Blu-ray Review “Adventure Time: The Complete Fifth Season”

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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Blu-ray Review “Hot Pursuit”

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

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Blu-ray Review “True Story”

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.

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Blu-ray Review “The Divergent Series: Insurgent”

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.

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Blu-ray Review “Walt Disney Animation Studios Shorts Collection”

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.

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Blu-ray Review “Scooby-Doo! And KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery”

Starring: Frank Welker, Mindy Cohn, Grey Griffin, Matthew Lillard, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley
Director: Tony Cervone
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 21, 2015
Run Time: 78 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Scooby-Doo! And KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery” is one hell of an amazing mash up. It takes two of the greatest things I grew up with “Scooby Doo” and the music of Kiss and brings them together. I literally couldn’t be happier. It also features six classic KISS songs and most importantly an all new original song from the band just for this film. If you love “Scooby Doo!” and KISS, this is a match made in heaven! This is such a blast!

Official Premise: When a ghoul begins to terrorize an amusement park, the Mystery Inc. gang come head to head with the legendary rock group, KISS, who claim they’re also there to solve the mystery. Now the two groups must learn to work together as the clues lead them on a cosmic journey to another dimension.

The voice cast are impressive as well. We see Kiss on board featuring Demon (Gene Simmons), Starchild (Paul Stanley), Catman (Eric Singer), and Spaceman (Tommy Thayer). Guest voice performances include appearances from Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Darius Rucker, Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, Jennifer Carpenter and Pauley Perrette.

Warner Bros delivers a comob pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD Ultraviolet copy. The 1080p transfer is super impressive. The colors are outstanding. The star of the film is easily the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. The KISS classic tracks, including “Shout It Out Loud,” “I Was Made For Loving You,” and “Detroit Rock City”, all sound AMAZING!

The special features though are a little lacking unfortunately. There are two classic 1978 episodes from the “Scooby-Doo” archives, “To Switch a Witch” and “The Diabolical Disc Demon”. “Are You a Scooby or a Shaggy?” is a super brief chat with voice cast including KISS, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, and Darius Rucker. Lastly there are some KISS bloopers in “KISS Cut-Ups”. I was really hoping for more features about the involvement of KISS and bringing these two classic pop culture icons together.

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Blu-ray Review “Justice League: Gods and Monsters”

Voice Cast: Michael C. Hall, Benjamin Bratt, Tamara Taylor, Paget Brewster, Jason Isaacs, Tahmoh Penikett, C. Thomas Howell, Penny Johnson Jerald, Richard Chamberlain, Josh Keaton, Carl Lumbly
Directors: Sam Liu
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 28, 2015
Run Time: 72 minutes

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

“Justice League: Gods and Monsters” features a super cool alternate universe where Superman is the son of Zod. Batman is actually Man-Bat and Wonder Woman is the, God of War,  Princess Bekka. I really enjoyed this latest original movie in the DC animated universe and have always been a fan of DC Comics’ Elseworlds stories. Plus this film sees the return of animation legend Bruce Timm delivering a super cool new view of Justice League. A must see for an DC Comics fan!

Official Premise: “Justice League: Gods & Monsters” features a Superman born of General Zod’s blood, a Batman with a healthy dose of bat in the man, and a Wonder Woman rising from the ranks of the New Gods. This ain’t your daddy’s Justice League. They are as likely the world’s saviors as Earth’s despotic rulers. When a group of famed scientists experience untimely “accidents,” a government task force follows the trail of clues to the Justice League — and into a high stakes game of intrigue, mystery and action that asks the question: How do you serve justice to those above the law?

The voice cast of this film is nothing short of absolute epic and easiest the best accumulation of talent in a DC Animated Universe film.  The voice cast includes Michael C. Hall (Dexter) as Batman, Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order, 24) as Superman, Tamara Taylor (Bones), as Wonder Woman; Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds), as Lois Lane; C. Thomas Howell (E.T., Southland), as Dr. Will Magnus; Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films, Dig) as Lex Luthor, Richard Chamberlain (Dr. Kildare, The Thorn Birds) as Highfather, and Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica) as Steve Trevor.

Warner Bros is delivering this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD UltraViolet. The 1080p transfer is decent and delivers with the CG effects and animation. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track sounds great and no complaints there. “Alternate Realities: Infinite Possibilities” features various executives talking about the DC Comics’ Elseworlds stories. “Calculated Risk: The Making of Gods and Monsters” is a great behind-the-scenes look.

“The New Gods” talks about the film’s character designs and approach to putting the film together. In “From the DC Comics Vault” there are two animated episodes including “Phantoms” from Legion of Super Heroes and “Brave New Metropolis” from Superman: The Animated Series. Lastly there is a super rad sneak peak at the next DCU animated original movie, “Batman: Bad Blood”, which will introduce Batwoman.

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Blu-ray Review: “What We Do in the Shadows”

Starring: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonny Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer
Directed By: Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi
Distributed by: Paramount
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 85 Minutes
Release Date: July 21st

Film: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 Stars

What We Do in the Shadows was released here back in February and still remains my favorite comedy of 2015. From the makers of HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary from New Zealand which sees the vampire genre through the eyes of four decidedly uncool flatmates who are also undead. If the thought of yet another vampire film has you reaching for your crucifix, I would implore you to hold off just for these 85 minutes. Despite its slight runtime, Shadows manages to cleverly hit upon all the classic vampire tropes in new and hilarious ways. Rather than Interview with the Vampire, we get interviews with some vampires by way of Christopher Guest or “The Office”.

Taika Waititi is our main vampire, Viago, a friendly fop of only 379 who likes to keep the flat neat even while draining victims of their blood. To start off, he calls a flat meeting where he and ex-torture-master Vladislav (Clement) can confront their youngest roomie Deacon (Brugh, playing 183 years old) about his lax approach to dish duty. Fourth roommate, Petyr, a Nosferatu-like creature who lives in a stone tomb in the basement declines his invite to the meeting. It’s a brilliant intro to the dynamics of this most unusual household before the ‘film crew’ are able to go further into each character’s origins, heartaches and peculiar hobbies. Their routine of hitting up Wellington, NZ nightspots and scouting for potential victims is broken up when one of those potentials is accidentally turned into a new vampire Nick (Gonzalez-Macuer). Nick brings with him a mortal BFF Stu, a deadpan company IT guy, who charms the household into not eating him by simply being cooler and showing the vamps how the internet works. Meanwhile Nick flies around town trying pick up lines like “I’m Twilight” blowing their cover and generally–and fortunately for the viewers – stirring up trouble while blowing their cover.

The film culminates at the Unholy Masquerade where all the communities of supernatural Wellington beings convene. It’s a brilliant finale which allows the filmmakers to expand their lens from vampires to zombies, goblins and werewolves, causing one to wonder what’s going on in all those other shadows over there?? Rhys Darby in particular has a standout bit part as the leader of the werewolves who are just doing their best to keep calm. The comedy works on pretty much every level and was a welcome return to the sensibilities that I loved so much in “Flight of the Conchords”.

Extras 

As seems to be the case with mockumentaries, ‘Shadows’ has a wealth of extra footage that was left on the cutting room floor. This blu-ray is bursting with additional characterization of everyone on the screen, that is pretty much as hilarious as what made it to the final cut. Kudos go to the filmmakers for keeping the final film as tight as it is when they had this much content at their hands. Additionally, while the supernatural gags blend seamlessly into the comedy, the film has a whole lot of practical special effects at work–from blood splatters, to men on fire and rotating entire sets– that the behind the scenes footage highlights. Clements and Waititi’s original short version of the film completes the disc, showing the seeds of what eventually made it to feature length.

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“Back to the Future” 30th Anniversary Trilogy Traveling to Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 20, 2015

THE FUTURE IS NOW!

BACK TO THE FUTURE 30th ANNIVERSARY TRILOGY

Traveling to Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 20, 2015 along with Back to the Future: The Complete Animated Series & Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures

Universal City, California, July 16, 2015 – Great Scott! In 1985 Director Robert Zemeckis, Executive Producer Steven Spielberg and Producer/Screenwriter Bob Gale embarked on a three-part journey through time that broke box-office records worldwide and catapulted Back to the Future into one of the most beloved trilogies in motion picture history.  In 1989, the filmmakers gave us a glimpse of the future in Back to the Future Part II as Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled to 2015…or, if our calculations are correct, October 21, 2015, to be exact.  “The Future” has finally arrived.

Now, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates this once-in-a-lifetime date, as well as the 30th Anniversary of the groundbreaking first film, with three new releases debuting on October 20, 2015.  Available on Blu-ray™ & DVD, the

Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Trilogy will include all three movies plus a new bonus disc with more two hours of content. Back to the Future: The Complete Animated Series will be released for the first time ever on DVD featuring all 26 episodes from the award-winning series and Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures will include all three movies, the complete animated series, a new bonus disc, a 64-page book and collectible light-up “Flux Capacitor” packaging.  Featuring more than two hours of content, the bonus disc will include all-new original shorts, documentaries, two episodes from the animated series and more.

In addition to the home entertainment release, the Back to the Future celebration continues in theaters when the films go back to the big screen on October 21, 2015.  Check local listings for show times.  Additionally, Universal Music Enterprises is reissuing an all-new 30th Anniversary picture disc vinyl soundtrack, available October 16th in stores and through all digital partners.

About Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Trilogy (Blu-ray™ & DVD)

Experience the future all over again with the Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Trilogy! Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space time continuum! From filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, this unforgettable collection features hours of bonus features and is an unrivaled trilogy that stands the test of time.

Includes:

  • Back to the Future, Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III

  • Bonus Disc with More than Two Hours of Content

  • Digital HD with UltraViolet (Blu-ray™ Exclusive)

  • Collectible Packaging (Blu-ray™ Exclusive)

Bonus Features:

  • All New Original Shorts:  Including Doc Brown Saves the World!, starring Christopher Lloyd.

  • OUTATIME: Restoring the DeLorean: An inside look at the 2012 restoration of the most iconic car in film history.

  • Looking Back to the Future: A 9-part retrospective documentary from 2009 on the trilogy’s legacy.

  • Back to the Future: The Animated Series: 2 episodes (“Brothers” and “Mac the Black”) from the 1991 series featuring live action segments with Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown.

  • Tales from the Future 6-Part Documentary

Back to the Future 30th Anniversary Trilogy (Blu-ray™ & DVD) Bonus Features Continued:

  • The Physics of Back to the Future

  • Deleted Scenes

  • Michael J. Fox Q&A

  • Eight Archival Featurettes

  • Behind the Scenes Footage

  • Music Videos

  • Audio Commentaries

  • Back to the Future: The Ride

About Back to the Future : The Complete Animated Series (DVD)

It’s about time!  The adventures continue with all 26 episodes of the award winning Back to the Future: The Complete Animated Series, in its entirety and uncut! Join Marty McFly and Doc Brown, Doc’s wife Clara, sons Jules and Verne, and dog Einstein for more hilarious escapades as they time travel to Prehistoric Hill Valley, Ancient Rome, Medieval England, the Civil War, the days of the pirates, the far future and beyond.  Featuring live action segments with Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, science experiments by Bill Nye the Science Guy and the vocal talents of Mary Steenburgen (Clara), Thomas Wilson (Biff) and Dan Castellaneta (Doc), it is family entertainment at its best and a true treasure for all Back to the Future fans!

Bonus Features:

  • Drawn to the Future: New interview with creator/writer Bob Gale and writer John Ludin.

  • Galleries: Rare archival materials featuring character art, DeLorean designs and more.

About Back to the Future : The Complete Adventures (Blu-ray & DVD)

Great Scott! For the first time ever, Back to the Future: The Complete Adventures pairs together the original beloved trilogy starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd along with the complete TV series.  Join Marty McFly, Doc Brown and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space time continuum.

Includes:

  • Back to the Future, Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III

  • Back to the Future: The Complete Animated Series DVD

  • Bonus Disc with More than 2 Hours of Content

  • Digital HD with UltraViolet (Blu-ray Exclusive)

  • Back to the Future: A Visual History 64-Page Book

  • Light-Up “Flux Capacitor” Packaging

About Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

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Blu-ray Review “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2”

Starring: Kevin James, Raini Rodriguez, Neal McDonough, Shirley Knight, Eduardo Verástegui, D.B. Woodside
Director: Andy Fickman
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 14, 2015

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

There is no denying that Kevin James is talented. He has his moments where he is quite funny. “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” was a decent film at best but it never warranted a sequel. Even though I love Vegas, this film was a complete waste of time and really unnecessary. Just like “Grown Ups 2,” another film that James was in that wasn’t needed. Still though, if you liked the first film you might, stress might, enjoy this film.

Official Premise: In this sequel, in which Kevin James reprises the role of Paul Blart, the security guard is headed to Las Vegas to attend a Security Guard Expo with his teenage daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez) before she departs for college. While at the convention, he inadvertently discovers a heist – and it’s up to Blart to apprehend the criminals.

The Blu-ray comes with a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet copy included. The 1080p transfer is sharp, courtesy of Sony who consistently delivers impressive releases. Even though not a film needed to be mastered in 4K, Sony definitely takes pride in their Blu-ray transfers. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track sounds good and works well even with the cheesy action.

The special features are nothing special but include a gag reel, some deleted scenes, and a few very short features. The first is “Security Force: The Cast of Paul Blart 2” has cast chatting about the sequel. “Back in the Saddle” discusses the use of the Segway back in this film. “How to Make a Movie” is a chat with the director Andy Fickman. “Le Reve” introduces the Vegas location into the mix. “No Animals Were Harmed” looks into the bird fight scene. Lastly there is a photo gallery included and trailers.

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Blu-ray Review “A MusiCares Tribute to Carole King”

“A MusiCares Tribute to Carole King”
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Run Time: +/-60 min
Format: Blu-Ray and DVD

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

On January 24th, 2014 Carole King was honored as the 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year. During the event King along with a long list of super star guests performed some of Kings most celebrated songs from a career spanning decades. “A MusiCares Tribute to Carole King” is the film presentation of those performances which in include appearance by LeAnn Rimes, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor and Lady Gaga just to name a few. Proceeds from the sale of this disc will provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music professionals have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

“A MusiCares Tribute to Carole King” is the latest MusiCares release from Shout! Factory who has previously released tribute concerts dedicated to Paul McCartney, Barbara Streisand and Neil Young. Much like previous releases in the MusiCares series the concert is made up of a number of guest’s performances all paying tribute to the selected artist for that year. King is certainly more than deserving of the award and you can certainly tell the impact she has had on all music simply by looking at those who appear in her honor. Songs like “You’ve Got a Friend” performed by Lady Gaga and “Natural Woman” performed by Alicia Keys are definitely worth checking out as is my own personal favorite “Beautiful” performed by Sara Bareilles, Zac Brown, Jason Mraz and Raining Jane.

All in all a pretty entertaining release however if you’re looking for something a little bit more such as bonus content or interviews you won’t find it here. What you do get its 60 minutes worth of star studded entertainment which at times outweighs the lack of those missing special features.

Track Listing:
1.) Hi De Ho (That Old Sweet Roll-) LeAnn Rimes and Steven Tyler
2.) So Far Away- P!nk and Paul Mirkovich
3.) I Feel the Earth Move- Train
4.) Its Too Late- Gloria Estefan
5.) Love Makes the World/Where is the Love?- will.i.am and Leah McFall
6.) Beautiful- Sara Bareilles, Zac Brown, Jason Mraz and Raining Jane
7.) Way Over Yonder- Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill and Darlene Love
8.) Where You Lead- Jesse & Jay
9.) Crying in the Rain- Miguel and Kacey Musgraves
10.) Natural Woman- Alicia Keys
11.) Been to Canaan- Jennifer Nettles
12.) I’m Into Something Good- Amy Grant
13.) It Might As Well Rain Until September- Miranda Lambert
14.) One Fine Day- Martina McBride
15.) Up On the Roof- James Taylor
16.) Home Again- Carol King, Moez Dawad and Ahmad A. El Haggar
17.) Sweet Seasons- Carol King and James Taylor
18.) Hey Girl- Carol King and James Taylor
19.) Will You Love Me Tomorrow- Carole King and James Taylor
20.) Jazzman- Carole King and Tom Scott
21.) I Feel the Earth Move- Carol King and Cast Ensemble

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, carole, king, musicares, review, tribute, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Decline of Western Civilization Collection”

“The Decline of Western Civilization Collection”
4 Disc Blu-Ray and DVD
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The highly-celebrated and long-awaited trilogy known as “The Decline of Western Civilization” is now for the first time available as a one complete collection. Available on both Blu-Ray and DVD the great people at Shout! Factory has compiled all three films from the series along with a 4th disc containing tons of bonus footage and interviews. And if that wasn’t enough accompanying the 4 disc collection is a 40 page booklet containing rare stills and an essay by rock historian Domenic Prioret.

Having grown up renting these films from the local video store I was instantly drawn back to the films when I heard they would be being released as a complete collection. Each of the films was just as I remembered. From the classic interviews with Black Flag which shows of their meager rehearsal/living quarters to Germs front man Darby Crash making breakfast and X’s mid tattoo trance like ramblings part 1 of the series had me again clamoring for more. Part 2 transports you back to the late 80’s L.A. metal scene, a scene that will go down in infamy as younger bands like Poison and Motley Crue mixed with long time rock staples like Kiss, Alice Cooper and Aerosmith. It’s all here just as I remembered from Ozzy Osbourne spilling his drink to W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes pouring Vodka on his head while barely floating in a swimming pool. Part 3 of the series was never released for home viewing however knowing the film existed I had seen bits and pieces over the years so to have the film available now was a personal highlight. The third film showcases performances by Final Conflict, Naked Aggression and The Resistance while shining a light on important topics such as youth homelessness, alienation and alcoholism.

Fans of both music and gritty documentaries will certainly want to check out this release. If not for the sheer nostalgia of past musical era’s but also for the importance that these films played to an internet-less generation who without these films maybe not have ever known that there were youth out there with similar trials, tribulations and ideas/goals. Though each of the films feature new 2k high-definition scans of the originals that though look sharp and crisp still retain the appeal of the originals. The only negative I found with the release was that often times the sound was quite unbalanced leaving interviews to be quite low while performances were quite loud. Even though this caused me to put some wear and tear on my remote/TV I enjoyed every minute of the 4 discs.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, civilization, collection, decline, review, western, ...

Blu-ray Review “Time Lapse”

Actors: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O’Leary, George Finn, John Rhys-Davies, Amin Joseph, Jason Spisak, Sharon Maughan, David Figlioli and Judith Drake
Director: Bradley King
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Xlrator
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 103 minutes

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

Since her role in The CW’s “The Flash” TV series, Danielle Panabaker has really hit the spotlight. “Time Lapse” is a really neat sci-fi horror thriller with a cool time travel angle twisted in. The film also has an impressive co-starring cast including: Matt O’Leary, George Finn, John Rhys-Davies, Amin Joseph, Jason Spisak, Sharon Maughan, David Figlioli and Judith Drake. Take a little bit of “The Twilight Zone” mixed with “Memento”. Worth checking out for you time travel junkies.

Official Premise: A science fiction thriller with a mind-bending premise, TIME LAPSE explores the possibilities of time travel via a camera that takes pictures 24 hours into the future. When three friends discover this mysterious machine, they conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop and tear their relationship apart.

The Blu-ray comes with a both solid 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. You can tell that even though this is an indie, it has some impressive production values. XLrator is known for usually deliver bare bones special features but this release has some decent extras. There is an in-depth look behind-the-scenes into the makinng of “Time Lapse”. There are two commentary tracks from the filmmakers. There is a “Nuts and Bolts” guide to how to make an indie film. Lastly there are some deleted scenes also equipped with filmmaker commentary.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, lapse, review, time

Blu-ray Review “The Cat Returns”

Actors: Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Elliott Gould, Peter Boyle, Tim Curry
Directors: Hiroyuki Morita
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 75 minutes

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

“The Cat Returns” is a 2002 spin-off of the Studio Ghibli film “Whisper of the Heart”, which is one of my favorites.The film featured a fantastic US voice cast including Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Tim Curry, and Elliott Gould. This film followed in the path of “Spirited Away” but didn’t catch on like the Oscar winner. This film is quite magically though and really is very entertaining. I have a feeling that my 3 year old is really going to like this film as well, so I can’t wait to introduce her to this. If you are looking for a sweet fantasy tale, this is a good one.

Official Premise: “The Cat Returns” is a spectacular animated journey to a world of magic and adventure. Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat, and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she ever imagined. The Cat King rewards her good deed with a flurry of presents, including a very shocking proposal of marriage to his son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world and her destiny is uncertain. To change her fate she’ll need to learn to believe in herself and, in the process, she will learn to appreciate her everyday life.

Disney released this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD included. I would have lvoed to see a digital copy but Studio Ghibli films have been yet to be released digitally. The 1080p transfer is solid though and the animation looks fantastic. The colors are crisp and the line detail is well done. There are two audio options, the original Japanese and English dub, both with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks.

The special features are decent but not amazing though inline with most of the past Ghibli Blu-rays. There are the Original Japanese Storyboards and Original Japanese Trailers included, as well as TV Spots. There is also “The Making of The Cat Returns” looking into the production, a little short. Lastly, there is “Behind The Microphone”, which features the US voice cast discussing about their respective roles.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, cat, returns, review

Blu-ray Review “Spirited Away”

Actors: Daveigh Chase, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Mardsen
Directors: Hayao Miyazaki
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 125 minutes

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

“Spirited Away” is one of my all-time favorite films, animated or not. Studio Ghibli in fact has delivered some of my other favorites including “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Howl’s Moving Castle”. Hayao Miyazaki is a genius and this is his BEST film. “Spirited Away” won Best Animated Feature Oscar at the 75th Academy Awards, which it very much deserved. This film was also very important for Japanese anime because it was brought to the spotlight due to the Oscar win and also brought Studio Ghibli from and center in the United States. Just because, this is a “cartoon” doesn’t mean it is for kids, it is aimed for both adults and kids. I watch this film a few times a year and I cannot recommend it any higher.

Official Premise: From Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema, comes the Oscar(R)-winning triumph (2002, Best Animated Feature Film), filled with astonishing beauty and epic adventure, a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. “Spirited Away” is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call on the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. an unforgettable story, brimming with creativity, “Spirited Away” will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. It’s a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again on Disney Blu-ray!

Disney’s US Blu-ray of “Spirited Away” is outstanding (the film was previously released in Japan only). This is literally the best Studio Ghibli US Blu-ray release to date. The 1080p transfer is perfect. The colors are gorgeous and the animation looks flawless. There are two audio options both in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The original Japanese language track and Disney’s English dub are honestly both amazing. I have watched both and they are each wonderful in their own way.

The special features are good but do not feature much new content from previous releases. The only HD feature is to watch the film consisting of the Original Japanese Storyboards presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and an Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track with optional English subs. “The Art of Spirited Away” features Jason Marsden discussing this beautiful film. “Behind the Microphone” features US voice cast discussing their roles. There is the Nippon Television Special, which focus on the studio and the film runs just over 40 minutes. Lastly there is an intro from John Lasseter and Japanese trailers and TV spots for the film.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, review, spirited
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