Win a Blu-ray of Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel”


To celebrate the Blu-ray release of Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) copy of the Blu-ray combo pack to our readers. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite Wes Anderson film. This giveaway will remain open until June 27th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US and Canada only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of legendary concierge Gustave H. and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft of a priceless painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; and a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis – all against the backdrop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent.

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“Mr. Peabody and Sherman” Arrives on Blu-ray on October 14th

FROM THE CREATORS OF THE CROODS AND HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

LOS ANGELES, CA – Unleash the fun at home with the hilarious comedy-adventure, DreamWorks Animation’s MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN!  Mr. Peabody (Ty Burrell) is an inventor, scientist and genius who just happens to be a dog. With his son Sherman, he will embark on the most extraordinary adventure imaginable as they race against time to repair history and save the future. “Heartfelt and snappy” (Jessica Herndon, Associated Press), MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN has been hailed by critics as “a great adventure for the entire family” (Mike Wilbur, NBC Newschannel), receiving outstanding audience reaction and a coveted “A” CinemaScore®.
Directed by Rob Minkoff (THE LION KING, STUART LITTLE) and from the team behind family favorite franchises THE CROODS and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN is “fun” and “fast moving” (A.O. Scott, The New York Times) and features hilarious performances from an incredible voice cast of popular stars including Ty Burrell, Ariel Winter, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, Max Charles, Patrick Warburton and Allison Janney.
MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN is based upon the beloved characters that first appeared in in the late 1950s and early 1960s animated television series “Rocky and His Friends” and “The Bullwinkle Show,” produced by Jay Ward.
Sit back and go WABAC to experience the ultimate joy ride and loads of laughs when MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN arrives on Digital HD on September 23 and on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 14. Jay Ward fans will want to get the 3D Blu-ray™ release which has everything for enthusiasts to celebrate the Jay Ward legacy including a 5-minute All New Rocky & Bullwinkle short and several original TV episodes.

….

DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman Blu-ray™ Deluxe Edition
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy Deluxe Edition includes:
Feature film in high definition
Blu-ray Exclusive Special Features:
● Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends Show – See the premiere episode of the original 1959 television show.
● Mr. Peabody & Sherman Segments – Watch five segments from the original television series including “Robin Hood,” “Leonardo Da Vinci,” “Louis XVI,” “William Shakespeare,” and “Ludwig Van Beethoven.”
● History’s Greatest Mysteries – A Dog and his Boy
● Peabody’s Paw Print on History – We take part in the excitement as Mr. Peabody gets his pawprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre. Cast members Ty Burrell (voice of “Mr. Peabody”) and Max Charles (voice of “Sherman”), join filmmakers Rob Minkoff (director), Alex Schwartz (producer) and Tiffany Ward (executive producer) for the festivities. Also on hand (or paw?) are some of Mr. Peabody’s very famous furry friends, including Lassie, Beethoven, Rin Tin Tin, and a very adorable dog named George Clooney.
● Time Travel Memory Match game
● The WABAC Jigsaw Puzzle game

 

Additional Special Features:
● Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends Show – See the premiere episode of the original 1959 television show.
● Mr. Peabody & Sherman Segments – Watch five segments from the original television series including “Robin Hood,” “Leonardo Da Vinci,” “Louis XVI,” “William Shakespeare,” and “Ludwig Van Beethoven.”
● History’s Greatest Mysteries – A Dog and his Boy
● Peabody’s Paw Print on History – We take part in the excitement as Mr. Peabody gets his pawprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre. Cast members Ty Burrell (voice of “Mr. Peabody”) and Max Charles (voice of “Sherman”), join filmmakers Rob Minkoff (director), Alex Schwartz (producer) and Tiffany Ward (executive producer) for the festivities. Also on hand (or paw?) are some of Mr. Peabody’s very famous furry friends, including Lassie, Beethoven, Rin Tin Tin, and a very adorable dog named George Clooney.
● Time Travel Memory Match game
● The WABAC Jigsaw Puzzle game

 

DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman Blu-ray™ 3D Deluxe Edition
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Blu-ray™ 3D + Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital Copy Deluxe Edition includes the following:
Feature film in high definition and 3D
Blu-ray 3D Exclusive Special Feature
● All New Rocky & Bullwinkle Adventure

 

DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman DVD
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman single disc DVD includes:
Feature film in standard definition
Special Features:
● Tour of the WABAC Machine – Mr. Peabody, himself, takes us on an in-depth tour of the WABAC machine. He explains what many of the WABAC’s knobs, buttons, and gizmos do. Exactly what is a Pneumatic Dressilator? A hemidemisemiquavatron? And, those windshield wiper controls…how exactly do they help while speeding through the space-time continuum? Mr. Peabody explains it all!
● Time Travel: Mad Science – We talk to real physicists Kenneth Wharton and Anthony Aguirre to find out if there is any possibility of time travel, and if so, how it would work. We explore the two time travel theories of the Block Universe and the Multi-Verse. We also learn why scientists think only forward time travel is possible, and how Einstein’s Theory of Relativity still determines how scientists imagine the possibilities of time travel.
● Photo Gallery
● Theatrical Trailer
● World of DreamWorks Animation – Music videos from your favorite DreamWorks Animation feature films
● Holiday Favorites – Sneak Peeks

 

ABOUT DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for five consecutive years. In 2013, DreamWorks Animation ranks #12 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 28 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss In Boots, and The Croods.
ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.

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Blu-ray Review “Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 6”

Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 1175 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 43.5 out of 5 stars

The sixth season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is easily one of my favorites. Each of the show’s characters have been developed so well by this point. This show was also airing the same time as “Deep Space Nine” but this season was still one of the most strongest of the series. Patrick Stewart really delivered some of his best performances with the following episodes “Chain of Command, Parts 1 and 2”. Also season six includes several well-known recurring characters, most importantly being Montgomery Scott, the Enterprise engineer from the Original Series, who is found alive and adjusting to the twenty-fourth century. This is also the second to last of the seasons, which means that most likely later this year this “Star Trek: The Next Generation” will be available complete on Blu-ray.

Here is the episode list for this season: Time’s Arrow, Part II; Realm of Fear; Man of the People; Relics; Schisms; True-Q; Rascals; A Fistful of Datas; The Quality of Life; Chain of Command, Part I; Chain of Command, Part II; Ship in a Bottle; Aquiel; Face of the Enemy; Tapestry; Birthright, Part I; Birthright, Part II; Starship Mine; Lessons; The Chase; Frame of Mind; Suspicions; Rightful Heir; Second Chances; Timescape and Descent, Part I. Brent Spiner’s dual performance as Data and his father Dr. Noonien Soong in “Birthright” are fantastic. Of course like I said above, the two part episode “Chain of Command” is literally one of the best arcs. Also Riker (Jonathan Frakes) copes with a bizarre identity crisis that pits him against himself in “Second Chances”.

Like the five seasons before this one, Paramount has consistently delivered this series with amazing releases. These episodes are newly remastered within their 1080p transfers.  The visual effects look better and overall the show just feels much sharper.  Since this show was shot on video and the special effects were set in their masters. They really went to town and delivered an impressive release yet again. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which is a such a treat for this series. I literally just got a new 7.1 surround sound system and I couldn’t help but turn it up to 11.

The special features are a step up again and deliver some great extras. There is are three audio commentary track included. The first is with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda on “Relics”. Next is an audio commentary with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda on “Tapestry”. Lastly there is an audio commentary with James L. Conway and Jonathan West on “Frame of Mind” . There are a few “Archival Mission Log” over first five discs focusing on “Mission Overview Year Six”, ” Bold New Directions”, “Departmental Briefing Year Six: Production and Dan Curry”, “Special Crew Profile: Lt. Cmdr. Data”, “Select Historical Data” and “Inside Starfleet Archives: Sets and Props”.

There are brand new deleted scenes on the following episodes Time’s Arrow, Part II, Relics, True Q, Ship in a Bottle, Face of the Enemy, Tapestry, Birthright, Part II, The Chase and Rightful Heir. The real star of this release is easily the brand new, three-part documentary “Beyond the Five Year Mission – The Evolution of Star Trek: The Next Generation” featuring fascinating interviews with cast and crew. Lastly there are episodic promos on each on the six discs and a new gag reel included.

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Blu-ray Review “Ranma ½ Set 2”

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

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

Rumiko Takahashi’s classic martial arts romantic comedy Ranma ½ is back! In Mach, Viz Media released the first 23 episodes of the popular anime series “Ranma ½” and this month we are already getting “Set 2”, which includes the next 23 episodes. With 56 episodes in the bag already this series is on fire with this new revival. I have been having flashbacks of my younger days watching this show on bootleg VHS that I got from a friend, who got it from a friend. I cannot wait for the next release from Viz Media and I hope that they continue to release this series quickly since I cannot get enough of it.

Official Premise: Ranma Saotome, the boy who turns into a girl with a splash of water, always has his hands full fending off crazed admirers. One of the most fanatical is Shampoo, a girl from a tribe of Chinese Amazons who tried to kill girl Ranma, was defeated by boy Ranma, and then proposes marriage to him due to her clan s rule. Things get a little crazier when Shampoo falls into a cursed spring and turns into a cat! And even crazier when Mousse, who is in love with Shampoo, challenges Ranma to a battle over…Ranma s fiancée, Akane…? Back at the Tendo dojo, Ranma s dad, Genma, and Akane s dad, Soun, receive a visit from their former master, Happosai. Around the same time, some of the neighborhood ladies find their undies are disappearing… Is Happosai responsible, or is it just a coincidence?

Like the first set of episodes, these 1080p transfers are absolutely stunning with high quality encodes created using the original Japanese Blu-ray masters. Fans are able to enjoy each episode with an uncropped, 4:3 aspect ratio. These episodes are also arranged in the original Japanese episode order. There are both lossless tracks available for the original Japanese (with English subtitles) and the English dub, and a secondary subtitle track is available for signs and songs. The box presentation also for this set is amazing coming in a premium chipboard box with gold foil stamping with art illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. Inside it also includes an exclusive art card and a 32-page booklet with episode summaries

The special features aren’t as impressive as the first set. “We Love Ranma Part 2: Favorite Scenes” is a collection of notable scenes in these episodes. There is “Next Episode Previews” for the upcoming set. Lastly there are Clean Opening Animations and Clean Closing Animations for the episodes. After the decent extras in set 1, I was hoping that this was going to be the trend for these releases. I hope that they pick up the slack with set 3 and future installments after that. Still though for the outstanding video and audio on this Blu-ray will make this worth it alone for any anime fan.

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Blu-ray Review “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Owen Wilson
Director: Wes Anderson
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 120 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was no question one of my most anticipated films of 2014. It is also since seeing it one of my favorites. The film is absolutely stunning and like all Wes Anderson films completely out there. It is funny and yet romantic at the same time. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” has an ultra all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Léa Seydoux and Harvey Keitel. Let’s not forget the hotel, which is a like a character itself. This is beautifully shot. If you are a Wes Anderson film, you will not be let down!

Official Premise: The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune — all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” comes to Blu-ray in a combo pack including a Digital HD Ultraviolet copy. The 1080p transfer is nothing short of a masterpiece. The film switches between a wide array of aspect ratios including 2.39:1, 1.85:1 and 1.33:1, which is the bulk of film. I really enjoyed the way that Anderson and his cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman decided to be very experimental with the way they shot this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track also works perfectly with the dialogue and score.

Since all of Wes Anderson’s films make their way to Criterion Collection, they are going to have a hard time topping the audio and video tracks. But they definitely have room to improve in the special features, which are ok but nothing spectacular like the film. “Bill Murray Tours the Town” is short featurette with the actor visiting locations. There are three short Vignettes, which run under 10 minutes. There are three promotional featurettes focusing around “The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel”, the “Cast”, director “Wes Anderson”. Lastly there is a Stills Gallery and Theatrical Trailer.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Brazil With Michael Palin”

Actors: Michael Palin
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 220 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I see the title “Brazil With Michael Palin”, I can’t help but think about fellow Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film “Brazil”, which also co-starred Michael Palin. This is a 2012 documentary miniseries hosted by the the Monty Python member is making its debut on Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S. In fact, after Python, Palin began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian. Besides Brazil, he has traveled across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas and Eastern Europe. He has written books and filmed documentaries on his travels. If you are curious to see a different side to funnyman Palin, this is a great miniseries.

Official Premise: Brazil in the 21st century has become a global player. With a booming economy and massive social changes, there is a swagger to this once-sleeping giant, but what do we know of it apart from football and carnival? Michael Palin has travelled across most of the globe over the years, but never to Brazil. In this four-part series he crosses the country as big as a continent to find out what makes it tick. Meet remote tribes who pit their survival skills against gold diggers and loggers. Dance with witches. Watch the new World Cup stadium rise in Brasilia. In the entertaining company of your good-humored host, you’ll delight in the spectacular landscape, food, music, beach life and unique cultural heritage of this rising global power.

The episodes included on this Blu-ray are “Out of Africa, “Into Amazonia”, “The Road to Rio” and “The Deep South” Going from the lost world of Amazonia to the big city of of Rio de Janeiro, Palin allows us to join him as he meets the people and visits these amazing places that helped shape our nation. The 1080p transfers on these episodes are simply stunning. These located are extremely beautifully filmed whether it is of the remote tribes on the Venezuelan border to the modernist
 buildings of Brasilia or my favorite the spectacular Iguaçu Falls, this Blu-ray is sure to get you considering a trip to these wonderful locations.

 

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Blu-ray Review “The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night (Criterion Collection)”

Starring: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Director: Richard Lester
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Criterion Collection
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 87 minutes

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

The Beatles is one of the best bands EVER. They have changed pop culture forever. Their music is eternal and will never be forgotten. I can sum this Blu-ray up in one word…SPECTACULAR. If you are a Beatles fan, you NEED this release. If you don’t have a Blu-ray player, go out and buy one! “The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night” was released on Blu-ray back in 2009 to a pretty poor release. If you felt burned that one all you need to know is that this is being released under the Criterion Collection and that means perfection. The music in this film is just so amazing. Tell you that you don’t belt out these classic Beatles tracks like “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Tell Me Why”, “If I Fell”, “And I Love Her”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, and “I Should Have Known Better” while watching or even thinking about this film.

Official Premise: In 1964, the Beatles had just recently exploded onto the American scene with their debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The group’s first feature, the Academy Award-nominated “A Hard Day’s Night,” offered fans their first peek into a day in the life of the Beatles and served to establish the Fab Four on the silver screen, as well as to inspire the music video format.

Criterion is releasing this as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The film itself has been recently given a spectacular 4K restoration from the original camera negative for this Blu-ray. Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.75:1, I cannot stress how stunning this transfer looks. 5/5 stars is simply not high enough. Also this release is also director approved, so you can not just take my word but also Richard Lester’s word. The black and white is so sharp looking and you couldn’t tell that this was shot nearly 50 years ago.

Since The Beatles are obviously known for their music, the audio tracks on this release are very important. There are a few different tracks on this Blu-ray. My favorite has to be the LPCM mono track. It is extremely clear and the songs are very well balanced. When I cranked up a few of the songs, they just sounded absolutely perfect. Same goes for the dialogue in the film, it sounded great as well. There is also a new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which was made by Apple Records. Personally, this track works best with the songs, of course. Both very impressive and two different experiences, to be honest.

The special features are jam-packed and quite outstanding for this release. “Anatomy of a Style” feature story editor and screenwriter Bobbie O’Steen and music editor Suzana Peric discussing the film’s music sequences including “A Hard Day’s Night”, “I Should Have Known Better”, “Cant Buy Me Love”, “And I love Her” and “She Loves You”. “In Their Own Voices” includes behind-the-scenes stills and footage from the making of “A Hard Day’s Night” as well as clips from audio interviews a few of the Beatles. “You Can’t Do That: The Making of A Hard Day’s Night” is the 1994 documentary, produced by Walter Shenson (producer of “A Hard Day’s Night”) and narrated by Phil Collins featuring cast/crew from the film and runs just over an hour.

“Things They Said Today” is a  documentary from 2002 that focuses on long term success of “A Hard Day’s Night”. “The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film” is a short film that was shot by Richard Lester in 1959 and features Richard Lester, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Graham Stark, and Bruce Lacey. “Picturewise” is a  new video essay focuses on the production history of “A Hard Days Night” and Richard Lester’s directing style. This was written and produced by critic and filmmaker David Cairns exclusively for Criterion. “The Beatles: The Road to A Hard Day’s Night” is a new video interview with Mark Lewisohn, author of “The Beatles: All These Years, Volume 1 — Tune In”, which was also conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2014.

But wait, there is still more…there is an audio commentary track from 2002 created from material produced by Martin Lewis and features actors John Junkin, David Janson, and Jeremy Lloyd; cinematographer Gilbert Taylor; associate producer Denis O’Dell; second assistant director Barrie Melrose; assistant editors Pamela Tomling and Roy Benson; and others. There are two trailers including the 2000 re-release and the 2014 re-release.  Lastly there is an fantastic illustrated booklet featuring an essay by critic Howard Hampton.

 

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Blu-ray Review “The Mechanic (1972)”

Starring: Charles Bronson, Jan-Michael Vincent, Keenan Wynn, Jill Ireland
Director: Michael Winner
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Running Time: 100 minutes

Film: 4 out of stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I think about Charles Bronson, I think about two things “Death Wish” and “The Mechanic”. If you are thinking about the remake with Jason Statham from 2011, this is the original and much better film. Bronson is such a bad-ass in this film and in general. It has been many years since I viewed this film and it is still as gritty and entertaining as it was the first time I saw it. If you love Bronson, this release is a no-brainer.

Official Premise: Director Michael Winner’s The Mechanic (1972) stars his long-term collaborator, the sui generis Charles Bronson, as a hardened professional hitman who’s feeling the strains of his profession. He joins forces with a ruthless up-and-comer (Jan-Michael Vincent) in a partnership that wavers between sustaining and profoundly dangerous.

This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced.  I was very impressed with the 1080p transfer on this release. For a film that is over 40 years old, it looks ace and sounds amazing as well. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono is stunning, especially with one of my favorite scoirres by the legendary Jerry Fielding.

In terms of special features, there is not much here, but what is is still worth checking out. Speaking of how much I love Fielding’s score, there is an Isolated Score Track included on this Blu-ray. There is an  audio commentary track with Cinematographer Richard H. Kline and Film Historian Nick Redman. Lastly there is an Original Theatrical Trailer. If you want this film don’t hold out cause once it sold out, its gone for good!

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Win a Blu-ray of Steve Coogan’s “Alan Partridge” [ENDED]


To celebrate the Blu-ray release of Steve Coogan’s “Alan Partridge”, Media Mikes is excited one (1) copy of the Blu-ray to our readers. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite Steve Coogan film. This giveaway will remain open until June 27th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US and Canada only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email

Steve Coogan reprises his most popular role, as the iconic Alan Partridge, the famous local radio DJ and one time talk show host. Alan finds himself at the center of a siege, when a disgruntled fellow DJ (Colm Meaney) decides to hold their station hostage after learning that he’s getting sacked by the new management.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Joy Ride 3: Road Kill”

Actors: Jesse Hutch, Ken Kirzinger, Dean Armstrong, Ben Hollingsworth
Director: Declan O’Brien
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 96 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Rusty Nail has really become a great icon in the horror world. He is not at the level of Freddy Krueger but he definitely kicks some ass. I am sure this wasn’t planned (I hope) but since the death of Paul Walker (who starred in the first “Joyride”) was only a few months ago, it feels a little odd for this to be coming out right now. After the terrible follow up “Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead”, “Joy Ride 3: Road Kill” is action-packed, entertains and is worth checking out if you enjoy this character and the series.

Official Premise: This third hellish installment in the bloody series finds director Declan O’Brien in the driver’s seat for another deadly detour. The nightmare begins when a group of young street racers take a desolate shortcut on their way to the Road Rally 1000. But a chance encounter with Rusty soon turns deadly as he stalks, taunts, and tortures his next victims with deranged delight. It’s a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal chill ride packed with killer twists and turns!

Fox is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray, DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Copy. It is also releasing it with a Limited Edition Killer Packaging. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works for what the film is, which is a low-budget gritty horror sequel. There are some decent special features including some Pre-Vis Sequences. “Road Rage: The Blood, Sweat and Gears of Joy Ride 3” is a look into the production. “Riding Shotgun with Declan: Director’s DIE-aries” is a chat with the director Declan O’Brien. Lastly, we have a featurette “Finding Large Marge” and an audio commentary track.

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Blu-ray Review “House of Cards: The Complete Second Season”

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Reuel Pendleton, Sakina Jaffrey, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly
Directors: David Fincher, James Foley, Allen Coulter, Carl Franklin, Charles McDougall, Joel Schumacher
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 663 minutes

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

When I watched the first season of “House of Cards“, I thought what could be better than this season? Well that answer is easy because it is the second season. It is rare that a show not only stayed in line with the previous season but also surpasses it. The acting in this series just keeps blowing me away as well. Kevin Spacey really gets comfortable in the shoes of Frank Underwood and Robin Wright just stunning, not to mention the rest of this stellar cast. I dare you to watch one episode of this series and see if you don’t end up binging on it for the rest of the night. If you dig shows about the seedy world of politics, look no further because it doesn’t get any better than this…(I hope I can negate that statement when season three hits).

Official Premise: Masterful, beguiling and charismatic, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Robin Wright) continue their ruthless rise to power in Season 2 of ‘. Behind the curtain of power, sex, ambition, love, greed and corruption in modern Washington D.C. the Underwoods must battle threats past and present to avoid losing everything. As new alliances form and old ones succumb to deception and betrayal, they will stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy.

Sony released The Complete Second Season of “House of Cards” on Blu-ray accompanied by a Ultraviolet Digital Copy. The 1080p  presentation of the episodes is near flawless. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track worked perfectly so I can lean on every word spoken. The special features are another win for this release. “Two Houses” looks into at the original show and how this series came together. “Table Read” is a behind-the-scenes look cut with with the scenes from the show. “Direct Address” features how Francis Underwood speaks directly to viewers in both the original BBC series and this new adaptation. “Politics for Politics Sake” takes at looks into the politics themes in the show.  Lastly, “Line of Succession” looks into what goes into making an episode.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”

Starring: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Directors: Brannon Braga, Ann Druyan, Bill Pope
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 572 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I first show this TV series advertised on Fox, I knew it was going to be amazing. It is executive produced by Seth MacFarlane and hosted by renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. The 13-episode series follows in the footsteps of Carl Sagan’s original televised study of the mechanics of the universe. I don’t know science is so interesting but I actually find it very entertaining as well as informative.

It has been more than three decades since the debut of Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage”, which took a  stunning and iconic exploration of the universe. Seth MacFarlane has re-teamed with Sagan’s original creative collaborators including writer/executive producer Druyan and co-writer, astronomer Steven Soter. So this has the same feel of Sagan’s series but we a new 21 century technological visual upgrade.

Official Premise: As with the legendary original series, the new Cosmos is the saga of how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. The series brings to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge, transporting viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on both the grandest and smallest scales.

The series is such a visual masterpiece on Blu-ray. Thje 1080p transfers look amazing as the show switches from live action with Neil deGrasse Tyson to CGI work to animated sequences.  “Wow” is literally the first words that come to my mind to describe these episodes on Blu-ray. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround, which has an amazing score by Alan Silvestri. I just wished that Fox would have given us a digital copy with this release.

The special features are split over the four discs. Disc one has an audio commentary track for the episode “Standing Up in the Milky Way”, which features Ann Druyan, Mitchell Cannolo, Brannon Braga, Jason Clark and Kara Vallow. Disc two includes “Celebrating Carl Sagan: A Selection from the Library of Congress Dedication” which focuses on  (1080p; 34:37) is a great piece focusing on giving Sagan’s papers and notebooks to the Library of Congress.

Disc Three includes “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey at Comic-Con 2013” is a fun and interesting look at the world of geeks at a convention. Disc Four includes “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey – The Voyage Continues”, which is a great behind the scenes looks at the series. Lastly there is an “Interactive Cosmic Calendar” with Ann Druyan as host and voiceover artist. Calling all science nerds, tech nerds…”Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” has something for everyone.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, cosmos, odyssey, review, spacetime

Blu-ray Review “300: Rise of an Empire”

Actors: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, Rodrigo Santoro
Directors: Noam Murro
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 102 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 of 5 stars

When I heard about the plans for a sequel to “300”, I have to admit, I did roll my eyes a little. Honestly though, “300: Rise of the Empire” is a actually a really solid follow up to “300” and in same way even a better film than the first film. It is adapted from a screenplay by Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, and based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel “Xerxes”. It has a great cast lead by the gorgeous Eva Green (“Dark Shadows”) along with Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”) and Rodrigo Santoro (“Love Actually”) who return to reprise their roles. After watching this I was left just saying “Wow, that was crazy”. Highly recommend.

Official Premise: “300: Rise of an Empire” takes the action to a fresh battlefield — the sea — as Greek general Themistokles (Stapleton) attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. Themistokles must face the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Santoro) and Artemisia (Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

Warner Bros is releasing the film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray, DVD and an Ultraviolet Digital Copy. This film was made to be seen in 3D and I am sure it is amazing in 3D but the film also worked very well in 2D. The 1080p transfer is easily one of the best that I have seen all year. It is flawless and really pops off the screen and that is not in 3D. I just love the style and this is just visually stunning. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track is literally insane and such a powerhouse! It had my walls shaking and my wife screaming to lower it, so that means it was very effective!

In terms of special features, there are some decent extras here. The main powerhouse here is “The 300 Effect”, which consists of four featurettes focusing on the film including “Brutal Artistry”, “A New Breed of Hero”, “Taking the Battle to the Sea”, which focus on taking the fighting to the sea and 3 Days in Hell” looks into the how the battle scenes were created. “Real Leaders & Legends” and “Women Warriors” shows us some of history legends that changed history. “Savage Warships” gives us an inside look into their creation. Lastly “Becoming a Warrior” looks into the challenge that was required to get ready for shooting.

Own “300: Rise of an Empire” on Blu-ray 3D combo pack, Blu-ray combo pack, 2-disc DVD special edition and Digital HD on 6/24

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Blu-ray Review “Winter’s Tale”

Starring: Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jennifer Connelly, Will Smith
Director: Akiva Goldsman
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 120 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to fairy tales and supernatural tales, I am a big of a sucker despite the film being perfect or not. “Winter’s Tale” is one of those. It is far from perfect but I found something magical about it that drew me in and kept me entertained. Even though I was not a fan of “Saving Mr. Banks”, Colin Farrell was quite amazing in it. After “Les Miserables”, I am gung ho for Russell Crowe and he continues to nail it, even in this film. Jessica Rose Brown-Findlay is best known for playing Lady Sybil Crawley in “Downton Abbey”. What I want to know is how the hell did Will Smith end up in this film. That’s right Will Smith in a rather small but nice role. Even though this film was smashed by critics and failed at the box office, if you are looking to escape for two hours, I would still recommend it.

Official Premise: New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights, its life unfolds, for it is an extraordinary hive of the imagination, the greatest house ever built, and nothing exists that can check its vitality. One night in winter, Peter Lake (Farrell), orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter, a middle-aged Irish burglar, and Beverly Penn (Findlay), a young girl, who is dying.

Warner Bros is releasing this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Copy. One thing about this film that I did like very much was the way that it was shot and its use of colors. The 1080p transfer really looks phenomenal. I loved looking at this probably more than I did watching it as a whole.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track also has a certain magical feel to it, probably thanks to Hans Zimmer’s score. In the special features department, there is some but not much included. There is a look into the production, which was based on the 1983 novel in “Winter’s Tale: A Timeless Love”. There is a profile on the “Characters of Good & Evil” with cast. Lastly there are a few additional scenes included.

Own “WINTER’S TALE” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on June 24th


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Blu-ray Review “Tosh.0: Collas Plus Exposed Arms”

Starring: Daniel Tosh
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Comedy Central
DVD Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 462 minutes

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

There are two kinds of people either you are a Tosh.0 fan or you aren’t. I couldn’t stand him when it first started on Comedy Central but damn has he grown on me overtime and now I can’t get enough. After releasing the past seasons and “Tosh.0: Hoodies” and “Tosh.0: Deep V’s”, Paramount Home Entertainment is delivering us another collection of the best of the worst internet videos and viral celebrities from the latest season of “Tosh.0” brought to us by Host and comedian Daniel Tosh. If you love the show and looking for a few great laughs then I would definitely recommend “Tosh.0: Collas & Exposed Arms”.

Official Synopsis: Tosh.0 delves into all aspects of the Internet, featuring razor sharp humor and biting commentary from comedian Daniel Tosh. From the absolutely absurd to the incredibly ingenious, the series features viral clips, sketches, and “Web Redemptions” which give subjects of infamous viral videos a second chance to redeem themselves from the embarrassment with which they’ve become synonymous. It’s cable TV’s most trusted source for exhibitionist weirdos, injurious idiots and all things Web.

“Collas & Exposed Arms” comes presented in 1080p with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track. Since a lot of the video were not shot in 1080p, there isn’t really anything too impressive here. It looks and sounds great but nothing special. Besides the 21 episodes includes, in the special features department, there are some Extended Redemption Interviews, which are definitely a must watch. Lastly, “Tiptoes Spoiler Uncut” is quite the hoot for sure. I can’t wait to see what Paramount has planned next for this great show.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: arms, bluray, collas, exposed, review, tosh0, ...
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