Hollywood right now. The first film was rather painful to watch, the sequel is a bit more entertaining. I do believe that Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars, The Descendants) is quite awesome though and definitely a really talent actress (but a girls gotta make a buck I guess). There is more action in this and I am sure it looks cool in 3D (thought not reviewed here) but still lacks the compelling story and drive to keep the audience interested. But I guess we still have two more films in this franchise left to try and make a good film.

Along with co-star Theo James (Underworld: Awakening), this film does back a solid co-starring cast including Octavia Spencer (The Help), Jai Courtney (Terminator: Genesis), Ray Stevenson (Thor), Zoe Kravitz (Mad Max: Fury Road), Miles Teller (The Fantastic Four), Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars, Carrie), Maggie Q (TV’s “Nikita”), Mekhi Phifer (Showtime’s “House of Lies”), Daniel Dae Kim (TV’s “Hawaii Five-O”), Ashley Judd (Double Jeopardy), Naomi Watts (King Kong) and Kate Winslet (Titanic)…too bad it can’t translate this film.

Official Premise: Based on Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times best-selling novel Insurgent, The Divergent Series: Insurgent raises the stakes for Tris (Woodley) as she searches for answers and allies in this star-powered, action-packed second installment of the Divergent series. On the run and targeted by ruthless faction leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet), Tris fights to protect the people she loves, facing one impossible challenge after another as she and Four (James) race to unlock the truth about the past—and ultimately the future—of their world.

Lionsgate is releasing the film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + Digital HD. Even though the film is not great, the Blu-ray is very impressive. The 1080p transfer is really solid and the CGI looks sharp. I am curious to check this out in 3D since the virtual reality scenes could be cool. The audio track is also impressive boosting a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which does rock with the action and Joseph Trapanese’s score. If your system can’t support Atmos, it will convert till Dolby TrueHD 7.1, which does sound amazing still.

The special features are actually quite impressive even though it kicks off with a lacking audio commentary with Producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher. Not a super chatty piece but decent. The save grace is a kick-ass feature extra “Insurgent Unlocked: The Ultimate Behind-the-Scenes Access”, which has picture in picture options and bunch of production featurettes. “From Divergent to Insurgent” features cast and crew interviews. “The Others: Cast and Characters” focuses more on the characters. “Anatomy of a Scene: The Train Fight” looks into this film. “The Peter Hayes Story” looks into Miles Teller’s character. Lastly “Divergent: Adapting Insurgent to the Screen” features some more interviews and behind the scenes footage.

Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Run Time: 79 minutes

Shorts: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

We all know that everyone buying this Blu-ray would be mostly for “Frozen Fever”, one of Disney’s biggest hits ever. Honestly, it is an amazing short and we have easily watched it ten times already. The new song is easily one of the best song Disney has ever created. Other than “Frozen Fever”, this Blu-ray contains two never before released on video shorts including “Tick Tock Tale”, and “Lorenzo”. “Paperman” is one of my favorite shorts…probably ever, same goes for “Tangled Ever After”, which is full of laughs and “Feast”, which definitely gets a smile on your face. I can easily watch this shorts over and over.

Official Premise: From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes an extraordinary new collection of award-winning and beloved short films featuring Disney’s Frozen Fever, starring Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff, and the Oscar®-nominated Lorenzo (Best Animated Short, 2004). The Short Films Collection includes contemporary shorts starring classic characters, such as the groundbreaking 2013 Mickey Mouse cartoon, Get A Horse! And the holiday treat Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa, as well as celebrated Oscar winners Paperman (2012) and Feast (2014). Enjoy them together for the first time in this must-own collection with all-new extras including an inside look at the Disney Animation shorts, featuring introductions and interviews with the acclaimed filmmakers themselves.

Here are the complete list of the short films included: “Frozen Fever” (2015), originally premiered with “Cinderella”; “Feast” (2014), originally premiered with “Big Hero 6”. “Get A Horse!” (2013), originally premiered with “Frozen”; “Paperman” (2012), originally premiered with “Wreck it Ralph”; “Tangled Ever After” (2012), originally premiered with “Beauty and the Beast 3D”; “The Ballad of Nessie” (2011), originally premiered with “Winnie the Pooh”; “Tick Tock Tale (2010)”, previously unreleased; “Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa” (2010), originally premiered on ABC TV; “How to Hook Up Your Home Theater” (2007), originally premiered with “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”; “The Little Matchgirl” (2006), originally premiered with “The Little Mermaid Platinum Edition DVD”; Lorenzo (2004), originally premiered with “Raising Helen”; and lastly “John Henry” (2000), originally premiered in “Disney’s American Legends”.

Disney delivered a great release with a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD and digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is flawless as expected from Disney. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track is also amazing especially with Paperman’s score and Frozen Fever’s song. There are a few bonus features for nothing great. There are intros from the filmmakers before each short but they are like 30 seconds each and don’t give much info at all. There is also an interview with “Big Hero 6” star T.J. Miller. Lastly there is a final short film, “Runaway Brain” starring Mickey Mouse…but it is only available online using the Disney Movies Anywhere app or website.