Blu-ray Review “Dragon Ball Z: Season Seven”

Starring: Sean Schemmel, Stephanie Nadolny, Christopher Sabat, Daisuke Gōri, Mayumi Tanaka, Kenji Utsumi
Director: Daisuke Nishio, Mike McFarland
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Run Time: 600 minutes

Season: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

As we are flying through the seasons this year, FUNimation Entertainment is continuing the love for Dragon Ball Z Uncut with the sixth season which features episodes 195-219 of the classic anime series. The season around the Cell Games Saga and originally aired from 1992–1993 in Japan and 2000 in the U.S. on Cartoon Network dubbed in English. This season focuses around Great Saiyaman and World Tournament Sagas. Getting close now only two more seasons to go after this as Funimation is determined to finish the series before the end of 2014.

Official Premise: Seven years of peace have passed since the defeat of the monstrous Cell, and the Z-Fighters have enjoyed a return to normal life. Goku has eagerly continued his training in Other World, Krillin has gotten married, and Gohan has renewed his scholarly pursuits while attempting to navigate the pitfalls of high school. Two fresh new Saiyan faces have also appeared on the scene – Goku’s son Goten, and Vegeta’s son Trunks.

Now, the time has come for the Z-Fighters to reunite, as the new World Martial Arts Tournament is set to begin. The greatest warriors on Earth have come together for their chance to capture the title of the reigning champion, Mr. Satan – but behind the scenes, sinister forces are at work. An evil eye watches the competitors’ every move, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. The action grows fierce on the tournament floor, but for the Z-Fighters, the real fight is only just beginning

Like the past seasons, this one has be given a frame-by-frame restoration to remove blemishes, tape marks and foreign bodies from the film. The 1080p transfer at a 16:9 aspect ratio looks amazing. The audio tracks including the Japanese audio and two English tracks: the U.S. English-language broadcast dub and a mix with English dialogue and Japanese music have been re-mastered in the interest of noise reduction and superior sound quality, and the colors are bolder and more vibrant.

The special features are decent including two Inside Dragon Ball Z features. The first is an interview with Justin Cook, who voices of Dende, Evil Buu & Super Buu. The second is an interview with Nathanael Harrison, who is the audio mixing engineer for the Funimation dub. There is an extras on the “Dragon Ball Z Card Game” called “Past, Present and Future”. Lastly there are Textless Opening/Closing Songs and trailers included.

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Blu-ray Review “The Scribbler”

Actors: Garret Dillahunt, Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Eliza Dushku, Gina Gershon
Directors: John Suits
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Xlrator
DVD Release Date: October 21, 2014
Run Time: 90 minutes

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

Before we get started here…what the hell is up with this outstanding cast of talent including Katie Cassidy (Arrow), Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl), Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse), Gina Gershon (Showgirls), Sasha Grey (Entourage), Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope), Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), Kunal Nayyar (The Bing Bang Theory), Ashlynn Yennie (The Human Centipede) and Billy Campbell (Helix).

Official Premise: The Scribbler follows Suki (Katie Cassidy), a young woman confronting her destructive mental illness using “The Siamese Burn,” an experimental machine designed to eliminate multiple personalities. The closer Suki comes to being “cured,” she’s haunted by a thought… what if the last unwanted identity turns out to be her?

Now that we the cast out of the way, how come I have never heard of this film till now when it hits Blu-ray. This film is a pretty bad-ass flick with a great ensemble cast. It is slick, edgy and definitely one hell of a ride. The 1080p works great on Blu-ray for this stylized film. There are no special features at all though included with this film. Come on Xlrator you can do better!

 

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Blu-ray Review “Rick and Morty: Season 1”

Starring: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Sarah Chalke, Spencer Grammer, Kari Wahlgren, Brandon Johnson
Studio: Cartoon Network
Rating: TV-14
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 242 minutes

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

I firstly need to thank my sister in law for pushing me to watching this show but I missed it in its initial airing on Adult Swim. I have been taking a bit of a break from the station since I haven’t been thrilled with their product recently. “Rick and Morty” is a real trip and a very fun show. I love the animation and I was laughing till I was crying with some of the episodes in this season. This show is crazy messed up mix of “Back to the Future” and “Futurama”. Bring on season two!!

Official Premise: From comedic masterminds Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland comes Rick and Morty. Adult Swim’s newest series follows the adventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez, who returns after 20 years to live with his daughter, her husband, and their children Morty and Summer.

Cartoon Network and Warner Bros are releasing this series on Blu-ray along with an Ultraviolet digital copy of the season. They are not huge when it comes to home releases for their Adult Swim shows, so this is a big deal. I have been waiting for a Blu-ray of the “Metalocalypse” movie but I have a feeling I shouldn’t hold my breath since it has been a year already.

The 1080p transfer are amazing. The colors are just so stunning, crisp and vibrant. I honestly think that is one of the main reasons I have come to now love this show is due to its visual aspect…of course besides the fact that it is funny as hell. Also this Blu-ray includes solid uncensored Dolby TrueHD tracks, which is a really a treat since even “Adventure Time” only get Dolby Digtal tracks for their Blu-rays.

Included on the Blu-ray are the season’s 11 episodes along with some solid special features. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette on the season. There are literally commentaries and animatics for every single episode, which is real fan dedication. Some of the special guests you will find on the tracks are Matt Groening, Robert Kirkman, Pen Ward, Al Jean and many more, so these are a must listen. Lastly there are also some deleted scenes included. If you are a fan of this show, you will not be left wanting more.

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Blu-ray Review “Hemlock Grove: The Complete First Season”

Actors: Famke Janssen, Landon Liboiron, Bill Skarsgard, Dougray Scott
Number of discs: 3
Rated: TV-MA
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 780 minutes

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

Before shows like “The Walking Dead” and “American Horror Story”, there was a real shortage of horror on television. “Hemlock Grove” was designed as a Netflix Original series, which premiered only on the paid streaming website. I stand behind anything horror and this show definitely paid off for being inovated and You got give it to Netflix since they have been releasing some brave and bold television series like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black”. “Hemlock Grove” is executive produced by Eli Roth (Cabin Fever), based on the novel of the same name by Brian McGreevy. The show is edgy, witty, gory as hell and a ton of fun. I highly recommend checking this out for those who didn’t catch it on Netflix.

Official Premise: In a small Pennsylvania town, something evil has come in search of prey. But who is the true monster in Hemlock Grove? The brutal slaying of a teenage girl sends the townspeople of Hemlock Grove into a desperate search to find her killer. But this sleepy community soon finds itself living a nightmare as secrets and rumors threaten to drive them all down a dark path as they struggle to uncover the truth. Starring Famke Janssen (X-Men) Bill Skarsgård (Anna Karenina), Landon Liboiron (Altitude), Penelope Mitchell (The Vampire Diaries) and Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible II).

Shout Factory is behind this Blu-ray release and they did a great job with the 1080p transfers. The show looks amazing, especially that amazing transformation scene. Speaking of that scene, this show definitely developed a certain rival of the original “An American Werewolf in London” scene. It is so well done, it should have won awards. I originally watched this show on the computer and my computer scene is not 1080p, so it was a nice upgrade. The DTS-HD Master Audio tracks work well with the show’s atmosphere and Nathan Barr’s score, which is epic and also at the same time creepy as well.

The special features are great like the series. There is a solid commentary track on the first episode with the director and executive producer Eli Roth with special guest Lorenza Izzo. I would have like to seen a few more but this one is still great. There are also six behind-the-scenes featurettes into the making of “Hemlock Grove” including “Dysfunctional In Every Way”; “Anatomy Of A Kill”; “Fairytales for Adults”; “The Rust Beneath The Surface”; “The Monster Within” and “It Hurts So Good”. All of these together add up a great inside look into the series. To be honest, I wasn’t expect much in terms of extras content here but I was very pleasantly surprised.

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Blu-ray Review “Duck Dynasty: Season 6”

Starring: Willie Robertson, Jase Robertson, Kay Robertson, Phil Robertson
Studio: Lionsgate
DVD Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 220 minutes

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

I know the gang of “Duck Dynasty” are quickly loosing their mainstream hype and mass audience of fans but I still love this show. I can’t get enough of it. I love the cast. They just crack me up. After a hard day at work something you don’t want to watch a intense fact-filling crime drama instead you want to watch something light and fun…and “Duck Dynasty” is definitely that. This season is a hoot just like the first five. I do not think that the appeal has worn off at all (of course I only started watching at season three in the prime of its popularity). Keep them coming A&E, when is season seven coming?

Official Premise: There are goings-on with everyone, from the guys re-branding Duck Commander to the governor of Louisiana giving Willie an award to the return of the dreaded beavers! Watch as the elder Robertsons share their special brand of wisdom with the kids along the way: Phil teaches Bella more than Willie was hoping about nature, Willie and Si insist on helping John Luke with his speech introducing the governor and Jep and Jessica chaperone Lily’s first date. Jase takes Reed frog-hunting the night before his high school graduation-like he did before his own-and Jep and the ladies pull a senior prank by toilet-papering Missy and Jase’s house. Willie also sponsors a radio contest and finds himself competing against Si for a wood chipper. Somehow, it all comes together.

The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are good but nothing special since the show is quite basic. It is still a great step up from cable TV. There is a massive amount of special features here with TEN behind-the-scenes featurettes including “Reinventing Duck Commander”; “Firefighter Academy: Robertson Style”; “The Governor Visits Duck Commander”; “Jep Meets Lily’s First Boyfriend”; “Rolling’ with the Robertsons”; “Willie the Joker”; “Godwin’s Rotten Pickles”; “Mother’s Day 2014”; “Si’s New Hobby: Couponing” and “Willie’s Day at the Dojo”. There are some a bunch of deleted scenes included rounding out the extras.

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“White Christmas: Diamond Anniversary Edition” Hits Blu-ray October 14th

PARAMOUNT CELEBRATES THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE BELOVED HOLIDAY CLASSIC STARRING DANNY KAYE AND BING CROSBY AND HONORS THE HUMANITARIAN WORK OF UNICEF

 Paramount Pictures and The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation Donating $100,000  to Support UNICEF’s Work for Children

Blu-ray™ Combo Pack Debuts October 14, 2014 with a Bonus Holiday Music CD and New Special Features Including a UNICEF Documentary Hosted by Danny Kaye, Sing-Along Lyrics, a Virtual Duet Between Bing Crosby and Michael Bublé and More

  HOLLYWOOD, Calif.  –  Celebrate 60 years of the treasured musical classic Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS with the spectacular new Diamond Anniversary Edition arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack October 14, 2014 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  Starring legendary performers Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen and featuring unforgettable music by Irving Berlin, the beloved holiday film offers timeless entertainment for all ages.

In honor of the 60th anniversaries of WHITE CHRISTMAS and Danny Kaye’s appointment as UNICEF’s first Goodwill Ambassador, The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation and Paramount Pictures are proud to make a combined $100,000 donation to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF* to support UNICEF’s lifesaving work for children around the world.  As UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador, Danny Kaye traveled to numerous countries in 1954 to see the work of the organization firsthand and appeared in and narrated a documentary entitled Assignment Childrenabout his experience, which is included in the new Blu-ray Combo Pack along with a new introduction by Michael Bublé.  Danny Kaye received an Honorary Academy Award® in 1955 for his work on this extraordinary documentary, as well as for his unique talents, his service to the Academy, the motion picture industry, and the American people.

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS Diamond Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack also includes new special features such as five classic Christmas television show appearances by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, including a virtual duet between Crosby and Michael Bublé, an optional sing-along subtitle track that accompanies the film’s most popular songs, new photo galleries, and a Christmas CD with 12 songs featuring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Judy Garland, including EIGHT never-before-released tracks.  Additional previously released special features include commentary by Rosemary Clooney, backstage stories, featurettes on Crosby, Kaye and Clooney, and more.

 

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS Blu-ray Combo Pack

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS Blu-ray will be presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Restored Mono DTS-HD Master Audio, French Mono Dolby Digital, Spanish Mono Dolby Digital and Portuguese Mono Dolby Digital, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, English Restored Mono, French Mono and Spanish Mono, as well as English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes the following:

Disc 1 (Blu-ray):

  • Feature film in high definition
  • Feature film with optional Sing-Along Subtitle Track—NEW!
  • Commentary by Rosemary Clooney
  • Classic Holiday Moments—NEW!

o   “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby on December 1, 1976

o   “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby featuring Michael Bublé on December 10, 2012

o   “Silent Night” by Bing Crosby on December 12, 1948

o   “Jingle Bells” by Danny Kaye and Nat King Cole on December 25, 1963

o   Danny Kaye reads from A Christmas Carol on December 22, 1965

  • Assignment Children—NEW!

o   With introduction by Michael Bublé

  • Backstage Stories from White Christmas—The production boasted the #1 and #3 box office stars of its time and the director of Casablanca. It featured the most popular song in American history and became the highest-ranking film at the box office in 1954.  From little-known production details to behind-the-scenes trivia, this segment offers insights about the timeless holiday classic.

 

Disc 1 (Blu-ray)—cont’d:

  • Bing Crosby: Christmas Crooner—Crosby’s family members offer personal memories of the film and discuss the crooner’s Yuletide connection.  The piece also includes film historians sharing rare stories about Crosby and White Christmas and a visit to Crosby’s hometown of Spokane, Washington.
  • Danny Kaye: Joy to the World—Some people only know him as the silver screen’s ‘court jester,’ but Danny Kaye was a true humanitarian who helped children around the world as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.  This moving tribute sheds light on the multi-talented actor, who won two honorary Academy Awards®, including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and spread joy beyond the Hollywood spotlight.
  • Irving Berlin’s White Christmas—Many people don’t know all of the lyrics to the most popular Christmas song of all time or that Irving Berlin wrote it while sitting poolside at an Arizona Resort.  This fascinating feature sheds light on the genesis and enduring popularity of the best-selling single in American history.
  • Rosemary’s Old Kentucky Home—Take a tour of Rosemary Clooney’s home in Augusta, Kentucky, which has become a historical landmark.
  • White Christmas: From Page to Stage— The legacy of White Christmas continues with a hit Broadway musical, nominated for two Tony awards.
  • White Christmas: A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
  • White Christmas Photo Galleries—NEW!

o   Rehearsals

o   Behind-the-Scenes

o   Filming

o   Publicity Shots

  • Two Theatrical Trailers

Disc 2 (DVD):

  • Feature Film in Standard Definition
  • Commentary by Rosemary Clooney

Disc 3 (DVD):

  • Same special features listed above in standard definition with the exception of the optional sing-along subtitle track

Bonus Music CD

  1. Winter Wonderland – Rosemary Clooney
  2. Deck the Halls/Away in a Manger/O, Little Town of Bethlehem/The First             Noel – Bing Crosby
  3. Waltz Around the Christmas Tree – Danny Kaye
  4. Marshmallow World – Bing Crosby & Ella Fitzgerald
  5. The Christmas Song – Rosemary Clooney
  6. Just What I Wanted For Christmas – Bing Crosby
  7. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Rosemary Clooney
  8. Jingle Bells – Danny Kaye & Peggy Lee
  9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Bing Crosby & Judy Garland
  10. Home For The Holidays – Rosemary Clooney
  11. Some Children See Him – Danny Kaye
  12. The Night Before Christmas – Bing Crosby

The film will also be available as a Diamond Anniversary Edition two-disc DVD set with Discs 2 & 3 above.

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Blu-ray Review “Sharknado 2: The Second One (Extended Version)”

Actors: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Mark McGrath, Vivica A. Fox
Directors: Anthony C. Ferrante
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Asylum Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 95 minutes

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

When I first heard about the film “Sharknado”, I knew it would be fun but probably terrible. Surprisingly, it was actually quite decent and it made history. The film became an instant pop culture sensation immediately spawning a second one (aptly titled as well). “Sharknado 2: The Second One” improves on the first film so much and really is a fun and exciting film. It is jam packed with over 25 celebrity cameos crammed in. Ian Ziering and Tara Reid return to their roles from the original, along with Vivica A. Fox and platinum recording artist Mark McGrath joining up. The visual effects are improved as well. The kills are fun and very creative. You can just tell that these guys had a blast making this film and I had a blast watching it. Can’t wait for next July for “Sharknado 3”.

Here is the crazy list of notated celebrity cameos that popped up in this film: Kelly Osbourne, Robert Hays from Airplane!, Rachel True from The Craft, Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton, Comedian and famous Twitterer Kelly Oxford, Andy Dick, The Naked Cowboy, Al Roker and Matt Lauer, Salt-N-Pepa’s Sandy “Pepa” Denton, The Weather Channel’s Stephanie Abrams, “Scream Queen” Tiffany Shepis, 30 Rock’s Judah Friedlander, Taxi’s Judd Hirsch, Subway’s Jared Fogel, The Howard Stern Show’s Benjy Bronk, Biz Markie, Downtown Julie Brown, Billy Ray Cyrus, Daymond John from Shark Tank, Perez Hilton, Richard Kind, Stand-up comedian Robert Klein, Pro wrestler Kurt Angle, Live With Kelly & Michael co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan and producer Michael Gelman

With a film like “Sharknado 2: The Second One”, do you really need to know the premise? Absolutely not but it is still funny to see what they come up with when they try and explain this. So here it is: “When a Category 7 hurricane pummels New York, the surging flood waters bring thousands of sharks. To make matters worse, tornadoes soon dot the horizon. As Sharknadoes tear through the city, no vehicle, building, or national monument is safe.” “Sharknado 2: The Second One” delivers a impressive Blu-ray presentation for an Asylum release. The 1080p transfer works well with the visual effects and shows off the sights of NYC quite well. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is also a winner as well, especially with the action packed 10 minute opening scene.

“Sharknado 2: The Second One” comes stocked with some great special features, which comes with much more than usual Asylum releases. There is a fantastic audio commentary track with Director Anthony C. Ferrante, who is joined by Actors Tara Reid and Ian Ziering. It is entertaining and a great way to revisit the film. There is also a second commentary track with Anthony C. Ferrante, Writer Thunder Levin, Editor Ana Florit, and Visual Effects Supervisor Emile Smith. It is also fun and a bit more technical.

“The Making of Sharknado 2” dives into the behind-the-scenes for the film ranging from the franchise to the characters to shooting in NYC. “Chomp: The Evolution of Sharknado 2 Visual Effects” focuses on the digital effects shots in the film. “Shark Chum: From the Cutting Room Floor” include over eight minutes of deleted scenes, which includes some solid content. “Cameos: I Can’t Believe They Got…” looks into all the famous faces that this film got. Lastly there is a Gag Reel and additional Asylum trailers included.

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3D Blu-ray Review “Live. Die. Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow”

Actors: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Kick Gurry
Directors: Doug Liman
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 113 minutes

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

When I watched the trailer for “Edge of Tomorrow” immediately I was hooked. I mean “Alien crossed with Groundhog Day”…sign me up! Let me tell you though, the trailer does no justice at all for the film. “Edge of Tomorrow” is in fact, my favorite film of the year so far. It is very underrated and deserves much more attention. “Transformers: Age of Extinction” is a decent movie and it made a billion dollars, so obviously quality doesn’t win in terms of success. Tom Cruise is completely badass, as is Emily Blunt who was outstanding. The visual effects are the best I have seen all year and the film is not only NON-STOP (that’s right all in caps) but also funny as all hell! This is a must see movie and I highly recommend it.

Official Premise: The epic action of Edge of Tomorrow unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop, forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again and again… and again. But with each battle, Cage is able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). As Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

Warner Bros is releasing this film under a new title to hopefully drum up some new business  “Live. Die. Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow”. They are bringing this together in a combo pack with a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy.  The 3D is some of the best and most relevant that I have seen in theaters in a long time. It is well placed and adds tons of depth and even a few good scares in the film. On Blu-ray, it translates just as well. The 1080p transfers is simply outstanding. The film feels like a live-action video game in many scenes. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is also mind-blowning. I love the score to this film and it really is represented well with the crazy amount of action.

The special features are good but I would have loved to had an audio commentary track as well. “Storming the Beach” features director/producer Doug Liman taking us behind- the-scenes featurette for the film. Along with this feature is a three-minute alternate Adrenaline cut of one of the “Operation Downfall” sequences. “Weapons of the Future” features cast and crew talking about weapons. “Creatures Not of This World talks about creating the film’s aliens and their story.  “On the Edge with Doug Liman” is a fantastic nearly 45 minutes in-depth documentary on the production. Lastly there are seven deleted scenes included.

Own “Edge of Tomorrow” on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD on October 7th

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Blu-ray Review “Ranma ½: Set 3”

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

VIZ Media is quickly becoming my go-to when it comes to classic anime series being restored and brought back to life on Blu-ray. They have been delivering above and beyond great releases for “Ranma ½”. They given this show the treatment and even correct issues like the Japanese episode order, which has been restored as well. This is a show that probably would never receive a great treatment and luckily for VIZ, they have been consecutively impressive with each of these releases under this series. Counting down the days until “Ranma ½: Set 4” on December 9th!

Official Premise: In the latest set, containing 23 remastered episodes, things just can’t stay quiet at the Tendo Dojo! After a morning ruckus, Ranma hits his head, falls into water, and turns completely into a girl. Now, even when Ranma transforms back into a boy, he still thinks he’s a girl! Things become even more complicated when Shampoo, still in love with Ranma, gets a surprise visit from Chinese Amazon twin sisters Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, two of her protégées who have it in for Ranma. Finally, Happosai makes an appearance, and Ranma must defeat him to become strong again!

The third Limited Edition Blu-ray set for the classic Ranma ½ includes a premium presentation with a chipboard box with gold foil stamping beautifully illustrated by creator Rumiko Takahashi, a 32-page booklet, episode guide and an art card. The episodes have been restored and remastered and are presented in its original 4:3 cropped aspect ratio with lossless Japanese and English audio. The special features are a major let down. There is only one featurette called “We Love Ranma, Part 3: The Appeal of Ranma ½”, which looks into the fandom. There are also clean openings/endings and some trailers including.

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Blu-ray Review “Neighbors”

Starring: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

“Neighbors” is definitely one of the best comedies to be released this year…in a sea of slim pickings. The film has some great laugh out loud moments and a great cast. Seth Rogen and Zac Efron are great rivals. Very funny stuff. Dave Franco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse also steals some great laughs as well. Rose Byrne is charming as usual. I have heard people call this the new “Animal House” and I can’t really see it. It is definitely funny but I really don’t see myself calling this a classic and watching it over and over. It was good for a good laugh and I would recommend to friends but it is the not best comedy ever.

Official Premise: By all appearances, new parents Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) are living the American Dream – complete with an adorable baby girl and a beautiful new starter home in the suburbs. Still, the early-thirtysomethings want to believe that they have a modicum of coolness left within them. So when they discover that their new next-door neighbors are none other than dozens of Delta Psi Beta fraternity brothers led by charismatic president Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), they try to play along and make the best of an awkward situation. But when the frat’s parties grow increasingly more epic, both sides of the property line begin to fend for their turf. The neighbors’ relentless sabotage escalates into outrageous one-upmanship, beginning an epic Greek war for the ages.

Universal is releasing the film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track are good enough for a comedy. No outstanding but at the same time no complaints or issues here. The special features are not the greatest this release. “An Unlikely Pair” is a meet and greet with Zac and Seth. “The Frat” goes into the characters with the cast. “Partying with the Neighbors” is a promotional EPK. Lastly there are some Deleted/Alternate Scenes and gag reel included.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season”

Starring: Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Josh Hartnett, Rory Kinnear, Helen McCrory, Billie Piper
Directors: Juan Antonio Bayona, Dearbhla Walsh
Number of discs: 3
Rated: TV-MA
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Run Time: 435 minutes

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

When I heard about the idea of “Penny Dreadful”, I was really excited, especially since it was going to be on Showtime, which means it could be much edgier than cable TV. It was created from three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Skyfall, Hugo, Gladiator) and Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) stars Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down), Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights) and Eva Green (Casino). The season took a while get to started but was overall very well done with some good effects and scares. I just wish it would have been longer than eight episodes to expand this world…luckily season two is on the way.

Official Premise: From three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Skyfall, Hugo, Gladiator) and Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) comes an erotically charged, profoundly unsettling new saga, “Penny Dreadful” completely reinvents literature’s most iconic and terrifying characters. Dorian Gray, Victor Frankenstein and timeless figures from Dracula join a core of original characters in a dark and brutal quest to save a soul – even as they grapple with their own monstrous temptations.

“Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season” includes the first eight episodes of the series as a three-disc collection. The 1080p high definition transfer look great for these episodes and really show the high amount of detail that went into this show. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks also work well with the action and suspense. Disc One includes the episodes: “Night Work”; “Séance”; “Resurrection”; Disc Two includes the episodes “Demimonde”; “Closer Than Sisters”; “What Death Can Join Together”; “Possession” and Disc Three includes the episode “Grand Guignol”. I am not sure why the it goes from three episodes on the first to five on the second to one on the third but it is what it is, I guess.

The special features are worth checking out if you enjoy the season. There  are a bunch of featurettes includes going behind-the-scenes into the show including “What is a Penny Dreadful?”; “Literary Roots”, “Coming Together”; “The Artisans Pt. 1 & 2” and “The Grand Guignol”. “Prostitution and Sex in Victorian Times”, “British Exploration & The Search for the Nile”, “The Science of Medicine” look into the history in the show’s period and it’s influence. Lastly there are the first two episodes of fellow Showtime series “Ray Donovan” includes from the first season. Not sure how this is related but I assume they are trying to spread the word about it also.

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

Starring: Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Hynden Walch, Niki Yang, Jessica DiCicco
Creator: Pendleton Ward
Studio: Cartoon Network
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 286 minutes

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

The fourth season of “Adventure Time” is easily one of the best to date. The show is just outstanding and continues to be one of the best animated series on TV. I think I would call it “The Simpsons” of our generation. The show is currently in its sixth season on Cartoon Network and already renewed for a seventh. So this show is not showing any signs of slowing down. The creator Pendleton Ward, who also voices my favorite character, Lumpy Space Princess, is an absolute genius. he has surrounded himself with great talent and creative team and that is what makes this show such a success.

Official Premise: Prepare to sink your teeth into the complete fourth season of “Adventure Time”. A total of 26 episodes featuring fearsome creatures, such as wolves who like hugging, an unstoppable horde of penguins and a vampire queen who plays bass guitar! OOOO!! The scariest though is when Jake flips out over a game of card wars. Yikes!

Here are the episodes: “Hot to the Touch” (Part 2); “Five Short Graybles”; “Web Weirdos”; “Dream of Love”; “Return to the Nightosphere” (Part 1); “Daddy’s Little Monster” (Part 2); “In Your Footsteps”; “Hug Wolf”; “Princess Monster Wife”; “Goliad”; “Beyond This Earthly Realm”; “Gotcha!”; “Princess Cookie”; “Card Wars”; “Sons of Mars”; “Burning Low”; “BMO Noire”; “King Worm”; “Lady & Peebles”; “You Made Me”; “Who Would Win”; “Ignition Point”, “The Hard Easy”; “Reign of Gunters”; “I Remember You” and “The Lich” (Part 1)”.

This season includes guest stars including Bobcat Goldthwait (“Police Academy” series), Donald Faison (“Scrubs”),  Keith David (“They Live”), Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”) and Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk”).  This season comes packaged in a new collectible Marceline slipcase, which is awesome but I am still waiting for my LSP slipcase!!! Come on!! The 1080p transfer is solid but the audio track once again disappoints only including a Dolby Digital (DVD quality) 2.0 track.

Warner is delivering the fourth season as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The special features are great…if you love commentary tracks. There are 26 episodes in this season and there are literally a commentary track for each episode from the cast and crew. There is also a 19-minute featurette “Distant Bands: The Music of Adventure Time”, which features series creator Pendleton Ward, creative director Pat McHale, and storyboard artists Jesse Moynihan and Rebecca Sugar chatting about the series’ music.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition”

Actors: Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, Barbara Jo Allen, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy
Directors: Clyde Geronimi
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 75 minutes

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

Timed slightly ahead of the Blu-ray release of Disney’s live-action smash hit “Maleficent”, which is set to be released on November 4th, Disney’s 16th animated classic returns to Blu-ray in an all new Diamond Edition. Personally, I would have waited until November to release this to get parents to pick up both films in one shot. Listen, this is a definitely a cash-in release, especially since this was just released on Blu-ray in 2008 but there are some new extras included as well as a digital copy. So it isn’t just a new box and nothing new. Having a two year old at home, even though some parts a little scary, I am excited to be able to share this film with her because she absolutely loves the character Aurora already.

Official Premise: Fall under the glorious spell of Disney’s Ultimate Princess Fairy Tale! The magic is real as you experience all the pageantry and power on Blu-ray — and for the first time ever on Digital HD — with incredible high-definition picture and thrilling, soaring sound! Beauty, wonder and adventure spin together in a grand legend that transcends time as Maleficent, one of animation’s most spectacular villains, sends the kingdom’s beloved Princess Aurora into an enchanted sleep. In a majestic story that awakens all your senses, Good Fairies arm brave Prince Phillip to defeat a fearsome fire-breathing dragon and rescue Aurora. But success in battle may not be enough, for the only way to awaken the Princess is with True Love’s kiss!

This Diamond Edition of “Sleeping Beauty” includes a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD Digital Copy. This is the first time that film has been released digitally, so that is a nice bonus. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track are literally perfect for an animated film that is 55 years old. The colors are just so vibrant and literally jump off the screen. I am not sure if the transfer has been upgraded since the 2008 release but it is still outstanding. The songs are perfectly balanced as well and sound amazing in their 7.1 surround track. If you love the original track, also included is the original Dolby Digital 4.0 stereophonic track for those Disney purists.

There are tons of great special features included. The new extras include “Once Upon A Parade, Starring Sarah Hyland ” which takes us behind-the-scenes with Sarah Hyland from ABC’s Modern Family at Magic Kingdom. “Art of Evil: Generations Of Disney Villains” focuses on Disney’s favorite villain animator, Marc Davis and his influences. “DisneyAnimation: Artists in Motion, Extended Edition” features Walt Disney Animation Visual Development artist Brittney Lee as she develops a three dimensional sculpture of Maleficent, completely out of paper. “Beauty-Oke: Once Upon A Dream” is a Sing-along tfor Aurora’s signature song. There are three brand new, never before seen deleted scenes.

Other Classic DVD Bonus Features include “The Sound Of Beauty: Restoring A Classic”, which looks into restoring the film and focuses on its 7.1 mix. “Picture Perfect: The Making Of Sleeping Beauty” shows us the behind-the-scenes magic that took place to place this film with Legendary Animators, actors and film historians. “Eyvind Earle: A Man And His Art ” focuses on the career of background painter and renowned American Artist. There is also an audio commentary track with John Lasseter, Andreas Deja and Leonard Maltin and believe it or not there is still much more included.

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Blu-ray Review “Gone with the Wind: 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Actors: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia De Havilland, Hattie McDaniel
Directors: Victor Fleming
Number of discs: 4
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 238 minutes

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

“Gone with the Wind” is one of the most influential films of our time. It is a classic of classics. Who hasn’t seen this film? It is a must see for everyone! Released in 1939, it won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress. Based on Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel continues to have an affect on people after all these years. In fact, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing this 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray to celebrate its latest anniversary. It is limited/numbered and comes with new collectible packaging, memorabilia and special features. If you already own the 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition, this release is slightly different in terms of collectibles and some new extras. If you have never owned this film, this is a great re-release (at least until the 80th Anniversary).

Synopsis: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in the quintessential Hollywood epic that still stands as history’s all-time domestic box-office champion ($1.6 billion adjusted for inflation), with more tickets sold than any other movie ever made. Gone with the Wind opens on the eve of the Civil War. Rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want. Except, that is, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) — and who truly loves her — until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost and tries to win him back.

If you love “Gone with the Wind”, then you will love that this The Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes with a replica of Rhett Butler’s handkerchief as well as a music box paperweight that plays Tara’s theme dressed with the image of the Rhett-Scarlett famous kiss. Also included is a 36-page companion booklet, which focuses on the style of Gone with the Wind and is written by New York fashion designer and Project Runway finalist Austin Scarlett. The new special features include footage of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta called “Gone With the Win: Hollywood Comes to Atlanta” and “Old South/New South”, which takes you on a journey through today’s South revisiting the real-life locations depicted in the film and how they have been influenced over the year.

Warner is releasing this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer is unbelievable goregous for a 75 year old film. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 is also outstanding as well highlighting the dialogue and Max Steiner’s amazing score. There is also a standard Dolby Digital Mono track included. Other rolled over extras from previous releases include, a commentary track from Historian Rudy Behlmer on the first disc. The second Blu-ray includes literally over 8 hours of special features taken from the 70th Anniversary release…eight hours! Lastly there is a bonus DVD including “MGM: When the Lion Roars”, which is alone a three part, six hour documentary looking at the history of M-G-M, hosted by Patrick Stewart.

Commemorate the 75th anniversary of Gone with the Wind with the new Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ set – Available 9/30/14. Buy it now from WB Shop: http://bit.ly/GWTW75

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Blu-ray Review “Chef”

Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale
Director: Jon Favreau
Number of discs: 2
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 110 minutes

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

“Swingers”. “Made”. These are great indie films. They are funny, edgy and relevant. They were also both written and directed by Jon Favreau, who had since went on to direct films like “Iron Man” and “Elf”. This film is an amazing return for him to his indie roots. This is a really heartwarming comedy that has a little bit for everyone, sort of like an appetizer platter since we are on the topic of food. This film is easily one of my favorite films of the year. It is a change from the today flew of sequels / remakes / prequels etc. Jon Favreau is back and I recommend this film to everyone!

Official Premise: An online feud with an influential food critic (Platt) and a creative disagreement with his investor (Hoffman) convince Carl Casper (Favreau) to hang up his apron at a posh Los Angeles bistro and get his mojo back in Miami’s Cuban-inspired cuisine. When his ex-wife (Vergara) helps him get a fresh start with a rundown food truck, Carl and his best friend and sous chef Martin (Leguizamo) head across the country with Carl’s young son Percy on a culinary adventure that helps Carl rediscover what matters in life.

Besides Favreau himself, the film has an all-star cast including John Leguizamo (“Ice Age”), Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family”), Bobby Cannavale (“Blue Jasmine”), Oliver Platt (“Fargo”), Amy Sedaris (“Strangers with Candy”, Dustin Hoffman (“Rain Man”), Scarlett Johansson (“The Avengers”)  and a fantastic appearance from Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man”). Newcomer Emjay Anthony also steals the show as Favreau’s son.

Universal is releasing the film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD copy with UltraViolet. The 1080p transfer is outstanding and definitely makes that grilled cheese sandwich that much more mouth-watering. The DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track works perfectly with the film’s perfectly themed music throughout Chef’s journey. The special features are a bit of a let down though. There is a great audio commentary track with Favreau and chef and co-producer Roy Choi. Besides that there is only some deleted scenes.

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