Blu-ray Review “The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Second Season”

Actors: Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Carl Reiner
Directors: Alan Rafkin, Jerry Paris, John Rich
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Run Time: 800 minutes

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

I think I can literally watch “The Dick Van Dyke Show” every single day for the rest of my life…over and over. This show makes me laugh consistently every time it is on. Image released The Complete Series on Blu-ray for “The Dick Van Dyke Show” last November and it was such a wonderful job for a show that is now over 50 years old. Since then they have been releasing each season, which has been a great way for fans to grab their favorite episodes without needing the whole series. Season two is where this show really gets its legs and deliver some of the best episodes including “The Attempted Marriage” and “It May Look Like a Walnut”. It is also the last season before Carl Reiner stepped back mostly from the writers chair. If you are a fan of the show this is a must purchase and a really Blu-ray treat, thanks to Image Entertainment.

Official Premise: “The Dick Van Dyke Show” truly found its niche in its second season, rapidly climbing to ninth place in the Nielson ratings. Millions across the country tuned in weekly for the fun with comedy writer Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) on the job with his wisecracking co-workers (Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie) and at home with his lovely wife, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore). Now enjoy all 33 of the season’s hilarious episodes in spectacular high-definition!

Image has given a lot of love to this show and has released this episode on Blu-ray with all-new scans from the camera negatives. The 1080p transfer just look stunning. The original source elements have held up very well and really don’t show their age at all. I have been films shot today, released on Blu-ray and look 10 times worse than this 50 year old show does. The DTS-HD MA 1.0 audio track is a simple soundtrack for a simple show. There not much needed here this show and it works perfectly. The episodes were mostly taped with a studio audience and the laughing is balanced well with the snappy jokes and dialogue.

There are some new Blu-ray exclusive special features. First, we have an Anti-Smoking PSA Radio Spot featuring Dick Van Dyke, “Kick the Habit”. Always interesting to see these old spots especially since the show was sponsored by cigarette companies. “It May Look Like a Walnut” Color Test is was trial on bringing color to one of the show most famous episodes. “Safety Council Reel” is a bunch of PSAs on safe driving. Lastly there is Dick Van Dyke’s appearance on “The Danny Kaye Show”. It is a must watch for any fan of either actor.

The rest of the season features are roll-overs from past DVD releases but are still fantastic. There are commentary tracks from Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke on episodes 34 (The Attempted Marriage) and episode 37 (My Husband Is Not a Drunk). There are also tracks on Episode 41 (A Bird in the Head Hurts) and Episode 53 (All About Eavesdropping) with Rose Marie, Larry Mathews and Ann Morgan Guilbert. There are “Episode Photos” throughout all three discs for episodes 27 out of the 33 episodes. There are also commercials/promos included on 21 episodes for product including Dash, Joy and Kent cigarettes.

Other extras include featurettes on disc 1: “Remembering the Ottoman”, “Remembering Rob and Laura”, “Remembering Buddy and Sally”, “Remembering the Bank Book” (about episode 33), “Remembering the Woodpecker” (episode 41), which look back at these episodes and the characters. Also there is a look into the show’s Emmy Awards® (1962-1963). Disc 2 contains more featurettes on “Remembering Dick’s Sneezing (episode 42)” and “Remembering Jerry Paris (episode 43)”. There is a also the making of one of my favorite episodes “It May Look Like a Walnut (episode 51)”. Lastly disc three has one more featurette: for “Remembering “Oh, Rob”.

 

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DVD Review “Beetlejuice: The Complete Series”

Voices of: Stephen Ouimette, Alyson Court, Elizabeth Hanna, Roger Dunn
Created by: Tim Burton
Directed by: Robin Budd
Number of discs: 12
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: May 28, 2013
Run Time: 2160 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
DVD Release: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Though I know I should be wary, Still I venture someplace scary; Ghostly hauntings I turn loose… Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice!

It’s Showtime! I absolutely love “Beetlejuice”! I grew up watching the film, which scared me as a kid. Which then led me to race home each day from school to enjoy the animated series as well. The show had a different tone than the film but was and has been one of my favorites. This is the first time that the animated series has ever made it onto DVD as a complete series, thanks to Shout! Factory. There were three episodes, “A-Ha”; “Skeletons In The Closet” and “Spooky Boo-tique”, included on the 20th Anniversary DVD of the film. It was enough to get our mouth watering but left us wanting more. Well we finally get our prayers answered here but it is not the ultimate release that I was hoping for.

Official Premise: This quirky series was based on the highly popular 1988 Tim Burton film of the same name. Beetlejuice: The Complete Series features the escapades of Lydia Deetz, a teenage goth girl with a love of all things macabre, and her best friend Beetlejuice, an undead, bug-eating prankster from the Netherworld. The only way Beetlejuice can visit the Outerworld (also know as the town of Peaceful Pines) is when his name is repeated three times, but unfortunately for him that is the same way to send him back!

This Saturday morning cult favorite cartoon has been long-awaited on DVD. This release features all 94 episodes in a 12 DVD box set and is available only from Amazon.com. When revisiting this show for the first time in years, it is better than ever and I enjoyed it still like when I was a kid.  In fact, I actually enjoyed it more with its witty dialogue, tongue-in cheek humor and satire-filled plots.  There were so many great nods to the horror genre. I also forgot how short the first three seasons were while the show was on ABC Saturday mornings.  The first was only 13 episodes and the second and third were 8 each.  When the show switched to Fox Kids, they really gave the series some life with 65 episodes in the fourth season.

The release itself was a bit of a let-down though.  Firstly there are no special features at all included.  I was hoping for something…anything for us fans to dig into but was left unsatisfied.  The slipcase is a little bit flimsy and feels cheap.  The episodes are spaced out in three DVD cases separated with Seasons One, Two & Three in one case and Season Four Part 1 & 2 in the other two. It is great to see the episodes again but they don’t look the greatest. They look like that are from the early 90’s, which they are obviously but I was hoping that Shout! would have done a little bit to restore some of the quality. In fact, some of the episodes actually even look downright blurry. But at least we finally have the complete series right?

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DVD Review “The Roman Holidays: The Complete Series”

Created by Hanna-Barbera
Voices of Dave Willock, Shirley Mitchell, Stanley Livingston, Pamelyn Ferdin, Daws Butler, Dom DeLuise, Hal Smith
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 292 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Hanna-Barbera, I am always curious to see anything that they have created, especially obscure shows like “The Roman Holidays”. This animated series was aired back in 1972 on NBC, but only ran for 13 episodes. The show is set in 63 AD but has a very modern day feel to it. Daws Butler is a blast voicing Brutus the Lion, who is known best for voicing Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and many more. Dom DeLuise also voices Mr. Evictus and gets some good laughs. It is probably not the best product that Hanna-Barbera ever released, especially since it was canceled after a few episodes but it is worth checking out if you are a fan of classics animated series.

Official Premise: Somewhere between the pre-hysterical Hanna Barbera’s Stone Age of The Flintstones and the fantastic future of The Jetsons lie The Roman Holidays, tackling family life circa AD 63. Augustus “Gus” Holiday (Dave Willock) is the man of the clan, lovely and level-headed spouse Laurie (Shirley Mitchell) keeps things on an even keel while teen-age trouble maker Happius (Stanley Livingston) and child prodigy Precocia (Pamelyn Ferdin) threaten to break the Pax Familia. Housed at the humble Venus de Milo Arms, the Holidays face constant threats from their aptly named landlord Mr. Evictus (Dom DeLuise, in his toon debut) while Gus gets equally harried by his boss, Mr. Tycoonius (Hal Smith) at the Forum Construction Company. It’s a good thing he gets to come home to a Roman’s best friend – his pet lion, Brutus (Daws Butler)! So hop aboard your chariot – it’s time to pay a visit to The Roman Holidays!

Episodes included are: “Double Date”, “The Lion’s Share”, “Star For A Day”, “Hero Sandwich”, “The Big Split Up, “Hectic Holiday”, “Switch Is Which”, “That’s Show Biz”, “Double Dilemma”, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Chariot”, “A Buried Treasure”, “Cyrano De Happius” and “Father Of The Year”. Warner Archive is releasing this series as part of their Hanna-Barbera Classic Collections. They have been behind releasing many rare Hanna-Barbera show’s as part of their manufacture-on-demand (MOD) service. The episodes are released with their original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. They have not been remastered or restored but have been at least manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available. They look decent but could have used a little sprucing up. They also have a typical Dolby Digital Mono track included, which is the usual for Warner Archive MOD releases.

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DVD Review “The Ricky Gervais Show: The Complete Third Season”

Actors: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Karl Pilkington
Directors: Dan Fraga
Studio: Warner Archive
DVD Release Date: April 9, 2013
Run Time: 328 minutes

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

I have been a fan of “The Ricky Gervais Show” when it aired on the UK radio station, XFM, over ten years ago.  Since then this show was been developed as a podcast, audio book and mostly recently an animated series.  When this animated series was announced I wasn’t particularly thrilled.  I originally thought that re-releasing the podcasts with new animations was a little lame, but I forgot how very funny all of these actually were. Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington are very funny together.  This season contains the last 12 out of the 39 episodes produced. There has been talks about a fourth season, but was shelved last year from Gervais himself. If you are a fan of shows like “The Office”, “Extras” and “An Idiot Abroad” then this is sure to deliver some great laughs whether you are a fan of the podcasts or not.

Official Premise: Series 3 starts with an impossible mission as Karl pitches another movie idea and struggles in vain to relay the insane plot to Ricky and Steve. Over the following 12 episodes Karl offers fascinating insights into his family history, encounters with domestic insects and the dangers of wearing crash helmets. Challenged at every turn by Ricky and Steve, who entertain with their own priceless real-life exploits, Karl remains stoic and retains his bizarrely unique perspectives regardless. As things draw to a close. The tree imagine themselves in an old people’s home – still arguing over utter nonsense with the final word going to Ricky, appropriately enough.

This DVD release is being release by Warner Archive as a “made-to-order” DVD. I would love to see these seasons make their way to Blu-ray like in the UK but I have a feeling that this is the best that we are going to get. These episodes have been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored for this release. The animation is simple yet still looks very good on this DVD presentation. They come with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The audio track included is a Dolby Digital track. The first and second season included a some great extras but this release is completely baron. The second season DVD was also “made-to-order” but it still contains some sweet extras. So I was left disappointed with this final season but at least it is available for fans.

 

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DVD Review “Childrens Hospital: The Complete Fourth Season”

Starring: Rob Corddry, Rob Huebel, Malin Akerman, Erinn Hayes, Ken Marino, Megan Mullaly, Henry Winkler, Lake Bell
Studio: Warner Archive
DVD Release Date: April 9, 2013
Running Time: 156 minutes

Season: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

I have loved “Childrens Hospital” ever since the first season but I feel that we are starting to part ways.  The fourth season of the show is definitely funny in parts but it doesn’t feel as unique that it has in past season. The show only runs 11 minutes per episode and I think that that works in its favor. The show packs a phenomenal cast including Rob Corddry, Rob Huebel, Malin Akerman, Erinn Hayes, Ken Marino, Megan Mullaly, Henry Winkler and Lake Bell. This season also had some wonderful guests starring including Jon Hamm, Dominic Monaghan, Nick Offerman, Frances Fisher and Brian Huskey. There is great talent here but maybe the show has run it course for me. “Childrens Hospital” has spawned two spin-offs shows. One of them is good,  “NTSF:SD:SUV::” and one of them not so good “Newsreaders”.

Official Premise: TV’s sickest medical series returns for its fourth twisted season, winner of the 2012 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment. A satirical jab at network medical dramas, Childrens Hospital explores the lives of a group of self-absorbed doctors who put their libidos first and patients second. Amnesia, Madonna sightings, single-mom promotions, assassination attempts, Mafia kingpins and the accidental electrocution of one of its stars are just some of the topics addressed.

I am assume that I am not the only one who feels this way either since this is the first season that is being produced only as an MOD or Made-to-order DVD. Warner Home Video’s past releases have been much higher quality.  They have come with nice cases with slipcases.  These episodes have been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored for this release. They come with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The audio track included is a Dolby Digital track. Lastly there is also no special features included here.  The past DVD releases for Season 1 & 2 and Season 3 have had some great extras included. Overall this is a letdown from past releases but at least it is available for fans. And fans should keep an eye out for more episodes this Summer as the the series was renewed for a fifth season by Adult Swim.

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DVD Review “Tom and Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season 1”

Directed by: Carl Urbano, Don Lusk, Paul Sommer, Robert Alvarez, Jay Sarbry
Voices of: Charlie Adler, William Callaway, Teresa Ganzel, Dick Gautier, Phil Hartman, Don Messick, Frank Welker, Patric Zimmerman
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: April 30, 2013
Running Time: 290 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I am not sure what it is about “Tom and Jerry” but they have always been one of my favorites. This popular cat and mouse duo has been around since 1940 and have never left the public eye for long. This animated series features the duo as kids, probably taking a page from “Muppets Babies”. “Tom and Jerry Kids Show” premiered in 1990 on Fox Kids and ran through 1994 for five seasons for a total of 65 episodes. This complete first season includes the first 13 episodes. So how does the the young Tom and Jerry rank against the older Tom and Jerry? Well it is fun and still had me laughing! So I give it a thumbs up…It was good as a kid for me and still good for me as an adult! I look forward to future seasons!

Official Premise: A Rivalry for All Ages! Spend some time with the beloved animated duo in their furry, formative years in Tom & Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season One. Available for the first time on DVD in this 2-Disc collection, these delightful adventures follow the kitten and baby mouse as they taunt each other and create mayhem like only young ones can. Joined by their pals Droopy, Dripple, Spike and Tyke, Tom and Jerry bring on the giggles and good times in episodes such as Toys Will Be Toys, Bat Mouse, Cosmic Chaos and The Maltese Poodle. So run wild with 13 episodes from the hit TV series that feature more than four hours of hi-jinks that will be sure to bring out the kid in all of us!

“Tom and Jerry Kids Show The Complete Season 1″ is animated fun for the whole family. I have a 10-month old daughter and she literally lit up when these cartoons came on. I love that. For a show that I watched growing up now I will be able to share with my own child. The 13 episodes are split over a two-disc set with over four hours of guaranteed laughs and of course many “Tom and Jerry” hi-jinks. Each episode of this show is about 7 minutes so it works out that there is more like 39 mini-episodes included. The colors on the episodes still look sharp for a show that was produced well over 20 years ago, feeling old now. The audio included on the DVD is a typical Dolby Digital Mono track, which works well for the show itself. There are no additional special features included on the DVDs.

Season 1 episodes list:
Disc 1
1: Flippin’ Fido, Dakota Droopy & the Lost Dutch Boy Mine, Dog Daze Afternoon
2: Toys Will Be Toys, Droopy Delivers, My Pal
3: Prehistoric Pals, Super Droop & Dripple Boy Meet the Yolker, Marvelous Marvin
4: Bat Mouse, Puss n’ Pups, Outer Space Rover
5: The Vermin, Aerobic Droopy, Mouse Scouts
6: Sugar Belle Loves Tom, Sometimes, Mall Mouse, Super Duper Spike
7: Cosmic Chaos, Droopy of the Opera, Beach Bummers

Disc 2
8: Gator Baiter, Hoodwinked Cat, Medieval Mouse
9: Clyde to the Rescue, Droopio & Juliet, Maze Monster Zap Men
10: Crash Condor, Yo Ho Ho…Bub, Scrub-a-Dub Tom
11: No Biz Like Snow Biz, The Maltese Poodle, Cast Away Tom
12: The Little Urfulls, Droopo – First Bloodhound, Indy Mouse 500
13: Exterminator Cometh, Foreign Legion Frenzy, Urfo Returns

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Blu-ray Review "The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete First Season"

Actors: Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam
Directors: John Rich, Robert Butler, Sheldon Leonard
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Run Time: 750 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

There is just something about classic 60’s television. I actually miss it quite a bit. Today when you turn on the television it is all reality TV shows and trash. I really love escaping into the world when in order to be on television you needed to have talent. Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore are two of the funniest people in the business. Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam are also fantastic compliments to the two leads. The humor is very funny and clean family fun. It is also very timeless. It has been over 50 years since this show aired and I still laugh out loud many times during each episode. Image Entertainment is the leader of bringing these great shows to Blu-ray with great shows like “The Twilight Zone”. This is not the first rodeo on Blu-ray for “The Dick Van Dyke Show”. Image released the complete series last year. This is the first time though that the individual seasons are being released. If you are a fan of this show this release is a must have! Relive the classics again!

Official Premise: Trip into the living room of comedy writer Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) along with his lovely wife, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore), wisecracking co-workers and nutty neighbors. Winner of 15 Emmy Awards, this groundbreaking series is consistently ranked among the top TV comedies of all-time and renowned for its top-notch cast and stellar writing. Now enjoy the first season’s entire 30 episodes (air 1961-1962), each digitally remastered to its original full-length version. Get ready to laugh out loud with such classics as Rob and Laura balancing a career-building cocktail party with caring for a sickly son in the series’ first episode, The Sick Boy and the Sitter; then in My Blonde-Haired Brunette and insecure Laura disastrously dyes her hair; and Rob’s shy brother (Jerry Van Dyke) is a sleepwalking Jekyll and Hyde in the hilarious two-parter I am My Brother’s Keeper/The Sleeping Brother.

Image Entertainment does nothing of short of delivering “The Dick Van Dyke Show” looking better than it ever has on Blu-ray. The 1960’s black-and-white television show looks honestly stunning on high definition. For the Blu-ray, Image delivered each episode’s 1080p transfer with new scans from the camera negatives. You can tell that there is a lot of love for a show like this. Also for a show that is over 50 years old, you could have easily fooled me. There is no issue at all with the DTS-HD MA 1.0 audio track. The show doesn’t really need much in order for it to succeed well. The track is perfect for the show’s dialogue, the music and laugh-track.

The special features are very impressive for this release (and mirror last year’s complete series release). There is audio commentaries track with Carl Reiner and Dick Van Dyke on the following episodes 19: “Where Did I Come From?” and episode 29: “The Sleeping Brother”. I love the chemistry between both of these guys and they are a riot. I would have loved to see them cover each episode but that is not practical. There is the Original Series Pilot Episode, “Head of the Family”, which is a riot. There are interviews with various members of the cast and directors from the show. There are Emmy Award Telecast Clips Honoring “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and also Original Commercials with the Cast and Network Promos. Lastly there are Photo Galleries for the 16 out of the 30 episodes. Can’t wait for the the rest of the seasons being released. Keep them coming Image Entertainment!

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Blu-ray Review "Serial Experiments: Lain – Complete Series"

Actors: Bridget Hoffman, Wayne Akers, Stephen Apostolina, Heather Ashton, Michaline Babich
Directors: Ryutaro Nakamura
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Run Time: 325 minutes

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

“Close the World. Open the Next”

I have to admit, I am a bad anime fan.  I have not heard of “Serial Experiments: Lain” until recently. The series originally aired in 1998 from acclaimed artist Yoshitoshi ABe. This very existential series has been said to pave the way for films like “The Matrix”. The word “existential” barely even describes this show show since it is one hell of a trip.  If you are looking for a light watching material for an afternoon, this is definitely not it.  It is a slow, deep and very intense series. I enjoyed it as a whole because I was able to marathon the whole series in one sitting.  I think that if I had to watch this episode by episode over time, I wouldn’t be as optimistic. Overall, this isn’t my favorite anime series of all time but I did like the futuristic and almost sci-fi feel of it.

Official Premise: Follow along as fourteen year old Lain driven by the abrupt suicide of a classmate logs on to the Wired and promptly looses herself in a twisted mass of hallucinations, memories, and interconnected-psyches. The episodes are setup as “Layers”.  There are 13 layers to this series including “Weird”, “Girls”, “Psyche”, “Religion”, “Distortion”, “Kids”, “Society”, “Rumors”, “Protocol”, “Love”, “Infornography”, “Landscape” and “Ego”.

Serial Experiments: Lain is finally available on Blu-ray, thanks to Funimation. No need to  shell out major bucks anymore for the Japanese import. There have been some complaints of banding issues with this release but I thought that the 1080p transfers look fantastic. The colors are very sharp and the animation still holds up in high-def despite being 15 years old.  There are two audio tracks includes for “Serial Experiments: Lain”. There is an Dolby TrueHD 2.0 track for the original Japanese track and English dub as well. I have to say that the English track definitely impresses the most.  It is well-cast and sounds stronger than the Japanese track, which is a rare case for anime.

“Serial Experiments: Lain – Complete Series” is being released as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. This limited edition release comes in slipcase with a case for the Blu-ray discs and a case for the DVDs. In terms of watchable special features, they are disappointing but luckily there is additional readable extras included. The special features only include a brief Promo Video, Original Commercial, U.S. Trailer and Textless Opening and Closing Songs.  The reason why the extras are worth the purchase is due to the additional booklet included with episode commentaries between Saito and Ueda, as well as emails from Saito.  The star of the release though is easily the larger book called “Inside Serial Experiements: Lain Artbook.  This contains tons of sketches and animation details for the show.

 

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Blu-ray Review "InuYasha: The Movie – The Complete Collection"

Actors: Richard Ian Cox, Moneca Stori, Kirby Morrow, Kelly Sheridan, Jillian Michaels
Directors: Toshiya Shinohara
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Run Time: 380 minutes

Films: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

When I started watching “InuYasha” back in the early 2000’s, I was immediately hooked. I couldn’t get enough of the show.  I would watch episodes over and over just to get my fix while I waited for new episodes each week. These films are extremely epic and fit very well within the series. I also really enjoyed the show in the longer format. The typical 30 minute episode was great but I was always left immediately wanting to watch another episode. This is the first time that these films are available on “high-def” (more on that below) Blu-ray. If you are a fan of the show it should be a no-brainer in order to get your “InuYasha” fix.

So back to the beginning, in 2001, my prayers were answered with the first “InuYasha” movie. A movie version of my favorite anime? Count me in! The films fit right in between the series. The first movie took place between episodes 54 and 55. Luckily Sunrise was smart and replicated this success the following year in 2002 with the second film, which takes place between episodes 95 & 96. The same goes for the third film which came out in 2003 and ran between episodes 136 and 137.  The last film premiered in 2004 and premiered not too long after the last episode of the “InuYasha” aired.

InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time: 200 years ago, InuYasha’s father sealed away a powerful demon from China named Hyoga. A Shikon Jewel shard awakens Hyoga’s son, Menomaru, inspiring him to absorb the remains of his father’s power to take control of the world. It’s up to InuYasha and his friends to stop this nearly invincible foe!

InuYasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass: With their greatest foe seemingly defeated, Inuyasha and his friends begin to return to their lives. But their short period of peace is once again shattered as a new enemy begins to emerge. Kaguya, the self-proclaimed Princess from the Moon of legend, begins a plan to plunge the world into a perpetual night of the full moon. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo must once again unite to face the new threat.

InuYasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler: Many years ago, the Great Dog Demon wielded the Three Swords of the Fang. Upon his death, he bequeathed a sword to each of his sons, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, leaving the third sword, the wrath-filled Sounga, locked away forever. Now that the Sounga’s power has been awakened, these two battling brothers must put away their sibling rivalry and face off against a force that spells doom for all mankind!

InuYasha the Movie 4: Fire on the Mystic Island: Within the dark recesses of Horai Island, a group of half-demons lives under the demonic rule of the Four War Gods. Escaping with barely a shred of hope, Ai, the youngest of the half-demons, returns to the island with Inuyasha, who must face not only the Four War Gods, but the past he left behind on the island fifty years ago.

Now onto the Blu-ray itself, Viz Media has done a wonderful job with releasing the latest series of “InuYasha: The Final Act” on Blu-ray prior to this. I was really hoping for the same thing with “InuYasha: The Movie – The Complete Collection” but was a left a bit disappointed.  The films are only presented in 1080i, which is technically high definition but it is a bit of a cop out for a Blu-ray release.  It still looks good with sharp colors and line details but you can see the difference clearly that it is not full HD.

The audio tracks are a step up from prior “InuYasha” releases.  There is both an English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.  This is a step up from the releases for “InuYasha: The Final Set”.  The 5.1 tracks really capture the scale of these films and work with the non-stop action.  I have to admit, I couldn’t really choose a favorite track.  The Japanese works best with since it feels the most authentic but I love the voice cast with from the English dub as well.  There are also English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks.

So on this release, we get four films but really no major special features. There is only one extra on this release from any of the films, which would be “Production Sketches”.  I did enjoying looking at this artwork but I would have loved to seen much more.  There is no commentary tracks or featurettes included, which is very disappointing.  I am not sure what it is about anime Blu-ray releases but they never come with any decent special features.

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DVD Review "K-9: The Complete Series"

Actors: Robert Moloney, Keegan Joyce
Directors: James Bogle
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: May 7, 2013
Run Time: 330 minutes

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

If you are a fan of “Doctor Who”, then you most likely know about his longtime robot pet dog, K-9. This series is a children’s sci-fi/comedy spin-off re-imagined by “Doctor Who” creator Bob Baker. “K9” first made an appearance in the 1977 “Doctor Who” episode “The Invisible Enemy” and has since become an iconic television character. The show is a bit of a stretch for any “Doctor Who” fan. The show isn’t on par with the charm that the series. It is a mix of live action characters with visual-effects, but the episodes don’t come with the highest quality for televsion. As much as I enjoy “Doctor Who”, I feel that this “K-9” would have been better left within in the “Doctor Who” series.

Official Premise: Blasting back into action via a space time manipulator, everyone’s favorite robot dog arrives in late 21st-century London, now scarred by alien intrusion and government rule through their cybernetic police force. With the assistance of teenagers Jorjie, Darius, drifter Starkey and Professor Gryffen, K9 becomes Earth’s front-line defence against dangers threatening from any place – and anytime – in the galaxy! They will have a lot of fun, action, adventure, and some jolts along the way, saving the earth from alien creatures, scary monsters and more than a few nasty humans!

Episode included: Regeneration, Liberation, The Korven, The Bounty Hunter, Sirens of Ceres, Fear Itself, Fall of the House of Gryffen, Jaws of Orthrus, Dream-eaters, The Curse of Anubis, Oroborus, Alien Avatar, Aeolian, The Last Oak Tree, Black Hunger, The Cambridge Spy, Lost Library of Ukko, Mutant Copper, The Custodians, Taphony and The Time Loop, Robot Gladiators, Mind Snap, Angel of the North, The Last Precinct, Hound of the Korven, the Eclipse of the Korven

The 4-DVD set contains all 26 original episodes from the short-lived series. Shout Factory still delivered a nice DVD presentation. The show just back some decent special effects and I would have loved to see this show get the Blu-ray treatment. The special features on the complete series DVD are not that impressive overall. There is a “Interview with K9”, which is fun for kids. “The Making Of K9 Documentary” is a decent yet short behind-the-scenes look into the show. I would have loved to see a few commentary tracks included on the episodes.

 

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DVD Review "Help!…It's The Hair Bear Bunch!: The Complete Animated Series"

Creators: Hanna-Barbera
Starring: Daws Butler, Paul Winchell, Hal Smith, Joe E. Ross, William Callaway, John Stephenson
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 328 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I am a big fan of pretty much anything Hanna-Barbera. I have to admit, I guess I am too young but I have never heard of “Help!…It’s The Hair Bear Bunch!”, which dates back to 1971. It only lasted one season and 16 episodes on the air. Even though it may not be Hanna Barbera’s best product, they have appeared in various other programs including Hair Bear’s cameo in “Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law”. There was even a reference in “The Brady Bunch” to the show. After watching all 16 episodes I have to admit, I went to grab the next disc for more episodes. So to me that means that I really enjoyed this show. It is zany, silly and just plain fun. It also features great voice legends like Daws Butler (who takes a page from his Yogi Bear voice), Hal Smith (who was one of the original voices of Winnie the Pooh). I would recommend checking out this DVD.

Official Premise: In the Wonderland Zoo there are the certain bears who stay at home every night and never quarrel or fight, aw, they don’t even bite! So don’t yell “Help! Help!”, it’s the Hair Bear Bunch! Yep – it’s the heppest, savviest and silliest ursines to ever crash out of a zoo, Hair, Square and Bubi Bear. Their bear cave transforms from stone and straw to a swinging, scientific bachelor bear pad at the touch of a button – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Quick-talking Hair (voiced by Daws Butler), befuddling curlicue talker Bubi (voiced by Paul Winchell) and master of the invisible motorcycle, the zen-drawling Square Bear (voiced by William Callaway) are more than a match for their “keepers” Mr. Peevly (voiced by John Stephenson) and Botch (voiced by Joe E. Ross) – with or without the other delightful denizens of Wonderland Zoo, who are always ready to help the Bears in their bigger-than-the-zoo schemes. This two-disc, 16 episode collection contains all the mod bears madcap extra-zoohicular adventures.

This complete series are said to be newly restored but I am not doing back flips with the transfers. They are good but they look like they are still dated from 1971. The colors are a little muted but work enough to enjoy the series. The episodes are presented in full screen 4×3 with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. This is the first time that this series has been released on DVD, so I am thrilled enough just to see it get some love. Thanks as always to Warner Archive. They are always responsible for pulling out some very unique and rare shows from the vaults and give them a new life. I can’t wait to see what they come up with yet. This release is available on only on WBShop.com and is MOD, which means “Manufactured on Demand”.  So if you are a fan of this show there is no telling how long they will be available so get it now.

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Blu-ray Review "Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony (The Complete Edition)"

Actors: John de Lancie, Tara Strong, Lauren Faust
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BronyDoc, LLC.
Run Time: 267 minutes

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

Are you a brony? Do you know what a brony is? Well according to Urban Dictionary: a brony is “a male fan of the series, “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.” I have heard about this group of fans before watching this documentary. I wasn’t very exposed to “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” but I knew about the 80’s show from when I was growing up but was never a big fan since it was obviously aimed at girls. Since having watched “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”, I understand why people are really latching on to the show. This documentary is a really interesting look this cultural sensation. If you are obsessed with this show then you must see this. But also if you have no idea yet curious, this is also the answer for you.

I recently had the chance to chat with “Star Trek: The Next Generation” star John de Lancie, check it out here, who is also the character voice of Discord in “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”. He told me about how his involvement with how the show lead to developing this documentary. One point that he made about the show, which I really agree with is that the show has a nice message of showcasing the elements of “harmony, being kind, generous, loyal and tolerant”. The documentary was funded by a Kickstarter project raising over $322,000 dollars, which was a record at the time. This told us not to underestimate the power of the fans. Anyone see what happened with “Veronica Mars” on Kickstarter? I think this project really brought a lot of attention to the idea of being a brony.

“Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony” really gives the male fans of “My Little Pony” a chance to tell their story. We get to meet people from all over the world ranging from the United States to Germany to Israel to the United Kingdom. These fans show us their passion and their love of “My Little Pony”. We go to BronyCon, a convention focusing specifically on “My Little Pony” and get to see how fans have come together for their love of this show. There we get to meet the voices of the characters including John de Lancie, Tara Strong and series creator Lauren Faust. We also get to meet and see fans who have created numerous works of art including music, art and animation. It really delivers a nice message of why these people are obsessed with this show and gives them a voice.

The Blu-ray comes available as two separate releases including the Main Edition and the Extended Interviews. Both are available in a single discounted bundle under “Complete Edition”. The Main Edition is feature documentary with two bonus segments covering two European conventions: B.U.C.K. in the UK and Galacon in Germany. The Extended Interviews discs including longer interviews with Producers Lauren Faust, John de Lancie, and Tara Strong totaling over three hours. So there is a lot more than just an 80 minute movie here. To be honest, I think it would have been easier to just include these interviews on the Main Edition Blu-ray, instead of being packaged in two different discs/cases. Nonetheless, the fans are going to eat up this documentary and the additional bonus material for sure.

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DVD Review "Men at Work: The Complete First Season"

Created by: Breckin Meyer
Starring: Danny Masterson, Michael Cassidy, Adam Busch, James Lesure
Number of discs: 2
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 26, 2013

Series: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Men at Work” is one of the newest gems that has come out of TBS last year. TBS’ tag line is “Very Funny” and this show is the reason why they have that tagline. The series was created by Breckin Meyer (“TV’s “Franklin & Bash”) and stars Danny Masterson, Michael Cassidy, Adam Busch and James Lesure. We had the privilege of interview the whole cast, click on their names about for each one. The show is a simple comedy but there is tons of wit and creativity spewing out of it.  The jokes are laugh-out-loud and memorable. The show ended its July 2012 and yet it is March 2013 and I am still quoting it. “BOOM! That is a truth bomb!” The other thing I respect about this show is that creator Breckin Meyer was on the set every day, according to the guys busting his ass and making sure that the show was as good as it could be.  Check this DVD out for sure and get ready to have fun.

Official Synopsis: Man up with the guys from TBS’ original series MEN AT WORK – the bold new sitcom following four friends navigating their ways through work, friendship and women. Danny Masterson (TV’s “That ‘70s Show”), Michael Cassidy (TV’s “The OC”), Adam Busch (TV’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Meredith Hagner (TV’s “Royal Pains”) and James Lesure (TV’s “Las Vegas”) star in this edgy series’ freshman season, which introduces Milo just as he breaks up with his longtime girlfriend. But rest assured his three closest buddies are right there to help him get back in the game, and no matter what mischief ensues, these friends have each other’s backs.

The only bad thing about this show is that it is only 10 episodes.  With all the shitty shows on TV that gets 26 episodes a season, I would have loved to had more but at least with this show…every single episode is gold. The show is about relationships and the guys just get into nothing but trouble.  Some of the crazy shit they do is get into include a “devil’s threesome” (watch the show to find out), fight over a toilet bowl and only speak in song titles during work meetings.  That is only the tip of the iceberg here.  The DVD contains the 10 episodes from the first season and also a bunch of very funny deleted scenes and outtakes, which are a must see for fans of the show. I would have loved to seen some commentary tracks from the cast but either way. I am still left very satisfied here. I am literally counting down the days and can’t wait for season two, which airs on TBS on April 4, 2013.  So be sure to be tuned and spread the word about this great show!

 

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DVD Review "The Mob Doctor: The Complete Series"

Actors: Jordana Spiro, William Forsythe, Floriana Lima
Created by: Josh Berman, Rob Wright
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 12, 2013
Run Time: 566 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Mob Doctor” is one of this year’s victims of TV network fast pacing. The show was canceled after its 8th episode but was allowed to air all 13 episodes. The series was based on the book: Il Dottore: The Double Life of a Mafia Doctor by Ron Felber. The Complete Series releases contains all 13 episodes in a three-disc DVD set. Even though the show was short lived it packed a very strong cast including by Jordana Spiro (TV’’s ““My Boys””), William Forsythe (TV’’s “Boardwalk Empire”, “Dick Tracy””). It also had some strong guest stars including Michael Rapaport (“Cop Land”), Michael Madsen (“Kill Bill”) and Jennifer Beals (“Flashdance”). I have always been a huge fan of Forsythe, the guy is brilliant he deserves the attention. He fully committed to this show and rocked it, yet the network didn’t back it.

Official Premise: Dr. Grace Devlin (Jordana Spiro, TV’s “My Boys”) is a promising young surgeon working in Chicago’s most pre-eminent hospital. Still, she can’t escape her Southside roots. With her kid brother facing a mobster’s wrath, Grace makes a deal and agrees to work “off book” for the infamous Chicago Outfit. As Grace’s “day job” forces her to take on emotionally compelling cases – a convict determined to donate his heart to his estranged daughter, a whole family injured in a horrific hit-and-run – she is also forced to deal with mob-related tasks, doing emergency medical procedures in back rooms, treating mobsters hiding from the law and even working on a stolen thoroughbred only hours before he’s due to race. Through it all, Grace fights to keep her dual life a secret…except from the one man who knows Grace best – Southside mob boss Constantine Alexander (William Forsythe, TV’s “Boardwalk Empire”), whose relationship with Grace is more than it seems.

The series was created by Josh Berman and Rob Wright (TV’’s ““Drop Dead Diva””). They really captured the essence of a mob TV show. The show was very sharply written. It has great suspense and drama weaved within. I would have liked to see this show get a little time to mature and gets its legs. I have a feeling this could have been something special. The talent was present with a great cast and get minds behind the screen. “Drop Dead Diva” was a very popular show and the creators know how to make a successful show. But as Fall shows come and go, this one was not giving a chance. At least thanks to Sony Home Entertainment, we are able to still enjoy the show at home.

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DVD Review "Street Sharks – The Complete 40 Episode Series"

Actors: Lee Tockar, Matt Hill, Andrew Rannells, D. Kevin Williams, Tony Wike, Terry Berner, J. Michael Lee, Pam Carter, Jim Hogget
Created by: David Siegel and Joe Galliani
Number of discs: 4
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
DVD Release Date: February 19, 2013
Run Time: 887 minutes

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

DIC Entertainment was responsible for much of my TV “babysitting” time when I was growing up with shows like “The Real Ghostbusters”, “The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!” and “G.I. Joe”. “Street Sharks” always interested me since I have been a lifelong fans of anything related to sharks.  Of course they show is very silly and far-fetched…but aren’t all cartoons.  This show turns four regular guys turned into sharks due to “gene-slamming” from..you guessed it…any evil scientist. Ripster was always my favorite being a great white shark.  Jab was a hammerhead. Streex was a tiger shark. Last but not least was Big Slammu, who was a whale shark. Do you really need more that that to draw you in…nope! The show is simple, very colorful and just brute action-packed fun.  This wasn’t the best thing to come out the 90’s but still worth checking out on DVD, especially for the cheap price of under $10 bucks for all 40 episodes! No brainer!

Official Synopsis: Shark N’ Roll with all 40 episodes of your favorite fresh water sharks! When an evil genetic-engineer, Dr. Paradigm illegally experiments with an untested DNA genetic formula, four brothers are accidentally transformed into monstrous half shark – half humans! Delighted with his success, the diabolical madman seeks to alter nature and tailor all humanity into sea creatures of his own design and control! The Bolton brothers – John, Bobby, Coop and Clint – team up to stop Dr. Paradigm and his deadly Seaviates from transforming the citizens of Fission City into mutants with no free will. So hold onto your fins as the heroic Street Sharks kick some serious fin as well as satisfy their voracious appetites in ALL 40 Jawsome Episodes!

Mill Creek Entertainment did a nice job with the casing and delivery of the release.  The episodes haven’t gone under a 4K restoration or anything but they look and sound good enough for me, especially on DVD. Honestly, I am just glad to be able to own this complete series for the first time on DVD. The only special features on this DVD release is a bonus episode include for the short lived 1988 series “C.O.P.S.” aka (Central Organization of Police Specialists). The episode included is called “The The Case of the Boy Who Cried Sea Monster” and aired originally all the way back in October of 1988 (which I actually remember…feeling old).  If you were a fan of “Street Sharks” in their original run, then you would recognize this show more as “CyberCOPS” when it re-aired back in 1993. Not really relevant as an extra, I would have thought that “Extreme Dinosaurs” would have been a better fit but still cool to see this show again after all these years.

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