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Blu-ray Review “Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection”

Directors: James Whale, Arthur Lubin, George Melford, Karl Freund, George Waggner, Jack Arnold
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Edward Van Sloan, Dwight Frye, Claude Rains, Colin Clive
Number of discs: 8
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Running Time: 644 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When it comes the the Classic Monsters, there is hands down nothing better in horror. It’s all starts from these films. This Essential Collection includes eight of Universal’s most popular monster films, including “Dracula” (1931), “Frankenstein” (1931), “The Wolf Man” (1932), “The Mummy” (1932), “The Invisible Man” (1933), “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935), “The Phantom of the Opera” (1943) and “Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954). These films have been digitally restored and released on Blu-Ray for the first time ever in this release. These are some of the most iconic films in history with creatures that are simply timeless. Of course Universal timed this release perfectly to compliment Halloween. And what better way to get in the mood for the holiday than enjoying these great films in beautiful in perfect high-definition picture and perfect high-definition sound for the first time ever.

This wonderful release not only comes packed with goodies but also looked fantastic. It is very sleek and sharp. The inner case holding the discs comes on nice stock and with beautiful art displaying for each film. Also included in the case is a collectible 48-page book, perfectly titled “The Original House of Horrors: Universal and a Monster Legacy”. This book features some really amazing behind-the-scenes photographs, original and foreign posters, trivia facts and much more. This year is the celebration of Universal’s 100th Anniversary and they just went all out on this release. Each classic monster film is also accompanied with a massive amount of bonus features. Also a major draw for myself included is the rarely seen “Drácula” [Spanish-language version], now also in high-def. But the disc that I rushed to put in first and watch has to be the 3D Blu-ray presentation of “Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954). This is the first time that this film has been released in 3D, since it’s original theatrical release. Wow, let me tell you I think this was worth the purchase alone.

When I put in the disc for “Dracula”, I have to admit I was rubbing my eyes since I was just blown away by its restoration. This film is 81 years old…81 years! The film look glorious on Blu-ray, I have seen films together that don’t even come close to this scale of greatness. The same is the case for the rest of the films as well, I seriously couldn’t find anything wrong with this restoration. Each film is presented in its 1080p transfer in full frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Each film also comes with a perfect DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. I couldn’t have wished for a more perfect audio presentation for these films. Universal has really put a lot of love into these since I believe that they are fans of these classics themselves and are doing it as fans. Trust me, they could have just plopped these films onto Blu-ray and you know that we still would have bought it, no questions. But with this release, you know you are really getting both quality and quantity. All fans of these classic films, should be left with their most open and their tongue rolling out at the screen.

Now let’s get to the massive amount of special features. Which are presented in a variety of formats including 1080i/p and 480i/p. They are also mostly include a Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track, “Dracula” and “Creature” also include a DTS-HD Master Audio track for the extras. The extras on “Dracula” are easily the spotlight (if you don’t count “Creature” in 3D as an extra). “Dracula: The Restoration” is a new featurette available for the first time and it is amazing to watch how this film was done. The 1931 Spanish version of “Dracula” comes with an introduction by Lupita Tovar Kohner. There are also three other featurettes covering this production and legacy including “The Road to Dracula”, “Lugosi: The Dark Prince” and “Dracula Archives”. I really enjoyed watching the film with the “Monster Tracks: Interactive Pop-Up Facts About the Making of Dracula”. There is an extra focusing on the brilliant Score by Philip Glass performed by the Kronos Quartet. If you are of a fan of commentary tracks, this contains two completely different angles. The first is with Film Historian David J. Skal and the second is with Steve Haberman, Screenwriter of Dracula: Dead and Loving It. Lastly we get a trailer gallery, which closes the extras for “Dracula”.

Next up is “Frankenstein” and it also delivers some really great features. First off we have “100 Years Of Universal: Restoring the Classics”, focusing on the companies plan to restore and release numerous films this year. There are also a bunch of great featurettes including “The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster”, “Karloff: The Gentle Monster”, a look into the world of “Universal Horror” and lastly “Frankenstein Archives”. Like “Dracula” there is also a great “Monster Tracks: Interactive Pop-Up Facts About The Making of Frankenstein”. Boo!: A Short Film, which is comedy directed and written by Albert DeMond. It contains clips of famous horror films including The Cat Creeps (1930), Frankenstein (1931) and Nosferatu (1922). There are two very interesting and details audio commentaries with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer and Historian Sir Christopher Frayling. Lastly we get a trailer gallery.

The Mummy” follows the similar path of the others as well. First off we have “100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era”, which I highly recommend. There are also a bunch of great featurettes including “Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed”, “He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce”, “Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy” and lastly “The Mummy Archives”. These featurettes were among some of my favorites. “The Mummy” also includes two of the best audio commentaries with Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns and Brent Armstrong and also Film Historian Paul M. Jensen. Lastly we get a trailer gallery.

The Invisible Man” includes the only two featurettes. The first one is the only one specifically aimed at the production, “Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed”. There is also “100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters”. There are Production Photographs, which are a must to view. There is also only one audio commentary with Film Historian Rudy Behlmer. Overall this film included the least features but still some good content. “Bride of Frankenstein” includes two featurettes including “She’s Alive! Creating The Bride of Frankenstein” and “The Bride of Frankenstein Archive”. It also included a duplicate from the “Frankenstein” extras “100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics”. There is also a commentary track with Scott MacQueen and a trailer gallery.

Are you tired yet of special features? Besides we are just getting started, with next up “The Wolf Man”. First off we have “100 Years of Universal: The Lot”, this shows the lots in the good ‘ole days. There are also a bunch of great featurettes including “Monster by Moonlight”, “The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth”, “Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.”, “He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce” and lastly “The Wold Man Archives”. These are some really quality featurettes and left me howling (What…too much?). “The Wolf Man” also includes an audio commentary track Film Historian Tom Weaver. Lastly we again end with a trailer gallery.

“Phantom of the Opera” has always been a favorite creature of mine. I have always loved the makeup in this film. There is one featurette for this film “The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked”, which is good enough for me. There is also some Production Photographs, liked “The Invisible Man” and a repeat for “100 Years of Universal: The Lot” from “The Wolf Man”. There is also a commentary track with Film Historian Scott MacQueen and a theatrical trailer included. Last up but not least is “Creature from the Black Lagoon”. This includes both the 2D and 3D versions of the film There is also one featurette “Back to The Black Lagoon” and a repeat from the previous two “100 Years of Universal: The Lot”. There are also Production Photographs, an audio commentary track with Film Historian Tom Weaver and Trailer Gallery included.

There is not much more that you can ask for…except maybe to release now a Blu-ray restored collection of all of these films classic sequels. Some greats are “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” (1943), “House of Frankenstein (1944)”, “The Mummy’s Tomb” (1942), “The Mummy’s Curse” (1944), “The Invisible Man Returns” (1940), “The Invisible Man’s Revenge” (1944)”, “Revenge of the Creature” (1955) and yes even “The Creature Walks Among Us” (1956). I also just realized that “The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)” is missing, so maybe a second Essential Collection might should in the cards! Fingers crossed.

Film Review “Trade of Innocents”

Directed by: Christopher Bessette
Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino, John Billingsley
Distributed by Monterey Media
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 91 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Trade of Innocents” is a rare gem that will probably not be seen by many but it really deserves mainstream shot. The film contains some really amazing performances from Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino and John Billingsley. Billingsley gives one his most intense and impressive performances to date. The film is very well shot and will directed by Christopher Bessette. The film is action packed and very suspenseful, as well as very dramatic. The content is a very difficult topic, dealing with human trafficking with young children but it really delivers from beginning to end. The running time tops just 90 minutes and I think that works in advantage for this film gives it just enough time to tell its story. Do not miss out on this film, it is one of 2012’s hidden gem and award worthy performances.

The film follows Alex Becker (Mulroney) and Claire Becker (Sorvino) who are both dealing with the loss of their young daughter. Alex is working in Southeast Asia in order to infiltrate the human trafficking and plays to expose the people behind it. Malcolm Eddery (Billingsley) finds himself as the main target, since he is looking for young girls and has the money to spend. As the couple find themselves being pulled together deeper and deeper into the lives of local girls, who lives are affected and threatened due to sex slave drives. With parallels stories and throughout twists and turns “Trade of Innocents”, takes us through the dangerous world of human trafficking.

Since the film is based on true events, the inspiration came from a personal experience of the director, Christopher Bessette, and the producers Bill and Laurie Bolthouse experiences during their trips to Phnom Penh. This is brutally raw and unsettling but also very true and needs to be addressed. If this film makes you upset and uncomfortable, then I feel that it is doing its job well. Monterey Media is a notable distributor this year releasing a lot of great films, also like Famke Jannsen’s “Bringing Up Bobby”. I know this is just a film but I hope that it will bring the public’s notice to become more aware of the issue and work to fight human trafficking.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, innocents, review, trade

Blu-ray Review “The Barrens”

Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Actors: Stephen Moyer, Mia Kirshner, Erik Knudsen, Allie MacDonald, Shawn Ashmore
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: October 9, 2012
Run Time: 97 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman is known best for this work “Saw II-IV”. I am not sure why his films seem to get no respect. “Repo! The Genetic Opera” tanked in theaters, but is now a cult classic. “Mother’s Day” was also great and never even made it to theaters. “The Devil Carnival” was only in theaters since it was completely self-funded. You would think that “The Barrens” would be different especially with a cast like Stephen Moyer (“True Blood” and Mia Kirshner (“The Vampire Diaries”). The film focuses on the legend of the Jersey Devil and does take a while to get started but once it does it delivers in terms of horror.

Official Premise: It’s known as the Jersey Devil, the winged beast spawned 400 years ago by Satan himself. Some say this creature still inhabits the dense pine forests of southern New Jersey, where Richard Vineyard (Stephen Moyer, True Blood) takes his family for a rustic weekend camping trip. As the Vineyard family ventures further into the woods in search of the perfect campsite, Richard teeters on the edge of sanity. And it seems that the blood-crazed demon called The Jersey Devil may no longer be just a myth.

This release comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD disc. The 1080p transfer doesn’t really break the barriers of the format but did look sharp and clear. The audio track works well with its Dolby TrueHD 5.1. The special features are nothing special either. There is a decent audio commentary with Writer/Director Darren Lynn Bousman and Director of Photography Joseph White. Besides that there is only a deleted scene left for the extras.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: barrens, bluray, review

Blu-ray Review “Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender”

Actors: Freddie Mercury
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Run Time: 107 minutes

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

Freddie Mercury is one of those musicians that had such an amazing personality and yet also had this very different side to him besides his persona in Queen. “Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender” is a rare documentary that really does deep into this career and gets you to know the real Freddie Mercury. The film is packed with amazing archival interview footage. His interviews are slightly awkward but that just adds to the mystery behind his character. If you are Queen fan, you don’t need me to tell you how you need to see this. This is highly recommended.

Official Premise: Created by the same team behind last year’s widely acclaimed “Queen: Days of Our Lives” BBC documentary, “The Great Pretender” in similar vein presents a compelling insight into its subject matter, unearthing previously undiscovered or rarely seen footage and presented for the first time in High Definition. Produced and directed by Rhys Thomas, the programme uses extensive archive footage to reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie’s life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen, including rare interviews with Freddie, concerts, video shoots and personal material, much of it being seen for the first time, along with newly filmed contributions from fellow Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen manager Jim Beach, soprano Montserrat Caballé, composers David Arnold and Mike Moran, lyricist Tim Rice, comedian and lifelong fan Matt Lucas and many more.

Eagle Rock Entertainment is the company behind this release and behind most great music releases. The video quality only is presented with its 1080i transfer, like most Eagle Rock releases. There are mixed aspect ratios ranging from 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 for the interview and concert footage. So don’t expect full HD for the archival footage. The audio track included a solid LPCM 2.0 track, which works well with the music and dialogue. The special features included are also decent. “Freddie Mercury Goes Solo” is from a April 1985 interview discussing first solo album. There is an extended interview with Montserrat Caballé, with subtitles, about her work with Mercury. Lastly there is “Making Barcelona: Special Edition 2012” showcases Stuart Morley as he tries to re-created the original album.

Blu-ray Review “American Horror Story: The Complete First Season”

Created by: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk
Actors: Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Taissa Farmiga, Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Kate Mara.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Rated TV-MA
Release Date: Sep 25, 2012
Running Time: 534 minutes

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

When I first saw a promo for “American Horror Story”, I thought to myself that it was going to be absolutely amazing but not going to last. Before shows like “The Walking Dead”, horror does not have a good track record. To my surprise this show became one of the best shows of last year. It was nominated for 17 Emmy’s and brought Jessica Lange home a Golden Globe. Well it really did deserve it…every bit of it. This show is really sharp writing, fantastic acting and really sticks with you after watching each episode. It there is a definition of must-see TV, this is it.

Official Premise: Brace yourself for an addictive thrill ride! American Horror Story is TV’s most original new drama, a deeply stylish psychosexual haunt devised to keep you on the edge of your seat. The Harmon’s (Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton) fresh start in a new home deviously twists to reveal discoveries of love, sex and murderous revenge. Featuring a Golden Globe-winning performance by Jessica Lange, Season 1 scares up a host of engrossing extras.

The Blu-ray presentation of the the show delivers, thanks to 20th Century Fox. The three-disc set presents the show in 1080p transfers with its 1.78:1 broadcast aspect ratio, as well as it’s very effective DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. The music and score in the film is just as haunting as the show itself and it plays well on this release. The show was in HD on TV but only 1080i (and if you ever DVRed the show, it would be lower), so this is a nice upgrade from broadcast to high-def TV.

The special features are great but could have used just a little more umph. They add up to over sixty minutes of additional content, but luckily all of it is actually impressive. ?There is a commentary track on the pilot episode by Ryan Murphy, must listen for fans. There is a tour of the “The Murder House” presented by Eternal Darkness Tours of Hollywood, good for a laugh. Then there are four very in-depth behind-the-scenes featurettes including “Behind the Fright: The Making of American Horror Story”, “On the Set of American Horror Story Season One”, “Overture to Horror: Creating the Title Sequence” and “Out of the Shadows: Meet the House Ghosts”. I liked learning about the ideas that went into the show’s creation and hearing from all the cast/crew about their experiences. I think if you are a fan of this show this release is going to leave you very satisfied and at least hold you off until season two begins this Fall.

Film Review “10 Years”

Starring: Channing Tatum, Justin Long and Rosario Dawson
Directed by: Jamie Linden
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hr 40 mins
Anchor Bay

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In what is sure to be remembered as “the year of Channing Tatum,” a smaller budgeted film he did last year (it played the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival) is finally seeing the light of day. That film is “10 Years” and it is, surprisingly, an intimate look at a group of young adults who return to their home town for their 10th Anniversary high school reunion.

The plot is fairly simple, if not occasionally clichéd. There is the big man on campus (Tatum) with his new girl (Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Channing’s real life wife) in tow. One of the gang has become a famous singer while another boasts of his cool life in New York City. And then there’s the former bully who is determined to make amends to all he picked on in the past Of course the BMOC is just there to see if his old flame, the former Big Girl on Campus, has shown up. The singer is encouraged to sing his hit song, which alerts the girl he wrote it for of his true feelings for her…apparently she’d never heard the song when it was a hit. And the bully (Chris Pratt)… no matter how hard he tries to make amends the old adage is true – once an ass always an ass. This tale and other similar stories are quickly brought to the forefront. Thank goodness for young and talented actors.

Most of the cast are unknowns making a small independent film. But the talented ones in “10 Years” are the names and faces you know. This is another in a string of bravura performances from Channing Tatum. Coupled with “the one that got away,” he says a quick hello to the others while worrying himself sick if he’s made the right choice with his latest lady friend. Solid work also by Long, Pratt and, most notably, Lynn Collins, whose Anna is the most deeply explored character in the film.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: 10, film, review, years

Film Review “Looper”

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt and Bruce Willis
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 58 mins
Tri Star Pictures

2 out of 5 stars

Have you ever had one of those “what the hell was that” moments? I had one tonight as I tried to figure out what happened to the two hours I spent watching the new film “Looper.”

Kansas in the year 2044. As someone who lives there in the present day I’m kind of upset to see that it doesn’t really change much three decades from now. We come across Joe (Gordon-Levitt) standing in a field. A few yards away is a plastic tarp spread out on the ground. He checks his watch. Suddenly, a bound and kneeling figure appears. BOOM! A quick blast with his shotgun and Joe has made his money. Joe is a Looper.

Kind of a reverse-“Terminator” without any of James Cameron’s wit (or wisdom), “Looper” informs us that, 30 years into the future, time travel will have been invented. Of course, it will also be outlawed. And, like the bumper stickers say, when you outlaw time travel only outlaws WILL time travel. The guy who just popped by in the field had been sent back from the future by the underworld kingpin that controls the future. This way the body is disposed in the past with no one in the future any more the wiser. Confused? Good, I thought it was just me. Anyway, the Looper kills his mark, and then receives his pay in silver bars, which he cashes in. Occasionally the Looper will discover the dead guy comes with gold bars. Sadly, this means the Looper has just killed his future self. It also means he’s free to go live his life how he wants for the next 30 years until…well, you know. When Joe realizes that he has to kill his future self (Willis, who will from here on in be known as Old Joe) he balks, allowing Old Joe to escape. Now it’s a battle of Joe vs Joe, and may the best Joe win!

A clever premise that somehow got lost in translation from page to screen, “Looper” tries to be a little bit of everything. Time Travel picture…lost love story…Tarantino-esque dark comedy. The problem is that it tries to be all of those at the same time. Gordon-Levitt does a fine job here as the smooth killer facing a tough decision. Through the magic of CGI, Joe resembles what Hollywood thinks Bruce Willis look like, which is a cross between Sean Connery (1964) and Marlon Brando from “On the Waterfront.” Willis is fine, basically playing himself, and Blunt has some good scenes as a young mother with a secret. However, all of the hard work is lost in the plot and stilted in the direction, both of which were contributed by Rian Johnson.

Concert Review: Kiss, Motley Crue, The Treatment “The Tour”  Darien Center, NY

“The Tour”
Kiss, Motley Crue, The Treatment
Date: Saturday, September 15th 2012
Venue: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The 2012 Darien Lake concert series came to a thunderous close on Saturday, September 15th as “The Tour” featuring Kiss, Motley Crue and The Treatment performed to a near capacity crowd. As fans of all ages many adorned in Kiss makeup gradually filled the venue the UK hard rock band The Treatment took to the stage and performed songs of their debut release “This Might Hurt”. The band had a really great sound and was full of energy. It’s always great to see up and coming bands on these larger tours come out and really give it their all and The Treatment did just that.

The kings of the sunset strip, Motley Crue were up next and proceeded to make an entrance like no other. Clad in hooded robes, masks and with scantily clad girls on their shoulders members of the band made their way through the crowd before walking up onto the stage. This seemed to really catch the crowd off guard and helped set the stage for the bands performance. Each song in the set was accompanied by pyro, water cannons, arial performers and at one point Tommy Lees very own roller coaster. These things all sound great on paper but at times during the show there seemed to be just too much going on which I felt took something away from the music. Vince Neil’s limited movement due to an injury sustained a few nights before requiring him to wear a walking cast didn’t seem to hurt the bands performance but it surely wasn’t helping. At times the members seemed distant and uninterested in each other. At the start of “Home Sweet Home” several sour notes rang out over the crowd and though the band quickly recovered you could surely tell each member was on a different page.

Kiss closed out the night performing a 13 song greatest hits set dressed in their iconic make up and signature platform boots. Though the set list was made up mostly of classic Kiss gems the band did
perform one new song. “Hell or Hallelujah” the first song to be released off the upcoming album titled “Monster” gave a little bit of fresh air to a set list which has gone relatively unchanged since the 1996 Reunion tour. The band sounded great and despite my extreme dislike for current members wearing past members make up the band looked just as good. Even though I would liked to have seen some different songs make their way in to the set it’s still always good to hear the classics performed live and loud!

With “The Tour” wrapping up just a few remaining dates in September I will be very curious to see what each of the bands have in store for the coming months. It would be great to once again see what each of these bands can do on their own separate headlining tours.

Kiss Set List
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Shout it Out Loud
3. I Love it Loud
4. Firehouse
5. Hell or Hallelujah
6. War Machine
7. Shock Me
8. God of Thunder
9. Love Gun
10. Lick it Up
11. Black Diamond
12. Calling Dr. Love
13. Rock and Roll All Night

Motley Crue Set List:
1. Saints of Los Angeles
2. Wild Side
3. Shout at the Devil
4. Same Ol’ Situation
5. Sex
6. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
7. Home Sweet Home
8. Live Wire
9. Primal Scream
10. Dr. Feelgood
11. Girls, Girls, Girls,
12. Kickstart My Heart

The Treatment Set List:
1. Drink, Fuck, Fight
2. World on Fire
3. Get the Party On
4. I Fear Nothing
5. The Doctor
6. Departed
7. Nothing to Lose But Our Minds
8.) Shake the Mountain

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: center, concert, crue, darien, kiss, motley, ...

DVD Review “Steel Panther: British Invasion”

Directed by: Daniel E Catullo III
Starring: Steel Panther
Guitar Anarchy Studios
Mixing: Jay Ruston
Rated: N/A
Concert Feature: 90 min
Special Features: 60 min

Our Score: Concert- 4 out of 5 stars
Special Features- 5 out of 5 stars

“British Invasion” is the long awaited DVD/Blu-Ray release from the spandex clad band Steel Panther. Release dates for this film go back as far as March of 2010 however the wait is finally over. There are two versions of the film being released in the U.S. on Oct. 22nd with the first being a 2 disc DVD version that will have the concert and special features on two separate discs along with a 16 page color booklet. The Blu-Ray release of the film will feature all of the same material and packaging but contained on a single disc. Shot on location in London, England at the famous Brixton Academy director Daniel E Catullo III (Nickelback, Rush, Godsmack) does a great job capturing all the hairspray filed hijinx as the concert was shot on 16 HD cameras which give the film a really stunning look.

I have been waiting patiently since the first announcements of this DVD were released over 2 years ago so when I finally received the Blu-Ray version of the film for review I couldn’t wait to see what was in store. Satchel, Michael, Lexxi and Stix deliver with every song and cheesy choreographed dance move as they make their way through the 90+ minute set shot during one of their sold out shows at London’s Brixton Academy. Lots of jokes and scantily clad women fill in the empty spaces making this a hysterical watching experience. At times the music does seems a bit too crisp and clean for a live recording however it’s not enough where it distracted my attention. The only other negative I could really find was that because of the film being shot during the highly successful “Feel the Steel” tour the set does not include any songs from the group’s latest release “Balls Out”. However the band does a good job making up for that during the bonus features.

The Special Features portion of the disc was chocked to the brim with over 60 minutes of bonus material. The first is a hysterical 40 minute documentary which takes you behind the scenes of the band known as Steel Panther. Next is a video of the bands performance from this year’s Download Festival which not only features performances of “Just Like Tiger Woods” and “17 Girls in a Row” both off of the “Balls Out” album but a very special guest vocal performance by Corey Taylor of Slipknot on the bands song “Death to All But Metal”. Closing out this portion of the disc are several deleted scenes that even though were obviously staged still managed to garner a number of laughs.

Great laughs and great music is what you find on Steel Panther’s “British Invasion”. So do yourself a favor. Pick up a copy of this film, tuck the little ones away for the night and get prepared to ROCK!!!

Main DVD:
1.) Eyes of a Panther
2.) Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’
3.) Fat Girl
4.) Hair Solo
5.) Party All Day
6.) Hell’s on Fire
7.) Stripper Girl
8.) Asian Hooker
9.) Turn Out the Lights
10.) Girl From Oklahoma
11.) We Want Pussy
12.) Community Property
13.) The Shocker
14.) Death to All But Metal

Bonus Disc:
40 Min. Documentary
Deleted Scenes

Download Festival 2012:
1.) Supersonic Sex Machine
2.) Community Property
3.) Just Like Tiger Woods
4.) 17 Girls in a Row
5.) Death to All But Metal (Feat. Corey Taylor)

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: british, dvd, invasion, panther, review, steel, ...

CD Review: The Casualties “Resistance”

The Casualties
“Resistance”
Seasons of Mist
Tracks: 15

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Resistance” is the latest release from NYC punk band The Casualties. The album is the bands 9th full length release and is the follow up to the bands popular 2009 release “We Are All We Have”. “Resistance” is being released via Seasons of Mist and features 15 brand new tracks.

Reagan Era angst meets 2012 as The Casualties continue the tradition of early eighties punk rock. Though the band didn’t form until 1990 their goal has always been to carry on with the punk sound they grew up with. “Resistance” picks up where the bands last album “We Are All We Have” left off and comes screaming right out of the gate. Vocalist Jorge Herrera’s rapid, raspy style of singing gives each of the tracks on the album just the right amount of intensity without going overboard. The album’s title track “Resistance” is a catchy sing along punk rock anthem while tracks like “It’s Coming Down on You” and “Voice of the Outcast” are packed full of thought provoking lyrics that poke and prod at a number of different topics.

“Resistance” had just about everything I look for in a good punk album. Though a lot of the songs have similar gang type choruses it wasn’t enough to make me dislike the album. Since 1990 the band has come a long way with their sound while still staying true to their original vision. “Resistance” is a fun, energetic album with a message that fits in perfectly during an election year.

Track Listing:
1.) My Blood. My Life. Always Forward.
2.) Behind Barbed Wire
3.) Resistance
4.) Modern Day Slaves
5.) Warriors on the Road
6.) South East Asian Rebels
7.) Morality Police
8.) Brick Wall Justice
9.) Always Walk Alone
10.) Constant Struggle
11.) It’s Coming Down On You
12.) Life on the Line
13.) No Hope
14.) Corazones Intoxicados
15.) Voice of the Outcast

CD Review: Green Day “Uno!”

Green Day
“Uno!”
Reprise Records
Producer: Rob Cavallo/Green Day
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Uno!” is the 9th and latest studio release from the East Bay punk/pop band Green Day. The album is also the first in a trilogy of albums by the band that will be released over the course of a few months. “Uno!” is being released via Reprise Records and features 12 new songs produced by Rob Cavallo (Alanis Morissette, Kid Rock) and Green Day.

Two parts “Dookie” and two parts “21st Century Breakdown” would be the best way to describe the latest release from Bay area rockers Green Day. The first in a series of albums titled “Uno!”, “Dos!” and “Tre!” the album features a much more scaled back sound very reminiscent of earlier Green Day albums. Gone are the themed rock-opera layouts which accompanied the bands previous two release and with the help of veteran producer Rob Cavallo the band sounds better than ever. From catchy radio friendly tunes like “Stay the Night” and “Sweet 16” to the edgier “Let Yourself Go” the band covers all the bases. I really enjoyed the album however I could have done without the song “Kill the DJ”. The composition of the song just doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the songs and did nothing more than disrupt the albums flow.

With “Uno!” yielding a number of great tracks I can’t wait to hear what will be included on the next two albums. Though I think the band is taking a bit of a risk doing 3 separate releases I wouldn’t expect anything less from a band with an album titled “Dookie” to their credit. “Uno!” does a great job showcasing the bands progression while still containing that classic Green Day sound and style.

Track Listing:
1.) Nuclear Family
2.) Stay the Night
3.) Carpe Diem
4.) Let Yourself Go
5.) Kill the DJ
6.) Fell For You
7.) Loss of Control
8.) Troublemaker
9.) Angel Blue
10.) Sweet 16
11.) Rusty James
12.) Oh Love

DVD Review “12 Dogs of Christmas: Great Puppy Rescue”

Directed by: Kieth Merrill
Actors: Danielle Chuchran, D.B. Sweeney, Sean Patrick Flanery
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 9, 2012
Run Time: 102 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

I saw the first “12 Dogs of Christmas” on TV a few years ago. I wouldn’t really call it a holiday classic but it was cute. I was assuming the same would happen with this sequel. This really has that ABC Family/Lifetime TV movie quality. It is cute but really doesn’t feel like much of a Christmas film until the end, which is a little too late for me. I wish they would have focused more time around the musical event and less on basketball games etc. This is also said to be “song-filled”, that isn’t really the case. To be honest this is best served a rental or just watch on cable TV.

Synopsis: The dogs of Doverville are in trouble again…but Emma O’Connor (Danielle Churchran) is back to save them in a song-filled, seasonal extravaganza. Mean-spirited mogul Finneas James (Sean Patrick Flaner) plots to shut down the local puppy orphanage, unless Emma can come up with the money to save it. With the help of some friends, she races against time to put together a musical holiday event that might just save the day.

The special features are not bad for a glorified TV movie. They include five featurettes which go behind-the-scenes and up close with the puppies. The first is “Whats Your Favorite Dog?” with the cast and crew discuss their personal favorite. “Behind 12 Dogs of Christmas” looks into the production. “Working With Writer//Director Kieth Merrill” features the cast chatting about their experience on the film. “The Basketball Game Sequence” and “The Christmas Finale” go in-depth into how those scenes were done.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 12, christmas, dogs, dvd, great, puppy, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Hole”

Director: Joe Dante
Starring: Haley Bennett, Chris Massoglia, Nathan Gamble, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern, Quinn Lord
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Big Air
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Run Time: 92 minutes

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

Firstly, let me start off that I am very disappointed that this film was not released on 3D Blu-ray. The film was shot back in 2009 and was never released in the US until now. It is available on 3D Blu-ray in other countries but not US. The film itself was even shot in 3D, which only adds insult to injury. Joe Dante is known for creating such amazing films as “Gremlins” series, “Innerspace” and “The “Burbs”. This film is a great combination of horror and comedy. Even though it is PG-13, there is still a few great spooks and suspense. I am not sure why this was shelved so long, but this film screams classic Joe Dante and is a must for all fans of his work. Keep an eye out for regulars like Dick Miller, as well.

SYNOPSIS: From director Joe Dante comes a 3D thriller that explores the fears and secrets buried deep within the human mind. After moving into a new neighborhood, brothers Dane and Lucas, along with their neighbor Julie, discover a bottomless hole in the basement of their home. They find that once the hole is exposed, evil is unleashed. With strange shadows lurking around every corner and nightmares coming to life, they are forced to come face to face with their darkest fears to put an end to the mystery of THE HOLE.

The release itself doesn’t come in 3D but it does come in a combo pack with a standard Blu-ray and DVD of the film. The 1080p transfer of the film does look very nice though. I would have loved the seen the last 15 minutes in 3D, which probably would have benefited much more. The audio is also impressive with its DTS-HD Master Audio track. The special features included are decent as well but would have loved to see a commentary track. There are two featurettes which expand deeper into the film with “The Keyholder” and “Relationships (Family Matters)”. There is also two Behind the Scenes extras the first going a “A Peek Inside The Hole”, definitely recommend and the other looks into the production with “The Making of The Hole”. Lastly there are movie stills included.

Film Review “Hollow”

Directed by: Michael Axelgaard
Starring: Emily Plumtree, Sam Stockman, Jessica Ellerby, Matt Stokoe
Distributed by: Tribeca Film
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 85 minutes

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

Unlike many, I am a big fan of the horror found-footage genre. “Hollow” has a cool story but really drags it feet getting started. The film spends the first hour getting warmed up and never really gets off and running. “Hollow” claims to be horror film but the only thing horroric is having to sit through this waiting for something to happen. If you are got time to burn and nothing better to do, this film is here but don’t expect since this film is quite hollow (Oh burn!).

Synopsis: An old monastery in a small, remote village in Suffolk, England has been haunted by a local legend for centuries. Left in ruin and shrouded by the mystery of a dark spirit that wills young couples to suicide, the place has been avoided for years, marked only by a twisted, ancient tree with an ominous hollow said to be the home of great evil. When four friends on holiday explore the local folklore, they realize that belief in a myth can quickly materialize into reality, bringing horror to life for the town.

Since the film is shot using handhelds there really isn’t much production value here at all. A film about a evil spirits around a haunted tree, I was hoping for something really cool here but alas let waiting. The acting is not bad but you can tell that they are all newcomers. I watch a lot of horror and I actually went to turn this off a few times throughout its short 90 or so minutes. If you are looking for a film with great scares be sure to check our “Grave Encounters 2”, also from Tribeca Film.

Blu-ray Review “Lone Wolf and Cub: Complete 6-Film Collection”

Director(s): Kenji Misumi, Buichi Saito, Yoshiyuki Kuroda
Actors: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa
Distributed by: AnimEigo
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Running Time: 507 minutes

Films: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

Animeigo delivers once again in 2012. They are releasing “Lone Wolf and Cub: Complete 6-Film Collection” in its original unedited, uncut presentation, which have also been remastered on HD from new prints. To top things off they are in their original Japanese language with English subtitles. Included in the set will be 1972′s “Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance”, 1972′s “Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx”, 1972′s “Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades”, 1972′s “Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril”, 1973′s “Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons” and 1974′s “Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell”.

Earlier this year, Animeigo released “Shogun Assassin – 5 Film Collector’s Edition” which included the “Shogun Assassin”, “Shogun Assassin 2: Lightning Swords of Death”, “Shogun Assassin 3: Slashing Blades of Carnage”, “Shogun Assassin 4: Five Fistfuls Of Gold” and “Shogun Assassin 5: Cold Road to Hell”. They were cut together from The “Lone Wolf and Cub” series and presented only in English dub. The “Lone Wolf and Cub” release is a much better way to view these film, no question.

These films show their age a little bit in their high-def transfers but I feel that any noise on these films just add texture to the films themselves. Since they have been completely reconstructed from new prints, overall the 1080p 2.35:1 transfer looks sharp. The audio included is the original Japanese LPCM mono tracks, which is actually a great thing and work very well with these. The special features are…well…there really isn’t any. There are some production notes and trailers but that is all. Lastly, the case presentation is also not as nice as the release for “Shogun Assassin – 5 Film Collector’s Edition”. But nonetheless, hardcore fans of the “Baby Cart” series are going to need to get this release.

Here are the official premises for each of the six-films:
“Sword of Vengeance”: Betrayed by the fiendish Yagyu, Ogami Itto and his son begin their bloody journey towards revenge. Their first commission: to save the life of a Daimyo and kill the traitors and ronin that plot his death.

“Baby Cart at the River Styx”: The Evil Yagyu Retsudo sets a band of deadly female Ninja on Ogami’s trail. Meanwhile, Ogami must kill a traitor who seeks to sell a Clan’s secrets to the Shogun — a traitor guarded by three men known as “The Gods of Death!”

“Baby Cart to Hades”: After undergoing torture to demonstrate his honor and buy the freedom of a girl about to be forced into a life of prostitution, Ogami is hired by his very-impressed torturers to kill a corrupt governor. The governor figures out he’s the target when Ogami turns down the governor’s own commission, and the body-count soon starts rising to monumental proportions!

“Baby Cart in Peril”: Ogami is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin, but the job is not as straightforward as it seems. Meanwhile, Gunbei Yagyu, disgraced by Ogami in a duel before the Shogun, happens upon Ogami’s son Daigoro, and sees his chance for revenge. In the end, Ogami will have to defeat a horde of Yagyu warriors before he can face his arch enemy, Retsudo Yagyu!

“Baby Cart in the Land of Demons”: 5 warriors challenge Ogami to duels. Each has 1/5th of his usual fee, and 1/5 of the information he needs to complete his new assignment. Ogami has to be skillful enough to not only kill them, but kill them in such a way as to allow them to tell him what he needs to know, or he’s not the man for the job. His mission is to kill a mad Daimyo before he destroys his clan — a Daimyo guarded by a legion sworn to give their lives in his defense, even though they’ve just hired Ogami to kill their master!

“White Heaven in Hell”: The final film, and the final confrontation between Ogami and Retsudo. With most of his family already dead at Ogami’s hands, Retsudo launches one last plot to destroy him, and when that fails, unleashes the fury of every remaining member of the Yagyu Clan. Outnumbered 5000 to 1, Ogami might be in a little over his head (and thus, lose it!) this time!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 6film, bluray, collection, complete, cub, lone, ...

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