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DVD Review “Check It Out with Dr. Steve Brule: Season 1 & 2”

Actors: John C. Reilly, Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Carol Kraft, Doug Foster
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Cartoon Network
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Run Time: 132 minutes

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

I am a fun fan of anything that comes out of the mind of the comedy duo Tim and Eric from “Tom Goes to the Mayor” to “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”. So I understand their rare brand of comedy and obviously this is not for everyone. John C. Reilly is total gold playing Dr. Steve Brule. “Check It Out with Dr. Steve Brule” is a fantastic spin-off from the madness that was created by Tim and Eric. The show itself is even more awkward that its predecessors but it works…oh so well. I recommend this show very highly…for your health! Where’s season three Adult Swim?

“Check It Out” Season 1 and 2 includes all 12 episodes from the series. It is a parody of a local market’s news magazine show starring Oscar-nominee John C. Reilly as Dr. Steve Brule. Each week our host Dr. Brule will introduce his audiences to local celebrities and interesting things around town as well as providing health and lifestyle tips. Produced by John C. Reilly ands Absolutely Productions.

I was hoping for some great special features here but they are most M.I.A. The only present extras are some deleted and extended scenes. They are a nice continuous of the show but I feel like they could have done so much more. I would have loved to seen some commentary tracks from Dr. Steve Brule and maybe even Jan and Wayne Skylar all in character. But nonetheless, this DVD is a must purchase for all fans of Tim and Eric’s work and those looking to see Reilly in one of his most zaniest and funniest performances.

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Blu-ray Review “Persona 4: The Animation, Collection 1”

Directed by: Seiji Kishi
Distributed by: Sentai Filmworks
Rated: Unrated
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Run Time: 300 minutes

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

After spending countless hours playing my PlayStation 2 copy of “Persona 4”. I knew that I was dying for more “Persona”. When I heard there was an Anime of the show being released in the US and dubbed, I was all over that. This show is everything I could have wanted and more it really captures the essence of the franchise. All I can ask is…where is part 2? You got that Sentai?

When Yu Narukami moves to the country town and looking for the peace and quiet change that is not available from being in the big city. When he start’s realizing that his uncle’s job as a police detective begins to spill over into his own life. He is finding that the murders that are occurring across town are somehow linked to Yu’s own experiences. Together with a new group of friends, Yu must plunge into a bizarre alternate reality where he gains unique abilities that will either help him solve the riddle of the mystery killer, or lead him to his doom.

The Blu-ray presentation is top-notch. The animation looks beautiful and crisp with its 1080p transfers. The audio track is also decent even though it is only DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. It still manages to deliver the goods. The main issue with the audio is that there is no original Japanese language track (not the fault of Sentai though), which is sure to upset many fans (not me though).

The special features included on this set are slim but worth checking out for sure. I should first point out that the Japanese edition of this collection included commentaries that are not found on this release. There is an episode 1 director’s cut and on-air versions included. There are also clean opening and closing animation sequences. Lastly, there are trailers for other great Sentai titles.

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Blu-ray Review “Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season One”

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.

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DVD Review “Iron Man: Armored Adventures – Season 2, Volume 1”

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Vivendi Entertainment
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Episodes: 6
Running Time: 141 minutes

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

This show does not work on any level at all. I am a big fan of the character “Iron Man” but this is a waste of time for any real Marvel fan. It will surely entertain young kids, who only do not know any better. The 3D CGI toon doesn’t even look good. It’s animation looks to date back to the days of “ReBoot”. I have a love of the simple hand drawn look of other Marvel shows like “The Super Hero Squad Show”.

This series also focuses on a younger (still cocky) Tony Stark, at the age of 16. It is a look inside early Stark’s life acting as heir of the billion-dollar corporation Stark International. Though he is already sporting the famous iron suit and friends with teenage version of Pepper Potts (who is incredibly annoying in this series). Season two focuses on Tony and his friend fighting to keep control of Stark International. They fight evil who seek to steal the suit and team up with rivals like Black Panther.

When the first season of “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” was released on DVD, it was presented as a complete series with a total of 26 episodes. Now for season two, they have decided to release them in 6 episode intervals. I am not a fan of this decision, it seems like a way to cash in the recent explosion of “The Avengers”. And they seemed like they didn’t want to wait for season two to be completed. The episodes included are: “The Invisible Iron Man Part 1: Disassembled!”, “The Invisible Iron Man Part 2: Reborn!”, “Look into the Light”, “Ghost in the Machine”, “Armor Wars” and “Line of Fire”.

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DVD Review “Eagleheart: Season 1”

Directors: Jason Woliner, Eric Appel, Jay Karas
Starring: Chris Elliot, Maria Thayer, Brett Gelman
Distributed by Adult Swim
Running Time: 134 minutes

Season 1: 4 out of 5 stars
Extra: 4 out of 5 stars

“Eagleheart: Season 1” tells the story of bumbling U.S. Marshall Chris Monsanto (Chris Elliot) and his equally incompetent partners Susie Wagner (Maria Thayer) and Brett Mobley (Brett Gelman). Together the three carry out justice in a way that can only be found in a show produced by Conan O’Brien and shown on Adult Swim. Filled with slapstick humor, gore and the occasional parody “Eagleheart: Season 1” delivers.

The cast and crew involved with this show have a real top notch product on their hands. Even though most of the 12 episodes included in season 1 clock in at just under 15 minutes each episode is packed full of pure goodness. Chris Elliot and crew turn in some hysterical performances while the special effects department appears to be at the top of their game providing a number of over the top blood filled explosions. It was hard to pick just a few episodes to focus on for my review as I truly enjoyed them all. I found Brett Gelman to be the unsung hero of the show and even though his lines were somewhat limited the ones he did have were nothing but side splittingly funny. Maria Thayer does a good job as the somewhat confused voice of reason that only further compliments Elliot and Gelman throughout each episode.

The Special Features portion of the DVD had everything you could ask for in a Special Features section. Deleted scenes, commentary tracks and a kill reel are just a few of the things found in this section. My personal favorite was the scenes of the unaired pilot which feature a much different storyline coupled with an appearance from Conan O’Brien. If you are a fan of gore filled comedic police dramas then you will surely want to pick up a copy of “Eagleheart: Season 1”.

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DVD Review “Merrell Fankhauser’s ‘Best Of Tiki Lounge’ Volumes 1 & 2”

Starring: Merrell Fankhauser
Best Of Tiki Lounge Volumes 1 & 2
Distributed by: Gonzo MultiMedia
1 DVD, 1 CD / Per Volume
DVD Running Time: 180 minutes / Per Volume
CD Running Time: 40 minutes / Per Volume

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Surf music legend Merrell Fankhauser has released two volume DVD’s with his ‘Best Of Tiki Lounge’. Tiki Lounge is Fankhauser’s TV show and each volume contains three-hours for some of the best episodes of the series. The DVD’s really scream 90’s production, they are really low quality including the menus. Obviously this was self-produced, so I will give it some leeway. The interviews are definitely dated as well especially since these episodes aired along time ago. Fans of Fankhauser though will enjoy the flashback to that period and his music with many cool guest stars.

Merrell Fankhauser is known best for being on the main innovators of surf music and psychedelic folk rock. He was also the leader of the instrumental surf group The Impacts who had the international hit “Wipeout”. Merrell’s credits include over 250 songs published and released. The first volume includes the following episode content “Instrumental Surf Show”, “Merrell Fankhauser and Friends”, “Fast Cars and Rock and Roll”, “In Concert with Willie Nelson and Friends”. “Show with the Stars from the 50’s and 60’s” and “Spirit Tribute”. The second volume includes the following episode content “Road to Oregon”, “Nevada Desert Show (UFO Special)”, “A Night of Classic Rock”, “Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs”, “Rhino Event: L.A. Nugget’s Release”, “Fourth of July Show”.

The first volume is definitely my favorite of the two. I am not a big fan of his UFO inspired work. I do enjoy his surf music though quite a bit. The DVD quality of the programs are very home video recordings but again, I am really listening for the music so I can give a little bit back. Also these programs are from the 90’s, so there was obviously no high definition recording. If each three hours volume DVD is not enough for you, the package also includes a 40-minute audio CD that has music from the Tiki Lounge program.

Tiki Lounge Volume 1 CD Tracks: 1. Tiki Lounge , 2. We Love Tikis , 3. Island Life , 4. Excited , 5. Race Night , 6. Stolen Guitar Blues , 7. Since I Don’t Have You , 8. Magic Chorus Line , 9. Lucille , 10. Dont Give Up The Rock .
Tiki Lounge Volume 2 CD Tracks: 1. Show 1 – Road Trip to Oregon , 2. Show 2 – Nevada Desert Show (UFO Special) , 3. Show 3 – Merrell Fankhauser and Friends: A Night of Classic Rock , 4. Show 4 – Mary Ramsey of ‘10,000 Maniacs’ , 5. Show 5 – Rhino Event For The Release of ‘Where The Action Is! L.A. Nuggets 1965-1968’ , 6. Show 6 – 2010 Fourth of July Show .

To purchase Merrell Fankhauser ‘Best Of Tiki Lounge’ DVDs www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/15360

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DVD Review “The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: Season 1, Volume 2”

Created by: Doug Wildey
Directed by: Mike Milo
Starring: J. D. Roth, Michael Benyaer, Jesse Douglas, George Segal, Robert Patrick, Frank Welker, Quinton Flynn, Rob Paulsen, Jennifer Hale, John de Lancie
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Running Time: 286 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

If you are a boy and love cartoons, who doesn’t love Jonny Quest, seriously. It has adventure, action and plenty of thrill, especially for a cartoon. This series is revival of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera Jonny Quest franchise. It aired from 96-97, with only a mere 52 episodes produced. It does not pack the same thrill though that the original series had. This reinvention is more the “high-tech” upgrade of the series. Fans of the original Hanna-Barbera (like myself) might want to remember this franchise more like the original series, though this is not terrible overall.

This series still contains adventures with Jonny Quest, Hadji Singh, and Jessie Bannon as they follow Dr. Benton Quest and bodyguard Race Bannon to investigate strange phenomena, legends, and mysteries. This is where it differs a little bit, some of the action in this series takes place in the virtual realm of QuestWorld, which is 3D cyberspace land. So the series, takes a leap into CG but falls a little short. The late 90’s were a time in animation, where CGI was trying to make it’s presence known but was still a little premature.

In this volume two of episodes, it contains the next 13 episodes completing the first season…finally. Warner released the first thirteen episodes in volume 1 all the way back in February 2009. So fans had to hold their breath for a long time for this one. Luckily, Warner Archive Collection is great with releasing archive cartoon series but I am not sure how long fans are going to have to wait before the second season of 26 episodes is released.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: Season 1, Volume 2 is now available from Warner Archive at http://bit.ly/GXOb0F

Synopsis: Team Quest is Back! In this pulse-pounding second volume, The Real Adventures reinvention of the classic animated adventure series Jonny Quest continues. Jonny, scientist father Benton Quest, bodyguard Race Bannon, paranormal pal Hadji and Race’s daughter Jessie, unravel mysteries and uncover strange phenomena while criss-crossing the globe. The scientific secrets of the dazzling virtual reality domain known as Questworld (rendered in CG sequences that broke ground for the era’s TV animation) receive the full Team Quest treatment as well in this 2-Disc Collection of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Season One’s second 13-Episodes. Strap in for suspense and thrills! Special Feature: “Journey into Questworld.”

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DVD Review “Delocated: Season 1 & 2”

Created by: Jon Glaser
Starring: Jon Glaser, Jacob Kogan, Nadia Dajani, Eugene Mirman, Kevin Dorff, Zoe Lister-Jones, Mather Zickel
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Episodes: 19
Rated: Not Rated
Running Time: 347 minutes

Season 1 & 2: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Jon Glaser, creator/writer/star of “Delocated” has created one hell of funny gem with this show. The show focuses around a family that is in the Witness Protection Program that gets their own reality show. It is not just that though…they have to wear ski masks and voice changes patches to hide their identity . It only gets funny from there as they are being tracked down by the Russian mob, who also end of getting a reality show. The show is packed with great co-stars and delivers many laughs in each episode. With season three right around the corner, this is a great chance to catch up on seasons 1 and 2 of the series.

In season 1, each episode clocked in at 11 minutes each but in season two it was upgraded to 22 minutes. I feel that the show definitely was improved during season two with the extended length. Episodes from Season 1: Pilot, “Bar Mitzvah”, “Good Buds”, “Rage Cage”, “The Soother”, “Member’s Only”, and “Sick Of It”; Season 2: “Decoys”, “Conversion”, “Dog Mayor”, “Mixer”, “Jon He Does It”, “Mole”, “Kim’s Krafts”, “‘Fidence”, “Tap”, “RV B&B”, “David’s Girlfriend” and “Coma”. Season two definitely has the best co-stars like Mather Zickel as Jon’s bodyguard Federal Agent, Eugene Mirman as the Russian hit man Yvgeny Mirminsky and Jerry Minor playing the show’s executive producer Mighty Joe Jon: The Black Blond. Yes, BTW that is what he is called the whole season. Just don’t grow too attached to each character since they are not afraid of killing anyone off and replace them instantly. Which only adds to the laughs!

The special features include two commentary tracks from Glaser on the first disc. The second disc includes about ten minutes of deleted scenes and about 25 minutes of outtakes. I am a big fan of outtakes and this one definitely takes the cake. It sure does look like filming was a ton of fun. There are two flip books included with include some great behind the scenes and production stills. There is also Glaser’s demo that he used to pitch the show to the studio. It was cool to get to check that out especially since the show’s format was slightly different. Overall if you enjoyed the show, you should race over to the special features for more of the same greatness from the show.

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DVD Review “Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Season 1, Part 2”

Created by: Joe Ruby and Ken Spears
Directed by: Victor Cook
Voices of: Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Grey DeLisle, Mindy Cohn, Gary Cole, Patrick Warburton, Lewis Black
Studio: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Episodes: 14
Running Time: 311 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Finally WB’s listens to its fans and gives us more episodes. The last “Scooby Doo” DVD release only included 4 episodes, this one includes a packed 14 episodes spread over two discs and completes the first season of this great series revival. Of course these episodes include great notable voice work from Patrick Warburton as Sheriff Bronson Stone, Gary Cole as Mayor Fredrick Jones Sr., Vivica A. Fox as Angel Dynamite, Udo Kier as Professor Pericles and Linda Cardellini, who played Velma in the two live action theatrical films, as Hot Dog Water. I mean I could go on for paragraphs listing the amazing talent in this series. Overall fans of old “Scooby Doo” give this a shot and it is definitely a no-brainer for kids.

The remaining episodes in season one continues to follow the mystery of The Crystal Cove Curse. They even go into Fred and Velma getting married, which is really cool to see that dynamic in the series. During their mysteries, they have come across secrets about the original Mystery Incorporated group. They need to solve their mystery fast before they face the same fate. These episodes also make great homage and reference to the following: H.P. Lovecraft., Jonah Hex, Jonny Quest and Vincent Price. They also include great cameos from Hanna-Barbara characters like Jabberjaw and The Flintstones. All-in-all great episodes to close a great season! Can’t wait to see what they have in store for season two.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Crystal Cove Curse available on DVD 1/14 at http://bit.ly/AbtsdB!

The adventures of a talking dog and his four human pals as they try to unravel the strange and haunted history of their hometown. The tone is comedic, but it will never lose the edge that our heroes are in some frightening situations. The stakes are real. Now you can see the second 14 episodes of Season 1 together in this set.

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DVD Review “Mad: Season 1, Pt. 2”

Created by: Kevin Shinick
Starring: Kevin Shinick, Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf, Rachel Ramras, Gary Anthony Williams
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Episodes: 13
Running Time: 146 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

This DVD release included the second half of “Mad”, from episodes 14-26. I have to say that this show works best because it is only 11 minutes per episode. We all grew up reading the “Mad” magazine (or at least I did) but who actually reads magazines anymore. Since “Mad TV” ended a few years ago, Cartoon Network decided to make the decision to create an animated series. It uses all different types of animated style, which is actually interested instead of just one format. Some of the jokes are fun, nothing really laugh out loud but still funny.

There is no pop-culture safe from this TV series…music, movies, TV or sports. This show spoof everything on this episodes included “Pokemon”, “The A-Team”, “Smallville”, “The Big Bang Theory” (my favorite), they also spoof every Marvel character in their catalog and of course “Twilight”, obviously. Another favorite of mine is mash-up of “Source Code” and “Star Wars”, titled …get ready…”Force Code”. There is also classic “Mad” spots like Spy vs. Spy, which are still relevant and gives a few laughs. Season two of this show has already be airing, so expect season two DVDs soon. If you like pop-culture spoof, then you will really enjoy this show.

“Mad: Season 1, Pt. 2” available on DVD 1/17 at http://bit.ly/zZ2bJM

Synopsis: Watch the second half of MAD season 1, the new animated sketch-comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation, is inspired by the iconic MAD magazine, a twisted mix of humor and animation styles pulls back the curtain and exposes the sordid truth behind movies, TV shows, games and ~ of course ~ curtains. This is not a typical animation show, MAD magazine comes to life in this satirical animated sketch show. Each episode is a collection of animated parodies of movies, games, TV shows, celebrities, and other media using various types of animation

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DVD Review “An Idiot Abroad: Series 1”

Directed by: Krishnendu Majumdar, Luke Campbell
Starring: Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Distributed by: BBC Worldwide Americas, Inc.
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
No. of episodes: 8
Running Time: 347 minutes

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

Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington are just such a great team. They could sit in a white room and they could make it funny. In this series, they decide to send Karl Pilkington all over the world and have him experience different cultures. Karl Pilkington is just so clueless and over the top funny. Whether or not he is joking is meaningless since almost every word out of his mouth is magic. Ricky Gervais’ laugh is also infectious. He just cracks you up every time if you don’t find it funny. A friend of mine suggested that his laugh should be a ringtone and I couldn’t agree more.

In this first series of 8 episodes called: “The Seven Wonders”, Karl gets sent to the following places: China, India, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Egypt, Brazil and Peru. In China, he visit the Great Wall of China. In India, he visits the Taj Mahal. Episode 3, while in Israel we see Karl visit a few places like East Jerusalem for the Western Wall, the Palestinian territories Bethlehem, The Dead Sea and Petra in Jordan. In Mexico he explores Chichen Itza, the city built by the Maya civilization. In Egypt he visits the Great Pyramid of Giza. In Brazil he meets the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Lastly in Peru, he visits the 15th-century Inca site, Machu Picchu.

I think the special features are a little lacking but overall still decent if you are a fan of the trio. “The Preview Show” has a sit down with the group and it definitely get a few laughs. There are about 8 deleted scenes totaling about 15 minutes, which are great. Then the only extra left is a 3 minute slideshow of stills. I would have loved to have more hands on features from Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington and perhaps some commentaries or featurettes. I wish this was also released on Blu-ray in the States. I know for sure that I am really looking forward to season two.

An Idiot Abroad: Season 1 now available on DVD at http://bit.ly/zQOTWr!
With friends like these, you’d be better off alone! In this hilarious travel series the co-creators of The Office and Extras, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, send their mate Karl Pilkington (The Ricky Gervais Show) around the globe- against his will-to visit the Seven Wonders of the World. Along the way he’s forced to endure camel rides, dine on toads, search for a clean bathroom and worse!

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Film Review “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 1”

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner
Directed by: Bill Condon
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 57 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It would be easy to dismiss the “Twilight” film series as nothing more than a series of chick-flicks with a few monsters thrown in for the guys. But that would do the films a great injustice. Yes, they ARE a series of chick-flicks with a few monsters thrown in, but when you get past the romance you have a pretty interesting story.

As the opening credits end, we are met by Jacob (Lautner), angrily running off. Seems the mailman has brought him an invite to the wedding of the season in rustic Forks, Washington. Jacob’s best friend, Bella (Stewart) is to be wed to tan-deprived Edward (Pattinson) and he’s not very happy with the news. Edward himself is reluctant. Not that he doesn’t love Bella. It’s just that, for them to have children, it would help if she, too, became a vampire. Despite several bad omens telling her “no,” Bella and Edward walk down the aisle, then head off on the honeymoon of a lifetime. (I guess you could say an “after” life time). But love is not a guarantee of happiness.

The fourth film in the popular series (with a final film coming next year), “TBD-1” is smartly directed by Bill Condon (“Gods and Monsters,” “Dreamgirls”) in a straight forward manner that keeps the film from bogging down in its last act. Helping keep the film moving is the outstanding camera work of cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, who has shot some of Guillermo del Toro’s best work. The story should be familiar to “Twilight” fans. Not having read the books I don’t know if this last chapter could have been told in one film. The final 30 mins are padded with constant shots of a weakened Bella, her swollen belly and intermittent glances from Edward and Jacob.

The cast have obviously become comfortable in their roles, yet are strong enough to not appear lazy. With not a lot to do towards the end of the film but look worried, Pattinson and Lautner could have easily dialed their performances in. That they didn’t is a testament to Condon’s direction. Stewart gets the lion’s share of the dramatics here. Carrying a demon child can’t be healthy for anyone, but it really takes its toll on Bella. Highest marks to the make up people who turned the vibrant Stewart into a sickly, emaciated martyr-to-be. Both male leads are also comfortable in their skins, though it would be nice if Lautner didn’t squint so much. Speaking of skins, I’m not sure what the over/under was in Vegas but it takes approximately eight seconds into the film before Lautner takes his shirt off. The supporting cast earns their pay. It is their story that is the most interesting, especially the blood-sucking Cullen Family. Perhaps after the next film the producers can focus attention on them and give them their own movie. Peter Facinelli is strong as the patriarch of the family. In a recent interview I did with him I commented on how much I always thought he resembled Tom Cruise. Here, with his coloring and hair, he had me thinking of another vampire: Lestat from “Interview With the Vampire.” And I mean that comparison in a positive way.

The biggest disappointment to me were the visual effects used to create Jacob and his pack when they roam the woods as wolves. They move very herky/jerky, not gracefully as they should. It’s like the producers hired the guys that did the dogs on the top of the building in “Ghostbusters” to create the beasts. If the comments from the fans around me are to be believed, the screenplay is very true to the book. If you’ve read the books you are aware of the problems Bella deals with while with child. Parents may want to think twice about bringing their younger Twi-hards or at least anticipate covering their eyes. And please hang around during the end credits for a quick hint of “Breaking Dawn – Part 2.”

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DVD Review “Drinking Made Easy: Season 1”

Starring: Zane Lamprey, Steve McKenna
No. of episodes: 24
Original channel: HDNet

Overall Score: 3 out of 5 stars

This show is about comedian Zane Lamprey explores the United States and the local drinking culture of their various cities. The format of the show is not too complex as he drinks pretty much anything. The show isn’t just drinking though as his friend Steve McKenna usually focus on eating challenges throughout this cities. After 24 episodes it gets a little bit repetitive but luckily each city has different options to offer. The show is entertaining overall but I still prefer the show “Three Sheets” which is currently airing on Spike.

Season one consists of Zane and his crew visiting the following cities Phoenix, Sante Fe, Austin, Dallas, New Orleans, Florida, Atlanta, Virginia, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake City, Boise, Portland, Napa, San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Diego and Los Angeles. Some of the highlight stops on the season come from New York, New Orleans, Florida and Vegas. The show also features Zane and Steve in a competition called “Six Six-Pack Challenge”, these were typical lame. Zane also tries to learn the history behind each location.

The special features on the disc great and jam packed. The first feature is almost an hour footage from the “Drinking Made Easy” Comedy Tour. If you are looking for deleted scenes you are in the right place as this has over an hour of deleted scenes. Unlike most deleted scenes they are worth watching. Lastly each episode has commentary from Zane and his crew, this is really funny stuff and adds a different aspect to the show.

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Blu-Ray Review “The Hour: Series 1”

Created by: Abi Morgan
Starring, Dominic West, Romola Garai and Ben Whishaw
Original channel: BBC Two
No. of episodes: 6
Run Time: 360 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I have not heard of this show until it showed up on my door to review. The only program I watch on BBC is “Doctor Who” but boy, I am glad I had the chance to review this series. The only problem I had with this series is that it is only a six part series like most shows on BBC. I would have loved to see more of this show but don’t worry it is confirmed for a second series. The combination of music, acting and fast dialogue makes this show very interesting. Not only that but it is also funny, it is romantic and it is suspenseful..you can expect that and more within “The Hour” (pun intended).

The series is a period drama set in 1956, it generally follows three people Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw), Hector Madden (Dominic West) and Bel Rowley (Romola Garai) as they set out to start a news program called “The Hour”. Hector is the face of the show, Bel is the producer and Freddie is the heart and its driving force. Freddie is trying to investigate the mystery behind the death of his friend, which delves a lot deeper into government conspiracies that he expects. The trio are also involved in this love triangle is starts subtle and then explodes as the series goes on. They push the limits with their news as they are under constant watch from the government since they are in times of war. How far will they go to report the news and who/what will get in their way?

The cast is so phenomonal lead by Ben Whishaw, which is just stunning to watch on the screen and captures you with every word spoken. Dominic West is such an amazing actor and really shines in this role. I had the pleasure of meeting him in over 10 years ago before he hit it big with “The Wire” and he is just such a lovely person. Romola Garai is also fantastic playing the strong woman, yet in dire need of love, producer. She is just so emotionally charged in this series and especially with the events from the finale, I can’t wait to see where her character goes.

Also a must to note is the music, it is so fantastic. It has a noir feel and helps with pacing each episode so well. The picture is fantastic and the sound is superb on Blu-ray. I wish I could say the same for the extras though since they are in SD not HD and there are only two features. The first is a behind the scenes, which runs about 10 minutes and takes a look into the making the series for i.e. it’s production design and cinematography. I did really enjoy the extra “Creating The Hour”, which runs about 20 minutes, which is also a behind the scenes making-of feature. It focuses a lot of the concept of the show and its characters.

Official Site: http://bit.ly/noJs2Z

Synopsis:
Set behind the scenes of the BBC newsroom, just as an investigative news program is launched, the drama plots the personal lives, professional interplay and jealous ambition between aspiring but renegade journalist Freddie Lyon (Whishaw), the beautiful ambitious young producer Bel Rowley (Garai) with whom he is in love, and his handsome rival Hector Madden (West), the face and lead anchorman of this rising television news team. The Hour plays out as a riveting thriller set against the backdrop of the Cold War.

Viewers witness the decade on the threshold of change – from the ruthless sexual politics behind the polite social façade of the ‘50s to the revelations that redefined the world for a new generation. Over the six episodes, the interplay and intense ambitions between the rising news team plays out against the backdrop of a mysterious murder and Freddie’s controversial and dangerous investigation.

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DVD Review “Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Season 1, Volume 3”

Created by: Joe Ruby and Ken Spears
Directed by: Victor Cook
Voices of: Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Grey DeLisle, Mindy Cohn, Gary Cole, Patrick Warburton, Lewis Black
Studio: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Episodes: 4
Running Time: 90 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Cartoon Network’s “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” is actually the eleventh adaption of the Hanna-Barbera’s Scooby-Doo series and it also stands as a reboot for the franchise. I have always been a fan of this series since it mixes horror themes with mystery and comedy. What I like most about this show is that each episode ends in a cliffhanger and makes you want to watch the next one. I watch quite a bit of animation and this series stand out as clever and also funny. If you remember the live action films, Matthew Lillard reprises his role of Shaggy. Other notable voice cast includes Gary Cole, Patrick Warburton and Lewis Black.

The episodes includes in this set are episode 9 through 12. In “Battle of the Humungonauts”, focuses on a sibling rivalry that rises to monstrous heights. “Howl of the Fright Hound” follows a robot dog tries to literally tear the gang apart. “The Secret Serum” is about a vampire who has a thirst for a beauty formula wants to sink her fangs into the kinds. “The Shrieking Madness” releases a creature who comes alive from the cover of a science-fiction book. What I like about this series is that each episode are intertwined with some aspect from its prior episode. I wish this release would have had more episodes in this volume. This season includes 26 episodes and I look forward to future volumes. Unfortunately there are no special features on this disc.

Synopsis: The adventures of a talking dog and his four human pals as they try to unravel the strange and haunted history of their hometown. The tone is comedic, but it will never lose the edge that our heroes are in some frightening situations. The stakes are real.

Official Site: http://bit.ly/ogsJfG

Purchase “Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Season 1, Volume 3” and other volumes here.

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