“Evidence” DVD Giveaway [ENDED]

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To celebrate the DVD release of “Evidence”, Media Mikes would like to giveaway TWO copy of film on DVD. If you would like to win this great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email and let us know your favorite found footage movie. This giveaway will be open until Tuesday March 27th at Noon, Eastern Time. Only one entry per person, per household; all other entries will be considered invalid. Once the giveaway ends, Media Mikes will randomly pick out winners and alert the winners via email.

Following on from revolutionary films such as “Paranormal Activity”, “The Blair Witch Project” and “[rec]”, “EVIDENCE” is a movie that will haunt you long after the final credits have rolled. “Evidence” is a bone chilling ‘found footage’ delight. Once the horrors begin they do not stop dragging the audience on a scare-a-second ride that ends with a shocking twist… the film will be released on DVD March 12 2012, courtesy of Showbox Home Entertainment.

Four friends embark on a camping trip to an isolated wilderness to shoot a documentary one of them is making. On the first night the group hear blood-curdling cries and see unexplainable shadows surrounding the camp causing them to question whether they should leave. Suddenly the night takes a terrifying turn when one of the group goes missing and the remaining three realize they are being brutally hunted… but by what?

Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think:

 

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DVD Review “Creature”

Directed by: Fred M. Andrews
Starring: Sid Haig, Mehcad Brooks, Serinda Swan, Amanda Fuller
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 93 minutes

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

This is one of those movies, that get better with each viewing. When I originally saw the film “Hatchet”, I wasn’t proclaiming it to be my new favorite horror film but now I absolutely love it after many viewings. This film reminds me of that. It has fun performances by Mehcad Brooks (Eggs from “True Blood”), Serinda Swan (TRON: Legacy). Fun fact, they are real life husband and wife. Of course, horror legend Sig Haig has a fun role as well, almost channeling his Capt. Spaulding from “House of 1000 Corpses”. Overall the film has problem but I still enjoyed it second time around. I am just shocked that Arc Entertainment did not release this on HD Blu-ray.

The story follows six friends who take a road trip and end up stopping at a hillbilly gas station, owned by Chopper (Sid Haig). They read about the legend of Grimley, who went mad after his sister/wife was killed by an alligator. During his madness he is said to have transformed and lurked the swamps. The group decided (without their best judgement, obviously) to visit Grimley old house. Of course that’s where things go terrible wrong.

This film was given a semi-wide theatrical release but did not catch on with audiences. I really thought that the film had a terrible poster to start with. The DVD cover of this release is much better and definitely makes you want to watch it just from that alone. It also channels the cult classic “Feast”, which I also really enjoyed. The special effects are cheesy but I believe that adds to the charm of the film. You shouldn’t be expecting much and if you feel that way you will enjoy this. The special features are lacking with three featurettes about the film’s production. The first is called “Making the Monster”, which is self-explanatory. The second is “On the Bayou”, focusing shooting on location.  The last is about “The Filmmakers”.  They are worth checking out if you enjoyed the film but run a little short overall.

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DVD Review “Senna”

Directed by: Asif Kapadia
Starring: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 106 minutes

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

I am not a big sports fan and have never watched any Formula One racing.  The closest I have probably gotten has been watching Pixar’s “Cars” or maybe doing a ride-a-long at The Richard Petty Driving Experience. So for me this was a bit for a learning experience also about Ayrton Senna, his career and the sport. The documentary includes some really cool racing footage, especially first person camera. I felt that it real a little long and I am not sure how there is a 3+ hour version of this film that was released internationally.

This documentary follows the career of Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna. Ayrton won not only one F1 world championship but three times in his career. He was died during one of his F1 races in 1994 at young age 34. Senna is known as one of our time’s best race drivers. It is crazy that he was taken so early. The film showcases his career and will continue to pass on his legacy through the year.

The special features are a little slim but definitely are worth a watch. There are extended interviews with Senna and his peers. I really enjoyed watching the Senna Family Home Videos. There is also a commentary track with the director Asif Kapadia, writer Manish Pandey and producer James Gay-Rees. I am never a fan of commentary tracks over a documentary but it provided some interesting additional insight into Senna’s career.

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DVD Review “Tom and Jerry: In the Dog House”

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Episodes: 22
Running Time: 162 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

There is just something simple and timeless about watching a short from Tom and Jerry. I grew up watching them and now approaching 30 years old, I am still extremely entertained watching them battle each other . This DVD includes over twenty exciting shorts which not only feature Tom and Jerry but also their dog counterpart Spike. Since this is called “In the Doghouse” a lot of shorts feature around the three of them. I say one thing to Warner Brothers…keep these coming!! Can’t wait for “Tom and Jerry: Around the World” on May 1, 2012.

The twenty two shorts includes in this collection are: 24 Karat Kat, Destruction, Junction, Beefcake Tom, Bend it Like Thomas, Tom’s Photo Finish, Game Set Match, Cat Napping, Cat Fishin’, The Bodyguard, Quiet Please!, Solid Serenade, Slicked-up Pup, Puttin’ on the Dog, The Framed Cat, Tot Watchers, The Invisible Mouse, Pet Peeve, Feeding Time, DJ Jerry, Beach Bully Bingo, A Life Less Guarded, The Dog House.

These shorts are fun for the whole family guaranteed. I did really enjoy the focus of this set with Spike and his son Tyke. I have always enjoyed his voice, especially since our stars Tm and Jerry remain silent (of course besides when singing). In this release their are classic episodes like “Cat Fishin'” and ” and “The Framed Cat”, as well as newer shorts like “24 Karat Kat” and “The Dog House”. Either way you look at it this is a winning collection.

Tom and Jerry: In the Dog House available on DVD 3/6 /zxsVYq” target=”_blank”>http://bit.ly/zxsVYq
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Tom and Jerry are at it again! But there’s a new ingredient to their classic chase recipe — just add Spike! It’s hound heaven as everyone’s favorite bulldog, Spike (and son, Tyke) get in on the fun in this pup-packed collection. These 22 doggie-delightful shorts are guaranteed to have fans howling! Join Spike and Tyke in their many dealings with the fast and furious duo. Whether he’s on guard duty, or simply trying to catch a nap, you can bet that Tom & Jerry’s fur-fueled antics are guaranteed to rattle Spike’s cage. And an angry Spike usually spells hard times for Tom — with a little coaxing from Jerry, of course! Leash-up for some K9-filled fun for the entire family!

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DVD Review “The Looney Tunes Show: Season One, Volume 3”

Developed by: Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone
Voices of: Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Fred Armisen, Jennifer Esposito, Maurice LaMarche, June Foray, Roz Ryan, Kristen Wiig
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Brothers
Episodes: 4
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 89 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Looney Tunes Show” continues to entertain with its first season. The characters Bugs, Daffy and their friends never seem sort on jokes and relatability. So far I have seen about half the season and it brings me back to the good ole days “Looney Tunes” days. As much as I enjoy the episodes, I do not enjoy these volume releases as much. Warner Brothers is only releasing four episodes at a time and with 13 episodes to go, we can expect an additional three volumes before we get to complete season one. Though this is a usual release strategy for kids shows, I just wish they would release the season in full. If you enjoy the show though, this is a must purchase.

This volume includes episodes 9-13 from the first season. “The Foghorn Leghorn Story” is a funny “Antiques Roadshow” send up featuring Bugs, Daffy, Foghorn and Yosemite, who all go at it. “Silent but Deadly” is a very funny spoof of kung-fu/superhero films, easily the best on this release. “Eligible Bachelors” features Bugs and Daffy on the auction table. Also included is a CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner: “Winter Blunderland”. Bugs falls for Daffy “get rich quick” scheme in “Peel of Fortune;” There are two shorts in this episode: Merrie Melodies: “We Are in Love” with Bugs and Lola Bunny and also a CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner: “Heavy Metal”. Daffy tries to date two ladies in one night in “Double Date.” Lastly it is followed by a Merrie Melodies short called: “Be Polite” by Mac and Tosh featuring Marvin the Martian and another CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road runner short: “Wile E. Sisyphus”.

The Looney Tunes Show: Season 1, Volume 3 is available on DVD 3/13 at  http://bit.ly/w4eV5m.
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Synopsis: A new half-hour animated comedy series starring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. No longer confined to 7-minute shorts, Bugs and Daffy are out of the woods and living in the suburbs among such colorful neighbors as Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. In addition to each episode’s main story, The Looney Tunes Show also features “cartoons within a cartoon.” The Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian and other classic characters sing original songs in two-minute music videos called Merrie Melodies. The legendary Looney Tunes cartoons are getting a 21st century relaunch and a CGI overhaul for a new generation.

 

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DVD Review “Absentia”

Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Starring: Katie Parker, Courtney Bell, Dave Levine, Doug Jones
Distributed by: Phase 4 Films
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 91 minutes

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

Phase 4 Films definitely has a hit on their hands with this little gem. I honestly have never heard of this film, despite being a horror buff. The film has won over 20 awards at various film festival. What makes this interesting is that it has a unique story, it has some great scares and also surprising twists throughout the film. It is rare that a horror film really stands out among the many, many others but this one does it and deserve some attention. Horror fans will also be delighted to that Doug Jones (“Pan’s Layrinth” and “Hellboy” series) co-stars in the film. I am looking forward to see what Mike Flanagan does next as now he is officially on my radar.

The film follow two sisters Tricia (Parker) and Callie (Bell). Callie comes to stay with Tricia, who’s husband Daniel (Levine) has been missing for seven years. Tricia is planning on officially reporting her husband as dead, when she starts to have visions of him. Callie finds herself drawn to a creepy tunnel that she’s meets a homeless man (Jones) who is mysteriously shocked that she can see him. Callie finds that the man has been reported missing years ago also like Tricia’s husband. Strange things continue to occur to the sisters until Daniel, out of the blue, shows up at the house after seven years missing and no account of the time. Callie believes that strange supernatural forces might be at work here and tries to investigate the mysterious tunnel and the weird happenings. The sisters might have gotten too deep into this whole situation as the mystery draws them in.

The special features are very impressive and come stocked. First of all there are two commentary tracks. The first is a producer commentary with Morgan Peter Brown, Mike Flanagan, Joe Wicker and Justin Gordon, which focuses on the film’s production and the goal of making a horror film on a low budget. Next up is a really fun jam packed commentary track with director/producer Mike Flanagan and the film’s stars Katie Parker, Courntey Bell, Dave Levine and Doug Jones. Next up, there is a very extensive behind the scenes documentary “Absentia: A Retrospective”, which runs just over 30 minutes. There are about five minutes of deleted scenes, worth checking out but nothing special. There is a “Camera Test Teaser”, which was shot to evaluate the effectiveness of shooting in Canon 5d. Lastly there is also the film’s trailer included.

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DVD Review “Talking Heads: Chronology”

Starring: Talking Heads
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Run Time: 109 minutes

Our Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

“We want to make our mark on music history.”
~ Tina Weymouth, Talking Heads bassist, 1979

For Tina to have expressed this wish within the context of an interview is not really all that surprising given the success that Talking Heads had already achieved in the four short years following their inception in 1975. But what IS surprising is where the interview took place – not in the basement bowels of NYC’s legendary CBGB’s or a “new wave” club, but on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.

“Talking Heads: Chronology” allows the viewer to see this clip of bizarrely juxtaposed elements as well as 17 others, most of which are previously unreleased. These excepts range from their early beginnings as a CBGB’s-based trio all the way up to a 1983 clip from Saturday Night Live as well as a spot-on performance of “Life During Wartime” from the 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Overall, “Chronology” is an amazing compilation of archival footage that allows us to see the development of a band that was clearly making its mark on music history from square one.

What’s even better about the disc is the optional commentary track that features all four Heads – David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison. It’s a joy to hear each of them reacting to their younger selves, reflecting on the group’s musical journey and sharing amusing behind-the-scenes stories and bits of trivia. The only minor issue with the track is that each band member’s comments were recorded separately, so it lacks what undoubtedly would have been great banter between the long-estranged band mates had they been in the same room. Regardless, this secondary track adds a level of depth to the collection of clips and helps to make “Chronology” markedly more substantial than most music video DVD compilations.

The disc also includes a 35-minute segment from 1979 that is culled from the London-based “South Bank Show”. This – almost more than the 18 music clips – is essential viewing. The interviews with the band members provide tremendous insight into what made Talking Heads a truly great band and the rehearsal footage shows the unique dynamic of a group that could instantly lock into their own groovy vibe and let the strange and wonderful wizardry happen. It’s also full of truly endearing moments such as Jerry Harrison’s creative solution to forgetting a rhythm guitar line: pulling out a copy of the studio album that the track appeared on, dropping the needle into the vinyl and playing along with it. The entire South Bank segment is quite riveting and really should have been integrated into and prefaced the main content of the DVD. Unfortunately, it’s been relegated to merely being a bonus feature that most viewers are likely to skip over and never see. The other bonus feature, a David Byrne interview from 1978, doesn’t really offer up anything that isn’t covered in the South Bank segment – save for proving that Byrne can handle the noxious haze generated by a chain-smoking interviewer without coughing or decking him.

As one could reasonably expect, the DVD’s overall image quality is variable as a result of the source material and is presented in 4:3 aspect ratio.  The archival clips, however, sound amazingly good: the disc’s Dolby Digital 2.0 audio is quite dynamic and punchy (only the two CBGB’s clips from 1975 are a bit distorted and thin).  The DVD is available in two editions: a standard-issue disc and a deluxe edition that adds a 48-page hardcover book featuring an essay by Lester Bangs.

“Chronology” is a wonderfully-crafted gem that shines not only as a vital supplement to any established Heads fan’s collection but as a great introduction for generations that may have completely missed out on the band’s musical magic. It’s clear that the creators of this DVD very much love the group that the project chronicles and aren’t just out to make a quick buck from nostalgia seekers. But, more so, they know and truly appreciate the fact that truly amazing artists like Talking Heads only come around once in a lifetime.

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DVD Review “Like Crazy”

Directed by: Drake Doremus
Starring: Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“Like Crazy” starts off very well and draws you into the story and its characters but then leaves you very disappointed. I would have love to see more a better conclusion with this film. I am not sure if it just lost direction or focus. The romance is strong in the beginning but then looses its spark quickly. The acting though is superb and includes great performances from Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin.

The film follows the first real love between a British college student (Felicity Jones) and her American classmate (Anton Yelchin). During a short period the couple falls deep in love and are inseparable. When she violates her visa in order to stay a few more weeks before returning home, the real challenges are presented to the couple. They are unable to reunite due to issues with her re-entering the US due to visa issues. From there the couple needs to find how strong there relationship is and what they need to do to stay together.

The only special feature included on the DVD is a commentary track by director Drake Doremus, editor Jonathan Alberts and cinematographer John Guleserian. Worth a listen if you enjoyed the film otherwise passable. the Blu-ray contains a bunch more special features including deleted and alternate scenes both with pptional commentary.

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DVD Review “Wyatt Earp’s Revenge”

Directors: Michael Feifer
Actors: Val Kilmer, Shawn Roberts, Matt Dallas, Daniel Booko, Scott Whyte, Trace Adkins
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 93 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Westerns, the topic of Wyatt Earp is one of the most well-known. Although, this one lacks the real Western feel. If you are watching this primarily due tot the draw of Val Kilmer and Trace Adkins, like me, you will be disappointed as they have extremely small roles. Val Kilmer plays old and fat Wyatt Earp, with one of the worst fake mustaches in movie history. He tells the story, which leads to the flashback where the film takes place. Trace Adkins was in it so briefly I blinked almost missed him. Maybe it was a bad idea for me to watch this film the same day as the Clint Eastwood classic “Unforgiven”, only made it look that much worse.

The film is based off the true story recounted from legendary lawman, Earp, as he tells how he formed the best group of men to avenge the vicious murder of his love, Dora. The “best of the west” group was formed of Bat Masterson, Charlie Bassett, Bill Tilghman and Doc Holliday. The group heads after the Kenedy brothers, who are protected by their powerful father and are untouchable by the law. Of course they find out how far Earp and his posse will go to get revenge.

If you are looking special features, this will only disappoint you more. Since there is only one mega brief behind the scenes extra. “Riding Along with Wyatt Earp” runs a mere three minutes and includes on behind the scenes look and interviews with cast/crew. Overall it is too short and leaves you unsatisfied just like the film does.

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DVD Review “The Guild: Season 5”

Directed by: Sean Becker
Starring: Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis, Amy Okuda, Sandeep Parikh, Robin Thorsen
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Distributed by: New Video
DVD Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 95 minutes

Season 5: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

Season 5 is the most ambitious yet for this fantastic web series and this DVD includes all 12 episodes uncut. The scale has been expanded well beyond the past seasons. The plot features the group going on a road trip to attend a video game convention, MegaGame-O-RamaCon. Even though they are at a gaming convention there is little video game playing and more focus is giving to individual characters and their plots. I really enjoyed the direction that this show is going in and with the up-scaled plot makes the show feel well beyond just a web series.

Felicia Day, who again wrote and starred in this season, mentioned that this season was her dream route to take the show to a new level. I think that the writing is much better and the performances from the cast are so sharp this season. There is also many more cameos this season including Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon, Doug Jones, Nathan Fillion, Erin Gray, Brent Spiner and of course Wil Wheaton. Like I mentioned each character has it own stories, Codex (Day) focuses on saving their game from being sold to a corporation.  Vork (Lewis) and Bladezz (Caso) decide to get a booth and take advantage of the Cheesybeard Pirate fame. Clara (Torsen) joins up with a Steampunk group. Tink (Okuda) get a real back story involving her family. Last but not least, Zaboo (Parikh) starts a seat-saving clan during convention. Each story was really sharp and was fine-tuned to each actor skills perfectly.

The special features are excellent as always for this series. Since this show is available online, these extras are the main draw. There are a bunch of cast interviews, talking about their experience with this season. The music is cheesy but the interviews are good. There is three featurettes included, the first is called “Double Trouble”, which tells about Leslie Crystal road from extra to co-star. The next is called “How to Build a Con” and really shows how much work goes into this show. The last is called “Steampunk Verite” and tells about the Steampunk booth was created. Like past DVD releases there are also two audio commentaries, one with the cast and one with creator Felicia Day, director Sean Becker and producer Kim Evey. Both are great and a lot of fun. There is a four minute gag reel, which is a riot. Lastly there is a video of the first episodes table read, which is cool to see but is shot from a terrible angle. Overall, another impressive DVD release! Look forward to season 6!

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DVD Review “Bag It”

Directed by: Suzan Beraza
Starring: Jeb Berrier
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Distributed by: New Video
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 78 minutes

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

Well, when you think about watching a documentary on plastic it might not sound that exciting but this one delivers. It is funny but also very informative. This film features in-depth interviews with activists and City Council members but also more importantly just regular people. He makes some really good points that reducing the use of plastic your everyday lives in order to improve the environment. Just a note, the film doesn’t need to show the birth scene of his child, it was completely unnecessary and rather graphic. I do appreciate his journey though and how it develops and changes over the course of time. Jeb Berrier is just a normal guy and his main plan is to show that anyone can make a difference.

Some really interesting facts include the following: “The average American uses about 500 plastic bags each year and “Two million plastic bottles are consumed in the U.S. every five minutes”. There are also a few disturbing ones like “14 million pounds of trash end up in the ocean each year” and “An estimated 100,00 marine mammals and sea birds die each year from becoming entangled in or ingesting plastic debris”.

The special features are decent but are a little short overall. There is an extended scene with Jeb in the Netherland, short and runs about 2 minutes. There are the pros and cons presents for Bioplastic, also about two minutes. Also included are a bunch of extended interviews with Dr. Shanna Shaw, who talks about the chemical effects of plastic overuse, Sylvia Earle who talks about life before plastic, Wallace J. Nichols who talks about the environmental movement and lastly Dr. Richard Thompson who explains plastic and POPs.

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Blu-ray Review “Martha Marcy May Marlene”

Directed by: Sean Durkin
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Hugh Dancy, Brady Corbet, Christopher Abbott
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

“Martha Marcy May Marlene” is the powerful and at times disturbing debut feature for both director Sean Durkin and star Elizabeth Olsen that is now available to own.

Olsen plays the eponymous Martha who, having just escaped a cult commune isolated in the Catskills, takes shelter in the Connecticut lake house of her sister (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy) whom she hasn’t seen in over two years. Martha struggles to fit back into her sister’s upper middle-class world and Durkin cuts seamlessly between her life at the lakehouse and flashbacks to the cult’s farm. The pacing of the flashbacks is incredibly effective and helps to build the rising tension that Martha feels as she clashes with resuming normal life.

At the forefront of the flashbacks is cult leader Patrick, played by an equal parts seductive and sinister John Hawkes. At first an appealing father figure to Martha, he evolves into a rapist (though his followers would disagree) and worse. The most fascinating aspect of Martha’s escape is perhaps how believably conflicted she still feels about leaving. It is evident Martha’s relationship with her sister is not a warm one and so we can only conclude that it was some immovable survival instinct, rather than an act of rebellion, that would finally send Martha from the the cult. For all the abuse, Martha still yearns to share a bed with Patrick. In some of Olsen’s most powerful scenes she quotes his indoctrinations verbatim at her relatives with a steely chilling confidence that tells us she’s not out of the woods yet.

Durkin doesn’t offer a clear resolution to Martha’s story, but that’s fitting for a character who is so deeply damaged. As it is, this is a fascinating character study that warrants revisiting on Blu-ray.

The main special feature on this Blu-ray include ‘Mary Last Seen’, the short that Durkin wrote and directed prior to the full feature. It introduced the world of the film while also working as a standalone story. Fortunately it didn’t have to stand alone and now it makes for an eerie precursor ‘Martha’. In addition to the short, the Blu-ray offers insightful featurettes on the making of the film, including the filmmakers’ views on cults, and John Hawke’s hauntingly beautiful full rendition of Jackson C. Frank’s “Marcy’s Song”.

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DVD Review “The Burning Moon”

Directors: Olaf Ittenbach
Actors: Andrea Arbter, Olaf Ittenbach, Ellen Fischer, Ronald Fuhrmann
Distributed: Intervision Picture Corp.
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Run Time: 98 minutes

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

There is something about German horror films that just really take it a step above the rest. This film was made in 1992 and released on VHS, remember that format?, in 1997. It is extremely disturbing and very gross but that is no shock if you are familiar with this gore-fest. The film has been banned for almost 20 years in Germany and it is very clear just from the DVD cover. The tagline really says it all “Uncut. Uncensored. Unconscionable.”  For horror fans this film equal a great return to the glorious days of VHS horror films.

Olaf Ittenbach, who also directed the film, stars himself as a low-life junkie who while babysitting his little sister tells her two terrifying bedtime stores. The first story is called “Julia’s Love”, which features an escaped serial killer who escapes from a mental hospital goes on a date to only massacre his date’s entire family. Then the second is called “The Purity”, where a priest goes on a rape and murder spree which leads him directly into the depth of hell. The last 15 minutes of the film are horrifying and not for the squeamish.

Intervision Picture Corp has been known for finding and releasing these horror gems to its fans. Fans of this film are going to want to pick it up just for the special feature. It is the first time that this rare 47 minute behind the scene making-of documentary has been released. Even though released on DVD, the film has a real VHS feel to it, which is what would be expected. Just get ready for the gore, besides this film is going to shock you for sure.

 

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DVD Review “Kill”

Directed By: Chad Archibald & Philip Carrer
Starring: Ryan Barrett, Jennifer De Lucia, Peter Soltesz, Casey Dutfield, Andrew Ferguson, Thomas Gofton, Carrie Prout
Distributed by: Troma Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 85 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

I should have known what to expect from this film from the start when the DVD cover spelled Chad Archibald, the director’s name, as Chad Archivald. The film s a real VHS feel to it but is over-the-top stupid.  The film only had a budget of $5K and trust me it shows.  The acting is terrible but with Troma films, I have never expected much in that department.  Overall, if you enjoy extremely cheesy horror this might be worth it for a laugh or two but besides that I would steer clear. The only real thing this DVD will “Kill” is 85 minutes of your time…and I will be here all week, ladies and gentlemen.

The film follows six strangers who wake up in strange house and are unable to leave. There are told what to do from a strange voice over a loud speaker and find that there are men stalking then in the house. There group realize quickly that in order to survive they must…KILL!! Come on with a titled like “Kill”, what did you expect from the film. This ain’t Shakespeare.

The special include an audio commentary from the director’s Chad Archibald & Philip Carrer and a trailer for the film. What movie released by Troma would be complete with out some Troma Trailers and a Radiation March, which can only be explained by watching it for yourself. Lastly, there is a Transvestite PSA featuring Lemmy from Motorhead and South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Only Troma…only Troma.

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DVD Review “Mama, I Want to Sing!”

Directed by: Charles Randolph-Wright
Starring: Ciara, Lynn Whitfield, Patti LaBelle, Juanita Bynum, Hill Harper, Billy Zane, Ben Vereen
Distributed by Fox Faith
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running time: 95 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: None

Inspired by the hit off-Broadway play, this would have been better off staying as a play. This film absolutely no direction and just keep bouncing around from scene to scene aimlessly. Also Ciara might need to stick to singing or at least take some acting classes. This role should have been a piece of cake, especially playing a singer. The film is a drama but there is no real drama portrayed by its actors. The best part of the film is Billy Zane but he does not get enough screen time. Let me tell you, I would have chosen a different title like “Mama, I just wanted to turn this movie off half way through”.

Following the death of Reverend Dr. Kenneth Winter (Marvin Winans). We follow the rise and fall of the Winter family. Amara Winter, daughter, follows her rise to stardom and the issues that come with that. While rising to stardom she looks for the support from her mother Lillian Winter (Lynn Whitfield), who is trying to build a business in preaching and having her own issues and belief issues. Luke (Kevin Phillips), Amara’s younger brother, works as her photographer but dreams to become a photo journalist. The family works through the issues and remembers that family and faith is the most important.

The film tries to really back the emotions but there is something about it that just feels so fake. It is definitely clear why this was stuck on the shelf for almost three years after it was filmed. They must of had to really bribe the studio to release it. I think I would have rather enjoyed watching the Off-Broadway play and it would have been truer and more emotional than this lacking film. To top it all off there are no special features at all but I was just lucky I didn’t have to watch any more after it ended.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dvd, mama, review, sing
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