CD Review “Godzilla: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”

“Godzilla”
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Tracks 20
Label: WaterTower Music

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

To walk in the footsteps of the giant monster Godzilla, you are going to have to wear some big shoes. Luckily, composer Alexandre Desplat does a great job of filling those big shoes and delivers one of the best scores of year. He is quite familiar with epic score as he handled the last two “Harry Potter” films, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 & 2”. There is something about this score that has me locked in that after listening to for two days now I can’t get enough of it. When you think of an epic action film, you might think about this loud and in your face score but Desplat doesn’t do just that. He delivers some very beautiful music here that is soft and then he also brings the big action feel that is weaved in so well. “Godzilla” is easily one of my most anticipated films of the year and this score just makes me more and more excited to see it.

If you aren’t familiar with the new director Gareth Edwards, that is because he has only directed one film prior to this called “Monsters” in 2010. That film also had one of my favorite scores not just of the year but of all time. He introduced me to one the also first time film composer is Jon Hopkins and now I am a huge fan of his work as well. What I am getting at is that Edwards knows good music and he really picked a winner here teaming up with Desplat. Even though I mentioned this score is quite in parts, there was about a hundred musicians involved with this score and you can really feel the excitement that is generated from their performances on each track. When it comes to the busy summer season, I had a feeling that this score will be number one on my phone for months to come. Just a note, and this doesn’t mean to look down now, be warned that the track listings contain bit of spoilers for the film itself, so I would refrain from checking them out and just enjoy the tunes at least until you have seen the film!

Track Listing:
1. Godzilla!
2. Inside the Mines
3. The Power Plant
4. To Q Zone
5. Back to Janjira
6. Muto Hatch
7. In the Jungle
8. The Wave
9. Airport Attack
10. Missing Spore
11. Vegas Aftermath
12. Ford Rescued
13. Following Godzilla
14. Golden Gate Chaos
15. Let Them Fight
16. Entering the Nest
17. Two Against One
18. Last Shot
19. Godzilla’s Victory
20. Back to the Ocean

 

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DVD Review “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Around the Clubhouse World”

Series: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
Run Time: 126 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“Around the Clubhouse World” is the latest full-length feature from the Disney Junior series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”. I have searched the internet and I have not see any mention of this episode airing on Disney Junior yet, so this DVD looks to be the premiere and only place to see this as of right now. It is yet another great full-length feature after the last one “Minnie-rella”, which my 2 year old daughter still watches at least one a week. This special takes us exploring through France, Italy, China and more with Mickey and gang on a global adventure packed with song-filled fun. As an added bonus this DVD releases also comes with a passport activity book for any young explorer! If you kids love “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”, this is a yet another amazing themed release for the show.

Official Premise: Pack your bags and grab your passport. Join Mickey, Minnie and pals on a whirlwind trip Around The Clubhouse World! Climb the Eiffel Tower in France and say “bonjour” to Mademoiselle Daisy and Monsieur Donald Duck. Then, rescue Gondolier Goofy when he goes adrift in Italy’s Grand Canal; solve the mysterious riddle of Pharaoh Pete’s pyramid in Egypt, and meet a dancing dragon at the Great Wall of China. With your help – and the right Mouseketools – your Clubhouse friends can get their special passport stamped at each wonderful location. Featuring over two hours of song-filled fun, including four additional episodes, this global adventure proves it’s a small world after all!

Along with the full-length episode, there are four additional bonus episodes includes from “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”. “Donald And The Beanstalk” goes back all the way to the first season and is the sixth episode ever aired for this series. Funny enough “Goofy On Mars” is also from the first season and was the seventh episode aired. “Mickey’s Handy Helpers” comes from the second season and was the twenty ninth episode. Lastly “Pluto’s Dinosaur Romp” is a little more recent from the end of season three and in fact the ninety fourth episode in the series.  According to the trend of DVD releases, we should be getting another in December of 2014, so curious anxiously waiting for that.

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Blu-ray Review “The Monuments Men”

Starring: Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin
Director: George Clooney
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
Run Time: 118 minutes

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

When I saw that George Clooney was directing a film starring himself along with Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Jean Dujardin…I knew it would be a winner. The film was pushed back into February this year which did set off a few alarms but it all paid off. Like always Cate Blanchett, who just won the Best Actress award for “Blue Jasmine”, is alone is worth the price of film alone. Matt Damon is great in lead of this amazing group of actors. George is George, charming as always. The last year or two has been really kind to John Goodman (“Argo”, “Inside Llewyn Davis”) and same goes to Bill Murphy (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”). To be honest, this is probably not a film I will watch over and over but I was easily won over with the cast and it’s makes it worth checking out.

Official Premise: Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, “The Monuments Men” centers around an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. In a seemingly impossible mission, the Monuments Men, as they were called, find themselves risking their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture.

Sony Pictures is delivering this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The 1080p transfer is quite stunning. They really used some amazing locations to recreate parts of Europe. The cinematography is very well done. The transfer was also mastered in 4K for maximum picture and expanded color, so this is a real bonus here. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well to suite the aspect of war surrounding the war. The special features are a little light with no commentary tracks but still decent. “George Clooney’s Mission” and “Marshaling the Cast” are all-new featurettes that go behind-the-scenes into the making of the film. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is “The Real Monuments Men” which looks into the real heroes. “A Woman Amongst the Monuments Men” is a look into the characters brought to life. Lastly there are some Deleted Scenes included.

 

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Book Review “I Love My Daddy”

Author: Giles Andreae
Illustrator: Emma Dodd
Age Range: 1 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Maybe this book hit home with me more than the average person, but I really love this book. I have a 2 year old daughter and she is my world. When I saw that there is a book called “I Love My Daddy”, I couldn’t request it sooner. The fact that this book features a girl with her daddy only makes it more special to me. My daughter has been talking more and more every day, starting to form sentences etc and one of the things that she says all the time is “I love my daddy” and that is not a lie. She calls me “my daddy”. If you have a young child, this is a must own for sure and don’t worry there is also a “I Love My Mommy” as well for all your amazing mother’s out there as well.

Award-winning and bestselling author, Giles Andreae is also responsible for other great books including “Rumble in the Jungle”, “Giraffes Can’t Dance” and “The Lion Who Wanted to Love”. Besides illustrating “I Love My Mommy” also, Emma Dodd’s work  includes the popular Amazing Baby series as well. Overall, this book is so much fun and features rhyming verses and great illustrations. It is sweet and I have a feeling that this is going to become our new bedtime book for quite a while. I owe Disney/Hyperion a big thanks for reissuing this book because it has made my week reading it and I honestly look forward to tomorrow night!

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DVD Review “Weekend of a Champion”

Actors: Jackie Stewart, Roman Polanski
Directors: Frank Simon
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

“Weekend of a Champion” is a lost film from one of the world’s greatest filmmakers and given a new life after 40 years, being restored and including new footage. Roman Polanski produced this and also stepped in front of the camera for a thrilling inside look at racing great Jackie Stewart’s attempt to win the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix. This film has been nearly forgotten and is quite hot coming off its return to movie screens. Polanski recently found, restored and recut the film along with adding a new epilogue showing Polanski and Stewart revisiting the events of the film in present-day Monaco.

Official Premise: In 1971, Oscar-winning filmmaker and racing fan Roman Polanski (The Pianist, Chinatown, Rosemary’s Baby, Tess) spent a weekend with world champion Formula One driver Jackie Stewart as he attempted to win the Monaco Grand Prix, one of the premier events in the sport. Polanski was given intimate access to Stewart’s world for three days, both on the track and off. The result was an extraordinarily rare glimpse into the life of a gifted athlete at the height of his powers.

The only special feature included on this DVD is a trailer, which is a little disappointing. If Polanski spent the time to recut and restore this film, I would have loved to see a little bit of new extras as well. Obviously if you could the new epilogue that this is a little bit different. If you had a chance to see this film back in the day, you will find that the new footage features Polanski and Stewart today talking about their friendship over the last 40 years as well as the changing of racing and life in general. A real treat for any Polanski fan and Grand Prix fan for sure!

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DVD Review “Maverick: The Complete Fifth Season”

Starring: Jack Kelly, Marie Windsor, Sig Ruman, Reginald Owen, Kathleen Crowley, Jim Backus
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 650 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Every good thing comes to an end. The legend of the West, Jack Kelly returns in the role of Bart Maverick, sans James Gardner in the role of Bret for the fifth and final season of “Maverick”. This was a great show and a strong ending season as well. I wasn’t sure how it was going to hold up without Gardner but I really enjoyed Bart riding solo. Notable guest stars this season include Marie Windsor, Sig Ruman, Reginald Owen, Kathleen Crowley and Jim Backus. Like past seasons, there are no additional special features includes besides this short 13-episode season.

Official Premise: This 3-Disc, 13-Episode Collection closes out the original series run with Jack Kelly riding solo as Bart Maverick. When the series originally aired, these new episodes were ran alternating weeks with re-runs featuring Garner’s Bret Maverick from series 1-3. Kelly’s Bart gets plenty of time to shine as this season pits the wily card sharp up against crooked senators, four-flushing bankers, glamorous grifters, wish-granting leprechauns, and Bonanza-spoofing ranchers.

Even though “Maverick: The Complete Fifth Season” marks the end of the series, the Maverick brothers would end up returning again, with Garner playing Bret in “The New Maverick” TV movie (1978) and the “Bret Maverick” series (1981-82), both guest-starring Kelly as Bart. In the word of old Pappy “You can’t keep a good cardsharp and con artist down.” That’s not even counting the 1994 remake with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster either. It’s been 20 years and James Gardner is still kicking, I think it about time for another revival…am I right or what?

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DVD Review “Without a Trace: The Complete Seventh Season”

Starring: Anthony La Paglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Roselyn Sanchez, Eric Close, Enrique Murciano
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1024 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Without a Trace” is a police procedural television drama series that originally aired on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. It followed a group called the Missing Persons Unit (MPU) of the FBI in New York City. The seventh season was also the last for this show. In fact, it was announced on the finale night for this one that their will not be an eight season. This show really had some wit to it and really packed a solid cast. It was also one of the rare shows like “Castle” that in fact got better with each season. Thanks to Warner Archive for keeping this show alive as it has been releasing each season on DVD. I would have loved to seen this get the Blu-ray treatment like the recently released “The Mentalist” DVD is better than nothing. Like the past seasons as well, no additional special features included aside from the 24 episodes. A must purchase if you are a fan of the show to complete your series collection.

Official Premise: Senior agent Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia) is a tough, compassionate professional who, until recently, was the head of the special New York based FBI task force known as the Missing Persons Squad. Demoted after his renegade style got him into trouble one too many times, Jack still knows all too well that every second counts when someone vanishes, and begrudgingly adjusts to life with his new boss and the new head of the squad, Clark Medina (recurring guest star Steven Weber). Despite their best efforts, the team members are only human. As the agents work on varied and complicated cases, details about their personal lives continue to unfold. This season, Samantha Spade (Poppy Montgomery) deals with being a single mom and resourceful agent Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez) recovers from a recent and unpleasant custody battle with her ex.

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Blu-ray Review “Evilspeak”

Starring: Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, Claude Earl Jones, Don Stark, Charles Tyner, Hamilton Camp
Directors: Eric Weston
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 97 minutes

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

Clint Howard may not be a huge movie star but he really knows how to play a fantastic bad guy. “Evilspeak” is a great horror flick from 1981. He was also really amazing in “Ice Scream Man”, which never even got a DVD release! Can you believe it!  When this was released in theaters it was threatened with an X rating from the MPAA. Thanks to Shout! Facotory, the film has been completely restored from a newly discovered 35mm inter-positive source including all of the film’s long rumored scenes of bloody gore. If you are a horror fan, this is a great release and a must own!

Life sucks for Stanley Coppersmith (Clint Howard, Rock ’n’Roll High School), a teenage outcast who’s bullied by everyone at a strict military academy. When Stanley discovers the crypt of a 16th Century Satanist beneath the chapel, he creates a computerized Black Mass that unleashes unholy revenge upon his tormentors. Now, all hell is about to break loose, Evilspeak is not for the faint of heart.

Along with Clint Howard, he is joined by a great cast co-starring Joseph Cortese (“American History X”), Charles Tyner (“Cool Hand Luke”), R.G. Armstrong (“Children of the Corn”), Don Stark (“That ’70s Show”), Lenny Montana (“The Godfather”), Richard Moll (“House”) and Haywood Nelson (“What’s Happening”).

This film has never looked better as it also comes accompanied with a brand new 2013 1080p high definition transfer, which has been supervised and approved by producer/director Eric Weston (Hyenas). Weston also gives us a new commentary track as well for fans of the film to enjoy. There are new interviews with actors Joseph Cortese, Clint Howard, Don Stark, Richard Moll, Claude Earl Jones and Haywood Nelson. Lastly there is also a theatrical trailer included.

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DVD Review “The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Series”

Actors: Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, Marcia Wallace
Directors: Peter Bonerz
Number of discs: 19
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: May 27, 2014
Run Time: 3180 minutes

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

Dr. Hartley will see you now… Shout! Factory is bringing the The Complete Series of “The Bob Newhart Show” home to you in a spectacular 19-DVD box set. This iconic TV show is still relevant and extremely funny today. Bob Newhart has always been a riot and even still continues to co-starring recently in CBS’ hit sitcom, “The Big Bang Theory”. Originally airing on CBS from 1972 to 1978, this show is no question of the best television shows of all-time. I feel that if a show is able to still be this funny after all these years that it deserves to be considered a legend. I look at TV today in disgust as our programming is garage compared to real shows like “The Bob Newhart Show”. This is a must for an true classic TV fan out there.

Official Premise: This sitcom classic stars the incomparable Bob Newhart as Dr. Robert Hartley, a Chicago psychologist who finds himself surrounded by some unusual and neurotic characters on the job, as well as at home! Hartley faces an uphill battle to not lose patience with his patients, but with the support of his quick-witted wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette), you can count on him to conduct a healthy session of laugh therapy in all 142 episodes of The Bob Newhart Show. An outstanding supporting cast is on call to back up Newhart and Pleshette, including Bill Daily (I Dream of Jeannie), Peter Bonerz (Man on the Moon), Jack Riley (Rugrats, Spaceballs), and Marcia Wallace (The Simpsons).

The box set includes new interviews with Bob Newhart, Jack Riley, Bill Daily, Peter Bonerz, and Michael Zinberg called “Group Therapy” (2014). There is “The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary (1991)” special included, which is a one-hour clip show which finds the show’s characters in the present day. There are audio commentaries tracks with Bob Newhart, Marcia Wallace, David Davis, Peter Bonerz, Fred Willard, Jim Burrows, Suzanne Pleshette, Tom Poston and Jack Riley. There is a very funny Gag Reel included. Lastly there is a 40-page collectible booklet wrapping up this fine release.

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Blu-ray Review “I Love Lucy: Ultimate Season 1”

Starring: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley, Vivian Vance
Number of discs: 6
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 907 minutes

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

“I Love Lucy”, who doesn’t? This 1950’s classic television show is coming to Blu-ray thanks to CBS and Paramount Home Entertainment in this 6-disc Blu-ray release of “Ultimate Season 1”. This season includes the first 35 episodes of the show, which starred the legendary Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley and Vivian Vance. This season includes some of the most beloved episodes includes “The Ballet”, “Pioneer Women” and “The Freezer”. These episodes are still hysterical today and that just proves how amazing this show was going strong still over 60 years later. I am looking forward to the rest of the seasons hopefully season two will come later this year, hint hint!

Official Synopsis: You’ve loved and laughed at Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel for years, but you’ve never seen I Love Lucy like this on glorious high-definition. Coming to Blu-ray in a highly collectible set with special gloss packaging that includes every episode from the first season, each one beautifully restored in high definition, in original night-of-broadcast form with original sponsor openings and closings. The set also includes a number of as yet undetailed special features, many never before released on home video.

These episodes are presented in their original aspect ratio: 1.33:1 and have never looked better. The pilot episode has also been remastered from a newly discovered original 35mm negative. The episodes look extremely crisp and have very sharp black color (since the show is black and white only). The audio comes with a PCM 2.0 mono track that has been cleaned up a bunch and really delivers the comedy aspects very well for this show. Paramount really has been great with restoring older shows to Blu-ray ala “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.

Here are a full listing of the episodes includes for season 1. “Pilot”; “The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub”; “Be a Pal”; “The Diet”; “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her”; “The Quiz Show”; “The Audition”; “The Séance”; “Men Are Messy”; “The Fur Coat”; “Lucy Is Jealous of a Girl Singer”; “Drafted”; “The Adagio”; “The Benefit”; “The Amateur Hour”; “Lucy Plays Cupid”; “Lucy Fakes Illness”; “Lucy Writes a Play”; “Breaking the Lease”; “The Ballet”; “The Young Fans”; “New Neighbors”, “Fred and Ethel Fight”; “The Moustache; “The Gossip”; “Pioneer Women”; “The Marriage License”; “The Kleptomaniac”; “Cuban Pals”; “The Freezer”; “Lucy Does a TV Commercial”; “The Publicity Agent”; “Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio”; “Lucy’s Schedule”, “Ricky Thinks He’s Getting Bald” and “Ricky Asks for a Raise”

The special features are equally impressive as the season itself. First we have “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show CBS special”, which is a great. There are audio commentary on select episodes by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnes, Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Davis, Bob Carroll, Jr. and others. There are 13 episodes includes with alternate elements, which is a real nice bonus. There are on-set color “home movies” from the season. There are also selected episodes of Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband” radio series. Lastly there are bloopers, guest cast bios, production notes and photo galleries included.

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CD Review “Dconstructed”

“Dconstructed”
Various Artists
Release Date: April 22, 2014
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Disney

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I read that Walt Disney Records was going to release a comprehensive compilation of classic and current music from it’s longstanding Disney catalog remixed by today’s hottest DJs/producers from across the globe, I thought this was going to be a real trip. Afer a few listens though, I am really not feeling it. The 14-track collection features remixed version of multiple Academy Award-winning film songs including “The Lion King” and “Frozen” and Daft Punk’s “TRON: Legacy”. In the 14 tracks, I love maybe 4 and the rest I can easily do with out. I have a 2 year old daughter and after seeing this advertised I thought she would love to dance around to this but after showing her, she easily walked right out of the room and I wasn’t far behind.

Electronic Dance Music superstars Avicii, Armin Van Buuren and Kaskade are a few of the talented musicians that have put their spin on these timeless favorites. There is definitely a lot of range in these albums ranging from the new “Monsters University”, “The Incredibles”, and “The Muppets” to a more obsure Hawaiiaanette album featuring Annette Funicello.  Classics like  “Toy Story”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Dumbo” and music inspired by the original Mickey Mouse cartoons pop up as well and even the theme song from the Disneyland Park’s Main Street Electrical Parade.

Easily a few of my favorite tracks are “Let it Go” with Armin van Buuren’s remix, I can easily listening to this track on loop for hours. “Partysaurus Overflow” from the “Toy Story” short “Partysaurus Rex” is also amazing from BT. “Fall” from “Tron: Legacy” also gets a pretty snazzy Japanese Popstars remix. After that nothing really jumped out at me that I would really want to listen to again. Especially tracks like “The Muppet Show Theme” with the remix by Shy Kidx, which is downright creepy. I am normally a fan of EDM but these to me besides the ones I mentioned really don’t seem to represent their songs well and are left flat.

Track Listing:
1. Circle of Life ((From “The Lion King”) [Mat Zo Remix]) Carmen Twillie
2. Derezzed ((From “Tron: Legacy”) [Avicii “So Amazing Mix”] [Feat.Negin]) Daft Punk
3. Let It Go ((From “Frozen”) [Armin van Buuren Remix]) Idina Menzel
4. Roar ((From “Monsters University”) [Yogi Remix]) Axwell
5. Partysaurus Overflow ((Inspired by “Partysaurus Rex”)) BT
6. Unkle Reconstruction ((Inspired By “The Incredibles”)) Michael Giacchino
7. Fall ((From “Tron: Legacy”) [Japanese Popstars Remix]) Daft Punk 3:55
8. The Muppet Show Theme ((From “The Muppets”) [Shy Kidx Remix]) The Muppets
9. Hey Pluto! ((Inspired by original Mickey Mouse cartoons) StoneBridge
10. Once Upon a Dream ((From “Sleeping Beauty”) [Trion Remix]) Bill Shirley
11. Main Street Electrical Parade ((Shinichi Osawa Extended Mix)) Shinichi Osawa
12. You’ve Got a Friend in Me ((From “Toy Story”) [Alfred Montejano Hyper Remix]) Randy Newman
13. Baby Mine ((From “Dumbo”) [Kaskade House Version]) Kaskade
14. Pineapple Princess ((From “Hawaiiannette”) [Kinsey Moore Remix]) Annette Funicello

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Blu-ray Review “Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection”

Actors: Ultimate Warrior
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: WWE
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Run Time: 540 minutes

Collection: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Ever since I started watching wrestling in the late 80’s, no question Ultimate Warrior was and still is my absolutely favorite wrestler. When this Blu-ray was released on April 1st, I reached out to WWE for to request and also inquire about an interview with the man himself aka Jim Hellwig. Well, I ended up hearing back on April 9th from WWE and unfortunately it was a little too late for the interview. On April 8th, my childhood wrestling hero passed away. This was just three days after he was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame on WWE RAW. I have had this Blu-ray for a few weeks now and honestly it has been hard to review. I know he has a rocky career in the business but Ultimate Warrior, he was a her of mine growing up. Luckily WWE has really delivered a truly amazing collection of his work and it feels even better because it was before he passed and not cashing in on his death. A must have for any true Warrior fan!

Official Premise: He is one of the most colorful and intense Superstars of all time, the Ultimate Warrior! Now for the first time ever, WWE honors his illustrious career with this ultimate collection of bone-crunching matches. Feel the power of the warrior over 3-discs, featuring battles against all his biggest rivals such as Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ravishing Rick Rude, Sgt. Slaughter and more! WWE fans have long awaited another Warrior DVD since the controversial release of 2005’s The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. Finally, with over 7 hours of matches from this larger than life Superstar, the action on this home entertainment release is truly OUT OF CONTROL!!

“Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection” is among the best Blu-rays from WWE Home Video label to date. The Blu-ray is presented with a 1080i transfer with both 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios. The 1.78:1 content is comprised of interview clips with The Ulimate Warrior. The matches are presented with an 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which it should be so that it retains the original appearance and image integrity. Due to this, in terms of Blu-ray quality, there is some issue with some finer details but it is expected and in no way ruins the experience. These are amazing to have all on one Blu-ray.

Disc One includes some matches that really speak to me because I remember seeing these for the very time when I was younger. I even have seen a few of these live, which makes them even more special to have on home video.

  • Career Match: Blade Runners vs. Perry Jackson & Shawn O’Reilly. UWF — April 11, 1986.
  • Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Chris Adams. World Class Championship Wrestling — August 8, 1986.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Barry Horowitz. Challenge — November 7, 1987.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Steve Lombardi. Superstars — November 14, 1987.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “King” Harley Race. Boston Garden — March 5, 1988.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Los Angeles Sports Arena — July 15, 1988.
  • SummerSlam Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. SummerSlam — August 29, 1988.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match : Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. Philadelphia Spectrum — December 17, 1988.
  • Title vs. Title: Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Boston Garden — February 11, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. SummerSlam — August 28, 1989.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bob Bradley. Prime Time Wrestling — September 18, 1989.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Brian Costello. Prime Time Wrestling — December 25, 1989.
  • Ultimate Warrior Confronts Andre the Giant: Brother Love Show. Superstars — July 29, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Madison Square Garden — October 28, 1989.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 25, 1989.
  • Ultimate Warrior Promo: “Crash the Plane.” Challenge — March 10, 1990.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Mr. Perfect. Madison Square Garden — March 19, 1990.
  • Title vs. Title: Intercontinental/WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan. WrestleMania VI — April 1, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Tokyo Dome — April 13, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Saturday Night’s Main Event — July 28, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Ted DiBiase. The Main Event — November 23, 1990.
  • WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Huntsville, AL — January 7, 1991.

If you thought that Disc One didn’t have enough, disc two continues right up with some more amazing matches from his career.

  • Steel Cage Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. Madison Square Garden — January 21, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Ends Brother Love’s Career. Superstars — March 2, 1991.
  • Retirement Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. WrestleMania VII — March 24, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior on Paul Bearer’s Funeral Parlor. Superstars — April 13, 1991.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Undertaker. Maple Leaf Gardens — June 2, 1991.
  • Career Moment: Gene Okerlund Interviews Ultimate Warrior and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Superstars — July 25, 1992.
  • Career Moment: “Riding on the Edge of a Lightning Bolt.” Superstars — November 14, 1992.
  • WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior & “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase & I.R.S. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 14, 1992.
  • Career Moment: “Faster Than a Cheetah.” RAW — March 11, 1996.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. WrestleMania XII — March 31, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Returns — RAW — April 8, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Mr. McMahon Interviews Jerry “The King” Lawler and Ultimate Warrior. RAW — June 10, 1996.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler. King of the Ring — June 23, 1996.
  • Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Interrupts “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. Nitro — August 17, 1998.
  • Ultimate Warrior Promo: From RAW — October 26, 1998.

If the two dozen plus matches aren’t enough…there is still seven bonus matches listed under “Blu-ray Exclusives” section on the disc. Thanks again WWE for delivering this amazing Blu-ray to my collection and I will be sure to continue to keep the Warrior’s memory alive!

  • Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Matt Borne. World Class Championship Wrestling — October 24, 1986.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior & The British Bulldogs vs. Demolition & Mr. Fuji. Maple Leaf Gardens — July 24, 1988.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Dino Bravo. The Main Event — February 23, 1990.
  • Career Moment: WrestleMania 6 Contract Signing. The Ultimate Challenge — March 25, 1990.
  • Career Moment: WrestleMania 7 Contract Signing. Road to WrestleMania 7 — March 17, 1991.
  • Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Tokyo Dome — March 30, 1991.
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Goldust. In Your House — April 28, 1996.

In closing, here is a little tribute to the memory of The Ulitmate Warrior…I dare you to try and watch this without a shedding a tear… RIP Warrior!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, collection, review, ultimate, warrior

Blu-ray Review “Her”

Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde
Directors: Spike Jonze
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 126 minutes

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

Only from the mind of Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Jonze can a movie like “Her” be created. I first saw this film last holiday season and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. It is also a very hard film to verbally sell to someone without an open mind or a love for Jonze. Joaquin Phoenix gives an amazing performance. I think I would go as far as one of his best. Even though Scarlett Johansson is voice only of Samantha, she really gives life to the character. I loved the blend of the romance with the futuristic science fiction drama. This has easily become one of my favorite films of 2014. I highly recommend it, but like I said it is not for everyone because don’t forget it is in the end about a man that falls in love with an operating system…though so much more at the exact same time.

Official Premise: Set in Los Angeles in the slight future, “Her” follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson) who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other.

Warner Bros is delivering this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer is gorgeous. It really captures the look and feel of this slightly yet retro futuristic world. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track works amazingly with the band Arcade Fire’s score. There are some decent extras as well included, but I would have loved to see a commentary track from Jonze. “The Untitled Rick Howard Project” is a short film from Lance Bangs about creating “Her”. “How do you Share Your Life with Somebody” is another featurette on the film’s relationship topic. Lastly “Love in The Modern Age” loves into conversations about love and relationships in our time.

Own “Her” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD Download 5/13

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Blu-ray Review “Ride Along”

Starring: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Laurence Fishburne, Jay Pharoah
Director: Tim Story
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

Kevin Hart is no question of the biggest up and coming actors in the business right now. He started off with his stand up work but has really broken out in films in the last year. Partner him up with veteran Ice Cube and you have a no brainer buddy cop action comedy. This film is very funny and brings out the best in both of the two stars. I only wish it wasn’t PG-13 because I could see this being much more fun with a little less restriction. I am sure we never saw this coming but this film is being turned into a franchise with “Ride Along 2” set for release in January 2016 already! Can’t wait!

Official Premise: For the past two years, high school security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) has been trying to show decorated detective James (Ice Cube) that he’s more than just a video game junkie who’s unworthy of James’ sister. When Ben finally gets accepted into the police academy, James invites him on a ride-along designed to scare the hell out of him and ultimately demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister. But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner’s rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it.

Universal Studios, personally, always delivers some of the best Blu-ray releases. “Ride Along” comes as a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy combo pack. The 1080p transfer is solid and works well with the film’s buddy cop setting. Same goes to the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which lines up well with the film’s action and Hart’s fast talking. Universal also delivered some decent extras including a great solo commentary track from directory Tim Story, who is quite passionate and enjoyed this film and everyone who worked on it.  There are six deleted scenes along with an alternate take for the film’s PG-13 rating and a slightly different alternate ending. There is a decent gag reel included also.

There are six short featurettes included giving a brief behind-the-scenes moments. “It Was a Good Day: On the Set of Ride Along” is the longest just over 10 minutes and features interviews with cast and crew. “Kev & Cube’s Wild Ride” features the duo talking about their work together. “You Gonna Learn Today” is a lesson in improv from Hart. “Atlanta: The Character” briefly shows the about the city in which the film was shot. “Anatomy of the Big Blast” dissects the film’s key scene. Lastly “An Explosive Ride” looks into the stunts, gunfights and action choreography.

 

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DVD Review “Godzilla: The Complete Animated Series”

Actors: Ian Ziering, Malcom Danare, Rino Romano, Charity James, Brigitte Bako
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2014
Run Time: 854 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Yes…yes, we all know how much the U.S. 1998 remake of “Godzilla” sucked. This animated series was a way to cash in on the Godzilla madness but for those who hated the film didn’t pay any attention to this show. It’s run on TV was ended short airing 38 out of 40 produced episodes. I have to admit, I never watched this during the original airing since I was among those who did quite hate the ’98 film but thanks to Netflix, I decided to give this show a go recently. Yes, it is a cheap 90’s cartoon but I am also a sucker for 90’s cartoons. If you are looking to dumb down your brain and just watch some Godzilla related goodness in animated form, this show isn’t as bad as I would have thought. Plus for the cheap price (you can get it new from Amazon Marketplace for around $5 bucks), it is totally worth it. Also did I mention the star of “Sharknado”, Ian Ziering, also voices the main characer!? Bonus cheese!

Official Premise After helping take down Godzilla, biologist Dr. Nick Tatopoulos (voice of Ian Ziering) stumbles upon his hatchling, who bonds with the scientist as a parental figure. Recruiting his own environmentally-directed research outfit HEAT (Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team) Nick sets out to study not only this new generation, but also to investigate the increasing reports of monsters of all types and other environmental anomalies menacing the Earth. Each exciting episode is a pulse-pounding monster-hunt driven by Nick’s team accompanied by their 300-foot giant reptile as they travel the globe defending humankind against mutant threats.

Disc 1 includes the following episodes: “New Family – Part 1”; “New Family – Part 2”; “Talkin’ Trash”; “D.O.A”; “The Winter Of Our Discontent”; “Cat And Mouse”; “Leviathan”;, “What Dreams May Come”; “Hive” and “Bird Of Paradise”. Disc 2 includes the following episodes: “Freeze “; “DeadLoch”; “Competition”; “Bug Out”; “Monster War – Part 1”; “Monster War – Part 2”; “Monster War – Part 3”; “An Early Frost”; “What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been” and “Web Site”

Disc 3 includes the following episodes: “Wedding Bells Blew”; “Juggernaut”; “Shafted”; “Trust No One”; “Lizard Season”; “The Ballad Of Gens Du Marias”; “Ring Of Fire”; “Protector”; “Vision”; “Freak Show”. Last but not least disc 4 includes the following episodes: “Metamorphosis”; “Where Is Thy Sting?”; “Underground Movement”; “The Twister”; “S.C.A.L.E.”; “Future Shock”; “End Of The Line”; “Area 51”; “Tourist Trap” and “Cash Of The Titans”. So if you can count these all add up to 40 episodes, so this cheap DVD also includes for the first time ever the 2 unaired episodes and the series available as complete. Calling all hardcore “Godzilla” fans like myself that are in overdrive waiting for this months new film, this is your answer!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: animated, complete, dvd, godzilla, review, series, ...
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