Book Review "Kingdom Keepers VI: Dark Passage"

Author: Ridley Pearson
Age Range: 10 and up
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Release Date: April 2, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Even since the first “Kingdom Keepers” back in 2005, I have been in love with this series. There was something interesting about what happens when Disney goes dark. This series has developed so well since it began its adventure exploring from park to park with some really great plot twists and fun characters. I love the fact that Maleficent gets center stage as she is one of my favorites. In “Dark Passage”, we hit the seas on the Disney Cruise Line and various Caribbean islands. Since Disney is so vast, there is no shortage of where we can go with this series. I feel that this sixth book in the series is the most ambitious and has yet to disappoint. So don’t worry this series is not running low on steam and continues to grow strong.

Official Synopsis: The five Kingdom Keepers and their core friends have uncovered a startling truth: Maleficent and the Overtakers (Disney villains) are plotting a catastrophic event that could have repercussions far beyond the world of Disney. Aboard the Disney Cruise Line’s inaugural passage through the new Panama Canal, the Keepers and their holograms uncover a puzzle hidden within the pages of a stolen journal. The point of that puzzle will reveal itself in the caves of Aruba, the zip lines of Costa Rica, and the jungles of Mexico. A destructive force, dormant for decades, is about to be unleashed. The five Kingdom Keepers are to be its first victims.

Ridley Pearson really knows how to speak to his audience.  The book is aimed at the “Young Adult” audience but it doesn’t talk down to them.  He treats his fans like they are adults and that is why I feel that this series also draws in an older audience as well, like myself.  Plus who doesn’t like to read about a different side of Disney with new and our favorite character. Ridley Pearson has stated before that this series will contain seven books, which means that we are getting close to the end to the “Kingdom Keepers” series. I still would like to see this series transform into a TV series or feature film.  Maybe one day. I feel that there is a major audience for this. Either way, I will be on the edge of my seat to see what Pearson has planned next.

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Book Review "Star Trek: The Visual Dictionary"

Author: Paul Ruditis
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: DK CHILDREN
Release Date: March 18, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Are you a fan of the “Star Trek” franchise? Or just becoming a fan? Either way there is something here for you in the “Star Trek: The Visual Dictionary”. Obviously this book is aimed for the younger audience but it is still delivers. It covers the everything “Star Trek” including the live-action TV series and films. The book is only 96 pages, so it is a little crammed but there is a lot of great content included in this book. Fans of the “Star Trek” universe take a look at the characters, aliens, starships, and technology from this incredibly vast franchise. I highly recommend for all Trekkies.

We start off with a wonderful forward from John de Lancie (who played Q in “TNG”). I have had the priveldge of chatting with John and he is such a cool guy.  He contributed so much to this show throughout his few episodes and remains of my favorite characters. Each of the series gets its own sections to showcase their ship, captain, and crew. We also get to explore the various races in the series inclduing the Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, Borg, Dominion, and Cardassians. If you know “Star Trek” then you know what a vast universe this is. So does this book cover everything? No. But it is enough to showcase the most important parts of the show and will easily assist with any new fans young and old.

For a long-time fan like myself, I was still able to learn new specific details about various characters and many obscure facts like costume or weapon background info. The images are extremely high quality and very detailed as well. You can tell that there is no shortage to the level of attention given to this book. The author, Paul Ruditis, worked in full collaboration with CBS Consumer Products on this, so you know everything is accurate and valid. With the new “Star Trek” movie just around the corner and the recent celebration of the 25th anniversary of “TNG”, “Star Trek” has never been more popular and this is a great way to get your fix.

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Blu-ray Review "Stitches"

Actors: Ross Noble, Tommy Knight
Directors: Conor McMahon
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Run Time: 87 minutes

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

Who isn’t afraid of clowns…I would like to thank “Stephen King’s It” for sealing that deal many many years ago. Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns. “Stitches” is a pretty fun slasher flick with a nod to 80’s horror. Ross Noble, who plays Stitches, is a real life comedian but isn’t very funny in the film despite being a clown. But since it is horror, I will give it some slack but who doesn’t love a wise-cracking villain ala Freddy Kreuger. Tommy Knight (known for his “Doctor Who” fame) is a nice addition the cast though. There is definitely no shortage of gore and some fun kills if you can look past the occasional CG blood. Not the best killer clown flick but still worth a watch. I would recommend this as a rental for horror fans.

Official Premise: Ten years after a prank on his birthday left hired clown Stitches dead on his kitchen floor, Tommy’s childhood friends gather to plan one last birthday party to end all parties. But they didn’t count on the degenerate jester returning from the grave to seek vengeance on the children who caused his untimely end. Now Tommy and his friends are on the run from an undead jokester who’s ready to use every trick in the book to exact his revenge. Dead Meat director Conor McMahon delivers a delirious slasher with STITCHES, the hilariously twisted and blood soaked tale of one very bad clown.

The film looks good enough with its Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p transfer looks very good with its 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The dark scenes are well crafted to add that necessary eerie effects. Keeping with the eerie effects, there are two audio options available to assist with the hororr sound. There is a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a Dolby Digital 2.0 track. They are both impressive but I think the 5.1 track deliver the score and action the best. The special features are not bad either for this release. There is a 35 minute Q&A at the film’s premiere with Ross Noble and director McMahon. There is a 20 minute “The Making of Stitches” featurette looking into the production. Lastly there is a gag reel, theatrical trailer and a picture gallery included.

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Book Review "The Art of Croods"

Author: Noela Hueso
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: March 26, 2013

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Croods” is the newest CG animated films from Dreamworks Animation.  They are the studio behind recent films like “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Rise of the Guardians”.  After “Guardians”, the studio really needs a hit.  To be honest, I was not interested at all in seeing “The Croods”…that is until I read this book.  I recently had the chance to check out “The Art of Oz The Great and Powerful” and I was hoping for something special there but was really let down.  This book here is what I expect when I want to read an “art of” book.

The book is split into three main sections. The first section, “Finding The Croods”, looks into our cast including Grug, Eep, Guy, and Belt. We get glimpses of early sketches, digital paint images and CG models.  I love getting to see different variations of the characters in order to see their evolution and in this case since they are pre-historic that work holds more of a meaning. The second part is “An Evolving World” looks at the creatures and landscapes that make up The Crood’s world.  We look into the various sets into the caves, jungles, tundras and gorges.  The last section looks into the “Anatomy of a Scene”.  This looks into the production from the story to the effects and how they are blended together into the final product.

“The Art of The Croods” clocks in with over 400 pieces of concept art, character sketches, storyboards and digital paintings. Like with all of Titan Books releases, this is yet another high quality book and has some very colorful and sharp images.  Along side the great art there are also interviews with the key animation talent. There is a foreword by Nicolas Cage, which I have to admit is one of the worse that I have ever read.  Sorry Nic Cage, I am usually a fan but this is foreword is about a paragraph long. This is author’s Noela Hueso first book, so with that in mind this is a great first go at it. Previously she had worked at the The Hollywood Reporter for 16 years, so she definitely has the necessary knowledge of the business.

 

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Blu-ray Review "Dead Ball"

Actors: Tak Sakaguchi, Mari Hoshio, Miho Ninagawa, Takamasa Suga
Directors: Yudai Yamaguchi
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

Whenever I see the label Sushi Typhoon, I just have to watch whatever film it is like “Mutant Girls Squad” and “Karate-Robo Zaborgar”.  They always deliver and are so hilarious, gory and always offensive.  “Dead Ball” is a very politically incorrect sports splatter comedy. It is director Yudai Yamaguchi’s follow-up to his zombie baseball classic “Battlefield Baseball”. “Dead Ball” also sees the returns of Tak Sakaguchi (“Versus”). Like all Sushi Typhoon films, this is extremely over-the-top and will leave you screaming “What the fuck is going on here!”  If you like those kinds of films, then don’t miss this for a fun time.

Official Premise: Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu (Tak Sakaguchi) is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in all of Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered fireball pitch, Jubeh swore off baseball, but his life of crime leaves him in the Pterodactyl Juvenile Reformatory, at the mercy of Headmistress Ishihara, the granddaughter of a World War II Nazi collaborator, and her sadistic assistant, Ilsa. Despite having sworn never to play baseball again, Jubeh is presented with an ultimatum: join the reformatory team, The Gauntlets, in the national tournament, or witness the death of his innocent cellmate. Jubeh is now in a fight for his life against the sexy but deadly “psycho butcher girls” of the St. Black Dahlia High School. These teams are literally playing for blood!

The Blu-ray presentation is solid like most for Well-Go Enterainment.  The 1080p transfer looks sharp and works weith the action in the film.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks also delivers with the action and the zany madness that happens throughout this film. The Blu-ray also only comes with a Japanese audio track with English subs.  I always prefer the Japanese track anyway even through the English dubs sometimes unbearable funny. The special features are good and worth checking it.  Included is a Spinoff Short for the film, “Making of Dead Ball” featurette and some Cast Interviews, all with subtitles.

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Blu-ray Review "Hemingway & Gellhorn"

Actors: Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, David Strathairn, Rodrigo Santoro, Molly Parker
Director: Philip Kaufman
Studio: HBO Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Run Time: 154 minutes

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

I am not a subscriber to HBO but I really love their programming.  There films and TV series are so original, bold and frankly, quite ballsy.  “Hemingway & Gellhorn” was nominated for 15 Emmy® Awards and 2 Golden Globe Awards.  I hadn’t heard of this release before the award season but I was drawn to it by its stunning lead cast including Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman and Golden Globe winner Clive Owen. The film recounts the romance between literary legend Ernest Hemingway and famed war correspondent Martha Gellhorn. The film runs over two a half hours and yet I was unable to take my eyes of the screen the entire time.

Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen both give phenomenal performances. They are have great chemistry and really brings the sexy, yet dramatic aspects to their characters. They are assisted with a great and very impressive supporting cast including David Strathairn, Rodrigo Santoro, Molly Parker, Parker Posey, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Mark Pellegrino, Peter Coyote, Tony Shalhoub and even Jeffrey Jones makes an appearance. This is a real ensemble and everyone contributes to the success of this film.  But honestly, I am not very surprised since when it comes to HBO, they never disappoint and almost always deliver great talent.

Official Premise: Hemingway & Gellhorn recounts one of the greatest romances of the last century – the passionate love affair and tumultuous marriage of literary master Ernest Hemingway and trailblazing war correspondent Martha Gellhorn – as it follows the adventurous writers through the Spanish Civil War and beyond. The combined magnetism of Hemingway and Gellhorn ushered them into social circles that included the elite of Hollywood, the aristocracy of the literary world and the First Family of the United States. As witnesses to history, they covered all the great conflicts of their time, but the war they couldn’t survive was the war between themselves.

HBO is really this film as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and the Blu-ray is very impressive.  The 1080p transfer really transports you back in time and really looks sharp.  The film has this raw feel when it most through its timeline and switching between war-time footage. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track works perfectly with the dialogue and the action in the film.  The special features are also worth checking out. There is a very interesting audio commentary with director Philip Kaufman and editor Walter Murch Making.  There are two featurettes including “Making Hemingway & Gellhorn” who looks into the all aspects of the production and also “Behind the Visual Effects” has the cast and crew discuss the effects and keeping it with the historical accurate.

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Blu-ray Review "The Vampire Lovers"

Actors: Ingrid Pitt, Kate O’Mara, Peter Cushing
Directors: Roy Ward Baker
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Scream Factory
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

When you think of Hammer films you think of sexy and erotic horror. “The Vampire Lovers” was always one of my favorites and delivers that and much more with the lovely Ingrid Pitt in the lead role. This film is based on the J. Sheridan Le Fanu novella “Carmilla”. The Vampire Lovers” is the first part of the Karnstein Trilogy followed by “Lust for a Vampire” (1971) and “Twins of Evil” (1972). It is arriving on Blu-ray for the first time, thanks to Shout! Factory’s sister company Scream Factory. If you are a fan of Hammer, then you are going to love this release.

Ingrid has such a presence on the screen and you can’t take your eyes off her. And boy does she look amazing on this Blu-ray. She was known as the “The Queen of Scream”.  She not only survived a Nazi concentration camp as a child but who on to become one of the most well known faces of Hammer horror films and was billed as  “the most beautiful ghoul in the world”. Hammer legend Peter Cushing also pops in and is charmingly eerie as usual, especially delivering the film’s final blow.

Official Premise: A female vampire with lesbian tendencies ravages the young girls and townsfolk of a peaceful hamlet in eighteenth century Europe who, years earlier, killed off her fellow vampires. A rousing hunt for the vampiress ensues as a group of men follow her bloody trail of terror through the countryside. If you dare, come into a twilight world of unspeakable horror and taste the deadly passion of the blood-nymphs!

Scream Factory delivers a very nice 1080p widescreen presentation with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. There is some notable noise in the darker scenes but it doesn’t plague the transfer much. Overall it is a real treat to see this film presented in high-definition. The film also packs a nice DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 surround track.  It works perfectly with the nature of the film and carries the essence of Hammer very well.

The special features are all quite impressive for this release.  There is a great audio commentary track with the director Roy Ward Baker, writer Tudor Gates and of course Ingrid Pitt, which is moderated by Jonathan Sothcott. “Femme Fantasique: Resurrecting The Vampire Lovers” is a great look back on the film and its cult following. There are excerpts from the novella “Carmilla”, that inspired the film, which are read by Ingrid Pitt.  There are Original Theatrical Trailer and Original Radio Spot included.  There are two new Interviews, the first with Madeline Smith, who played Emma and the second is with Hammer Films Scholars.

 

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Blu-ray Review "Subspecies: The Blu-ray Collection Volume 1"

Starring: Anders Hove, Denise Duff, Angus Scrimm
Director: Ted Nicolaou
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Full Moon Pictures
DVD Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 270 minutes

The Blu-ray Collection Volume 1: 3.5 out of stars
Subspecies Blu-ray: 2 out of 5 stars
Subspecies Extras: 1 out of 5 stars
Bloodstone: Subspecies II Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Bloodstone: Subspecies II Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Bloodlust: Subspecies III Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

One of the best series to come out of Full Moon has easily been “Subspecies” to date. The series ran for the better part of the 90’s with three sequels and a spin-off   This volume one Blu-ray collection includes “Subspecies”, “Bloodstone: Subspecies II” and “Bloodlust: Subspecies III”. I am assuming there will be a second volume in the cards with the “Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm” and “The Vampire Journals” to work up the series (at least untill Subspecies 5, you here that Charlie!). The series creates one of our great villains, the vampire Radu Vladislas, portrayed by Anders Hove. When you think of great vampire villains, I always come back to Radu. The scripts are not perfect and the acting is decent at best but these films are classics. Full Moon is relatively new to the format of Blu-ray, with only a few “Puppet Master” films getting the treatment.  For the slim price at around the price of one standard Blu-ray, if you are a fan of the series then this is a really a steal.

“Subspecies”: Three students studying the folklore of Transylvania uncover more than they anticipated when they stumble upon a clan of vampires ruled by the monstrous Radu. The sadistic vampire becomes obsessed with making them his fledglings and pursues them relentlessly. Wielding the power of the Bloodstone, a relic that drips the blood of the saints, Radu and his subspecies – a pack of small, sinister creatures – give the girls a true understanding of the local mythology.

“Bloodstone: Subspecies II” In the second installment of the Subspecies series, Radu’s fledgling and love interest, Michelle, flees from his castle with the holy relic – the Bloodstone. Meanwhile, as a new vampire, Michelle struggles with her emerging bloodlust. To escape Radu, she hides in the basement of a theater in Bucharest, waiting for her sister to arrive from the US to help her – before it’s too late. “Bloodlust: Subspecies III” – Bloodlust brings the third coming of Radu, who captures his fledgling, Michelle, and returns her to the castle he shares with his sorceress mother. Radu teaches Michelle how to master her vampire powers. Meanwhile, Michelle’s sister, Becky, plans an armed assault on Radu’s stronghold. She is determined to save her sister’s soul – and this time she’s brought some help.

Since the Blu-ray release for “Subspecies” was for the 20th anniversary, originally released in 2011, it really doesn’t feel like it comes with the anniversary treatment. The high-def Blu-ray only clocks in at 1080i transfer and feels a little flat. This still looks much better than past DVDs but not up to standard for Blu-ray. I mean there is massive noise throughout the scenes and the colors are very shaky. I also have a real big issue with the Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track. Since suppose to be Blu-ray high-definition, the track is far from it. It sounds fine but I would have loved to seen them upgrade this film to a a 5.1 surround track for this release. In fact the Blu-ray box boasts all three films as full HD and 5.1 surround sound, which is not the case for this film.

“Bloodstone: Subspecies II” & “Bloodlust: Subspecies III” again takes the correct path for a proper Blu-ray presentation. Since this films were shot many years ago and on a very low budget, they are still represented quite well here. Both films have very nice 1080p transfers (unlike “Subspecies”).  There is some noise interference around the color black but besides that they both have pretty sharp transfers. Also both films also have good 5.1 surround tracks.  They are not perfect but they are a nice step up from “Subspecies” and at least they represent the high-definition of the Blu-ray much better.

“Subspecies” is also a big disappointment in the special features department. There is an original VideoZone episode, which I enjoyed…but that is it. There are no other extras besides some Full Moon Trailers. Luckily, the special features for “Bloodstone: Subspecies II” & “Bloodlust: Subspecies III” improves quite a bit in that area. The extras are mirrored for both films including “Making Subspecies: The Recollections of Ted Nicolaou, Anders Hove and Denise Duff” is a great revisit from the director and cast from the film. Both films include an equally entertaining audio commentary again from the trio; Nicolaou, Hove and Duff. Some topics are revisited from the making-of feature but still worth checking out. “Killer Subspecies Montage” is a fun collection of clips from this series. Lastly, there are  also original VideoZones episodes included for the sequels, as well as additional Full Moon Trailers included.

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Blu-ray Review "Iron Man: Rise of Technovore"

Starring: Norman Reedus, Matthew Mercer, Clare Grant
Directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: April 16, 2013
Run Time: 88 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

With “Iron Man 3” a mere weeks away, who isn’t excited for anything “Iron Man” related.  This new animated film is arriving just in time to cash in on that demand. I was unaware but the film origins from Japan and is directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki, the genius behind great films like “Paranoid Agent” and “Highlander: The Search for Vengeance”.  The story comes from Brandon Auman, who knows the Marvel universe quite well with his experience on “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”.  The film is sure to leave hardcore fans very satisfied for sure.  It is action packed and very entertaining.

It also doesn’t hurt that it featuring tons of great Marvel superheroes besides Iron Man himself, including War Machine, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and (my favorite) The Punisher. Speaking the characters, they are voiced by great talent including Matthew Mercer (“Resident Evil Damnation” & “Thundercats”) as Iron Man and Norman Reedus (TV’s “The Walking Dead”) as The Punisher. Reedus easily steals the show, I just would have loved to seen him more in the film.  Marvel/Sony, do I smell an solo “The Punisher” animated film with Reedus in the cards? You better! There are a lot of “Walking Dead” fans out there!  I hope that this is also only the beginning of a new chapter in the popular “Iron Man” franchise. I would love to see additional animated projects for sure.

Official Premise: Billionaire Tony Stark, in his Iron Man armor, prevents an attack from a mysterious new foe, but innocent bystanders are killed, including his best friend War Machine, Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Detained for questioning by S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man escapes, determined to find the mastermind behind the attack. Pursued by Black Widow and Hawkeye, Iron Man enlists the help of the ruthless vigilante The Punisher. But can the Armored Avenger handle what he finds when he catches the person responsible and is forced to face his deadliest weapon, a biotechnology called Technovore that could wipe out all life on the planet?

Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment delivered a very impressive Blu-ray release.  The film comes with the Blu-ray and also an Ultraviolet streaming digital copy, but where is the DVD disc?  The 1080p transfer is a thing of beautiful with the crisp animation and very sharp colors.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track was shaking my walls when I cranked it up, especially during the action scenes. The special features are a bit of a let down to this fun film.  There is an interactive art gallery, exclusive to the Blu-ray.  Besides that there are only two behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Tale of Technovore”, which looks into the production of the anime; and “S.H.I.E.L.D.: Protecting the Marvel Universe” takes into its the superhero organization in the comics and adapted in the film.

 

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Book Review "Savory Bites: Meals You Can Make in Your Cupcake Pan"

Author: Hollis Wilder
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
Release Date: April 9, 2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Living in the Orlando, FL area and being a fan of cupcakes, it is hard not to know who Hollis Wilder is. Who is Hollis Wilder? Besides owning her chain of cupcake stores, Sweet! By Holly. She is also the first two-time champion of Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars”. My family makes frequent trips to her store in order to get our fill of amazing cupcakes. “Savory Bites: Meals You Can Make in Your Cupcake Pan” is a next natural step forward for her career. Since she is know for her work with a cupcake pan, she brings forward ideas for other exciting mini meals to be made the same way. I can easily see Hollis with her own shot on Food Network in the next few years…mark my words.

When I took a flip through the book, at first glace there were tons of recipe titles that immediately had more drooling. But one thing that really bothered me was the lack of photos. There was a lot of white space with snazzy designs that could have easily been replaced with Tina Rupp’s amazing photography. Since these recipes are a little more custom than the typical meals, I think it is almost necessary to get an idea of what the final product should look like. Also in general, I am just a visual person. I was easily drawn to the recipes that had photos and passed over others that didn’t at first glance. This doesn’t just come from me though, my wife even took the book for a spin and said the exact same thing. But still, there are 100 very unique and some basic recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I am surprised to see nothing in the dessert department, I do not mean cupcakes but something to satisfy that sweet tooth after dinner.

I liked the idea behind these recipes. Hollis wanted to find a way to assist in avoiding overeating. We had a chance to chat with Hollis and she said referred to this technique of cooking as “living life in portions”. Here is our full interview, check it here. These meals are also easy and perfect to make ahead of time and freeze for the week. This comes in handy for my wife and I. We have a 10 month old daughter and don’t always have time to make elaborate meals each night. Some of our favorite recipes and must-eats are the following Wafflinis; Savory Apple Tarts; Mexican Breakfast Rolls; Beef Stroganoff; Turkey, Apple & Sweet Potato Pies (my favorite so far); Chicken Apple Hand Pies; and “Chicken Enchiladas with Andouille Sausage. So to wrap up, I believe that Hollis has developed some really sharp and delicious recipes here. The book itself is missing the visual punch that I was hoping for but it is still recommended to pick up, especially if you are hungry and feeling creative. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next! Now if you excuse me I have some cooking to do.

 

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3D Blu-ray Review "IMAX: To The Arctic"

Narrator: Meryl Streep
Directors: Greg Macgillivray
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Running Time: 40 minutes

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

When it comes to nature documentaries, who can turn them down. They are like a car crash you just can’t look away.  “To The Arctic” looked so cute with those little polar bears. The film is enjoyable but really when it comes down to it…it is just WAY to short.  I understand that IMAX movies used to run 40 minutes and that was the norm but now there are new 3D films in IMAX every week.  40 minutes really restricts this film to of getting a chance to spread it wings or paws in this case.  It feels rushed and right when it gets good it ends. I would have loved to seen this expanded for 90 minutes, like the Disneynature films.  I also felt the same way about the last IMAX film “Born To Be Wild”. Unless you are a 3D junkie like myself, I would catch this program when it airs on cable or rent it.

Official Premise: “To The Arctic” takes you on a never before seen journey through the power of the IMAX lens into the lives of a mother polar bear and her two seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home. Captivating adventurous and intimate footage brings you up close and personal with this family’s struggle to survive in a frigid and dynamic environment of melting ice immense glaciers spectacular waterfalls and majestic snow-bound peaks.

The film gets it voice from three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, who narrates this documentary.  The film was shot on location in the Arctic Circle in the IMAX 3-D format. I thought the 3D was very impressive.  It adds quite a bit of depth to the Arctic and makes you feel like you are right there with them.  The film is written and edited by Stephen Judson, who worked on the award-winning “Everest”.  My favorite part of the film though has to be the music.  The score is very well done by Steve Wood and contains seven songs by Paul McCartney.  There were two songs from his span with Wings including “I’m Carrying” and “Big Pop”.  There is Cirque du Soleil’s “LOVE” version of “Because”. Mr Bellamy from his 2007 album “Memory Almost Full”. “Calico Skies” and “Little Willow” appear from his 1997 album, “Flaming Pie”. Lastly there is a nice cover of “Maybe I’m Amazed” in the end credits.

Warner Brothers really delivers a very impressive release here with “To The Arctic”.  The release comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet digital streaming copy.  But wait there is more, the film was released in 3D in theaters, so there is a bonus Blu-ray 3D included as well.  I enjoyed the 3D version quite a bit but luckily it is one of those films that can be enjoyed either way without loosing too much. I have to admit though, I really loved the underwater scenes in 3D. Very breathtaking.  The 1080p transfer looks very sharp within its 1.78:1 aspect ratio, I would have loved to see them keep the IMAX aspect ratio for this Blu-ray though. The DTS-HD Master Audio works perfectly with the music, especially Paul McCartney’s tunes! You will find yourself turning the volume to 11 and jamming out!

The special features are good and to be honest I am impressed they even had extras.  But with a documentary film, I am always interested in the behind-the-scenes. There are a four featurettes included to round out this release. The first is “A  Polar Bear Family” and takes a closer look at the stars of the film.  “To The Arctic with Meryl Streep” is a chat with the actresses and narrator of the film.  “The Challenge of Filming in the Arctic” is exactly what it sounds like.  I give these guys a lot of credit for their work. The last is called “Welcome to the Arctic”, which takes us on a journey through the frozen part of our world.  Lastly, there is a trailer included. I would have loved to see a few of these available in 3D as well since they were obviously shot in 3D like the film itself.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 3d, arctic, bluray, imax, review

Film Review "Admission"

Starring: Tina Fey, Paul Rudd and Lily Tomlin
Directed by: Paul Weitz
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 57 mins
Focus Features

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

I can hear the pitch: take two of the funniest people in Hollywood, put them in the same movie and put a few punch lines in the trailer. What’s the catch? Oh, it’s not a comedy.

In my imagination this is how the new film “Admission” came about. While it does have its humorous moments it’s really a film about love and life and what we must give up to seem happy to others. I think.

Portia Nathan (Fey) is an admittance officer at prestigious Princeton University. While preparing to screen applicants for the class of 2016 she receives a phone call from a former college mate of hers named John Pressman (Rudd). John has started his own “new age” school and asks Portia to stop by to address his students interested in secondary education. Portia has no intention of doing so but a mis-guiding GPS sends her down the dirt road to the school. There she is introduced to Jeremiah (Nat Wolff). He’s quite intelligent, Paul tells Portia. And he might also be your son! (Cue the loud music: BUM! BUM! BUM!

If there is one word to sum up the film…it’s FLAT. There are occasional emotional moments but all in all you really don’t end up caring for these characters. Which is a shame because I know the actors are trying. Both Fey and Rudd are strong actors who generally make things better when they show up on screen. But here they only manage to make things tolerable. Rudd’s John is all over the map…sad, funny, romantic but never deciding which guy he wants to be. He’s well meaning (heck, he’s the father of a 12 year old Ugandan boy he adopted while working in the country). Fey is similar. She purports to be a strong minded administrator but she’s really an emotional wreck. Thankfully Lily Tomlin shows up occasionally to give the film whatever life it has. The script was adapted from a novel but I can’t imagine the book (or the characters in it) being this un-interesting.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: admission, film, review

Film Review "Olympus Has Fallen"

Starring: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs
Film District

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

It’s a snowy night at Camp David. President Asher (Eckhart) is currently in the ring, sparring with his main Secret Service man, Mike Banning (Butler). Later that evening the president, his wife (Ashley Judd) and son (Finley Jacobsen) will leave for a party and get into an accident, one that leaves Mike having to choose whether to save the president or the first lady. Sorry, ma’am. Tales, you lose. Eighteen months later Mike finds himself riding a desk at the Treasury Department, no longer a part of the presidential detail. But an attack on the president soon brings Mike back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Directed with maximum impact, “Olympus Has Fallen” could easily be pitched as “Die Hard” in the White House. Not only because the film has some great action but because screenwriters Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt have borrowed several plot turns from the adventures of Mr. John McClane. As this is their first produced screenplay I can only think that in between writing sessions they wore down a VHS copy of “Die Hard” in the VCR. I would be giving away plot points to go any further but I urge you to watch “Olympus Has Fallen” and not say to yourself, “Hey, that’s just like in “Die Hard.”

Retread plot aside, what the film has going for it is a top notch director and a charismatic star (just like “Die Hard,” I might add). Director Fuqua, who guided Denzel Washington to an Oscar in “Training Day,” has a great eye for action and stages the initial attack on the nation’s capital with some breath-taking special effects. Butler, in growling “300” mode, kicks ass and takes names when he’s allowed to switch himself on and defend his commander in chief from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Except a couple of lazy screen writers.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: fallen, film, olympus, review

Book Review "The Art of Oz The Great and Powerful"

Author: Grant Curtis
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Disney Editions
Release Date: March 5, 2013

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When you watch “Oz: The Great and Powerful”, you literally drool at what a visual marvel this film is.  There is no denying why this film cost over $200 million dollars. So once watching it I knew that Disney would have to make an equally amazing “art of” book like they have so well done with their releases in the past. “The Art of Oz The Great and Powerful” though is a bit underwhelming. The first thing that I thought when I opened it is that is plays out more like a visual companion or “making of” book than it does an “art of” book. In terms of visual, it is quite impressive but in terms of art it falls a bit short overall.

This release is also a recent first for Disney to publish in paperback only.  The book though runs much cheaper at around $15 dollars but I still would prefer to pay a bit more and get a nice hardcover.  When I think of “Art of” book, I think of a high quality hardcover collectible. After a wonderful film like “Oz” was, I  feel like it really deserved a hardcover binding a little more more TLC, just sayin’. In terms of content though this book is in the right hands.  It is written by Grant Curtis, who is also the film’s executive producer and has worked with Raimi before on numerous other projects. He also authored “The Spider-Man Chronicles”, which was a very sharp book as well (despite how bad “Spider-Man 3” was).  I feel that he does a good job here with delivered interesting content and images but the book suffers from a general lack of love.

“The Art of Oz The Great and Powerful” focuses mostly on the production of the film and features some never-before-seen film stills, a little bit of concept art, all tied up with some nice interviews with the cast and crew. The artwork included was very environmental including the sets and locations.  Since the film is basically all CGI, I would have expected to be a very large plethora of art created by Disney’s talented artists in order to bring their visions to life.  I am sure there was but it is not represented here to the extent that I was hoping for. If you are looking for a look more into the filming process, then this might be the ticket to explore the wonderful land of Oz. I just felt like it was missing a bit of the magic that the film was filled with.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: art, book, great, oz, powerful, review, ...

Book Review "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II: Creatures and Characters"

Author: Daniel Falconer
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Harper Design
Release Date: April 9, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Last year when I reviewed Harper’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles – Art & Design”, I was blown away.  It was easily one of the best film companion book I had the privilege checking out last year. Click here to see our review. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II: Creatures and Characters” is another amazing book from WETA Workshop designer Daniel Falconer. My wife’s response was “Another one?” but from the moment I picked up the book, I was unable to put it down. There is so much amazing content in here that I can spend hours and hours looking it over. If you are a fan of “The Hobbit” or “The Lord of the Rings” series, this book is really a dream come true.

The first “Chronicles” focused broadly on the “Art & Design” from “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” with over 1,000 images of every aspect of the production from concept artwork to photographs and development paintings.  “Chronicles II” hones in a little bit and focuses specifically on the aspects of the “Creatures and Characters”.  Easily there is no stretching of content here there is enough to fill two books on these topics.  Here we get an additional 500+ previously unpublished photographs, behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders and film stills, which are absolutely breathtaking. We get a chance to go through “The Hobbit” species by species and character by character. If you like the Hobbit’s then you will enjoy the sections on everything from their accents to their feet to their ears were created.  Literally, every aspect is covered in this book. We don’t get stop as the Hobbit’s though, we get chapters on the Wizards, Dwarves, Trolls, Elves, Stone Giants, Goblins, Orcs, Beasts and of course we can’t forget Gollum.  Along with that we have exclusive interviews with the designers, cast and crew to accompany and describe these beautiful photos. 

I should also point out that “Chronicles II”, comes with a great send off from Andy Serkis.  He is so extremely talented and his work on this series, should be awarded. By the time you get to the end of the book and you think you are done…there is still more goodies including a special fold-out Character Size Chart. This chart takes a look at all the major creatures and characters of the film ranging from Radagast’s hedgehog friend to the towering Stone Giants! Like in the first “Chronicles”, Weta Workshop designer Daniel Falconer has access to these wonderful collection of images and really leave you just starring at the pages. You really get an inside look at how much work and hard labor really went into this film. It makes you have a new appreciation for the talented people involved. Harper really delivered these images in the highest possible quality as well as complete book presentation. I hope that they are planning the same thing for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again”, because I will be first in line.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, characters, chronicles, creatures, hobbit, ii, ...
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