Blu-ray Review “Rick and Morty: The Complete Second Season”

Creators: Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland
Starring: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Sarah Chalke, Spencer Grammer, Kari Wahlgren, Brandon Johnson
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 7, 2016
Run Time: 220 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

If you haven’t heard of Rick and Morty, seriously just stop reading and watch this show immediately since it is literally one of the best cartoons to hit TV since “The Simpsons” (and feel free to quote me on that Cartoon Network). Adult Swim really has a huge hit on their hands with this show and I just honestly can’t get enough of it. The show has amazing replay value and I feel like I can watch it over and over and over. It is also so extremely quotable that sometimes I laugh completely out of the blue just randomly relating daily life situations to events from the show. Totally classic and must see! Can’t wait for season three later this year!

Official Premise: Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland) is still living with his daughter Beth’s (Sarah Chalke) family and causing more trouble than ever. This season the rest of the family, his son-in-law Jerry (Chris Parnell), grand-daughter Summer (Spencer Grammer) and grand-son Morty (Justin Roiland) are dragged into Rick’s intergalactic adventures, as he faces new threats and mysteries of his secret past are revealed. Can the family survive Rick’s insanity and all the chaos the universe throws at them?

Cartoon Network and Warner Home Video really stepped up their game for this Blu-ray release. Since they usually only go 1080i and a Dolby Digital 2.0 track for shows like “Adventure Time”. This second season of “Rick and Morty” comes stocked with a beautiful 1080p resolution with an
original aspect ratio: 1.78:1 and really kick ass HD Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track for each episode. Also they include a digital HD copy of the entire series to add to your streaming accounts.

There some good bonus content included for this season as well. Most importantly there are not only animatics for every episode but also audio commentaries for every episode with cast and crew. This is worth the purchase of the Blu-ray alone!! There is also a Behind the Scenes into the season as well as Deleted Animatic Sketches. Lastly a really amazing bonus that is given for us hardcore fans is an actual Plumbus Manual Premium included.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, morty, review, rick, season, ...

Blu-ray Review “Roots: The Complete Original Series”

Directors: David Greene, Marvin J. Chomsky, John Erman, Gilbert Moses
Starring: Ben Vereen, John Amos, LeVar Burton, Olivia Cole, Vic Morrow, Louis Gossett Jr.
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 7, 2016

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Roots” is a modern piece of TV history. This series had stood the test of time with some of the best performances since on TV ever. It is brutal sometimes, hard to watch but simple outstanding. Especially with the rebooted series which just aired on TV this past month, this is the perfect time to revisit this classic. It is presented in it’s original broadcast with all the program bumpers intact at the beginning and end of each episode. If you haven’t seen this series ever or not for a long time, now is the time to revisit this for sure!

Official Premise: His name was Kunta Kinte. Kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in America in 1767, he refused to accept his slave name of Toby. Heirs kept his heroic defiance alive, whispering the name Kunta Kinte from one generation to the next until it reached a young boy growing up in Tennessee. His name was Alex Haley. And he proclaimed Kunta Kinte’s name to the world. Through the lineage of one family, Haley and his Pulitzer Prize-winning ROOTS told a story for all America and the world. Seen by 130-million viewers during its premiere telecasts and the winner of dozens of awards, the David L. Wolper production remains a vital and engrossing entertainment landmark decades later.

This 40th anniversary release includes all the episodes in their original aspect ratio of 1:33, which has never looks better. Strangely the box specs say that the video is 1080i and that audio is Dolby Digital but that is definitely not the case because this series boasts a solid 1080p 24 frame video with sharp DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 sound, especially for a 40 year old TV series. You can tell that they actually did a lot of work to keep this series looking better than it ever has. The real bonus for me is that there is also a digital HD copy of the series included for you to watching streaming additionally.

The special features are also jam packed with content include two news features. The first is
“Roots: The American Story Continues” which features Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Blair Underwood, Debbie Allen, Tavis Smiley, Shonda Rhimes and Reverend Al Sharpton talking about the effects of the series on their lives. The second is “The Cast Looks Back”, which includes original cast members including LeVar Burton, John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr., Ben Vereen, Cicely Tyson, Ed Asner, Sandy Duncan, Georg Stanford Brown and Lynne Moody share reflecting on the series.

Also included are a few great features like “Crossing Over: How Roots Captivated an Entire Nation”; “Connecting With the Past”; “The Struggle to Make Roots” and even an original screen test from Mr. LeVar Burton. Lastly there is an Alex Haley Interview by David Frost and a look back into the series with “Roots: One Year Later”. So if you are a fan of this series, you will not be let down with the additional content included in this very special 40th anniversary release.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, original, review, roots, series, ...

DVD Review “My Favorite Martian: The Complete Series”

Actors: Bill Bixby, Ray Waltson
Directors: John L. Greene (Creator)
Number of discs: 15
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
DVD Release Date: October 20, 2015
Run Time: 3000 minutes

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

Sad to admit but my first exposure to “My Favorite Martian” was the 1996 feature film starring Christopher Lloyd and Jeff Daniels. After watching that I became aware of the much better original 1960s supernatural sitcom series. For the first time ever MPI is releasing the complete series of this show in a collector’s set and packed it full with hours of rare extras. This DVD set features all 107 complete, unedited, digitally remastered episodes from the show’s three seasons. If you are a fan of this series, this is an amazing collection and very reasonable priced as well (Running around $60.00 on Amazon).

Official Premise: Originally airing on CBS-TV from 1963 to 1966 (and debuting in the top 10 in its premiere season), MY FAVORITE MARTIAN marked the beginning of television’s fascination with fantasy-themed comedy series. It stars Bill Bixby (The Courtship Of Eddie’s Father, The Incredible Hulk) as newspaper reporter Tim O’Hara and Ray Walston (South Pacific, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) as the perfectly human-looking Martian whom Tim discovers and passes off as his Uncle Martin. Pamela Britton (TV’s Blondie) plays their snoopy landlady, Lorelei Brown.

This show was known for also bringing in many beloved TV actors to make guest appearances including Linda Evans, Marlo Thomas, Alan Hale Jr., Gavin MacLeod, Jamie Farr, Stafford Repp, Richard Deacon, Madge Blake, Bernie Kopell, Butch Patrick, Henry Gibson, Allan Melvin, Michael Constantine, Pat Priest, David White and Madge Redmond. The episodes are presented in 1:33:1 full frame with Dolby Digital mono. Simple yet the black and white of the episodes look great and the sound effects some through well.

Now on to the extras! There are some great special features included here. “Ray Walston on I’ve Got a Secret” features the actor on the game show sponsored by Dream Whip! There is a Ray Walston TV Commercial with him pitching aluminum. There is a collection of promo pics from the series as well as comic strip from dozens of pages from the funny pages. “The Reluctant Eye” is failed pilot starring Bobby Van, which was included since it was made by “Martian” producer Jack Chertok. “The Man in the Square Suit” is another sitcom episode starring Paul Dooley (The Electric Company & Breaking Away) in the lead.

“Soundtrack Music Album” includes dozens of track from the show’s score. Some of my favorites are watching the “Original Sponsors Spots” including ads for Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Paper Mate Pens and Toni, the home perm! There are some Vintage Cast Interviews with Ray Waltson. “Behind the Scenes Home Movies” features the cast having fun at the Desilu Studios. There are some cool “Spaceship Miniature Test Footage” as well as an “Animation & Effects Reel”. Lastly “Let’s Talk to Lucy” is a vintage radio show with interviews from Bill Bixby and Ray Walston.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: complete, dvd, favorite, martian, review, series, ...

DVD Review “Castle: The Complete Seventh Season”

Actors: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones
Number of discs: 5
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
DVD Release Date: September 1, 2015
Run Time: 982 minutes

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

It is really rare for a show to last seven seasons and then actually still be good. “Castle” is a show that gets better with each season. The cast rounds one one of the best ensembles for a show on television. Season seven was easily the best season to date. It featured our couple Castle and Beckett finally getting married, which was a great culmination of the seven seasons. I just love how this show was developed over the years and never ceases to include non-stop laughs as well as very intense drama. This show really knows how to blend the two so well. I can’t wait to see what they have planned for season eight. Bring it on guys! No slowing down!

Official Season Premise: The wedding bells are ringing, but will Castle and Beckett really tie the knot? An astonishing turn of events tears television’s most lovable couple apart in a captivating new season of ABC’s beloved and inspired series. Experience every unforgettable moment with Castle: The Complete Seventh Season. On the biggest day of his life, Castle is nowhere to be found…and it’s not because he has cold feet. Now, in a season of brilliant twists and turns, Castle and Beckett take on New York City’s most fascinating cases while they try to solve the mystery of their own relationship. Join them as they hunt for an “Invisible Man,” travel to the Old West and witness the return of their deadly rival, Dr. Kelly Nieman.

Even though ABC has never released this series on Blu-ray, this DVD has some good special features for us hardcore “Castle” fans. There are two audio commentary tracks included. The first is on the episode, “Driven” with Director Rob Bowman, cast Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever, and Writer David Amann. The other episode is “Reckoning” with Nathan Fillion and Michael Mosley, Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Andrew W. Marlowe and Executive Producer/Director Rob Bowman. There is an uncut webmerical for “Raging Heat” included, which is great.

There is an outstanding never-before-seen DVD exclusive music video created by Ryan and Esposito for Castle and Beckett’s wedding called “Definition of Love” performed under the name of Shay-Jean The Dynamic Duo.  Ryan and Esposito are two of my favorite characters ever and this video is absolutely amazing! Next is “The Cast Behind The Cast”, which goes into the shows background and stand-ins for “Castle” and their essential role in the show introduced by the cast. Lastly, there are some bloopers and deleted scenes, which are a fantastic treat for any fan of the show. You can tell that this cast really has a blast on this show.

 

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: castle, complete, dvd, review, season, seventh, ...

Blu-ray Review “Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season”

Actors: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Mark A. Sheppard
Producers: Robert Singer, Jeremy Carver, Phil Sgriccia, McG, Adam Glass
Number of discs: 4
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 8, 2015

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

“Supernatural” hit a huge milestone mark this year with its approach to its tenth season! A lot of very successful shows have never even hit this mark yet “Supernatural” seems to have an ever growing and very loyal fan base. Plus the show itself seems to be getting better with each season. WB has been fully behind this season from the start and has committed to this show. The shows leads Jared Padalecki (Friday the 13th, “Gilmore Girls”) and Jensen Ackles (“Smallville,” My Bloody Valentine), who play Sam and Dean Winchester, seem to really love playing these characters. The Complete Tenth Season contains all 23 episodes from Season Ten and is also packed with over four hours of bonus content. Plus this show shows no signs of slowing down with “Supernatural” returns for its eleventh season this fall on The CW.

Official Premise: What do you do when embracing your bad self is the only option? Dean Winchester lost his battle with power-mad angel scribe Metatron, only to be resurrected by the power of the First Blade and now transformed into a demon, cursed with the Mark of Cain. The road to recovering wayward Dean takes brother Sam down sinister paths himself, with consequences that will shake the boys to their core. The Winchesters’ angelic comrade-in-arms Castiel must pick up the pieces in the aftermath of Metatron’s campaign to overtake Heaven. With his grace failing and rogue angels still loose, Cass faces the ticking clock of his own mortality while all-new and ages-old threats again push our heroes to their human and otherworldly limits. The 6-Disc, 23-Episode Season 10 will hold you spellbound.

The Blu-ray comes with a combo pack including a digital HD copy of the season. The show packs some great visual effects and they looks fantastic with the show’s 1080p Full HD Video. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio for English 5.1 track which sounds amazing with each episodes. The special features are also impressive as well. There is fun features like “A Very Special Supernatural Special” and “Supernatural Theatre: Staging the 200th Episode”..that’s right 200 episodes!! “The Winchester Mythology: Battling the Mark and the Blade” is good extras as well looking into that exciting fan. There is some nods at the fans with “Supernatural Fans” and “Supernatural at Comic-Con 2014”. There are also three audio commentaries included as well as various deleted scenes and a fun gag reel included rounding out the special features.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, review, season, supernatural, tenth, ...

Blu-ray Review “Gotham: The Complete First Season”

Starring: Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, Zabryna Guevara, Erin Richards
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 8, 2015

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

“Gotham” honestly was not my favorite show starting off. The first season takes a REALLY long time to get started, I would say close to ten episodes. The only really why I stuck along with it was because I felt that Robin Lord Taylor was enthralling as Penguin. I just loved his portrayal of that character in fact he ends up stealing the entire show. In fact, “Gotham” ended up having me favoring the villains over the good guys. Everyone from The Riddler to The Joker are getting their origin story here by the end of the season and that is when I fell in love with this show. So thanks to the wonderful villains, I stuck with this series and enjoyed it overall. I did notice that the season season focuses A LOT more on the bad guys and I think I was not the only one who wanted that more! Season two starts September 21st. Can’t wait!

Official Premise: The good. The evil. The beginning. When rookie Gotham City detective James Gordon, dedicated to restoring his crime-ridden metropolis back to its decent and illustrious past, catches the case of a murdered socialite couple, he promises their shattered, surviving son Bruce Wayne he’ll find their killer. It is an obligation and an obsession that will cost him dearly – and set the stage for the gritty and exciting world of Gotham. Inspired by DC Comics characters beloved by generations, this gripping hit series from the talents behind The Mentalist, CSI, Nikita and Gossip Girl reaches deep into Batman lore to uncover the sinister layers of corruption that secretly rule Gotham City, spawning ground of the world’s most iconic villains. Delve into the circumstances created the bizarre personas who would become Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face and The Joker in an entirely new chapter that’s never been told.

The Blu-ray comes with a combo pack including a digital HD copy of the season. Honestly, I wasn’t really too impressed with the “Gotham” that was created for this show. It felt very small and when spanned out quite CGI but it still looks solid with the the show’s 1080p Full HD Video. The DTS-HD Master Audio for English 5.1 track also works well with the occasion action. The special features are decent but include no commentaries, which is a bit of a bummer. First off we have “Gotham Invented”, which is a three-part behind-the-scenes look into the series. “Designing the Fiction” looks more into the visuals and locations and more from the series. “The Game of Cobblepot” looks depper into Robin Lord Taylor role. “The Legend Reborn” focuses on the show’s pilot. “DC Comics Night: Comic-Con 2014” showcases shows like Gotham, Arrow and The Flash. Lastly there are Character Profiles, a few unaired scenes and a funny gag reel included.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, gotham, review, season

Blu-ray Review “The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Sixth Season”

Starring: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 1, 2015

Season: 3 out of 5 stars
Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extra: 3 out of 5 stars

I have been a long time fan of “The Vampire Diaries” since the first episode but since season five, I feel like it is losing me quickly with each new episode. I am tired of how they keep killing people off and then immediately bringing them back (*cough Bonnie cough*). This season is a big one for the show though since it is the final season with Nina Dobrev, the lead of the show, who is not returning for season seven. Honestly, this season was a bit shocking and definitely an improvement from the last. I am very curious now for season seven, and how they are going to continue this show without her.

Official Premise: The Vampire Diaries continues for a sixth season with delicious drama to sink your teeth into. Last season, after a passionate summer with Damon, Elena headed to Whitmore College with Caroline, not knowing Bonnie sacrificed her life for Jeremy’s. Meanwhile, Stefan and Caroline’s friendship deepened as they stood up to the Travelers, a nomadic witch tribe driven to strip Mystic Falls of magic and cast out its supernatural residents. In the shocking season finale, Damon, fearing he would lose his loved ones on the crumbling Other Side, made a huge sacrifice to bring them all back – with catastrophic and heartbreaking results. Season six follows the characters’ journey back to each other as they explore the duality of good versus evil inside themselves.

The Blu-ray comes with a Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfers are solid and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks work well with the show. The special features are decent and worth checking out if you enjoy the show. “The Vampire Diaries: Good Bite and Good Luck” is final farewell to Nina Dobrev. “The Vampire Diaries: Best.Reaction.Ever.” include fan reactions from social media to seasons important moments. There is also the “The Vampire Diaries: 2014 Comic-Con Panel” included. As well as a PSA “Come Visit Georgia”, some deleted scenes and a gag reel included.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, diaries, review, season, sixth, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Originals: The Complete Second Season”

Starring: Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Phoebe Tonkin and Charles Michael Davis
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 1, 2015

Season: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extra: 3 out of 5 stars

The first season of “The Vampire Diaries” spin off “The Originals” took some time to get started. The second season it starts to build up some steam but still doesn’t really stand alone for me. Maybe it is the supporting cast that I haven’t gotten on board with since I love the characters Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah (obviously this season is lacking Clarie Holt). Honestly, I am really losing interest in this whole “The Vampire Diaries” world lately. I really stopped watcing that show around season 5 and missed the sixth season all together. I am not sure if I plan to continue watching “The Originals” either, this season didn’t really win me over but it wasn’t terrible either. If you love these characters you will enjoy otherwise this is good for background noise.

Official Premise: As Original vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson returned to the vibrant, supernaturally charged city of New Orleans, he was stunned to learn – along with siblings Elijah and Rebekah – that Hayley, a werewolf, was pregnant with his child, and his vampire protégé, Marcel, whom the Original siblings had thought long dead, was ruling the French Quarter. Soon a bloody war escalated between vampires and witches, the stakes raised by powerful teenage witch Davina, and by Klaus’s bond with Cami, a student with a painful past, and a ruthless pack of wolves seized the opportunity to stage a violent coup. Now, in season two, a new status quo must be adjusted to, as the newly empowered werewolves control the city. Plus, Klaus struggles with weaknesses and Elijah fights to save Hayley – now a hybrid – from a vicious spiral of self-destruction.

The Blu-ray comes with a Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfers are solid and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks work well with the show. The special features are decent and worth checking out if you enjoy the show. “The Originals: Always and Forever” focuses on the cast and creators on season two. “The Awakening Web Series” takes a look into this companion series with Kol Mikaelson (Nathaniel Buzolic), also includes a behind the scenes look with the cast and creators of the digital series. there is also the “The Originals: 2014 Comic-Con Panel” included. As well as a PSA “Come Visit Georgia”, some deleted scenes and a gag reel included.

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, originals, review, season

Blu-ray Review “Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fourth Season”

Actors: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Josh Dallas, Emile De Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue
Number of discs: 5
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: August 18, 2015
Run Time: 966 minutes

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

“Once Upon a Time” is a show that has been better with each season. With the star of a new season, the series adds so many great characters into this fantasy world. ABC (aka Disney) has an endless number of characters to choose from to continue this series for quite some time. This season has been split into two halves, The Snow Queen, which mixes in the world of “Frozen” and introduces Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Kristoff to the show. The second half is the Queens of Darkness, which features a trio of villains including the return of Maleficent, and newcomers Cruella de Vil and Ursula. Other new characters introduced are the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Little Bo Peep, and Poseidon rounded out a very impressive fourth season. I can’t wait to see what they have planned for season five.

Official Premise: Soon after Emma and Hook unwittingly bring Elsa of Arendelle to Storybrooke, they encounter the mysterious Snow Queen, whose relentless obsession with both Emma and Elsa has chilling consequences. Meanwhile, it appears Regina has at last found true love with Robin Hood, but how will she react when her happy ending is thwarted yet again by a maddening twist of fate? Then, a banished Rumplestiltskin enlists the Queens of Darkness (Maleficent, Ursula, Cruella De Vil) in an insidious scheme to rewrite their own stories and corrupt the Savior by turning her newly blissful heart pitch-black.

The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive. All 23 episodes from season 4 look amazing with their 1080p transfer. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks also impressive as well. There are some decent never-before-seen bonus features included. “Defrosting Frozen” looks into the introduction from “Frozen” into the series. “Behind the Magic Tour” features Josh Dallas and Ginnifer Goodwin taking us backstage. “Three Who Stayed” focuses on the lasting three residents from Storybrooke. Lastly there are some bloopers, deleted scenes and some fun audio commentaries included rounding out this impressive release.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, fourth, review, season, time, ...

Blu-ray Review “Adventure Time: The Complete Fifth Season”

Studio: Cartoon Network
DVD Release Date: July 14, 2015
Run Time: 561 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Adventure Time” continues to be one of my favorite shows on Cartoon Network. The show is so inventive and plain out weird as hell. It has creativity slipping out from every scene. The colors are so rich and trippy. There is never an episode that doesn’t make me laugh out of loud yet at the same time a little freaked out. The fifth season is easily one of the best season’s to date as well. I love how the each episode of the show is able to be watched individually yet hardcore fans are able to appreciate the season’s continuity. I can’t get enough of this show…period!

Official Premise: Are you a Jake fan? Great! Because Season 5 has a ridiculous amount of momentous Jake moments!! Like when he became Jake the Dad. That time he tracked down Jake Jr.’s kidnapper (sort of). Who can forget the masterpiece that is his Most Delicious Sandwich?! And he shares these moments with his best bro Finn and friends in a total of 52 episodes, all for you!

Here is a full list of episodes: 1. Finn the Human, 2. Jake the Dog, 3. Five More Short Graybles, 4. Up a Tree, 5. All the Little People, 6. Jake the Dad, 7. Davey, 8. Mystery Dungeon, 9. All Your Fault, 10. Little Dude, 11. Bad Little Boy, 12. Vault of Bones 13. The Great Bird Man, 14. Simon and Marcy, 15. A Glitch Is a Glitch, 16. Puhoy, 17. BMO Lost, 18. Princess Potluck, 19. James Baxter the Horse, 20. Shh!, 21. The Suitor, 22. The Party’s Over, Isla de Señorita, 23. One Last Job, 24. Another Five More Short Graybles, 25. Candy Streets, 26. Wizards Only, Fools

Episodes Continued… 27. Jake Suit, 28. Be More, 29. Sky Witch, 30. Frost & Fire, 31. Too Old, 32. Earth & Water, 33. Time Sandwich, 34. The Vault, 35. Love Games, 36. Dungeon Train, 37. The Box Prince, 38. Red Starved, 39. We Fixed a Truck, 40. Play Date, 41. The Pit, 42. James, 43. Root Beer Guy, 44. Apple Wedding, 45. Blade of Grass, 46. Rattleballs, 47. The Red Throne, 48. Betty, 49. Bad Timing, 50. Lemonhope (1), 51. Lemonhope (2), 52. Billy’s Bucket List

If you are an “Adventure Time” fan then this a set is awesome because it features a whopping 52 episodes as listed above. That adds up to nearly 600 minutes of cartoon genius. The 1080p transfer looks awesome and really impresses on Blu-ray. There are two main downfalls to this Blu-ray though. The first is the audio track, which only boasts a poor Dolby Digital 2.0 track, which is barely DVD quality. The “Adventure Time” Blu-rays have all been the same with this feature and even though it sounds ok, we deserve better. The other is that that the only special feature included though is an exclusive Behind the Scenes featurette, which is cool but I would love some commentary for sure.

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: adventure, bluray, complete, review, season, time, ...

DVD Review “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete First Season”

Actors: Robert Vaughn, David McCallum
Number of discs: 11
Release Date: August 4th, 2015
Run Time: 1560 minutes

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

To celebrate the release of the new reboot hitting theaters this August, Warners is releasing the original 1960’s series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” on DVD in The Complete First Season. This release includes all 29 episodes. Even though this international spy spoof show was released over 60 years ago, it still has its charm and is a blast to watch. The series was nominated for 7 Emmy Awards over its four seasons.  If you are looking to catch up before you head to the theaters, this is a great way to get introduced or refreshed on the series that inspired the upcoming movie.

Official Premise: In this hit spoof of the spy genre, actors Robert Vaughn and David McCallum play the roles of top agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin who use their charm, wit, and a never-ending assortment of gadgets to defend the world from evil, chaos and bad taste. The successful series also stars Leo G. Carroll as Alexander Waverly and features guest stars such as William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, of Star Trek, Kurt Russell, Ricardo Montalban and longtime comedy favorite Ken Murray. From trying to save the world from fear gas to trying to save themselves from a pack of bloodthirsty cheetahs, these serious spies bring the suspense and fun to life. You may even forget it’s in black and white!

“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete First Season” is just the beginning. I would expect the following three seasons to be released probably by the end of year or early next year. These episodes have been digitally remastered and look great. Personally, I would have loved an upgrade to Blu-ray but this is a good release. There are also some special features included. There is a featurette called “The Cloak and Swagger Affair: The Untold History of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”. There is the original pilot shown in color “Solo”. Lastly there is a bonus feature called “U.N.C.L.E. V.I.P.S: A Celebration of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Guest Stars”, of which there were MANY!.

Episode List:
1. The Vulcan Affair
2. The Iowa-Scuba Affair
3. The Quadripartite Affair
4. The Shark Affair
5. The Deadly Games Affair
6. The Green Opal Affair
7. The Giuoco Piano Affair
8. The Double Affair
9. The Project Strigas Affair
10. The Finny Foot Affair
11. The Neptune Affair
12. The Dove Affair
13. The King of Knaves Affair
14. The Terbuf Affair
15. The Deadly Decoy Affair
16. The Fiddlesticks Affair
17. The Yellow Scarf Affair
18. The Mad, Mad Tea Party Affair
19. The Secret Sceptre Affair
20. The Bow-Wow Affair
21. The Four-Steps Affair
22. The See-Paris-And-Die Affair
23. The Brain-Killer Affair
24. The Hong Kong Shilling Affair
25. The Never-Never Affair
26. The Love Affair
27. The Gazebo in the Maze Affair
28. The Girls of Nazarene Affair
29. The Odd Man Affair

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: complete, dvd, man, review, season, uncle, ...

Blu-ray Review “Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Series”

Starring: Steve Buscemi, Stephen Graham, Vincent Piazza, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham
Number of discs: 20
Studio: HBO
Rated TV-MA
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Running Time: 3360 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4.5 out of 5 stars

“Boardwalk Empire” wasn’t a show that I originally was stopping all press to see. I know that Martin Scorsese was involved and directed the pilot but it never really excited me. Despite my interest this show had a very successful run with 56 episodes over five-seasons and was quite the award-winner during that time. “Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Series” is bringing this show to Blu-ray with all previously released extras and also an exclusive disc packed with additional never-before-seen content. In fact, this is the first time that seasons one, two or three have ever been released on Blu-ray. With today’s obsessions of bing watching, this show works well for a quick watch. Great performances, worth checking out if you haven’t checked this show out and if you have this is way to own the complete deal.

Official Premise: Throughout its five-season run, the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire stood “at the pinnacle of TV achievement” (Philadelphia Inquirer), garnering 18 Emmy Awards and critical accolades for its superb cast and its unfaltering attention to 1920s period detail. From Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Terence Winter and Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, the series chronicles the life and times of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Golden Globe winner Steve Buscemi) as he undergoes vicious power struggles and deals with opportunistic rivals — including Arnold Rothstein, Lucky Luciano and Al Capone — at a time when Prohibition proved to be a major catalyst in the rise of organized crime in America.

Along with the Blu-ray discs, HBO is also including Digital HD copies of the series as well as either an iTunes or Google Play option as well. The 1080p transfer for each episode looks great presented in its 1080p transfer. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. They are near perfect and really add a lot of the charm of the show. In addition to the hour of new exclusive special features, there are all previously included extras including 28 audio commentaries, 13 episodes Picture-in-Picture tracks and over four hours of production documentaries and featurettes.

The new special features included are worth checking out. “Building The Boardwalk” features Executive Producer/Director Tim Van Patten and crew discussing bringing the show together. “Shooting The Series” features chats with Directors of Photography Jonathan Freeman and Bill Coleman. “Designing The Series” features Production Designer Bill Groom and Set Decorator Carol Silverman discuss the look for the show. “Visual Effects” discusses the show’s work with Visual Effects Supervisor Lesley Robson-Foster. “The Final Shot: A Farewell To Boardwalk Empire” features cast/crew discussing the show. “Anatomy Of A Hit” features Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Terence Winter, Executive Producer/Director Tim Van Patten and Executive Producer/Writer Howard Korder discuss the best kills in the film.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, boardwalk, complete, empire, review, series, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Wire: The Complete Series”

Starring: Dominic West, John Doman, Deirdre Lovejoy, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Wendell Pierce
Number of discs: 20
Rated TV-MA
Studio: HBO
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Run Time: 3645 minutes

Series: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

In 2001, I remember seeing a Roundabout Production of Noel Coward’s “Design For Living”, which starred Alan Cumming and a then relatively unkown Dominic West on Broadway in NY. I got to see the true genius at work here. Shortly in 2002, HBO delivered us “The Wire”, which easily ranks as one of the best original drama series produced by HBO. It is definitely not a easy show to say. The pay off is a slow burn and there is no easy way to sum up the show. It is complex and really demands attention and patience but it is completely worth it.

Official Premise: From the drug-infested streets of West Baltimore to the corruption of City Hall, The Wire chronicles the tribulations of a post-industrial American city. Viewed from the perspectives of both the police and their targets, the award-winning series captures a world where easy distinctions between good and evil,and crime and punishment, are challenged at every turn.

Along with the Blu-ray discs, HBO is also including Digital HD copies of the series as well as either an iTunes or Google Play option as well. All five seasons of the show were originally broadcasted in 1.33:1 but this Blu-ray is the first time that the show was converted to 1.78:1. I am sure there are tons of haters about this since it is not “original” but having watching this show on TV and DVD, I did really enjoy the widescreen version. The series also includes solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks throughout.

The special features are definitely worth checking out. There is one newly produced feature including a reunion special that was recorded at PaleyFest back in October 2014 but Dominic West and Idris Elba aren’t there in person but are via video message.  There are also four behind-the-scenes documentaries on the fourth and fifth seasons. Additionally, there are three prequel shorts that total 6 minutes and explore the story before “The Wire”.

There are 22 audio commentaries spread out over all the seasons. The first season has three tracks for “The Target” (Episode 1), “The Detail” (Episode 2) and “Cleaning Up” (Episode 12) . The second has two tracks on “All Prologue” (Episode 6) and “Port in a Storm” (Episode 12). The third season is when the commentaries tracks really amp up with some great tracks. There are five tracks including episodes “Time After Time” (Episode 1), “All Due Respect” (Episode 2), “Dead Soldiers” (Episode 3), “Middle Ground” (Episode 11) and “Mission Accomplished” (Episode 12).

The fourth season also has six tracks with more cast included on episodes “Boys of Summer” (Episode 1) , “Refugees” (Episode 4), “Margin of Error” (Episode 6) , “A New Day” (Episode 11) , “That’s Got His Own” (Episode 12) and “Final Grades” (Episode 13). The fifth and final season including the best tracks on this release on episodes “More with Less” (Episode 1), “Unconfirmed Reports” (Episode 2), “Transitions” (Episode 4), “The Dickensian Aspect” (Episode 6), “Took” (Episode 7) and “-30-” (Episode 10)

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, review, series, wire

DVD Review “My Little Pony Tales: The Complete Classic TV Series”

Voices of: Willow Johnson, Maggie Blue O’Hara, Kelly Sheridan, Laura Harris, Venus Terzo, Brigitta Dau, Lalainia Lindbjerg, Chiara Zanni
Directors: George Arthur Bloom
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: April 28, 2015
Run Time: 285 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“My Little Pony Tales” is one of the follow up series to the original 1980’s “My Little Pony” series. It aired in 1992 though only lasted one season. This is the first time that all 26 adventures are included in one set, thanks to Shout! Factory. My daughter is a big fan of “Friendship is Magic” series of the “My Little Pony” franchise. She recently took a liking to the “My Little Pony: The Movie” DVD release, also put out by Shout!, so she was really excited to get into this series.

Official Premise: Ponyland is full of excitement, if you know where to find it, and now all of your favorite My Little Pony Tales are finally collected in one amazing set! Join the 7 Pony Friends (Starlight, Sweetheart, Melody, Bright Eyes, Patch, Clover and Bon Bon) for 13 episodes of outrageous fun! Games, picnics, ice cream shops, roller derbies and even UFOs… nothing is off-limits when it comes to grand Pony adventures!

The quality of the episodes honestly aren’t spectacular. Like the Complete Collection of the original 1980’s “My Little Pony” series, released from Shout! last year, it is really subpar quality and not terribly impressive. The colors seem very muted and lacking the charm that is brought in “Friendship in Magic” series. There are no special features included on this collection other than the 26 episodes. Still I am curious to see what Shout! has planned next for “My Little Pony”.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: classic, complete, dvd, pony, review, series, ...

DVD Review “Mortal Kombat: Conquest – The Complete Series”

Actors: Paolo Montalban, Daniel Bernhardt, Tracy Douglas, Bruce Locke, Kristanna Loken, Eva Mendes, Jamie Presley, Fabiana Udeni
Producers: Larry Kasanoff
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: March 31, 2015
Run Time: 946 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Mortal Kombat: Conquest” is not the best thing to ever come out of the “Mortal Kombat” franchise. Also know as “Mortal Kombat: Konquest”, this show was quite cheesy and didn’t have the gory edge that the franchise is known for. I do have a soft spot for the show because it was filmed at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida…something that can sadly never happen anymore. It aired from 1998-1999 and only lasted 22 episodes. So it has been over 15 years, since I have last seen this show and it honestly hasn’t gotten any better. Still good for a laugh or two.

The show included some of today’s well-known names like Kristanna Loken, Eva Mendes, Jamie Presley and Fabiana Udenio. The main characters in the show focus around Kung Lao, Shang Tsung, Raiden and Shao Kahn. Other game characters that appear are Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kitana, Noob Saibot, Quan Chi, Mileena, Rain, Reptile and lastly also Smoke and Goro but in CGI format. If you are die-hard Mortal Kombat fan, you are going to want to check this out.

Official Premise: In a dark and mythical re-telling of classic tale of good versus evil, the TV series ‘Mortal Kombat Conquest’ follows the fierce warrior Kung Lao and his comrades Taja and Siro on the their quest to protect the earth realm from falling under the control of the evil conqueror of realms Shao Kahn, ruler of the Outworld. Vital to the survival of mankind are warriors who can compete in Mortal Kombat. While combatants from Outworld have magic and darkness on their side, fighter from the Earth Realm have only their strength, both physical and mental, and belief that their cause is just and right. Will good triumph over evil?

This show has never been given a proper DVD release since it aired on TV. The UK released a few episodes and never finished it. Warner Bros is the savior of this campy-martial arts series. They are bringing the complete series to DVD for the first time ever. Audio and video are standard for DVD, nothing terrible and yet not outstanding either. Sadly there are no special features included to accompany these 22 episodes. But at least fans get the episodes that they were waiting were…they were waiting right? Hello?

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: complete, conquest, dvd, kombat, mortal, review, ...
« sdf
Previous
Page 3 of 17
Next
Next Page »