3D Blu-ray Review “Turbo”

Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Maya Rudolph, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Peña
Directors: David Soren
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Run Time: 96 minutes

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

When I first saw the trailer to “Turbo”, I wasn’t really blown away much. It does pack on hell of a sharp voice cast including Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolf, Michelle Rodriguez and Samuel L. Jackson. Still I never ran out to see it in theaters similar to the rest of America who did the same thing. The film is pretty fun with a good heart and has some great visuals but also has a pretty weak plot. In terms of wow factor, the film looks amazing and is quite colorful but its message has just been done too many times before. When you look back at films like “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda”, it just doesn’t have that charm. Kids will enjoy it for the colorful presentation and parents will enjoy the voice cast and humor. Decent but not a classic.

Official Premise: From the makers of “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda”, “TURBO” is a high-velocity 3D comedy about an underdog snail whose dreams kick into overdrive when he miraculously attains the power of super-speed. But after making fast friends with a crew of streetwise, tricked-out es-car-goes, Turbo learns that no one succeeds on their own. So he puts his heart and shell on the line to help his pals achieve their dreams, before Turbo-charging his own impossible dream: winning the Indy 500.

DreamWorks is releasing this film in a Deluxe Edition combo pack, which includes a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet HD digital copy. One thing I do have to recommend for this film is its 3D presentation, which is very impressive. It works well with the film’s fast pace action and amazing visuals. I watched this film a second time in the 2D transfer with my 17 month old daughter, which she enjoyed quite a bit, it was still enjoyable but lacked that animated dazzle. The 1080p on either transfer are just easily still one of the sharpest of the year. Top that with a super high energy DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track and this film does not disappoint in the A/V department. Dreamworks always delivers top notch with their animated films, no question.

In terms of special features, “Turbo” is lacking in rear of the race. A few decent featurettes but nothing amazing. “Champion’s Corner” is a sports newscast interview with Turbo. “Smoove Move’s Music Maker” includes six fun music video  clips for “Speedin'”, “The Snail is Fast”, “Back to Indiana”, “Jump Around”, “Let the Bass Go” and “Eye of the Tiger”. “Team Turbo: Tricked Out” is a very short look into the film’s characters. “Meet Tito — Deleted Scene” is presented in hand-drawn form and introduced by director David Soren. David also introduces a storyboard for one of the film’s most critical scenes, “The Race”. “Be An Artist!” is a short look into each of the character with the Head of Character Animation Dave Burgess. “Shell Creator” is an interactive extras for viewers to create their own shells. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

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Blu-ray Review “Akira: 25th Anniversary Edition”

Actors: Johnny Yong Bosch, Jan Rabson, Wendee Lee
Directors: Katsuhiro Otomo
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Run Time: 124 minutes

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

If you are a fan of Japanese anime, then you hold a special place for the film “Akira”. I remember being introduced to this film when I was a kid and literally being blown away. 25 years later this film still has that effect on me and has held up very well over the years. The film is so epic, violent and just mind-blowing packing a whole lot into a very short two hours. The visuals are ground-breaking and the soundtrack is a work of genius. I had to apologize to my wife in advance for my screaming of KANEDA!!! TESTUO!!! every time I watch this. This film is one of my favorite animes of all time since it is what actually introduced me to the genre along with “Dragon Ball Z”. Celebrating it’s 25th anniversary, this is easily the best release for this film on Blu-ray to date!

Official Premise: Neo-Tokyo is about to E X P L O D E! Akira isn’t just a movie – it’s the genesis of a genre. Katsuhiro Otomo’s landmark cyberpunk classic obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future. Akira’s arrival shattered traditional thinking, creating space for movies like the The Matrix to be dreamed into brutal reality. Without Kaneda and Tetsuo, without espers and psionic assassins, without that badass motorcycle – our world would be a far less exciting place to exist. But the manga became the movie and the movie became a phenomenon and the world took notice. Now, Akira is everywhere. If you can’t see it in the streets – if you can’t feel it crawling around inside your brain – then you have yet to be initiated. What. Are. You. Waiting. For?

My past Blu-ray experience with Akira was back in 2009 from Honneamise with their Limited Collector’s Edition (which is quite the rare item today). It was the film’s first go on Blu-ray and delivered amazing presentation with audio and video. The 25th Anniversary Edition combo pack delivered by Funimation with a Blu-ray + DVD does delivers the very same impressive experience. The 1080p transfer includes the film with a solid 1.85:1 aspect ratio, which really does a lot of justice for this quarter century old anime. It also includes tons of options in terms of audio tracks including both English dubs that have occurred since 1988. The first (1988) dub is presented in Dolby TrueHD 2.0 while the 2001 re-dub is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. But I have to admit the winner goes to the “Hypersonic” 24-Bit, 192kHz Dolby TrueHD 5.1 remaster of the original Japanese audio track, which easily takes the cake.

If you purchased the original 2009 Blu-ray debut for “Akira” back in 2009 like myself you were pissed about the complete lack of extras. Well Funimation did not make the same mistake as this release is packed with over two hours of goodies! There are still some MIA extras from previous releases but this is the best to date on Blu-ray. There is g the “Restoring Akira” documentary included. Katsuhiro Otomo, the film’s director, has a solid interview included. There are original storyboards for the anime, which runs about 30 minutes, as well as “The Writing on the Wall”, which is a series of still frames look into the film’s graffiti elements. There is a look into Geinoh Yamashiro Gumi’s work on the score in “Akira Sound Clip”. Lastly there are the Original Trailers, Original Commercials and U.S. Trailer from 2013 included.

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Blu-ray Review “Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Complete First Season”

Voices of: Diedrich Bader, John DiMaggio, James Arnold Taylor, Will Friedle, Tom Kenny, Corey Burton
Developed by: James Tucker, Michael Jelenic
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Warner Archive
Release Date: December 5, 2013
Run Time: 584 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Batman: The Brave and the Bold” is not the best animation series for the caped crusader, the title is still held by “Batman: The Animated Series”, but it is still a whole lot of fun! The show has a great balance of humor topped with some awesome action. Diedrich Bader takes on the voice of Batman and does a great job. The show focused on Batman teaming up with various heroes some DC Comics’ favorites and other some cool but obscure names including Aquaman, Blue Beetle, Plastic Man, Green Lantern, Kamandi, Doctor Fate, Jonah Hex, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Mister Miracle and The Atom. The show ran for three seasons considering of 65 episodes total. Here’s hoping that season’s 2 and 3 are not to far behind.

Official Premise: Batman wings into an exciting new era, teaming with a mighty honor roll of DC Comics Super Heroes in the debut season of the smart, hip TV series! This exciting 2-Disc, 26-Episode Collection features Batman and allies Aquaman, Green Arrow, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Robin, Wildcat, Deadman, Plastic Man, Red Tornado, Bronze Tiger, Dr. Fate and The Atom fighting foes from mad scientists to intergalactic crooks, from power-mad dictators to out-of-control teenagers teenagers in High Definition 1080p! He even partners with another legendary detective: Sherlock Holmes! In this cool, cutting-edge and often funny series, bringing back old-school comic book styling and dry wit to crimefighting, Batman faces any peril – including other heroes stealing the show – in his relentless pursuit of justice.

This show over packs such an amazing cast of guest stars as well including Morena Baccarin (“Firefly”), Clancy Brown (“SpongeBob SquarePants”), Jeffrey Combs (“Re-Animator”), Kevin Conroy (“Batman: The Animated Series”), Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), R. Lee Ermey (“Full Metal Jacket”), Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four”), Mark Hamill (“Star Wars”), Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”), Tippi Hedren (“The Birds”), Matthew Lillard (“Scooby Doo”), Julie Newmar (“Batman (1966)”), Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”), Paul Reubens (“Pee Wee’s Playhouse”), Michael Rosenbaum (“Smallville”), Stephen Root (“Office Space”), J.K. Simmons (“Spider-Man films”), Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”), Tony Todd (“Candyman”), Alan Tudyk (“Firefly”), Adam West (“Batman (1966)”), Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Michael Jai White (“Spawn”), Henry Winkler (“Happy Days”), and even “Weird Al” Yankovic.

The 26 episodes included for this season are: “The Rise of the Blue Beetle”, “Terror on Dinosaur Island”, “Evil Under the Sea”, “Day of the Dark Knight”, “Invasion of the Secret Santas”, “Enter the Outsiders”, “Dawn of the Deadman”, “The Fall of the Blue Beetle”, “Journey to the Center of the Bat”, “The Eye of Despero”, “Return of the Fearsome Fangs”, “Deep Cover For Batman (Part 1)”, “Game Over for Owlman! (Part 2)”, “Mystery In Space”, “Trail of the Demon”, “Night of the Huntress”, “Menace of the Conquering Caveman”, “The Color of Revenge”, “Legend of the Dark Mite”, “Hail the Tornado Tyrant”, “Duel of the Double Crossers”, “The Last Bat on Earth”, “When OMAC Attacks”, “The Fate of Equinox”, “Mayhem of the Music Meister”, “Inside The Outsiders”

This show was previously been released on DVD in various individual volumes but never as a complete series. Warner Archive Collection is giving this show a very impressive Blu-ray release. This is a show that probably would have never seen a Blu-ray release if it wasn’t for them. The animation is crisp within its 1080p transfer and the DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 track is rocking with the action and humor. This release is exclusive to the WBShop currently until Dec 05, 2013. There are no additional special features included on this set, which is not a surprise since none of the previously released volumes DVD for this show had any extras either.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 5”

Starring: Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Rated: TV-PG
Number of discs: 6
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 1182 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Season 5 is an important one in the history of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. During it’s production, we had the passing of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry. The show includes some amazing episodes including “Cost of Living”, “A Matter of Time”, “The City on the Edge of Forever” and “Conundrum”, “Time’s Arrow” and of course “Unification”. I might even go as far as say that season five has some of the best episodes of the series.  The show was really on auto pilot for this season and they really just had some amazing arcs. Seven episodes from this season were also nominated for eight different Emmy awards as well. Two more to go Paramount let’s finish with a bang! Keep them coming!

Official Premise: Star Trek: The Next Generation Season Five never looked more stunning than it does on Blu-ray with 1080p high definition picture. Experience enhanced visual effects rebuilt from the original elements and surround yourself with the digitally remastered 7.1 sound (or choose the original broadcast audio). You’ll feel like you’ve plunged into the 24th century for some of the series’ most thrilling moments, including the epic two-part episode “Unification” as Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) pursues a rogue Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) into enemy Romulan territory. Discover all-new, never-before-seen bonus features as you join the USS Enterprise on the ultimate voyage.

The 26 episodes from season 5 are: :”Redemption Part II”, “Darmok”, “Ensign Ro”, “Silicon Avatar”, “Disaster”, “The Game”, “Unification Part I”, “Unification Part II”, “A Matter of Time”, “New Ground”, “Hero Worship”, “Violations”, “The Masterpiece Society”, “Conundrum”, “Power Play”, “Ethics”, “The Outcast”, “Cause and Effect”, “The First Duty”, “Cost of Living”, “The Perfect Mate”, “Imaginary Friend”, “I, Borg”, “The Next Phase”, “The Inner Light”, “Time’s Arrow Part I”.

Like the past four seasons, Paramount has really given a whole lotta love to this series. These episodes are newly remastered within their 1080p transfer. In fact, this series has improved its look throughout each season. The visual effects look better and overall the show just feels much sharper. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which is a such a treat for this series.

In terms of special features, I felt a little let down though for past season. There are audio commentaries tracks on “Cause and Effects”, “The First Duty”, “I, Borg” and “The Inner Light”. There are only three featurettes included. The first focusing on the season with “Requiem: A Remembrance of Star Trek: The Next Generation”. The second looks into the show’s tunes with “In Conversation: The Music of Star Trek: The Next Generation”. The last looks at the man who created it all with “What He Left Behind: The Roddenberry Legacy”. Rounding out the rest there are Archival Mission Logs, Deleted Scenes, Episode Promos and a Gag Reel included.

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

Starring: Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Rated: TV-PG
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 85 minutes

Episodes: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of stars

If you are a fan of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Unification” is one of the fan favorite episodes since it brings back Leonard Nimoy to reprise his iconic role of Spock. I remember the first time I saw this episode and it has always left an impact with me. It is such an amazing two part story and one of my favorite arcs. If you follow the recent Blu-ray releases for “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, Paramount has been individually releasing each season’s cliffhanger finale. It may seem like a double dip but for us hardcore fan it is a must own to have these great episodes together and packed with exclusive extras!

Official Premise: The epic two-part story seamlessly unified into one feature length presentation! Leonard Nimoy reprises his iconic role as Spock and joins the crew of the Enterpriser in this fan-favorite double episode! When the Federation calls for help in locating an ambassador suspected of defecting, Picard is troubled to learn that Spock is the one who has vanished. Seeking information from Spock’s ailing father, Sarek, and unlikely help from the Klingons, Picard and his crew find the ambassador pursuing a personal mission on Romulus: a Vulcan/Romulan reunification. But though the Romulans claim to support the same goal, their motives are not what they seem.

The two unified episodes look amazing (as always for this series) with its newly remastered 1080p transfer. It is also backed with a phenomenal DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which really makes this arc feel like a epic movie. For a Blu-ray only consisting of two episodes, the special features are quite impressive. There is an audio commentary track with Jeri Taylor and Mike & Denise Okuda. There is a great behind-the-scenes look with “From One Generation to the Next: The Making of ‘Unification'”. Must see for any fan of the show and might I add only available on this Blu-ray release. Lastly there is an deleted scene, which was restored to HD and episode promos for each part.

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Blu-ray Review “Man of Steel”

Actors: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane
Directors: Zack Snyder
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Run Time: 143 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

After watching “Superman Returns”, I had a bad taste in my mouth concerning the Superman franchise. I honestly wasn’t too thrilled to find out about this reboot either but then I found out that Zack Snyder (“300”, “Sucker Punch”) was signed on. His vision to his films are so unique and he really brought that to this film. You know that this was a Zack Snyder film and that is a good thing. “Man of Steel” is quite long running nearly 2.5 hours, so there are some pacing issues but it is still one hell of a wild visual ride. Easily one of the most entertaining films I have seen this year.

Henry Cavill delivers the Superman performance we were all hoping for. He made the role his own and didn’t try to replicate past portrayals. Michael Shannon was good but not outstanding as Zod but I liked his back story. Actually one of my favorite parts was the opening scene with Russell Crowe playing Jor-El. I loved the introduction of Krypton. It was mouth dropping and a great way to kick off the film. Highly recommended for any true DC Comics fan and I can’t wait to see what they are doing with the “Batman vs. Superman” film in 2015.

“Man of Steel” comes as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD UltraViolet copy. Warner Bros delivered a very fine Blu-ray in terms of audio/video presentation. The 1080p transfer is rock solid and looks very sharp. I have to admit, I was a little nervous since I really loved the 3D presentation of this film in theaters. But the film in 2D is still as visual awesome just missing that slight depth. In terms of audio, Warner’s delivered a wall-shaking DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1. This film has no shortage of action at all and this track is amped up and kicks some major ass.

Since I still prefer the film in 3D, “Man of Steel” will also be available as a Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and as a 3D Limited Collector’s Edition (which is what I am purchasing). The 3D Collector’s Edition includes a limited release metal “S” glyph with a lucite glass stand. Also hardcore fans should also note that Amazon is also offering an exclusive Action Figure Gift Set, which includes two 1:16 scale figurines of Superman and General Zod taken from DC Collectibles sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios.

In terms of special features, “Man of Steel” delivers one amazing special features along with a few other decent at best extras. “Journey of Discovery: Creating ‘Man of Steel'” is a super intensive feature-length experience which allows you to watch the film with director Zack Snyder and stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and more. It is sort of like a visual commentary track but definitely worth checking out and great for replay value. The rest of the extras include “Strong Characters, Legendary Roles”, which is a look into the characters legacy. “All-Out Action” looks into the training actors has to go through in order to get ready for their roles. “Krypton Decoded – Dylan Sprayberry (Clark Kent Age 13)” looks at the techie tools found in the film. Lastly “Planet Krypton” dives deeper into the lost world.

Official Premise: A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Man of Steel is available on Blu-Ray 11/12/13 at the WB Shop http://bit.ly/MOSwbshop

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Blu-ray Review “The Little Mermaid: 2-Movie Collection”

Starring: Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Tara Strong, Rob Paulsen, Jim Cummings, Sally Field
Directors: Jim Kammerud, Peggy Holmes
Number of discs: 3
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 152 minutes

The Little Mermaid: Return to the Sea: 3 out of 5 stars
The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” and “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning”, the direct-to-video sequel and prequel to the timeless classic “The Little Mermaid are make their high definition on Blu-ray. It is the latest 2-Movie Collection from Disney, which has been unloading its catalog of films on Blu-ray over the last year. I know the world has been rioting to get these two films releases but it is nice to add them to my collection. They are not the best out of the Disney sequels/prequels but who doesn’t love “The Little Mermaid”? I grew up watching the original film and now my daughter (who is 17 months) watches it at least once a day, so I have a feeling we are going to be getting a lot of use out of these discs. I would probably only recommend this for hardcore Disney fans.

Official Premise: “The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” follows the plight of Melody (Tara Strong), the daughter of Ariel (Jodi Benson) and Prince Eric (Rob Paulsen). To protect her from the evil sea witch, Morgana (Pat Carroll), Melody is not allowed in the ocean… until she turns twelve, when she runs away and experiences an adventure under the sea. Then, in “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning”, we go back in time, before the events of “The Little Mermaid”. After a traumatic event has a profound effect on King Triton, all music is banned from the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. All that changes, though, when his youngest daughter Ariel attempts to challenge the new law.

Disney is releases this 2-Movie Collection in a 3-disc set. There is a single BD-50 disc with both films in high definition and there then are two DVDs for each film in standard definition. My question is…”Where are the digital copies”? Disney has been doing great with this recently but I am kinda disappointed here.  The 1080p transfers on both films look good and support the colorful animations but they still have that direct-to-video look and feel. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks, since they work well with the music and songs but nothing like the epic feeling you get from audio track on “The Little Mermaid” Blu-ray release.

Even though the films are direct-to-video, they still have some decent special features but nothing amazing.  For “The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea”, we get a “Storybook: Read To You By Jodi Benson – The Voice Of Ariel”. There is a deleted song included called. “Gonna Get My Wish”. Lastly there is a classic animated short “Merbabies”. For “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning”, we get “Splashdance: A Dancer’s Adventures Under The Sea”, 2 Deleted Scenes, 4 Sing-Along Songs and “Mermaid Discovery Vanity Game” (which is only available on the DVD disc).

 

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Blu-ray Review “Fearless (1993)”

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Benicio Del Toro, Debra Monk, Eric Menyuk, John De Lancie, Isabella Rossellini, Rosie Perez, Tom Hulce, John Turturro
Director: Peter Weir
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Release Date: October 29, 2013
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 122 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

To celebrate its 20th anniversary almost to the day, “Fearless” makes its Blu-ray debut, thanks to Warner Archiv. The film starred Jeff Bridges with his given such an amazing performance along with amazing co-stars Rosie Perez, Isabella Rossellini, Tom Hulce, John Turturro, Benicio Del Toro, and John De Lancie. It was adapted for the screen by Rafael Yglesias from his own novel and beautifully directed by Peter Weir. Despite being 20 years old, it still holds up so well and even having seen it so many times it still is just as powerful.

Official Premise: San Francisco architect Max Klein can see clearly now. He’s been transformed ever since he stared death in the face – and discovered he was unafraid. Peter Weir (“Witness”) directs Fearless, the vivid story of how a near-death experience impacts the lives of three people. Jeff Bridges plays Max, more wildly alive and taking more risks than ever since surviving a plane crash. Isabella Rossellini is Laura, struggling to find in Max the man she married. And Rosie Perez is fellow crash survivor Carla: alive, yet devastated by a grievous loss. It seems that no one can heal her pain. But then she meets the one person who fearlessly knows how.

This Blu-ray unfortunately does not come with any special features but it does come with a killer presentation. “Fearless” has finally been presented in it’s correct wide screen aspect ratio according to Weir and cinematographer Allen Daviau’s vision. The new 1080p master looks stunning and definitely doesn’t look like its age. The audio track included is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, which is typical for WB Archive, but it still works very well with the film. I have always been a huge fan of this film, so I was excited just to get it on Blu-ray finally. I wasn’t looking for such an amazing technical release, so that was a nice surprise for me and I think fans of this film are going to dig it also.

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Blu-ray Review “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Extended Edition)”

Actors: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, Graham McTavish
Directors: Peter Jackson
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: New Line Home Video
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 183 minutes

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

If you are a fan of “The Lord of the Rings” series then you should be no stranger to Peter Jackson’s famous extended editions. Before “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was even released in theaters there was already talks of an extended edition that would be released. Obviously, the extended cuts of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are a must if you are a fan of the films. “The Fellowship of the Ring” had an extra 30 minutes included in it’s extended cut. “The Two Towers” was 42 minutes longer and lastly “The Return of the King” was 50 minutes longer. Even though they are longer, I have always preferred the extended cuts. So why I saw that the new cut of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was only 13 minutes longer, I was a little taken back but overall I still enjoyed it very much. I didn’t feel like it any better than the theatrical cut but it certainly wasn’t any worse either. It does deliver some great new scenes but in exchange the pacing issues are still at hand.

If you are a fan of this film I would recommend checking out this new cut but more importantly though the main draw for me is the fact that this extended edition Blu-ray actually includes an additional nine hours of new bonus features, which was not on this film first Blu-ray release. If you were like me, I was pretty pissed with the lame lack of extras in the theatrical cut Blu-ray release. So I was very pleasantly pleased to find this new release to be jam-packed with new goodies. This is a must for any fan of the series, especially if you didn’t race out back in March for the theatrical cut. All I know for one thing is that I was excited for the December 13 theatrical release of the second film of the trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”…and now I am very excited for this film and so is my wife who didn’t even originally want to see the first film in theaters.

Official Premise: The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Like the theatrical cut the the 1080p transfer is just outstanding. It is stunning whether it is presented in 3D or not. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 audio track is also flawless like the theatrical cut my walls were shaking during the action scenes. Warner Bros delivered this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray and UltraViolet Digital Copy. There are three BD-50 discs included for this release. The 183-minute extended cut fills one disc and the other two Blu-rays include the massive amounts of special features included.  Kicking off the special features there is a must listen audio commentary track with Peter Jackson and co-writer Philippa Boyens. Not a shock that this track is very engaging and very informative. They cover just about everything possible about the production.  Next up we have a short feature called “New Zealand: Home of Middle-Earth” in which Jackson talks about the shooting locations that were transformed into Middle-Earth. This extra is the only one that was included on the theatrical cut Blu-ray release since the 127-minute, ten-part Video Blog series is not included here.

“The Appendices Part 7: A Long Expected Journey” includes over four f hours of extras covering the production from end to end. This 14-part chronological history of the filming of “An Unexpected Journey” covers everything from pre-production to working on the digital effects. The featurettes included are “The Journey Back to Middle-Earth”, “Riddles in the Dark: Gollum’s Cave”, “An Unexpected Party: Bag End”, “Roast Mutton: Trollshaws Forest”, “Bastion of the Greenwood: Rhosgobel”, “A Short Rest: Rivendell and London”, “Over Hill: The Misty Mountains”, “Under Hill: Goblin Town”, “Out of the Frying Pan: The Forest Ledge”, “Return to Hobbiton: The Shire”, “The Epic of Scene 88: Strath Taieri”, “The Battle of Moria: Azanulbizar”, “Edge of the Wilderland: Pick-ups and the Carrock” and “Home Is Behind, the World Is Ahead”.

On the third disc, we get “The Appendices Part 8: Return to Middle-Earth” which includes another four plus hours of bonus features. There are a bunch of additional featurettes focusing on the film’s production including “The Company of Thorin”, “Mr. Baggins: The 14th Member”, “Durin’s Folk: Creating the Dwarves”. “The Peoples and Denizens of Middle-Earth”, “Realms of the Third Age: From Bag End to Goblin Town” and “The Songs of The Hobbit”. I think that Peter Jackson realized that the March Blu-ray for the theatrical cut wasn’t up to par in terms of extras and he really set it right with his fans with this release. Hopefully though, they will still be willing to make the purchase and double dip for this extended edition release since the extras are worth the price of the Blu-ray alone.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition arrives on Digital Download October 22nd and on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD on November 5th!

Get your copy here: http://bit.ly/HobbitEE

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Blu-ray Review “The Three Faces of Eve (1957)”

Starring: Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb, Nancy Kulp, Douglas Spencer, Ken Scott
Director: Nunnally Johnson
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 92 minutes

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

“The Three Faces of Eve (1957)” is being released on Blu-ray for the first time under 20th Century Fox Studio Classics. This film is definitely considered a classic. Joanne Woodward is stunning in this film and her performance is extraordinary, which also earned here an Oscar. This film was based on real life woman, Chris Costner-Sizemore, who was on record of having 22 different personalities. In fact, I read that some of the film’s dialogue actually came from the medical case-notes by Corbett H. Thigpen MD and Hervey M. Cleckley MD. This film has held up so well over the years and is still mesmerizing to watch today. A must have for any classic film lover.

Official Premise: Joanne Woodward brought home a Best Actress Oscar for her unforgettable portrayal of a woman with multiple personality disorder. Woodward plays Eve White, a troubled housewife who begins seeing a psychiatrist. Under hypnosis, Eve’s two additional personalities are revealed: a vamp and an independent sophisticate – but curing her will require a probe into her disturbing past.

Fox delivered this film on Blu-ray with a fantastic presentation. The 1080p transfer is solid and the nearly 60 year old film looks amazing. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track also is quite sharp and delivers the dialogue perfectly. In terms of special features, there is nothing new from past DVD releases. There is an audio commentary track with film historian Aubrey Solomon, which is an interesting track overall with some great detail. Besides that there is an Fox Movietone News: Academy Awards and original theatrical trailer included.

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Blu-ray Review “Lady Antebellum: Live – On This Winter’s Night”

Starring: Lady Antebellum
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 29, 2013
Run Time: 76 minutes

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

I think that there is nothing that Lady Antebellum cannot do. Their music is quite amazing and crosses from beyond just country music fans. Last year when the band released “On This Winter’s Night”, it was easily my favorite Christmas album of the year and was on loop for endless plays on my phone. I was thrilled to find out that Eagle Rock is releasing a filmed concert of the band performing these songs at Nashville’s famed Schermerhorn Symphony Center along with more than 40 symphony orchestra musicians. This Blu-ray is a great way to get into the Christmas mood. I have a feeling that we are going to wearing this Blu-ray out this holiday season.

Official Premise: In between dates on their massively successful world tour, country superstars Lady Antebellum spent their brief summer break recording Christmas songs for their festive album On This Winter’s Night . This live concert film brings those songs to life with the help of more than 40 symphony orchestra musicians at Nashville’s famed Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The program includes seasonal favorites like ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ and ‘Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow’, alongside the self-penned title track ‘On This Winter’s Night’. The collection includes 11 live performances along with personal Christmas stories, memories, and traditions that Lady Antebellum are sharing with their fans for the first time.

Eagle Rock Entertainment delivered this Blu-ray with a slightly disappointing 1080i transfer. It still looks good enough for the live performance. The DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers a solid sound for these tracks. This Blu-ray includes some decent special features as well.  There are five acoustic tracks including “Blue Christmas,” “The First Noel,” “Silent Night (Lord Of My Life),” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas”. There is a promo video for “A Holly Jolly Christmas”. There are “5 Things You Didn’t Know About The Holly Jolly Christmas Video”. There is a behind-the-scenes look into the track “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and also a making of “On This Winter’s Night”.

Track List:
1) A Holly Jolly Christmas
2) On This Winter’s Night
3) This Christmas
4) I’ll Be Home For Christmas
5) Silver Bells
6) Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
7) Blue Christmas
8) The First Noel
9) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
10) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11) Silent Night (Lord Of My Life)

 

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Blu-ray Review “Saving Santa”

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ashley Tisdale, Tim Curry, Joan Collins, Tim Conway
Directed by: Leon Joosen Aaron Seelman
Distributed by: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Release Date: November 5th, 2013
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 83 minutes

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

Halloween is over (who cares about Thanksgiving really!) and we head right to Christmas! “Saving Santa” is a great new holiday film for the whole gamily. It posted a boasts an all-star voice cast including (“The Hobbit”), Noel Clark (“Star Trek Into Darkness”), Tim Conway (“The Carol Burnett Show”), Tim Curry (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”), Ashley Tisdale (“High School Musical”) and Joan Collins (“Dynasty”). When I was watching I was blown away by the way this animated film look then I realized it was from the award-winning animation studio behind Disney’s “Secret of the Wings”, “Tinker Bell” and “Planes”. Highly recommended.

Official Premise: An upbeat tale of the ultimate holiday rush, “Saving Santa” starts at the top – the top of the North Pole, that is – where Bernard (Freeman), a low-ranking Elf, dreams of one day joining Santa’s elite team of great inventors, the very elves who make the magic of Christmas possible! But when one of Bernard’s wacky inventions accidentally reveals the secret location of Santa’s workshop to an eccentric billionaire scoundrel (Curry), Santa (Conway) and Christmas itself are in jeopardy. It’s up to Bernard to time-travel (again and again) to get Santa home in time for Christmas!

“Saving Santa” is only available at Wal-Mart, which is becoming quite the trend with these animated entries. It is being released as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The 1080p transfer is quite solid and shows off the very impressive visuals from the animation. I think this could have played well as a 3D feature as well. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works well to deliver the holiday mood and the film’s songs. There is also some decent special features including an animated music video for “Some Kind of Miracle” by Ashley Tisdale, a “behind-the scenes” voice recording sessions with the film’s talent and a special “Why Saving Santa?” featurette.

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Blu-ray Review “Blood-C: The Last Dark”

Actors: Alexis Tipton, Robert McCollum
Directors: Zach Bolton
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Run Time: 105 minutes

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

I have been a huge of the “Blood: The Last Vampire” franchise, especially a new series from the creators of “Ghost in the Shell”, “Blood-C”. The internet trolls have been quite harsh to this feature film sequel to that anime series, so I was a little nervous watching this but overall, I thought it was definitely watchable. It is not the strongest entry in the series but does feature some solid action and overall entertaining. In terms of the story it doesn’t add too much to the franchise but I think fans were a little too intense about this film, especially since it is quite visually. I would recommend it.

Official Premise: Saya is part human, part monster, and has one thing on her mind: REVENGE. Visions of twisted experiments and creatures slaughtering everyone she loved fuel her thirst for vengeance. With blade in hand and rage boiling in her veins, she tracks her tormentor to Tokyo, where flesh-hungry beasts have begun to feed. There, she joins a group of young hackers hunting for the same man. As Saya slices her way through lies, traps, flesh, and bone, how much blood will she shed to cut down the mastermind behind her madness?

FUNimation Entertainment delivered an impressive Blu-ray + DVD combo pack release as they have in the past with “Blood-C” as well. Same goes for the 1080p transfer in 1.78:1, which looks quite amazing. The colors are sharp and really pop especially the color red (but I don’t understand why 😉 ). There are two audio tracks including with an English and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1. The English track definitely feels more epic. In terms of special features, the only real extra is an U.S. Actor and Staff commentary track. The rest of the extras include NoNeNoNe Theater, which comes in six parts. There are some Promotional Videos, the Original Teaser/Trailer and U.S. Trailer.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year – Gift Of Friendship Edition”

Narrated by: Michael York
Starring: Jim Cummings, John Fiedler, Ken Sansom, Kath Soucie, Peter Cullen, Nikita Hopkins, Michael Gough, William Green
Directed by: Jamie Mitchell
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 64 minutes

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

I have always a huge of that silly ole bear and his friends of the 100 acre woods. “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year” was a direct to video film released in 2002, which consists of the 1991 Christmas TV special “Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too” and the (then) new film, “Happy Pooh Year”. Maybe it is me but you can never go wrong with Pooh and his friends. It is always a win/win! This Blu-ray is Tigger-ific and a great way to get ready for the upcoming holiday season! My 17 month old daughter loves these characters as well, so I have a feeling this is going to get quite a lot of play for many years to come!

Official Premise: Join Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Roo and the whole gang as Rabbit discovers the true spirit of the season after his pals make misguided New Year’s resolutions to change… with hilarious and heartfelt results. Featuring beloved characters and delightful songs, this special “Gift Of Friendship Edition” also includes fun-filled bonus goodies.

This “Gift of Friendship Edition” for “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year” comes as a combo pack including Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy. You have no idea how happy it makes me that that Disney has started backing Ultraviolet digital streaming copies. The 1080p transfer looks good for the direct-to-video animation of “Happy Pooh Year” and the 1991 Christmas TV special “Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too” looks like it was made yesterday but still with that classic Pooh look and feel.

In terms of special features, first we get one of my favorite new features that Disney has been behind, which is the “Disney Intermission”. When you pause the movie, you and your kids can discover fun family games and activities. It is really a great addition to the film. There is a sing-along option with the film, as well as a song selection. Lastly there is an interactive walk-through of the “Enchanted Environment”. So besides the “Disney Intermission”, nothing really spectacular unlike the recent “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” Blu-ray release.

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Blu-ray Review “Mickey’s Christmas Carol: 30th Anniversary Special Edition”

Directors: Burny Mattinson
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 26 minutes

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

“Mickey’s Christmas Carol” is easily my favorite holiday special of all-time! Yes, I am serious. As a kid, I literally wore out our VHS copy, which we recorded off TV in the early 80’s. It is crazy to believe that this film is celebrating its 30th anniversary but I couldn’t be happier to have this film available in glorious Blu-ray. I have been getting very fed up with the ABC Family hack-job cut that they air each year, which cuts out various classic scenes. This Blu-ray is the complete and uncut special and has never looked better. I am looking to sharing this with my daughter each year with hopes that she can enjoy as much as I have for the last 30 years.

Official Premise: Mickey, Goofy, Donald and all their pals star in a heartwarming retelling of Dickens’ unforgettable holiday tale. Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) is far too greedy to understand that Christmas is a time for kindness and generosity. But with the guidance of some wise ghosts (Goofy and Jiminy Cricket) and a bunch of newfound friends, Scrooge learns to embrace the spirit of the season. Share this wonderful holiday treat with the whole family.

This 30th Anniversary Special Edition gets the treatment from Disney delivering it as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy. I can’t wait to use the digital copy, during our upcoming holiday vacation and it’s good to have just in case we wear out of the Blu-ray disc. Haven’t grown up with this film on VHS tape, this special has never looked better. 30 years old? Humbug! “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” is beautifully digitally restored. The character outlining is so crisp and sharp, as is the colors, which really pop so well.

In terms of special features, the only let down for me is that they didn’t include the fantastic “The Making of Mickey’s Christmas Carol”, which has been available only on Youtube (see below, it is a must watch). Otherwise the Blu-ray includes some fun extras, especially for kiddies. There are five bonus animated shorts, which all equally look amazing in HD. “Yodleberg” is the first (and all-new) Mickey Mouse short, which really aired on Disney Channel this Fall. There are also classic shorts including “The Hockey Champ”. “Pluto’s Christmas Tree”, “The Art of Skiing” and “Corn Chips”.

Also included is one of my favorite new features that Disney has been behind, which is the “Disney Intermission”, in which Mickey invites viewers to sing Christmas Carols with all his pals when the film is paused. This is such a great addition to the release and makes pausing fun. There are three songs to enjoy including “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”, “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells”. I really hope that Disney continues this trend, since it is one of my favorites and added a lot to the Blu-ray. Do not miss this release for sure Disney fans!

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