DVD Review “The Beast with Five Fingers (1946)”

Starring: Robert Alda, Andrea King, Peter Lorre
Director: Robert Florey
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 88 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“The Beast with Five Fingers” was released Christmas Day 1946, which is an interesting choice to release a horror film on the holiday. This is a film that never loses its class. I saw this film originally over 20 years ago and it still is just as entertaining and thrilling as it was the first time.  Peter Lorre is amazing in the role and really nails the role.  The film has never been been given a proper solo DVD, so thanks to Warner Archive this classic can finally get some well-deserved attention.  I would have loved to see them take the Blu-ray route with this title but it is still get to see this film available today.

Official Premise: Film icon Peter Lorre turns in yet another memorable performance in this eerie classic set in a small town in Italy. Hilary Cummins (Lorre), the devoted secretary to wheelchair-bound piano virtuoso Francis Ingram (Victor Francen), has a passion for the occult. Poring through every book on the supernatural he can find in Ingram’s vast library, Hilary begins to imagine strange and terrifying things. But after Ingram’s tragic death, the line between reality and unimaginable terror is blurred as the severed hand from Ingram’s corpse begins killing everyone in the villa! Also starring Robert Alda and Andrea King, The Beast with Five Fingers is filled with wit, thrills and shocking plot twists!

The film is over 65 years old, so the transfer may not look stunning but it definitely looks damn good. The film has been newly remastered and it definitely holds up and is quite sharp.  It is presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The audio track includes is a Dolby Digital track, which works with the eerie score and dialogue very well. There are no special features included additionally. The DVD is currently only available using Warner Archives’ Made-To-Order DVD service aka MOD. So if you are a fan of this film head over to WBShop.com and pick it up before it goes out of print.

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DVD Review “My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas”

Starring: Chiara Zanni, Tabitha St. Germain, Kelly Sheridan, Kathleen Barr
Directed by Victor Dal Chele
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Run Time: 44 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Due the popularity of “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”, the demand for more “My Little Pony” has been out of control. Due to this Shout! Factory is going back and releasing reissues of the original “My Little Pony” titles. “A Very Minty Christmas” was released in 2005 and was the first film appearance for this franchise since their big-screen debut in 1986. So it was a sort of comeback. The film hasn’t been available on DVD for a while, so this is perfect time for the holidays. The film is still with a good message and some fun songs. My daughter was literally glued to the screen. I see this become a constant re-watch this holiday season! 82 days till Christmas! 😉

Official Premise: The ‘Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane’ is an important part of Ponyville: it’s the beacon that shows jolly old Santa Claus the way to the town as he makes his holiday rounds each year. But when Minty accidentally breaks it, uh-oh! It looks like Ponyville is destined to have a bleak holiday season. Minty is determined to do anything to save Christmas for her Pony friends while they, in turn, band together to try and cheer up their despondent four-legged friend. Together, they all discover that Christmas can come anyway, wrapped in the love of good friends and the oversized heart of one little clumsy, minty-green Pony!

In terms of special features, there isn’t much on this DVD. When Paramount originally released this film back in 2005, they had included a second animated feature, “Dancing in the Clouds”. but that is not found here. There are two music videos included for the fun songs and that is it. I look forward to future classic releases of “My Little Pony” and hope that Shout! goes back to the original 80’s series! I would love to see season releases of those, so I can introduce them to my daughter!

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Dir En Grey’s Kaoru talks about US tour and new DVD “Tour 12-13 In Situ Tabula Rasa”

Kaoru is the guitarist for the Japanese rock band Dir En Grey. The group has a new DVD out titled “Tour 12-13 In Situ Tabula Rasa” and in November will be touring the United States for the first time in two years. With the help of Kaoru’s translator Media Mikes was able to talk with him about the bands new DVD, the upcoming tour and the groups plans for a new album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the bands new concert DVD?
Kaoru: The DVD is really a documentary about the band returning from a hiatus we took due to our singer having some vocal issues. The film covers everything from then up until the last date of our most recent European tour which concluded this past summer.

AL: Having filmed a few other DVD’s how does the new one differ from previous ones the band has been involved in.
Kaoru: We have in the past released a number of live concert DVD’s. The main focus of this one was to show the process of what the band had to go through and what we had to do to overcome our singers vocal problems. There was a period for the band after returning that everything was going well but then our singer was hit with more health problems. We didn’t know what to do as a band and this DVD shows all of that.

AL: What does the band enjoy most about releasing DVD’s as they do require quite a bit of work?
Kaoru: Every show that we do as a band is different. Even though the songs may be the same we still might do something different from night to night. Some of our previous releases are from one night of a tour while others are made up multiple shows edited together. We like to release a lot of different things which is something we as a band just realized.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour?
Kaoru: We are staring of with some shows in Japan and in November we will be touring the United States. This will be our first time there in quite some time. Having been two years since our last trip to the United States I am sure our fans there are waiting for us and we are all looking forward to meeting everyone again. This band is now at the point where we want to see just how far we take this so now is the time for us to do that. We are currently working on our stage set for the show and we are hoping that we can bring some of what we do at our shows in Japan over to the States. We will definitely be bringing something different for everyone to see.

AL: What do you feel is the biggest challenge when touring outside of your country?
Kaoru: Definitely the language barrier. Not so much when it comes to performing our songs but when it comes to interacting with people on a daily basis. If we all just spoke the same language things would be so much easier. (Laughs) You can actually one instance where we are on stage at a festival in Europe and some trouble occurs and because we don’t speak English this turned into a bigger trouble. We have the textbook knowledge of a lot of different places but we are missing some things due to the language barrier.

AL: Has the band begun talking about starting work on any new material?
Kaoru: We have been talking about starting work on some new songs. Nothing is concrete yet but after this tour concludes we will be starting work on a new album.

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DVD Review “The Guild: Complete Megaset”

Actors: Felicia Day, Vincent Caso, Jeff Lewis, Amy Okuda, Sandeep Parikh
Directors: Sean Becker, Chris Preksta, Jane Selle Morgan, Greg Benson
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: NEW VIDEO GROUP
DVD Release Date: October 8, 2013
Run Time: 506 minutes

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

I will never forget browsing my XBOX marketplace back in 2007 and looking for something to watch, when I came across “The Guild”. Since then I was introduced to the world of web series and Felicia Day. In fact, “The Guild” has really paved the way for many other web series as well. When Day announced that season six would be the last for this show I was bummed but it was really wrapped up very well. The series is so smart, original and very funny. The show also matured very well over the six seasons and got better and better. If you already own seasons 1-5 already then I would recommend just picking up season six individual release but if you have never purchased these then now is the time.  A must for any fan!

Official Premise: Follow the Guildies through six seasons, from pirate-themed burger joint exploits, to a gaming convention road trip, and even INTO the video game! The Guild must stay strong through it all, even as a rival Guild, Axis of Anarchy, headed by their leader, Fawkes (Wil Wheaton), threatens to take them down. Included in this set are all the show’s iconic music videos, behind the scenes for every season, full scripts and more! Highlighting the best of Geek culture, including a slew of recognizable fan favorites (like Simon Helbig, Nathan Fillion and Stan Lee), THE GUILD is one of the most innovative and hilarious web series to date.

What is rare about “The Guild” is that the show feels nothing like web series. The show feels so large and scaled much larger than your typical low-budget web series. Felicia Day, Vincent Caso, Jeff Lewis, Amy Okuda, Robin Thorse and Sandeep Parikh are a great team together. They all work so well together and have this amazing group presence. I also loved that as the series developed each character was expanded and really got time to shine on their own. Great collaboration! Great show! Will be missed. But luckily we have this amazing megaset, which I will be re-watching quite often.

Besides the six seasons of episodes, this megaset is also mega-packed with amazing special features for each season.Season One includes Cast & Crew Interviews; Audition Footage; Gag Reels; Audio Commentaries; Table Read andScript PDF File. Season Two includes Cast & Crew Interviews; Gag Reels; Audio Commentaries; Script PDF File. Season Three includes Tips for Making a Web Video; ”Do You Want to Date My Avatar” Music Video; The Making of “Do You Want to Date My Avatar”; Halloween Video; Guild Applicant Rejects; How to Build Vork’s Sword; Audio Commentary with the Cast; Audio Commentary with the Creator, Director, and Producer; Interviews with the Axis of Anarchy; Gag Reels and Script PDF File.

Season Four includes “Game On” Music Video; The Making of “Game On”; Cheesybeard’s Commercial; Audio Commentary with the Cast, Creator, Director and Producer; Gag Reel; Table Read; Script PDF File. Season Five includes Cast Interviews; “Double Trouble” Featurette; “How to Build A Con” Featurette; Steampunk Verite” Featurette; Audio Commentary with the Cast; Gag Reel;Table Read and Script PDF File. Lastly Season Six includes Commentary track; Production Diary Featurette; Behind the Scenes of The Guild; “I’m the One That’s Cool” Music Video and Gag Reel.

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DVD Review “Thankskilling 3”

Actors: Daniel Usaj, Joe Hartzler, Marc M, Wanda Lust
Directors: Jordan Downey
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: GRAVITAS VENTURES
DVD Release Date: October 15, 2013
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

I am a big fan of horror and when I heard about the crazy ass film called “ThanksKilling”, I knew I had to see it. I am sure like most people I found this film on Netflix. When I received an email about “Thankskilling 3”, I immediately emailed back and said “how about “Thankskilling 2?” Then I preceded to read on and I laughed out loud for about an hour. “ThanksKilling 3” is being billed as the first movie ever to skip it’s own sequel! That’s genius right?

Official Premise: “ThanksKilling 3” follows the feathered villain Turkie as he carves through the likes of a rapping grandma, a mindless puppet, a wig-wearing inventor, a bisexual space worm, and their equally ridiculous friends on his quest to recover the last copy of ThanksKilling 2.

I have to admit, this exactely what it sounds like. Stupid, over-the-top and very raunchy but it is a absolute blast to watch! Did I mention that the film also promises “Boobs in the first second!” How many films can do that? It even outdoes the first film which has developed quite the cult following over the year. The film marks return of original creators Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart and of course follows Turkie, the fowl-mouthed Thanksgiving villain There are also a bunch of new faces including a talking pumpkie pie named Captain Pie Lett.

Downey and Stewart funded and made the film thanks to Kickstarter and were able to raise over $100,000. In fact it is currently the highest funded horror film on Kickstarter. An idea so ridiculous that you simple have to see “Thankskilling 3” for yourself to believe it. It is packed with rauncy humor and tons of very cool puppets. I give the creators mad props since these puppets look sick and they really put a lot of work in order to step up from the first film.

The special features are also impressive for this DVD. There are seven behind-the-scenes featurettes, covering all aspects of the productiom. There are two audio commentaries with creators Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart. There is an Interactive Drinking Game included as well. There is a fun music video for “Flowis’ Sprinkle of Wrinkle” and a infomercial for “PluckMaster 3000 Infomercial”. Lastly there are trailers & stills galleries included.

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DVD Review “New Girl: The Complete Second Season”

Actors: Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone, Lamorne Morris
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: October 1, 2013
Run Time: 545 minutes

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

I wondered how they were going to top the first season of “New Girl” but they managed to make this second season even better.  “New Girl” is easily one of the best comedies on television right now.  It is hip, funny, packs a great cast and some amazing writing. There is perfect balance of comedy and drama as well in this season. Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield,  Lamorne Morris and Hannah Simone are amazing together.  They each work off each other and it works so well. Season three is already off to a great start and I can’t wait to see what they have planned.

Official Premise: The romantic tension between Jess (Emmy Nominee Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson) escalates in the hilarious, quirky second season of New Girl – but will they ever hook up? Meanwhile, Schmidt fails to be hip, Winston isn’t “prepared” for a hot date, and Nick faces a death in his dysfunctional family. While Jess does her best to replace Cece on a modeling job and a drunk Elvis impersonator at a funeral, Schmidt and Winston hope to rearrange Cece’s arranged marriage.

Season two packed 25 amazing episodes and featured some guest stars like Jamie Lee Curtis, Rob Reiner and Dennis Farina. I loved that Curtis and Reiner played Jess’ parents, they were really cute together and really added a lot to the season.  Farina also delivered a great role as Nick’s dad, who ended up passing away on the show (and also in real life this year). He is a great actor and was a great addition to the show. I also loved David Walton (TV’s short-lived “Perfect Couples”) as Jess’ doctor boyfriend. He was funny and meshed very well with the rest of the cast. This show is just filled with so many great one-liners, I am waiting for someone to start a website with nothing but quotes from this show.

I wish Fox would give this show the Blu-ray treatment but for now we just have DVD. The special features are pretty solid. We do though get he extended version of the very popular episode, “Virgins”, which is one of my favorite from the season. It is only available on this DVD and is a must see for any fan of the show. Besides that there is a commentary track for the episode “Cooler” and “Full of Schmidt”, which is a fun featurette on my favorite character. Lastly there are some great Deleted Scenes and a hilarious Gag Reel included.

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DVD Review “The Best of Jack Hanna”

Actors: Jack Hanna, Suzi Hanna, Julie Hanna, Kathaleen Hanna
Directors: Guy Nickerson
Number of discs: 5
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Image/Madacy Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 15, 2013
Run Time: 1320 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I have to thank my mother-in-law for getting me into the world of Jack Hanna.  She is a big fan and has since introduced to his work. Jack visits yearly to SeaWorld in Orlando, FL.  So each year, I have the privilege of watching him work with the animals and even to meet him. He is not only a television personality and conservationist but also an author and lifelong adventurer. I am sure that plenty of kids wanted to be him growing up. This collector’s edition package “The Best of Jack Hanna” includes 30 episodes from “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild” and also 30 episodes from “Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures”  If you are a fan of his work, then this 5-DVD box set is a must own.

Official Premise: “The Best of Jack Hanna” follows America’s most beloved animal adventurer and his family as he spends time with nature’s creatures across the continents, over the years, and through two different TV shows. This collector’s edition package includes 30 episodes from Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild, which has garnered 6 Daytime Emmy Nominations and 3 wins to date, plus 30 episodes from Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures. Each episode provides insight into the protection and conservation of some of our planet’s most precious animals and endangered species. “The Best of Jack Hanna” takes you on an action-packed journey, leaving you with a renewed appreciation for all creatures, great and small.

Jack shows no signs of slow down either as he continues to develop new TV series including “Jack Hanna’s Wild Countdown”, which airs on Saturday mornings on ABC affiliates around the country. “Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures” and “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild” are also currently in syndication as well. He has been working for decades to protect and spread the word about wildlife conservation and I am sure that he will continue to spread the word for many more years to come. I hope that Image/Madacy Entertainment is planning to release future releases of Jack Hanna because I would love to have more, specifically his new series. There are no special features on this DVD but there are 60 amazing episodes, so that is good enough for me.

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DVD Review “Mama’s Family: The Complete Series”

Actors: Vicki Lawrence, Beverly Archer, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Eric Brown
Directors: Dick Martin, Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty
Number of discs: 24
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Starvista Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 10, 2013
Run Time: 3900 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love “Mama’s Family”? It really brings the dysfunctional into the word family. The series started off as spin-off from reoccurring comedy sketches on “The Carol Burnett Show”, which were called “The Family”. When I think about this show I just think about classic ’80s-era TV. This is before the madness of reality TV, where the talent actually had to be talented! Vicki Lawrence is so amazing playing Thelma ‘Mama’ Harper. She stars alongside a fantastic cast including Rue McClanahan, Betty White, Ken Berry, Harvey Korman and Carol Burnett. For the first time ever, thanks to StarVista Entertainment/Time Life this show is making its debut as a complete series in a very nice Collector’s Set featuring all 130 Episodes taken from the the original broadcast masters. If you are a fan of this show, you do not want to miss this set.

Official Premise: Set in the fictional city of Raytown, “Mama’s Family” revolves around the eye-opening escapades of the Harper clan, headed by formidable matriarch, Mama Harper, a fiery-tempered no-nonsense woman who does not suffer fools gladly. In fact, she makes everybody suffer a little with her patented snappy retorts that truly put the “diss” in dysfunction. Adding to the unforgettable mix are Mama’s journalist sister, Fran (Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girls), who lives with her; her youngest son, Vint (Ken Berry, F-Troop), who moves in with his two teenagers after he is evicted; and Naomi (Dorothy Lyman, All My Children), who marries Vint by Episode 4. Mama’s extended family includes her two daughters, highfalutin’ Ellen (Betty White) and high-strung Eunice (Carol Burnett), as well as Eunice’s husband, Ed (Harvey Korman).

This collector’s set features all 130 episodes on 24 DVDs. Overall this set also contains over ten hours of special features, which are worth the purchase alone. The first two seasons feature the rare, original broadcast masters (aka the “Joe Hamilton” cuts) of the episodes. Each one also included an introductions from  Harvey Korman. There is a cast reunion roundtable with Vicki Lawrence (Mama), Ken Berry (Vint), Dorothy Lyman (Naomi), Beverly Archer (Iola), and Allan Kayser (Bubba).  There are all-new cast and the interview with Vicki Lawrence “interviewing” Mama through the magic of split-screen technology. There is the 1982 CBS-TV movie “Eunice focusing around Mama’s daughter (played by Carol Burnett), There are key “Family” sketches from “The Carol Burnett Show” and much more. Lastly there is also a “Collectible Mama’s Family Album” featuring character bios and a “Mama’s Family Tree”.

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DVD Review “This is the End”

Actors: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride
Directors: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Run Time: 107 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“This is the End” is based on a short film called “Jay & Seth vs. the Apocalypse”. Now from the posters and everything else about the film you have no idea what it is really about. The film is balls-to-the-wall crazy. A little bit of horror and a whole lot of comedy. The film is gory and even some good scares yet still completely hilarious. The cast is absolutely amazing together including Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, James Franco, Jonah Hill and Danny McBride, which play so well off each other. The film basically plays like a sequel to “Pineapple Express”, except the actors play variations of themselves. There are also some surprise cameos (which is no so suprise thanks to the box cover listing them) including Rihanna, Michael Cera and Emma Watson. Easily one of the best comedies in a long time!

Official Premise: “This is the End” follows six friends trapped in a house after a series of strange and catastrophic events devastate Los Angeles. As the world unravels outside, dwindling supplies and cabin fever threaten to tear apart the friendships inside. Eventually, they are forced to leave the house, facing their fate and the true meaning of friendship and redemption.

The DVD of the film comes with an digital copy using Ultraviolet streaming sites. In terms of special features this DVD is a massive disappointment compares to the amazing amount of special features included on the Blu-ray release. There is a commentary track with directors Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, which is fun for sure still. There is a featurette called “Directing Your Friends”, with Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg discussing the production. There are some outtakes, cast featurette, and trailers and four additional confessionals included in “This Is The Marketing”. I was very disappointment that “The Making of “The Making of Pineapple Express 2” and the original short for “Jay & Seth vs. The Apocalypse” were not included.

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DVD Review “Sofia the First: Ready to Be a Princess”

Actors: Ariel Winter, Sara Ramirez, Wayne Brady, Tim Gunn
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 17, 2013
Run Time: 112 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I have a 16 month old daughter and every since the very first commercial for this show she (and my wife and I) have been in love with this show. Sofia is so sweet and the morals of the show are great for kids to grow up with and learn. The show is also packed with some amazing very fun songs. “Sofia the First: Ready to Be a Princess” contains five episodes from the first season, including “A Royal Mess”, “The Shy Princess” (which is my favorite episode to date), “Blue Ribbon Bunny”, “The Princess Test” (my second favorite) and “Two To Tangu”, which includes a special appearance from Princess Jasmine. If you have a young girl, I highly recommend this show and this DVD since it really delivers some of the best episodes so far.

Official Premise: Your favorite little princess-in-training returns for more music, majesty and magical fun, so get ready to have a ball with Sofia the First. Becoming royalty overnight is every girl’s dream, and Sofia is eager to prove she can be a true princess. Visit an enchanted circus, meet a pet dragon and soar through desert skies with Sofia and Amber on a magic carpet ride. But when their high-flying adventure veers off course, it’s special guest Princess Jasmine to the rescue with inspiring advice about trying new things, staying strong and trusting yourself. Sparkling with extraordinary songs, unforgettable characters and thrilling surprises, Ready to Be A Princess opens the door to a whole new world of kindness, helping others and being the best you can be.

The last “Sofia The First” DVD release was just the pilot feature length film, so I am glad to see that they included more than one episode here. I am hoping that they are going to be releasing these very often since we cannot get enough of this show. The DVD is presented in widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a solid Dolby Digital 2.0, which works well with the music. There are no additional special features included here but there is a free bonus Dress-Up Play Set with Wardrobe. This is really cute and a great addition to this already great DVD release.

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DVD Review “Nichols: The Complete Series”

Starring: James Garner, Margot Kidder, Neva Patterson, John Beck, Stuart Margolin
Created by Frank R. Pierson
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1225 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Prior to receive an email about this new DVD release from WB Archive, I have never heard of this TV series “Nichols” but I am a fan of James Garner. So I decided to check it out. The show was originally broadcasted during the 1971/72 season and only 24 episodes were made. Garner is great as always in this Western along with a pre-Lois Lane Margot Kidder but I didn’t lasso me in. I guess I am not the only one either as it didn’t last very long during back in the day.

Official Premise: James Garner is Nichols, the reluctant sheriff of a small Western town, in this quirky, offbeat series. It’s 1914 and a violence-weary Nichols (Garner) has returned to his Arizona home after 18 years in the army. Forced into becoming its new lawman by the tough and powerful rancher (Neva Patterson) whose family runs the town, Nichols refuses to carry a gun as he takes on bank robbers, Apaches, con artists, banditos and more, armed with only his wits and his charm.

The one thing this releases has going for it that it has been newly remastered and looks great for a show that is over 40 years old. It is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. For anyone who is a fan of the show, you can give thanks to WB Archive, since they recovered this lost series from oblivion with their Made To Order DVD service. The audio format included is a decent Dolby Digital track. There are no additional special features besides the 24 episodes.

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DVD Review “The Haunting of Helena”

Actors: Harriet MacMasters-Green, Sabrina Jolie Perez
Directors: Christian Bisceglia, Ascanio Malgarini
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Salient Media
DVD Release Date: September 17, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes

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

I have to admit when it comes to horror films, good cover art really goes a long way. “The Haunting of Helena” hooked up me from the moment I saw the box and I knew that it was going to be a creepy ass film. I must give props to Bloody Disgusting Selects who have been releasing some pretty awesome horror films in the last few years. The film packed a bunch of really terrifying scares and really kept you at the edge of your chair. It also delivered a very interesting story which also drove you in on top along with some great visual effects. Definitely recommend for a good scare.

Official Premise: After a divorce, Sophia moves to the south of Italy with her daughter, Helena. Their new home, an austere building of the fascist age, hides a mysterious closet and a buried secret. After the loss of Helena’s first baby tooth, a chilling obsession begins. She collects her classmates’ fallen teeth with an urgent hunger and begins to see strange apparitions. It soon becomes clear that there is far more to this apartment that can be seen. Sophia finds herself in a terrifying fight to save her child while maintaining her sanity.

“The Haunting of Helena” was only released on DVD, which is sad because this could have been much better on Blu-ray. The film’s score is quite eerie and well-positioned with the scares. It could have benefited from the HD surround track. In terms of special features, I was pretty impressed as well the extras includes. There is a great behind-the-scenes look into the production. I really enjoyed the special effects breakdown featurette, since they did a really amazing job with them. Lastly there are some cast and crew interviews rounding out the extras.

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DVD Review “Breakout”

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Dominic Purcell and Ethan Suplee
Directed by: Damian Lee
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 17, 2013
Run Time: 89 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Poor Brendan Fraser.  Man, I always give guy a chance but this film was really hard to finish. The plot starts off pretty interesting but really get quite repetitive and drawn out very quickly. Dominic Purcell is pretty bad ass, no question. Ethan Suplee does a good job as well playing a man with a mental handicap.  Overall, the acting feels very stiff from everyone. I definitely understand now why this film got banished direct-to-video. I know Brendan Fraser might be a draw but I would breakout of that urge and avoid this. There are no special features included on this DVD either, nor was this film released on Blu-ray disc.

Official Premise: An innocent camping trip takes a dark turn for a young brother and sister, when they witness a murder. The young siblings become the killers’ next target as they are chased and hunted through the wilderness. Serving time over a protest gone terribly wrong, their father, Jack Damson (Fraser), devises a plan to break out of prison and rescue his kids from the pair of criminals, Tommy (Purcell) and Kenny (Suplee). A fight for survival ensues in the action-packed thriller where the hunters become the hunted.

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“New Girl: The Complete Second Season” DVD Giveaway [ENDED]

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

“New Girl” is easily one of the best comedies on television.  The show starts its third season this month. To celebrate the release of “New Girl: The Complete Second Season”, Media Mikes would like to giveaway the season on DVD. If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite one-liners from the second season. Check some of the great one-liners below or be creative or choose others since there are tons. This giveaway will remain open until October 4th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to all fans of Media Mikes in US and Canada only! One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

The Best One-Liners from Season 2 Available on DVD October 1

Watching an episode of New Girl without laughing is pretty much impossible. With Schmidt’s crazy antics and Jess’ perky personality there’s bound to be at least a few good one-liners in each episode. Although it’s hard to narrow down the options, below are the ten best quotes from season two.

The romantic tension between Jess (Emmy® Nominee Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson) escalates in the hilarious, quirky second season of “New Girl” — but will they ever hook up? Meanwhile, Schmidt fails to be hip, Winston isn’t “prepared” for a hot date, and Nick faces a death in his dysfunctional family. While Jess does her best to replace Cece on a modeling job and a drunk Elvis impersonator at a funeral, Schmidt and Winston hope to rearrange Cece’s arranged marriage. Relive all 25 outrageous episodes featuring guest stars like Jamie Lee Curtis, Rob Reiner and Dennis Farina, and enjoy fun bonus material — including the extended version of the hugely popular “Virgins” episode — only available on the DVD.

Jess: “I am throwing Cece’s surprise bachelorette party here tonight, and the only males invited are strippers, so oil up or get out, guys.”

Schmidt: “Please take that off, you look like a homeless pencil.”

Nick: “I’m just trying to figure out the level of Elvis impersonator we can afford. I think a white one is out of reach.”

Schmidt: “Maybe none of us should go to this funeral. The early buzz on this thing is it’s gonna be a real drag.”

Jess: “I don’t want to kiss and tell, but I ruined my dresser during intercourse. Will you go to Ikea with me?”

Nick: “I can’t believe I’m the sober one. That’s actually never happened before in my life.”

Jess: “You’re dating a stripper, I’m dating a tall handsome doctor. We’re kinda living the dream.”

Schmidt: “You are a gynecologist and a lesbian. This makes you a vagenius.”

Jess: “If any of you cross me, I’m gonna kick the testicles clean off your bodies! Clean off! You’ll look like Ken dolls down there!”

Nick: “If you were a hat, you’d be a top hat, but like a really big Monopoly one. And I say that with deepest compliments.”

 

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: complete, dvd, girl, giveaway, season

Watch “Croodaceous Moments” from the film “The Croods” on Blu-ray and DVD October 1st

Dreamworks’ hit film “The Croods” will be available on Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 1 and is available to download on Digital HD now! To celebrate with everyone’s favorite “Croodaceous Moments” from the film, check out the video below:

Dun Dun Dahhh! Lauded by critics as “the first great animated film of 2013” (Pete Hammond, Movieline), Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announces the blockbuster hit, DreamWorks Animation’s THE CROODS, will debut on Digital HD™ on September 15 and Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on October 1. “An instant animated classic,” (Jake Hamilton, FOX-TV), THE CROODS promises to bring the whole family together “from 4 to 104” (Sam Rubin, KTLA), to delight in “stunning visuals, humor and heart,” (Jim Hill, Huffington Post) as the world’s first modern family embark on an unforgettable adventure.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke
Directed By: Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco

For more information on Digital HD: http://www.foxdigitalhd.com/croods or iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-croods/id668231059

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 1st, bluray, croodaceous, croods, dvd, film, ...
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