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

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: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 755 minutes

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

FUNimation Entertainment is power housing through this series starting with the first at the beginning of the year and averaging about a season a month. Season Five is already set for release on June 24th as well. “Dragon Ball Z: Season Four” was personally never my all-time favorite. It follows the Garlic Jr., Trunks and Androids Sagas. This uncut collection features episodes 108-139 of the classic anime series, which are presented in remastered high definition for the first time ever.  These episodes have never looked better. If you are a fan of “Dragon Ball Z”, this is yet another impressive release! Keep them coming Funimation!

Official Synopsis: Having returned victorious from their battle with Frieza, the Z-fighters can at last breathe a collective sigh of relief. But they won’t have long to rest. A new host of villains has appeared, ready to wreak havoc on the Earth – and Goku, the Z-Fighters’ greatest hero, is still missing!

These episodes have undergone a frame-by-frame restoration to remove any blemishes, tape marks and foreign bodies from the film. Funimation has been consistently delivering for the fans on this series and this season is no different. There are three audio tracks included, the Japanese audio and two English tracks: the U.S. English-language broadcast dub and a mix with English dialogue and Japanese music. These have also been re-mastered in the interest of noise reduction and superior sound quality. This series has also received a precise shot-by-shot reframing to create “a modern HD widescreen presentation.” So quality is the key word here for sure.

Like the seasons two and three, Funimation has stepped up from the first season and delivered some decent special features with this season. There is a two part interview series with “Inside Dragon Ball Z” featuring chats with Matthew O’Hara and Daniel Mancilla. There is also a feeaturette called “From the Vault” with a look into Goku vs. Vegeta and “The World of Dragon Ball Z”. Lastly there is also Textless opening and closing songs and trailers included.  I am holding that that we will be getting some commentary tracks on this series before we get to season 9, fingers crossed!

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Blu-ray Review “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”

Actors: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Lenn Kudrjawizki
Directors: Kenneth Branagh
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 105 minutes

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

The character of Jack Ryan from Tom Clancy’s novels has been played by many very talented actors over the last roughly 25 years from Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck. They have all done great with the character…yes even Affleck. Chris Pine, who just revived life into the character of Captain Kirk in the reboot of the “Star Trek” franchise, is hoping to do the same with this character but fails due to an extremely bland and unoriginal story. The film is so generic that you know where every scene it going with little to no surprise around each corner. I guess we will have to wait until they decide to reboot this series yet again or finally put it to sleep.

Official Premise: The thrills are non-stop as CIA recruit Jack Ryan (Chris Pine, “Star Trek” series) is caught in a dangerous web of intrigue and espionage spun between a shadowy government agent (Kevin Costner, “Field of Dreams”), his unsuspecting fiancee (Keira Knightly, “Pirates of the Caribbean” series) and a fearless Russian power broker (Kenneth Branagh, “Thor”). Jack must quickly evolve from soldier to analyst to full-fledged operative to stop a devastating terrorist plot against the United States.

Despite, the painfulness of the film itself, Paramount delivers an phenomonal release. “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. It boasts an outstanding 1080p transfer. The film just looks stunning and very details. The real winner though for this release is easily the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. It works perfect building the film’s tension and shakes the walls in the action scenes. The score is also highlighted so well and sounds absolutely amazing. Overall, this was very effective and quite unexpected from this film, so I give major kudos.

The special features are quite decent as well. There is a solid and quite engaging audio commentary track from director Kenneth Branagh and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. “Jack Ryan: The Smartest Guy in the Room” is an all-around behind-the-scenes look into the film. “Sir Kenneth Branagh: The Tsar of Shadow Recruit” focuses on the director/actor role in the film. “Jack Ryan: A Thinking Man of Action”
looks into several key action sequences. “Old Enemies Return” is a look into the film’s villains in depth. Lastly, there are a five deleted & extended scenes, as well an alternate ending all with optional commentary by Director Kenneth Branagh and Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

 

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Blu-ray Review “3 Days to Kill”

Starring: Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld, Connie Nielsen, Richard Sammel, Eriq Ebouaney
Director: McG
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
Run Time: 117 / 122 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Kevin Costner has been on a hot streak recently with “Hatfields & McCoys” and “Man of Steel” but “3 Days to Kill” cools down his streak quite a bit. The film is produced by Luc Besson but seems to follow the spy-thriller format and doesn’t really deliver anything new. I wouldn’t say this is unwatchable since if you REALLY like Costner you can probably find something that you like about this. I just had trouble making it fully through it. There was a lot of yelling at the screen and eye-rolling happening here. When it comes down to it good action, decent acting, bad story.

Official Premise: Kevin Costner is a dangerous international spy who is determined to give up his high stakes life to finally build a closer relationship with his estranged wife and daughter, whom he’s previously kept at arm’s length to keep out of danger. But first, he must complete one last mission- even if it means juggling the two toughest assignments yet: hunting down the world’s most ruthless terrorist and looking after his teenage daughter for the first time in ten years, while his wife is out of town.

20th Century Fox has delivered this film as a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy. There is a bonus extended cut included as a Blu-ray exclusive, which runs five minutes longer than the theatrical cut. Nothing ground breaking included in the new cut but still worth checking out over the theatrical. The 1080p transfer presented with an 2.37:1 aspect ratio looks very sharp and worked well with the gorgeous setting of Paris. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also quite impressive especially with the big action sequences.

In terms of special features, there is not a ton of extras included here. “The Making of 3 Days to Kill” is just under 10 minutes long and is the basic behind-the-scenes look into the production. “McG’s Method” is a short profile on the director. “Covert Operation” is a cool feature featuring a real life former CIA agent talking about his work. Lastly there are some theatrical and extended trailers included.

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Win a Blu-ray of “The Right Kind Of Wrong” starring True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten [ENDED]

Calling all “True Blood” fans, Ryan Kwanten is starring in the new romantic comedy “The Right Kind Of Wrong” set for release on Blu-ray on May 20th. To celebrate the release Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) Blu-ray of the film 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 film romantic comedy“. This giveaway will remain open until May 19th 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.

Synopsis: Leo Palamino is a failed-writer-turned-dishwasher made famous for his many flaws and shortcomings in a blog called “Why You Suck,” a huge Internet success written by his ex-wife. Then Leo meets Colette, the girl of his dreams… on the day she is marrying the perfect man. And so, the ultimate underdog story begins as Leo, a fearless dreamer, risks all to show Colette and the whole wide world all that is right with a man famous for being wrong.

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3D Blu-ray Review “Pompeii”

Actors: Kit Harrington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kiefer Sutherland, Emily Browning, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Directors: Paul W. S. Anderson
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 20, 2014
Run Time: 105 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
3D: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I am a sucker of Paul W.S. Anderson. I love the “Resident Evil” film franchise, every one of them. I love his cult classic “Event Horizon”…but I really hated this film. The story is so absolutely terrible that I was left just twiddling my thumbs until that damn volcano just blew already…and too be honest when it blew finally about an hour and seven minute in, I really wasn’t that impressed. I am a big “Game of Thrones” fan, so it was cool to see Kit Harrington on the big screen and he did a solid job. As for the rest of the cast, Emily Browning wasn’t great (and she was awesome though in “Sucker Punch”). Kiefer Sutherland seemed miscast. And why is Carrie-Anne Moss second billed, where she has maybe 10 minutes of screen time. Can I get my 105 minutes back?

Official Premise: Set in 79 A.D., POMPEII tells the epic story of Milo (Harington), a slave turned invincible gladiator who finds himself in a race against time to save his true love Cassia (Browning), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator (Sutherland). As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him.

Sony Pictures is releasing this film as a combo pack with 3D Blu-ray + standard Blu-ray + Ultraviolet digital copy. I wanted to really say that I was this film has to be seen in 3D but I wasn’t overly impressed with it personally. I thought that only the last thirty minutes benefited from the format, which wasn’t really that impressive anyway. The 1080p transfer was still solid but I felt like I saw through the visual effects a bit and couldn’t help but see the green screen behind them. This happened to me recently on “Oz, the Great and Powerful” as well. The best part of this Blu-ray is easily the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which did deliver for the film’s action sequences.

The special features are actually a major step up form the film, there are tons of very impressive extras to dig into (if you still want to after watching this quite terrible film). There is a filmmakers’ audio commentary track to kick things off. “The Assembly” is a look as the cast and characters. “The Volcanic Eruption” looks into the special effects of the big scene.”The Gladiators” looks into the film’s stunts. “The Journey” focuses on the production design. “The Costume Shop” looks into the costume design. “Pompeii: Buried in Time” goes behind-the-scenes into on of history’s greatest disaster. Lastly there are 20 deleted and alternate scenes, rounding out the extras.

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3D Blu-ray Review “Stalingrad

Starring: Pyotr Fyodorov, Thomas Kretschmann, Mariya Smolnikova
Director: Fyodor Bondarchuk
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 131 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“Stalingard” is directed by Fedor Bondarchuk, the son of legendary director Sergei Bondarchuk, who directed classics like “War and Peace” and “Waterloo”. This is an epic war film that was a huge box office hit in Russia last year and was recently released in select IMAX 3D theaters across the country. When I saw an ad for this film in IMAX, I had never heard back it before but I thought that if it was being released in IMAX I would give it a chance. Normally war films are not my cup of tea, especially foreign war films. “Stalingrad” was also Russia’s first ever 3D film. The movie itself dragged a little for me even though there were some powerful moments but what kept my attention was the quite spectacular special effects and combat scenes. If you are a war film buff you might enjoy this but I would highly recommend the 3D version if possible.

Official Premise: Stalingrad, Russia’s first ever 3D film, is a drama set in 1942, during one of the most important battles of World War II, which stopped the progress of Nazi forces and turned the tide of war in favor of the Allies. The Soviet army mounts a counter-attack on the Nazi forces that occupy half of Stalingrad on the other side of the Volga, but the operation to cross the river is unsuccessful. A few soldiers who managed to get to the other side take refuge in a house on the bank of Volga. Here they find a girl who didn’t escape when the Germans came. While the whole might of the German army descends onto them, the heroes of Stalingrad experience love, loss, joy and the sense of ultimate freedom that can only be felt by those about to die. They defend the house at all costs while the Red Army prepares for another attack.

Sony gave this WWII film an impressive release. They delivered this as a combo pack with a standard Blu-ray + UltraViolet and included the Blu-ray 3D as a bonus disc. Like I said if you were to watch this film, the “ohhh” and the ahhh” really comes from the added dimension, I thought. I did check out the film in 2D as well in key battle scenes and it was still a very solid 1080p transfer, I just enjoyed the added depth a little more. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track was a real powerhouse with the combat and action sequences. I literally had to keep turning down the surround sound to avoid waking my sleeping daughter. In terms of special features (not including the 3D Blu-ray), there is only one behind-the-scenes features on “The Making of Stalingrad”, which is a bit of a bummer.

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Blu-ray Review “Countess Dracula”

Starring: Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green, Lesley-Anne Down, Peter Jeffrey, Patience Collier
Director: Peter Sasdy
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Synapse Films
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

“Countess Dracula” is the latest film in The Hammer Horror Collection from Synapse Films. It stars the stunning Ingrid Pitt playing the role of real-life Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory, a woman accused of torturing and murdering more than 600 virgin girls. This is considered one of Hammer’s more underrated films. This film has been double-billed on DVD in the past with two of my other favorites Hammer films including “The Vampire Lovers” and “Twins of Evil” but this it is making it’s Blu-ray debut here for the first time. I honestly do not think I have seen this film in the last 20 years and yet, it was still as effective as it was the first time. It looses some steam towards the end but overall, it is a great role of Pitt and another classic from Hammer.

Official Premise: The beautiful Ingrid Pitt (“The Wicker Man”) stars as Elisabeth Nádasdy, an aging Hungarian Countess who discovers she can reverse her aging by bathing in the blood of young women. While in her youthful state, the Countess falls for the handsome Lt. Imre Toth (Sandor Elès), and impersonates her own daughter to win his affections. Soon, girls in the village go missing… kidnapped and murdered by the Countess and her steward, Julie (Patience Collier) to satiate her horrifying bloodlust. Can Elisabeth live a life of deception with her grotesque lust for blood to stay eternally young, or will her ghoulish secret finally be revealed?

Synapse Films are usually a toss up in terms of Blu-ray presentation, this one is in the middle area. It is not perfect at all yet it is not terrible. Either way Ingrid is still amazing to look at in HD! The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track works well with the original music score composed by Harry Robertson. The special features include an audio commentary track with Actress Ingrid Pitt, Director Peter Sasdy, Screenwriter Jeremy Paul And Author Jonathan Sothcott. There is a featurette called “Immortal Countess: The Cinematic Life Of Ingrid Pitt”, as well as a vintage audio interview with Ingrid Pitt. Besides that there is a Still Gallery and theatrical trailer included along with Synapse’s signature reversible cover artwork.

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Blu-ray Review “Sleepaway Camp”

Actors: Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten
Directors: Robert Hiltzik
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Run Time: 84 minutes

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

Man oh man! I remember the first time I snuck a screening of “Sleepaway Camp” late at night during a sleepover with some friends. I still remember our reaction to the famous “surprise” ending [shivers]. I think if you are a horror fan you will never forget that experience. This film is easily one of my favorites growing up and still today. The kills are so memorable and the make-up effects are top notch. This was 1983, it was peak in the middle of the slasher craze for horror films and it really left a mark on not just me but all of horror fans. This is the first time that this film is hitting Blu-ray, thanks to Scream Factory, and this is a must purchase for any horror fan. Hopefully this is just the beginning since I would love to see them also put out a double feature for the two sequels as well “Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers” and “Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland”, even though they are more campy, I still love them and fingers crossed this will be next!

Official Premise: After a terrible boating accident killed her family, shy Angela Baker (Felissa Rose) went to live with her eccentric Aunt Martha and her cousin Ricky. This summer, Martha decides to send them both to Camp Arawak, a place to enjoy the great outdoors. Shortly after their arrival, a series of bizarre and violent accidents begin to claim the lives of various campers. Has a dark secret returned from the camp’s past…or will an unspeakable horror end the Summer season for all? From its grisly makeup effects to the truly shocking, and unforgettable, climax, Sleepaway Camp is no ordinary slasher film…it’s a cult classic!

You will be happy to know that this isn’t just a simply port upscale of the last Blu-ray release. They did a brand new 2K scan of the original camera negative and to top it off this Blu-ray contains the uncut version as well, so double bonus. In this Collector’s Edition from Scream Factory they delivered this as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD. The 1080p transfer looks great. There are some gritty moments but it adds to the film and otherwise looks stunning. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track works perfectly with the film’s catchy score and great scares that are still effective.

Like Scream Factory is know for, they went out of their way to deliver some great new extras. There are two brand new commentary track one with the actors Felissa Rose and Jonathan Tiersten (“Ricky”) and the other with writer/director Robert Hiltzik, moderated by SleepawayCampMovies.com webmaster Jeff Hayes. There is also the original audio commentary with writer/director Robert Hiltzik and star Felissa Rose for hardcore fans. “At the Waterfront After the Social: The Legacy of Sleepaway Camp” contains new interviews with Robert Hiltzik, Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Paul DeAngelo, Karen Fields, Desiree Gould, Frank Saladino and Ed French. There is the short film, “Judy” by Jeff Hayes starring Karen Fields. Lastly there is a music video for “Princess” by Jonathan Tiersten, “Camp Arawak Scrapbook”, which is a still gallery and Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots included.

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Blu-ray Review “White Zombie (Cary Roan Special Signature Edition)”

Starring: Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy, Joseph Cawthorn, Robert Frazer, John Harron, Brandon Hurst
Director: Victor Halperin
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VCI Entertainment
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 67 minutes

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

Bela Lugosi is a legend in the horror business. He gave life and a face to the name Dracula that have lived on for over 80 years. “White Zombie” was a film it did just one year after “Dracula”. In fact, it was also claimed for being the very first zombie movie many many years before George A. Romero did it with “Night of the Living Dead” in 1968. The film has become such a classic among horror fans. The black and white atmosphere in this adds such character to the settings. This is no question best presentation available to date that I have ever seen. If you are a hardcore horror fan and have been holding out, this is the one you want to purchase.

Official Premise: Wealthy Plantation owner Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer) turns to Voodoo Master Murder Legendre (Bela Lugosi) to lure the woman he loves Madeline Short (Madge Bellamy) away from her fiancé Neil Parker (John Harron), by turning her into zombie. Murders intention are to keep Madeline for himself. Neil seeks out Murder Legendre to break the Zombie spell and return Madeline to the world of the living.

VCI Entertainment has delivered this film under a Cary Roan Special Signature Edition with a new 4k HD transfer of his 35mm film materials. If anyone has seen the fairly recent Kino Blu-ray release of this film you probably haven’t seen the best of reviews. Well this one is not perfect either but it is a vast improvement in both the audio and video department for “White Zombie”. There is no mistaken that this film is still 80+ years old but they really did a solid job of delivering this film in fine form.

The special features on this release are honestly a bit of a let down. The only real extra is a brand-new 2014 audio commentary by Gary Don Rhodes, author of “White Zombie”. This one covers similar ground to Frank Thompson’s track on the Kino Blu-ray release but this is still very interesting and informative. Especially since the film is just over an hour, I was willing to throw it on again right after the first viewing and give it a listen. Other than the commentary track, there is a “White Zombie Theatrical Reissue Trailer”. a bonus “Dracula (1931) Trailer” and a Photo and Poster Gallery included.

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Blu-ray Review “The Monuments Men”

Starring: Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin
Director: George Clooney
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
Run Time: 118 minutes

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

When I saw that George Clooney was directing a film starring himself along with Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Jean Dujardin…I knew it would be a winner. The film was pushed back into February this year which did set off a few alarms but it all paid off. Like always Cate Blanchett, who just won the Best Actress award for “Blue Jasmine”, is alone is worth the price of film alone. Matt Damon is great in lead of this amazing group of actors. George is George, charming as always. The last year or two has been really kind to John Goodman (“Argo”, “Inside Llewyn Davis”) and same goes to Bill Murphy (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”). To be honest, this is probably not a film I will watch over and over but I was easily won over with the cast and it’s makes it worth checking out.

Official Premise: Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, “The Monuments Men” centers around an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. In a seemingly impossible mission, the Monuments Men, as they were called, find themselves risking their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture.

Sony Pictures is delivering this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The 1080p transfer is quite stunning. They really used some amazing locations to recreate parts of Europe. The cinematography is very well done. The transfer was also mastered in 4K for maximum picture and expanded color, so this is a real bonus here. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well to suite the aspect of war surrounding the war. The special features are a little light with no commentary tracks but still decent. “George Clooney’s Mission” and “Marshaling the Cast” are all-new featurettes that go behind-the-scenes into the making of the film. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is “The Real Monuments Men” which looks into the real heroes. “A Woman Amongst the Monuments Men” is a look into the characters brought to life. Lastly there are some Deleted Scenes included.

 

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Enter to Win “Grand Piano” on Blu-ray [ENDED]

To celebrate the release of “Grand Piano” on Blu-ray on May 20th, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway one (1) copy of the film on Blu-ray. 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 Elijah Wood film to date. This giveaway will remain open until May 19th 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.

Tom Selznick (Elijah Wood) is the most talented pianist of his generation, but has stopped performing in public because of his stage fright. Years after a catastrophic performance, he reappears in public for a long awaited concert in Chicago. In a packed theater, in front of an expectant audience, Tom finds a message written on the score: “Play one wrong note and you die.” In the sights of an anonymous sniper (John Cusack), Tom must get through the most difficult performance of his life and look for help without being detected.

 

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Win a Blu-ray of “Speed” & “Speed 2” Dual Action Pack [ENDED]

To celebrate the release of the “Speed” & “Speed 2” Combo Pack” on Blu-ray on May 6th, Media Mikes is excited to giveaway two (2) combo packs on Blu-ray. Since “Speed” started the careers of both Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, 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 film of theirs since “Speed“. This giveaway will remain open until May 16 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.

Synopsis: Hold on tight for a rush of pulse-pounding thrills, breathtaking stunts and unexpected romance in a film you’ll want to see again and again. KEANU REEVES stars as Jack Traven, an L.A.P.D. SWAT team specialist who is sent to defuse a bomb that a revenge-driven extortionist (DENNIS HOPPER) has planted on a bus. But until he does, Jack and one of the passengers (SANDRA BULLOCK) must keep the bus speeding through the streets of Los Angeles at more than 50 miles per hour –– or the bomb will explode. A high-octane chase of suspense, nonstop action and surprise twists, Speed is a joyride sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hold on to your life jacket as the rip-roaring sequel to Speed hits the high seas. Sandra Bullock reprises her star-making role as Annie Porter, a young woman expecting to enjoy a Caribbean vacation with her boyfriend (Jason Patric) on board the world’s most luxurious cruise liner. But their trip to paradise turns deadly when a lunatic computer genius (Willem Dafoe) takes over the boat and sets it on a course for destruction. An explosive voyage helmed by daredevil director Jan De Bont (Speed, Twister), Speed 2: Cruise Control rides the wild waves at maximum velocity.

Actors: Keanu Reeves, Jeff Daniels, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton, Dennis Hopper, Daniel Villarreal, Natsuko Ohama, David Kriegel, Hawthorne James, Beth Grant, Richard Lineback, Glenn Plummer, Alan Ruck,
Directors: Jan De Bont,
Synopsis: Hold on tight for a rush of pulse-pounding thrills, breathtaking stunts and unexpected romance in a film you’ll want to see again and again. KEANU REEVES stars as Jack Traven, an L.A.P.D. SWAT team specialist who is sent to defuse a bomb that a revenge-driven extortionist (DENNIS HOPPER) has planted on a bus. But until he does, Jack and one of the passengers (SANDRA BULLOCK) must keep the bus speeding through the streets of Los Angeles at more than 50 miles per hour –– or the bomb will explode. A high-octane chase of suspense, nonstop action and surprise twists, Speed is a joyride sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Specs: Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French Dolby Surround
Language: Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 2.35:1
Bonus Features: **Theatrical Feature Blu-ray**Commentary by Director Jan De Bont
**Commentary by Screenwriter Graham Yost and Producer Mark Gordon
**Trivia Track
**SPEED:Takedown Game
**Theatrical Trailer in High Definition

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Blu-ray Review “Evilspeak”

Starring: Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, Claude Earl Jones, Don Stark, Charles Tyner, Hamilton Camp
Directors: Eric Weston
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 97 minutes

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

Clint Howard may not be a huge movie star but he really knows how to play a fantastic bad guy. “Evilspeak” is a great horror flick from 1981. He was also really amazing in “Ice Scream Man”, which never even got a DVD release! Can you believe it!  When this was released in theaters it was threatened with an X rating from the MPAA. Thanks to Shout! Facotory, the film has been completely restored from a newly discovered 35mm inter-positive source including all of the film’s long rumored scenes of bloody gore. If you are a horror fan, this is a great release and a must own!

Life sucks for Stanley Coppersmith (Clint Howard, Rock ’n’Roll High School), a teenage outcast who’s bullied by everyone at a strict military academy. When Stanley discovers the crypt of a 16th Century Satanist beneath the chapel, he creates a computerized Black Mass that unleashes unholy revenge upon his tormentors. Now, all hell is about to break loose, Evilspeak is not for the faint of heart.

Along with Clint Howard, he is joined by a great cast co-starring Joseph Cortese (“American History X”), Charles Tyner (“Cool Hand Luke”), R.G. Armstrong (“Children of the Corn”), Don Stark (“That ’70s Show”), Lenny Montana (“The Godfather”), Richard Moll (“House”) and Haywood Nelson (“What’s Happening”).

This film has never looked better as it also comes accompanied with a brand new 2013 1080p high definition transfer, which has been supervised and approved by producer/director Eric Weston (Hyenas). Weston also gives us a new commentary track as well for fans of the film to enjoy. There are new interviews with actors Joseph Cortese, Clint Howard, Don Stark, Richard Moll, Claude Earl Jones and Haywood Nelson. Lastly there is also a theatrical trailer included.

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

Blu-ray Review “I Love Lucy: Ultimate Season 1”

Starring: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley, Vivian Vance
Number of discs: 6
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 907 minutes

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

“I Love Lucy”, who doesn’t? This 1950’s classic television show is coming to Blu-ray thanks to CBS and Paramount Home Entertainment in this 6-disc Blu-ray release of “Ultimate Season 1”. This season includes the first 35 episodes of the show, which starred the legendary Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley and Vivian Vance. This season includes some of the most beloved episodes includes “The Ballet”, “Pioneer Women” and “The Freezer”. These episodes are still hysterical today and that just proves how amazing this show was going strong still over 60 years later. I am looking forward to the rest of the seasons hopefully season two will come later this year, hint hint!

Official Synopsis: You’ve loved and laughed at Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel for years, but you’ve never seen I Love Lucy like this on glorious high-definition. Coming to Blu-ray in a highly collectible set with special gloss packaging that includes every episode from the first season, each one beautifully restored in high definition, in original night-of-broadcast form with original sponsor openings and closings. The set also includes a number of as yet undetailed special features, many never before released on home video.

These episodes are presented in their original aspect ratio: 1.33:1 and have never looked better. The pilot episode has also been remastered from a newly discovered original 35mm negative. The episodes look extremely crisp and have very sharp black color (since the show is black and white only). The audio comes with a PCM 2.0 mono track that has been cleaned up a bunch and really delivers the comedy aspects very well for this show. Paramount really has been great with restoring older shows to Blu-ray ala “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.

Here are a full listing of the episodes includes for season 1. “Pilot”; “The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub”; “Be a Pal”; “The Diet”; “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her”; “The Quiz Show”; “The Audition”; “The Séance”; “Men Are Messy”; “The Fur Coat”; “Lucy Is Jealous of a Girl Singer”; “Drafted”; “The Adagio”; “The Benefit”; “The Amateur Hour”; “Lucy Plays Cupid”; “Lucy Fakes Illness”; “Lucy Writes a Play”; “Breaking the Lease”; “The Ballet”; “The Young Fans”; “New Neighbors”, “Fred and Ethel Fight”; “The Moustache; “The Gossip”; “Pioneer Women”; “The Marriage License”; “The Kleptomaniac”; “Cuban Pals”; “The Freezer”; “Lucy Does a TV Commercial”; “The Publicity Agent”; “Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio”; “Lucy’s Schedule”, “Ricky Thinks He’s Getting Bald” and “Ricky Asks for a Raise”

The special features are equally impressive as the season itself. First we have “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show CBS special”, which is a great. There are audio commentary on select episodes by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnes, Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Davis, Bob Carroll, Jr. and others. There are 13 episodes includes with alternate elements, which is a real nice bonus. There are on-set color “home movies” from the season. There are also selected episodes of Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband” radio series. Lastly there are bloopers, guest cast bios, production notes and photo galleries included.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 1, bluray, love, lucy, review, season, ...

Blu-ray Review “Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection”

Actors: Ultimate Warrior
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: WWE
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Run Time: 540 minutes

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

Ever since I started watching wrestling in the late 80’s, no question Ultimate Warrior was and still is my absolutely favorite wrestler. When this Blu-ray was released on April 1st, I reached out to WWE for to request and also inquire about an interview with the man himself aka Jim Hellwig. Well, I ended up hearing back on April 9th from WWE and unfortunately it was a little too late for the interview. On April 8th, my childhood wrestling hero passed away. This was just three days after he was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame on WWE RAW. I have had this Blu-ray for a few weeks now and honestly it has been hard to review. I know he has a rocky career in the business but Ultimate Warrior, he was a her of mine growing up. Luckily WWE has really delivered a truly amazing collection of his work and it feels even better because it was before he passed and not cashing in on his death. A must have for any true Warrior fan!

Official Premise: He is one of the most colorful and intense Superstars of all time, the Ultimate Warrior! Now for the first time ever, WWE honors his illustrious career with this ultimate collection of bone-crunching matches. Feel the power of the warrior over 3-discs, featuring battles against all his biggest rivals such as Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ravishing Rick Rude, Sgt. Slaughter and more! WWE fans have long awaited another Warrior DVD since the controversial release of 2005’s The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. Finally, with over 7 hours of matches from this larger than life Superstar, the action on this home entertainment release is truly OUT OF CONTROL!!

“Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection” is among the best Blu-rays from WWE Home Video label to date. The Blu-ray is presented with a 1080i transfer with both 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios. The 1.78:1 content is comprised of interview clips with The Ulimate Warrior. The matches are presented with an 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which it should be so that it retains the original appearance and image integrity. Due to this, in terms of Blu-ray quality, there is some issue with some finer details but it is expected and in no way ruins the experience. These are amazing to have all on one Blu-ray.

Disc One includes some matches that really speak to me because I remember seeing these for the very time when I was younger. I even have seen a few of these live, which makes them even more special to have on home video.

  • Career Match: Blade Runners vs. Perry Jackson & Shawn O’Reilly. UWF — April 11, 1986.
  • Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Chris Adams. World Class Championship Wrestling — August 8, 1986.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Barry Horowitz. Challenge — November 7, 1987.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Steve Lombardi. Superstars — November 14, 1987.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “King” Harley Race. Boston Garden — March 5, 1988.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Los Angeles Sports Arena — July 15, 1988.
  • SummerSlam Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. SummerSlam — August 29, 1988.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match : Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. Philadelphia Spectrum — December 17, 1988.
  • Title vs. Title: Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Boston Garden — February 11, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. SummerSlam — August 28, 1989.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bob Bradley. Prime Time Wrestling — September 18, 1989.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Brian Costello. Prime Time Wrestling — December 25, 1989.
  • Ultimate Warrior Confronts Andre the Giant: Brother Love Show. Superstars — July 29, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Madison Square Garden — October 28, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 25, 1989.
  • Ultimate Warrior Promo: “Crash the Plane.” Challenge — March 10, 1990.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Mr. Perfect. Madison Square Garden — March 19, 1990.
  • Title vs. Title: Intercontinental/WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan. WrestleMania VI — April 1, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Tokyo Dome — April 13, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Saturday Night’s Main Event — July 28, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Ted DiBiase. The Main Event — November 23, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Huntsville, AL — January 7, 1991.

If you thought that Disc One didn’t have enough, disc two continues right up with some more amazing matches from his career.

  • Steel Cage Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. Madison Square Garden — January 21, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Ends Brother Love’s Career. Superstars — March 2, 1991.
  • Retirement Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. WrestleMania VII — March 24, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior on Paul Bearer’s Funeral Parlor. Superstars — April 13, 1991.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Undertaker. Maple Leaf Gardens — June 2, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Gene Okerlund Interviews Ultimate Warrior and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Superstars — July 25, 1992.
  • Career Moment: “Riding on the Edge of a Lightning Bolt.” Superstars — November 14, 1992.
  • WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior & “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase & I.R.S. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 14, 1992.
  • Career Moment: “Faster Than a Cheetah.” RAW — March 11, 1996.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. WrestleMania XII — March 31, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Returns — RAW — April 8, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Mr. McMahon Interviews Jerry “The King” Lawler and Ultimate Warrior. RAW — June 10, 1996.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler. King of the Ring — June 23, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Interrupts “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. Nitro — August 17, 1998.
  • Ultimate Warrior Promo: From RAW — October 26, 1998.

If the two dozen plus matches aren’t enough…there is still seven bonus matches listed under “Blu-ray Exclusives” section on the disc. Thanks again WWE for delivering this amazing Blu-ray to my collection and I will be sure to continue to keep the Warrior’s memory alive!

  • Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Matt Borne. World Class Championship Wrestling — October 24, 1986.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior & The British Bulldogs vs. Demolition & Mr. Fuji. Maple Leaf Gardens — July 24, 1988.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Dino Bravo. The Main Event — February 23, 1990.
  • Career Moment: WrestleMania 6 Contract Signing. The Ultimate Challenge — March 25, 1990.
  • Career Moment: WrestleMania 7 Contract Signing. Road to WrestleMania 7 — March 17, 1991.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Tokyo Dome — March 30, 1991.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Goldust. In Your House — April 28, 1996.

In closing, here is a little tribute to the memory of The Ulitmate Warrior…I dare you to try and watch this without a shedding a tear… RIP Warrior!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, collection, review, ultimate, warrior
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