Blu-ray Review “The Way Way Back”

Starring: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph
Directors: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Fox Searchlight
DVD Release Date: October 22, 2013
Run Time: 104 minutes

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

I did not have any interest in seeing this sleeper summer hit at all. Steve Carell films don’t really win me over to well. But this ensemble cast did and this little surprise was a real treat to watch. Besides Carell, this all-star cast includes Maya Rudolph, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, and Amanda Peet! The film isn’t hysterical funny but it overall very entertaining and yet also quite dramatic at the same time. Do not miss this film this year!

Official Premise: While 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James) is being dragged on a family trip with his mom (Collette) and her overbearing boyfriend (Carell), he finds a gregarious friend (Rockwell) at a local water park. The two form a powerful bond as Duncan learns to swim through the challenges of life, love, family and friendship, resulting in a vacation he’ll never forget.

Fox delivered “The Way Way Back” as a combo pack including the following Blu-ray + Digital HD copy with Ultraviolet. The 1080p transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 is quite impressive for this digitally shot indie. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which works with the dialogue focused film and great score.

In terms of special features this release is not great though. There is collection of featurettes with “Behind the Scenes with the Hilarious Cast and Filmmakers”, which runs about 30 minutes. Next up is “Theatrical Behind the Scenes”, which includes “Tour of the Water Park”, “The Filmmakers: Jim and Nat” and an “Ensemble Featurette”. Lastly, there are a few short Deleted Scenes and Theatrical Trailer included.

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Blu-ray Review “Tank Girl”

Actors: Lori Petty, Naomi Watts, Ice-T, Malcolm McDowell
Directors: Rachel Talalay
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 103 minutes

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

I remember the first time I saw “Tank Girl”, which was actually in theaters with an old friend on his mother at the young age of 12 years old. Yes, this film is rated R for Violence, Language and Sexuality (sorry mom). I remember being completely blown away thinking that this film was completely out there and outrageous! Not much as changed over the last nearly 20 years (ouch makes me feel old). “Tank Girl” is still a fun, ridiculous and campy wild ride. It also packs an impressive visual effects and solid cast including Lori Petty, Ice-T, Naomi Watts and Malcolm McDowell. It is not the best comic adaption ever but it does translate this comic quite well.

Official Premise: The year’s 2033 and since a humongous meteor hit earth, the world just hasn’t been the same. No movies, no cable television, no water! A mega-villain, Kesslee (Malcolm McDowell), the leader of Water & Power, holds the world in his grasp since he controls all the water…or so he thinks. Two colossal enemies stand in his way: (1.) The Rippers, an army of half-men/half-kangaroo people whose sole purpose is to bring down Water & Power and (2.) a chick with a tank and tons of attitude: aka Tank Girl (Lori Petty). Kesslee had better get a grip on reality and his water jugs because not even a run in her stockings is going to stop her from saving the world!

Thanks to Shout! Factory, the riot-grrl classic “Tank Girl” is making its Blu-ray debut as a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray + DVD. The 1080p transfer looks solid within its 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The film has a pretty big scale and still looks great for a early 90’s film. It also showcases the creature design by Stan Winston quite well. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also quite awesome. The music in the film is funky and fun, I remember (and probably still do) that I had the soundtrack on cassette. So it works great with that and also the film’s campy yet fun action scenes.

In terms of special features, they are not overflowing but still worth checking out. There is a fun audio commentary with director Rachel Talalay and actress Lori Petty. There are some great interviews with director Rachel Talalay, actress Lori Petty and production designer Catherine Hardwicke (aka director of “Twilight”). There is a pretty fun (but a little short) Vintage Featurette. Lastly there is a Theatrical Trailer included. Overall definitely worth the purchase for this cult classic!

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Blu-ray Review “The Internship”

Actors: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rose Byrne, Max Minghella, Aasif Mandvi
Directors: Shawn Levy
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) / Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Run Time: 119 / 125 minutes

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

When I saw the trailer for “The Internship”, I couldn’t help but to roll my eyes and say “Oh boy”. This film would have been perfect if it was released right after “Wedding Crashers”, which also starred our two leads and the writer and director, but that ship has sailed. This film just seems outdated and these guys are so much better than that. Luckily, I love Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson and easily the best part of the movie is both of them just playing off each other back and forth. Worth a view but nothing special as this is quite predictable and way too long. Let’s hope the duo’s next collaboration has a bit more wit.

Official Premise: Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson team up to crash the digital world in this laugh-out-loud buddy comedy you’ve been searching for! Trying to reboot their obsolete careers, old-school salesmen Billy (Vaughn) and Nick (Wilson) talk their way into an internship program at the state-of-the-art Google campus, vying for a handful of spots among tech-savvy college students who are half their age and twice as smart. The competition is fiercely funny as Billy and Nick break all the rules in a hilarious quest to land their dream jobs!

Fox delivers this film as a combo pack including Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copies. The 1080p transfer in 2.35:1 aspect ratio works for the comedy advantage. It definitely showcases some of California’s impressive locations including Golden Gate Bridge and of course Google’s headquarters. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track, does what it can with the film’s dialogue and delivers a good sound.

In terms of special features, there isn’t much here like the film itself. There are two cuts of the film included here. The theatrical is 119 minutes and the unrated is 125 minutes. Nothing special if you don’t view unrated. There are a few brief deleted scenes to start. “Any Given Monday” is a fake documentary about the film’s Quidditch Match. There is an audio commentary with director Shawn Levy, though only available on the theatrical cut only. Informational but not a must listen for sure. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer.

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Blu-ray Review “Bounty Killer”

Actors: Christian Pitre, Matthew Marsden, Kristanna Loken
Directors: Henry Saine
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Arc Entertainment
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Where the hell did “Bounty Killer” come from and why didn’t this film get more attention? This is a “Mad Max” meets “Doomsday” with a vengeance. The film takes place in the year 2042 and is a non-stop action packed rollercoaster right that goes strong for 90 minutes. The lead, Christian Pitre, is smoking hot and really steps up as the heroine kick-ass female assassin, named Mary Death. She is backed by a pretty awesome cast including Matthew Marsden, Kristanna Loken, Eve, Beverly D’ Angelo, Kevin McNally and Gary Busey. The visual effects are quite awesome and the scale of the film is huge. Highly recommended and get ready to have a blast.

Official Premise: It’s been 20 years since the corporations took over the world s governments. Their thirst for power and profits led to the corporate wars, a fierce global battle that laid waste to society as we know it. Born from the ash, the Council of Nine rose as a new law and order for this dark age. To avenge the corporations reckless destruction, the Council issues death warrants for all white collar criminals. Their hunters — the bounty killer. From amateur savage to graceful assassin, the bounty killers now compete for body count, fame and a fat stack of cash. They are ending the plague of corporate greed by exterminating the self serving CEO and providing the survivors of the apocalypse with retribution. These are the new heroes. This is the age of the Bounty Killer!”

Arc Entertainment is releasing this film in two platforms, the first is just Blu-ray only and the second is a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The 1080p transfer looks very solid and works extremely with the non-stop action. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also works well with the fast paced action and score. Unfortunately, I was really hoping that Arc was going to include some extras but this Blu-ray is absolute bare bones. I am very upset with that. I would have loved to see some featurettes on the production, specifically the visual effects and maybe even a commentary track.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Lovelace”

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Robert Patrick, Juno Temple, Adam Brody
Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

I have to admit, I have never seen “Deep Throat”. I know about it but never really interested in seeing it. The story behind the film though is a little more interesting, especially with the gorgeous Amanda Seyfried playing the lead role. Too bad, the film is quite the bore even running at just over 90 minutes. Seyfried is amazing as always. Even Sarsagaard does what he does best, which is play the guy you hate. There are tons of others pop in for a scenes or two also including Sharon Stone, Robert Patrick, Juno Temple, Adam Brody and James Franco. Other than the cast, I wouldn’t recommend watching this. Even though “Lovelace” tells a story about making the biggest porn in the world, it leaves you rather limp.

Official Premise: In 1972—before the internet—Deep Throat was a phenomenon: the first scripted pornographic theatrical feature film, featuring a story, some jokes, and an unknown star, Linda Lovelace (Amanda Seyfried). Escaping a strict religious family, Linda discovered freedom and the high-life when she fell for and married charismatic hustler Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard). As Linda Lovelace she became an international sensation, fully inhabiting her new identity, Linda became an enthusiastic spokesperson for sexual freedom. Six years later she presented another, utterly contradictory, narrative to the world—and herself as the survivor of a far darker story.

Anchor Bay delivered the film on Blu-ray, solo with no combo pack or Ultraviolet copy. I guess they knew what a dud they had on their hands after the horrific box office and didn’t want to put any extra effort into this release. The 1080p transfer looks good with no major compliants. The film is low budget and feels like it was made in the 70’s, so props to them for that. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well with the film’s score and music throughout. Like the film itself, the special features are a letdown, the only extra included on this release is “Behind Lovelace”, which is a making-of featurettes on the production.

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Blu-ray Review “Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Complete Season Five”

Starring: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Corey Burton, André Sogliuzzo, Mat Lucas,
Director: Dave Filoni
Number of discs: 2
Rated: TV-PG
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: October 15, 2013
Run Time: 447 minutes

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

That’s it folks, here is the final (and fifth) season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”. This show was easily one of the best things on television for the last 5+ years. The show got increasingly better with each season as it matured. It also got quite darker with its storylines. I liked that they weren’t afraid to take that route and give the hardcore “Star Wars” fans what they were looking for while still adhering to the younger audience. Easily the best arc in this season has to be the one around Ahsoka Tano. I was blown away with this season and I feel that it just ended too soon. Luckily, LucasFilm has big plans for its next animated series “Star Wars Rebels”, which premieres next year. I will be anxiously waiting and hope that it can hold the same charm and excitement that “Clone Wars” did.

Season Five Official Premise: In its Emmy-winning fifth season, the gripping Star Wars story moves closer to the grim events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and several major players face their destinies as the galaxy plunges into darkness. Planets are rocked by revolution, ancient Jedi secrets are explored, and Ahsoka Tano — the spirited Padawan so central to the series — faces a major crisis that will change her forever.

One thing I loved (loved…tear) about “The Clone Wars” was that it is extremely cinematic and each arc feels like a mini movie. The 1080p transfers like past seasons doesn’t cease to impress. The animation is extremely sharp and the details are extremely meticulous. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also delivers for each episode completely. These episodes are so epic and action packed and you get a perfectly balanced track from every ship flying by to lightsaber activating.

The 2-disc Blu-ray release of “The Complete Season Five” delivers all 20 episodes bring the series to a close (another tear). It includes two episodes in their director’s cuts, which were never seen on TV. Get ready for this, there are an audio commentary track on EACH episode, so yes that’s 20 commentary tracks! Fans, including myself, are going to love going through each episode of this great season once again to get the inside tip. Also exclusive to Blu-ray (for a limited time) is “Jedi Archives”, which is an extensive database of early animation, concept art and 3D turnarounds for the season.

 

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Blu-ray Review “The Heat”

Actors: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demian Bichir, Marlon Wayans, Michael Rapaport
Directors: Paul Feig
Rated: R (Restricted) / Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Run Time: 117 / 120 minutes

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

When I first saw a trailer for the “The Heat”, I thought it looked alright but I wasn’t planning to run out and see it first weekend. Then the positive responses starting coming out and people were calling this “The Funniest Movie of the Year”. I thought that McCarthy had run her course and was starting to get on my nerves but that thought was quickly debunked about her role in “Identity Thief”. So I gave in and watched “The Heat” and it was quite funny, in fact very funny, but it is also a felt just a little too predictable for me to make it perfect. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy are epic together though. I love the female team-up and these each play so well off each other. Definitely worth checking out and get ready to laugh!

Official Premise: Oscar Winner Sandra Bullock and Oscar Nominee Melissa McCarthy team up in this outrageously funny comedy from the director of Bridesmaids, Paul Feig. Uptight FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) and foul-mouthed Boston cop Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) couldn’t be more incompatible. But when they join forces to bring down a ruthless drug lord, they become the last thing anyone expected…buddies.

Fox delivered “The Heat” as a combo pack included Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. The Blu-ray contains two cuts of the film as well. The theatrical cut runs 117 minutes, while the unrated clocks in at 120 minutes. So there is nothing to get terribly excited about if you don’t watching in the extended cut. I was just happy the film was rated R to being with since they were able to make it edgier and that let to funnier moments. The 1080p transfer presented in an 2.40:1 aspect ratio works with the films mix of action/comedy. The same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which is very effective with not only the dialogue but also the action.

The special features are quite impressive and contain a lot of good short features. We start with “Welcome to the Bonus Features”, which features Paul Feig enjoying a good fart joke. Next up, we have eight featurettes, which include a funny intro from Feig. “Mullins Family Fun” included about ten minutes of deleted scenes involving Shannon’s family. “Acting Master Class” features the cast engaging in funny jokes. “Let’s Get Physical” are more bloopers, same goes for “Von Bloopers”. “Police Brutality” and “Supporting Cast Cavalcade” are more outtakes. Rounding out is “Over and Out” is Feig closing out with yet another fart joke. If all those outtakes and gag reels weren’t enough there is still more in “All the Stuff We Had to Take Out but Still Think is Funny”, which includes more Deleted Scenes, Extended Scenes and Alternate Scenes. “How The Heat Was Made” is a great (and only) behind-the-scenes featurette.

There are four commentary track included. The first with with Paul Feig and is only available on the Unrated Version of the film but it is a blast and very funny as well. The next track is with Melissa McCarthy, Paul Feig, Katie Dippold, Mike McDonald, Adam Ray, Jesse Henderson. Again this one is a laugh riot and this one though is only available on the Theatrical Version. The next track features “Some of the Mullins Family” and Feig, also only available on the Theatrical Version. Lastly is a track featuring the original lineup from “Mystery Science Theater 3000”, which is the best since I love MST3K and it was great to have the gang together. This was very clever and I have to give the team kudos for coming up with it.

 

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“The Conjuring” Blu-ray Giveaway [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

To celebrate the release of “The Conjuring” arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD Oct 22th, Media Mikes would like to giveaway a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack of the show. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of this great prize, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite “Things to know” GIF from below. This giveaway will remain open until November 3rd 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.

Based on a true story, the movie tells the horrifying account of how famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were summoned to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse which they recently bought. In fighting this powerful demonic being, the Warrens find themselves in the middle of the most terrifying case of their lives!

The Conjuring 5 Things to know… INTERACTIVE GIFS!

1) The Conjuring is directed by the acclaimed James Wan, the Australian-born director of the fright-fests Insidious and the Saw series. His Twitter handle is @CreepyPuppet. Say no more.

2) The Conjuring has been given an “R” rating by the MPAA. Not because of blood, gore, or violence, but simply because it’s just so scary from start to finish!

3) The Conjuring’s cast and crew experienced creepy events during filming. Scratches appeared out of nowhere on Vera Farmiga’s computer soon after she agreed to act in the movie, the crew were routinely woken by something in the “witching hour” between 3 and 4AM, and the real-life Carolyn Perron fell and broke her hip while visiting the set.

4) The Rhode Island farmhouse where The Conjuring is set once belonged to an accused witch, Bathsheba, who tried to sacrifice her children to the devil and killed herself in 1863.

5) Hold your applause! The Conjuring will make you terrified to clap! Whether it’s playing a traditional game of hide-and-seek by following the clapping sounds like the mother and daughter in the movie, or being terrorized by ghostly claps in different rooms of the haunted farmhouse, these claps throughout the movie will give you the creeps!

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“Shrek The Musical” Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Giveaway [ENDED]

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

To celebrate the release of “Shrek The Musical” arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD Oct 15th, Media Mikes would like to giveaway a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack of the show. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite character from the “Shrek” series. This giveaway will remain open until November 1st 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.

Featuring a fantastic score of 17 all-new songs,Shrek The Musical was filmed on stage to capture the magic of a Broadway performance and stars an amazing celebrated cast including Brian d’Arcy James (Shrek), Sutton Foster (Fiona), Daniel Breaker (Donkey), Christopher Sieber (Lord Farquaad), and John Tartaglia (Pinocchio). The film was shot live with 10 cameras and directed by Michael Warren.

Now you can bring the magic of Broadway to your home and get the best seat in the house when the Deluxe Edition Blu-ray™ and DVD arrives on October 15th, and on Digital HD September 17th!

Pre-order Shrek The Musical today:
– Blu-ray/DVD: http://amzn.to/14WNO23
– Digital HD: http://bitly.com/stm-itunes

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Blu-ray Review “John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13”

Starring: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer, Martin West, Tony Burton, Charles Cyphers
Director: John Carpenter
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

“Assault on Precinct 13” was never my favorite film from John Carpenter but it is still quite impressive and holds up with time. I mean, the director must be doing something right since his films keep getting remade like “Halloween”, “The Thing” and “Assault on Precinct 13”. Of course none of the remakes even come close to the originals. This film really shows the scale for John Carpenter and that he was able to really rock any genre not just horror. This film was action packed and super intense. This is not the film’s first go on Blu-ray as it was released back in 2008 from Image. So I would recommend this for hardcore Carpenter fans since the last release is still pretty solid.

Official Premise: John Carpenter directs this tense remake of the classic Howard Hawks western Rio Bravo. Set in modern-day Los Angeles, it concerns a mob of crazy guerilla gunmen who lay siege to a soon-to-be-closed police station, trapping a single cop (Austin Stoker) and a couple of secretaries (Laurie Zimmer and Nancy Loomis) inside. The gunmen unleash wave upon wave of attacks on the beleaguered station, but the cop proves himself a resourceful foe.

Shout! Factory released “John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13” as a Collector’s Edition in a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The 1080p transfer is very sharp and looks great for a film nearly 40 years old. Especially since the film was low-budget, the colors are sharp and the overall presentation still holds up very well after all those years. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is the same one from the 2008 Image Blu-ray, which is a very solid track. Also included is the DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track.

The special features are the real draw of this new release. There is a new audio commentary track with Art Director and Sound Effects Editor Tommy Lee Wallace, There are two new interviews with actress Nancy Loomis Kyes and actor Austin Stoker. There also a ported audio commentary with writer/director John Carpenter and an interview also with with John Carpenter and Austin Stoker. Lastly there is a Theatrical Trailer, Radio Spots and Still Gallery included. One thing I noticed that I would have loved to see is the isolated score track which was included in the 2008 Image Blu-ray.

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Blu-ray Review “John Carpenter Presents Body Bags”

Actors: Tobe Hooper, Robert Carradine, Stacy Keach, David Warner, Mark Hamill
Directors: John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Larry Sulkis
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Run Time: 95 minutes

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

“Body Bags” was a made-for-TV anthology that aired on Showtime. Originally it was planned to be a television series, similar to HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt” but never panned out. The film is jam-packed with great genre talent including Mark Hamill (“Star Wars”), Robert Carradine (“Revenge of the Nerds”), Tom Arnold (“True Lies”), Sam Raimi (“Evil Dead”), Stacy Keach (“Up In Smoke”), David Warner (“TRON”) Deborah Harry, Sheena Easton, Twiggy (Member of Marilyn Manson), David Naughton (“An American Werewolf In London”), John Agar (“Tarantula”) and great cameos by Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper and Roger Corman. Overall, this may not be the best anthology but it is still a blast to watch and a must have for any true horror buff.

Official Premise: Two Masters of Horror John Carpenter (“Halloween”, “The Thing”) and Tobe Hooper (“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”, “Lifeforce”) come together to create a chilling anthology of terror. Alex Datcher (“Passenger 57”) stars as a woman working the late shift at The Gas Station while a killer is on the loose. Then, Stacy Keach (“Road Games”) can’t stand the thought of losing his Hair and he’ll do anything to keep it. And finally, Mark Hamill (“Star Wars”) portrays a baseball player that submits to an Eye transplant after he loses an eye in a car accident.

Shout! Factory delivered this film as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The 1080p transfer looks decent for a made-for-TV film and the DTS-HD Master Audio track works with the film’s suspense and score. In terms of special features, there is some great content here for horror fans. There are three audio commentary tracks included, the first is with director John Carpenter and actor Robert Carradine on “The Gas Station”. The second is again with director John Carpenter and joined by actor Stacy Keach on “Hair”. The last with with producer Sandy King on “Eye” and is moderated by Justin Beahm. There are some some great new interviews with John Carpenter, Producer Sandy King and actors Stacy Keach and Robert Carradine. Lastly there is a trailer included as well.

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Blu-ray Review “Eve of Destruction (1991)”

Actors: Gregory Hines, Renee Soutendijk
Directors: Duncan Gibbins
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: November 19, 2013
Run Time: 100 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Before the announcement of this Blu-ray release, I have never seen “Eve of Destruction”, nor heard of this 1991 title. I was drawn to this title since it starred Gregory Hines in a action/sci-fi/thriller/horror film, so that interested me. I wish I would have opted out for sure since this title was a big mess, not sure of which genre it wanted to be apart of and ended up failing on all. Some might enjoy this title if they grew up watching it but otherwise steer clear for sure.

Official Premise: Off-beat sci-fi adventure in which a female scientist creates a sexy android version of herself and equips it with both the passionate emotions she lacks and a nuclear bomb. The trouble begins when the android is taken out for a test run and it ends up in the midst of a bank robbery where its internal bomb is accidentally activated. Things get worse, when the robot comes emotionally unglued and launches into a destructive rampage while enacting out its repressed creator’s darkest desires.

In terms of the Blu-ray presentation, Shout! Factory does deliver in that department. For a 1991 film, the 1080 transfer was very solid. The audio track packs a typical DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track for Shout’s catalog titles. There are no special features besides a theatrical trailer included for this Blu-ray.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Billy Rose’s Jumbo”

Starring: Dean Jagger, Martha Raye, Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante
Director: Charles Walters
Distributed: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: G
Running Time: 124 minutes

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

“Jumbo” was a film that was troubled from the star. It took nearly a decade to get made and was a financial disappointment once it was finally released in 1962. The film is based on the 1935 Broadway play of the same name. In fact the film actually brings back Jimmy Durante, who was also the star of the play. This film also was Doris Day’s last screen musical. There is no shortage of talent here and the film is quite the production even for today’s standards. I remember seeing this film as a kid and it just stuck with me over the year and though I haven’t seen it since then I never forgot it. “Jumbo” is not perfect and feels a little bit aged but overall it is still quite enjoyable and worth checking out.

Official Premise: Jumbo is a mighty talented elephant. It’s also the ideal word to describe this big-time, big-top extravaganza bursting with laughter and love, sang and dance, circus stunts and star power. Radiant Doris Day sings beloved Rodgers and Hart tunes and does her own horseback riding tricks in a razzle-dazzle musical based on Billy Rose’s stage spectacular and featuring circus sequences directed by Busby Berkeley. The story revolves around a circus owner (Jimmy Durante) with only two real attractions: his daughter (Day) and popular pachyderm Jumbo. Three-ring pandemonium breaks out when a handsome rival (Stephen Boyd) infiltrates the circus, and father, daughter and Dad’s wise-cracking fiancé (Martha Raye) are suddenly at risk of losing the greatest show on earth!

Since the beginning of this year, Warner Archive has been breaking into the world of Blu-ray. This was not a title that I expect would need a Blu-ray but it still looks quite impressive on the disc. The 1080p transfer is presented with an aspect ratio of 2.40:1. The colors are aged a little but still solid. The DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1 is awesome, period. It works very well with the musical numbers and the film’s dialogue. In terms of special features, there is some decent content included. There is a musical Short titled “Yours Sincerely”. There is a fun Tom and Jerry Cartoon, “Jerry and Jumbo”. The original overture has been rejoined to the film for the first time in over 50 years, so this will be a main draw for hardcore fans of the film. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

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Blu-ray Review “Shrek the Musical”

Starring: Brian d’Arcy James, Sutton Foster, Daniel Breaker, Christopher Sieber
Director: Michael Warren
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: DreamWorks
DVD Release Date: October 15, 2013
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

I am a huge fan of “Shrek”, the first film that is. After the first film I lost interest more and more with the three following sequels. When “Shrek The Musical” came to Broadway, I never really had an interest to run out (spend $200 bucks) and see the show. Now that its been a few years since the last “Shrek” film, the Broadway show is closed and the National US Tour has ended, I figure what could it hurt to finally give this show a try. I liked the idea of being able to watch it in my own living room. Overall, if you haven’t seen the show on stage, you haven’t been missing anything special but it is definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of this franchise.

Official Premise: Featuring a fantastic score of 17 all-new songs, “Shrek the Musical” was filmed on stage to capture the magic of a Broadway performance and stars an amazing celebrated cast including Brian d’Arcy James (Shrek), Sutton Foster (Fiona), Daniel Breaker (Donkey), Christopher Sieber (Lord Farquaad), and John Tartaglia (Pinocchio). The film was shot live with 10 cameras and directed by Michael Warren

“Shrek the Musical” comes equipped as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet. The Blu-ray transfer looks pretty sharp in its 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Of course, it doesn’t compare to being at the theatre itself and being immersed in the show but it does the trick.  Like the films, the show is very colorful and are presented very clearly here on this release. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works well with the shows several numbers. The special features are not that impressive. There is a brief “From Swamp to Stage: The Making of Shrek the Musical”, which features Cameron Diaz talks about the show. Lastly there is a “Shrek the Musical Songbook with Sing-Along” with the songs split up, so you can choose your favorite.

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

Blu-ray Review “Before Midnight”

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
Director: Richard Linklater
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Run Time: 109 minutes

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

I have been loving the 18 year journey that Richard Linklater has set out with this romantic drama series starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. “Before Midnight” is the third film in the series and is a sequel to “Before Sunrise” (1995) and “Before Sunset” (2004). “Before Midnight”, like the prior two films, is very dialogue heavy and very smartly written. It plays like an emotional rollercoaster and is quite exhausting and yet still very charming as we follow-up with this nearly two decade romantic relationship. I have that this trio has plans to continue this series in the next decade since it only gets better with each installment.

Official Premise: Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) first met in their twenties in “Before Sunrise”; reunited in their thirties in “Before Sunset”; and, now, in director Richard Linklater’s amazing “Before Midnight”, they face the past, present and future: family, romance and love. Now on a writer’s retreat in Greece, the couple looks for a night of passion, but instead their idyllic night turns into a test of their relationship and a discussion of what the future holds for them.

Sony released this film as a Blu-ray combo pack with an Ultraviolet digital copy. Since “Before Midnight” consists of a long scenes of extended dialogue, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sounds good for what it is worth but not really challenged. The 1080p transfer looks great with the film’s location in Greece but there was some major issues with Delpy’s dress throughout the film. It was consistenly giving off some major backlash and it was quite distracting.

In terms of special features, Sony didn’t pack a lot but what they did is very impressive especially for fans of this series. There is a must-listen audio •commentary with all major players including Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater. It truly shows how these films are a real labor of love for these three very talent artists. “Revisiting Jesse & Céline” features Hawke and Delpy chatting about their characters for their third go around with these characters. Lastly there is a solid Q&A discussion with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater.

 

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