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Blu-ray Review “The Founder”

Actors: Michael Keaton, Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson
Directors: John Lee Hancock
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 18, 2017
Run Time: 115 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

There is one reason why I saw this film Michael Keaton. I do not eat McDonald’s and I am generally not a fan of bio-pics but this one drew me in. Other than Keaton, this film has a stand up cast including Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson, Laura Dern and also John Carroll Lynch, Nick Offerman, who were simply outstanding. I am not one of steal a quote but when I left this screening the first time I saw it someone walked out and said “Keaton’s best villain role since “Beetlejuice”” and I cannot say it better than that! This film ended up being out of my favorites from 2016. Must see!

Official Premise: The Founder features the true story of how Ray Kroc (Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. Writer Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) details how Kroc maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire.

“The Founder” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy included. There are four featurettes included in the special features look at the story, Keaton’s role, the original brothers and the production design. There is also a cool lapse video focusing around building a McDonald’s as well as a Press Conference with Filmmakers and Cast included. Pretty solid and enjoyed overall.

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Blu-ray Review “Teen Titans: The Judas Contract”

Starring: Christina Ricci, Miguel Ferrer, Taissa Farmiga, Jake T. Austin, Kari Wahlgren, Sean Maher
Director: Sam Liu
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Running Time: 84 min
Rated PG-13
Release Date: Apr 18, 2017

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

“Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” is the sequel to “Justice League vs. Teen Titans”. The DC Universe animated original movies have been stepping up their games. This one had a slightly more grown-up feel for our Teen Titans. The voice cast is great Stuart Allan returns as Robin, Taissa Farmiga as Raven, Brandon Soo Hoo as Beast Boy, Jake T. Austin as Blue Beetle, Kari Wahlgren as Starfire and Sean Maher as Nightwing. Some new talent includes Christina Ricci as Terra, Miguel Ferrer as Deathstroke, which is also his last role since he died earlier this year, Gregg Henry plays Brother Blood, Meg Foster as Mother Mayhem and even Kevin Smith plays himself in the film. It was a fun film and “Teen Titans” as a product is very hot right now! I give it a thumbs up for sure!

Official Premise: Led by Starfire, the Teen Titans – Beast Boy, Raven, Blue Beetle, Robin and the just-returned Nightwing – have built a cohesive team in their never-ending battle against evil; but their newest teammate, the mysterious, and powerful Terra, may be altering that dynamic. Meanwhile, an ancient evil, Brother Blood, has awakened, and familiar foe Deathstroke is lurking in the shadows – both waiting to pounce. Ultimately, the Teen Titans will need to battle their enemies and their own doubts to unite and overcome the malicious forces around them, in this twisting tale of intrigue, adventure and deception.

“Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” comes as a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet combo pack. Special features are not jam-packed but worth taking a look. First up “Titanic Minds: Wolfman and Perez” is a documentary exploring the relationship of Marv Wolfman and George Pérez talking about Teen Titan history. “Villains United: Deathstroke” is a short featurette on the villain. There are two bonus cartoons in “From the DC Comics Vault”. Lastly, there is a sneak peek at the next DC Universe Original Movie, “Batman and Harley Quinn”, with the creators and voice cast.

Blu-ray Review “National Geographic: Mars”

Number of discs: 3
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Run Time: 328 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Mars” is not just another sci-fi movie, it is a TV mini-series, which aired on the National Geographic Channel. It is also not another documentary series either, which makes it kinda unique and interesting! First of all it is from executive producers Brian Grazer & Ron Howard, so right there we have something special. “Mars” is a docudrama. It mixes dramatic TV story line perfectly with real-life interviews and it absolutely stunning to look at. We want more shows like this National Geographic!

Official Premise: MARS follows a crew of courageous international astronauts on its exhilarating maiden voyage to Mars and quest to colonize the fourth planet from the sun. In a unique blend of scripted drama intermixed with documentary sequences and feature-film-caliber visual effects, the series presents what the greatest minds in space exploration are doing to make traveling to Mars a reality, featuring Big Thinkers like Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Stephen Petranek.

The 1080p transfer looks amazing with the added CG elements from this series. The DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track sounds greet with the dramatic tone added in and effects are well balanced. The special features are solid. There is a great behind-the-scenes look called “Making Mars”, which clocks in at over 45 minutes. “Before Mars – A Prequel” gives some great backstory to the series and runs over 30 minutes. Then there are some more behind-the-scenes looks and interviews with Ron Howard and other cast and crew. Definitely worth watching!

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Blu-ray Review “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

Actors: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang
Directors: Gareth Edwards
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Run Time: 133 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” was a very risky film in the “Star Wars” universe but it also paid off 10x. I want to start with I commend the director Gareth Edwards for taking on such a challenging project and yet still come out looking like a rock star leaving even the most hardcore “Star Wars” fans satisyed. This film is a great stand alone to the series which tells a very important story seperately like still keeping the big universe in its eye sight and giving us perfect cameos of characters like Darth Vader and even Princess Leia (via CGI). An obvious must see for any “Star Wars” fans and let me tell you it gets better and better with each viewing.

Here is the film’s premise: Jyn Erso, a Rebellion soldier and criminal, is about to experience her biggest challenge yet when Mon Mothma sets her out on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star. With help from the Rebels, a master swordsman, and non-allied forces, Jyn will be in for something bigger than she thinks.

The Blu-ray presentation of “Rogue One” is nearly flawless. The 1080p transfer looks perfect and the “Star Wars” “universe has never looked sharper. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 audio track delivers a flawless sound for this film and packs a helluva punch! With every blaster to droid sound to John Williams score, the sound is just perfect. The film comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet Digital HD copy.

The special features are decent and worth checking out. Not perfect like everything else on this release but still impressive. There is a collection of featurettes focusing on all aspects of the production. “A Rogue Idea” takes the film getting started from the idea pitch. “Jyn: The Rebel” looks at the lead character in this story. “Cassian: The Spy” focusing on Diego Luna character. If you can guess which the next featurette is focused on with “K-2SO: The Droid”, who stole the show. If you are catching the drift here the characters are all covered in featurettes and even the Empire has its own assorted one. Lastly there are featurettes on the digital effects and Rogue cameos.

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Blu-ray Review “Veep: The Complete Fifth Season”

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons
Number of discs: 2
Studio: HBO
Release Date: April 11, 2017

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

The fifth season of the political satire, “Veep”, aired in a very important year in our history. The year of the election that Donald Trump became out 45th President of the United States. The election was everywhere you turned. “Veep” is a very important show as well because how 6 ballsy it is and how much it pokes fun of politics yet extremely smart at the same time. Since come people considered this past election to be a joke, this show had a lot in common. This season was extremely strong showing that this show has no signs of slowing down. Season 6 airs this month!

Official Premise: Season 5 of the acclaimed comedy series created by Armando Iannucci finds Selina Meyer in the midst of a virtually unprecedented Electoral College tie – with her future as President coming down to only a few hundred votes. Selina finds herself spinning her wheels in D.C. as her staff continues their mission to make her seem presidential (even though she is the President) while fending off the ambitions of her charismatic Vice Presidential running mate who, through an obscure constitutional procedure, could end up being President. Veep continues to prove that in Washington, even the most banal decisions can have ripple effects – with unexpected and often hilarious consequences.

Along with the 10-episode season also included was a digital download copy of the full season. The special features are split over the two Blu-rays and worth checking out if you want more of this show’s zaniness. There are half hour of deleted scenes over the whole season span. Lastly there are four audio commentary tracks including on episodes 1, 4, 6, and 7. The tracks include star Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and also Executive Producer as well as Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, David Mandel and more!

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Book Review “Nella the Princess Knight” by Christine Ricci

Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 7, 2017

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Nella the Princess Knight” is the latest new animated preschool series to come out of Nick Jr. This show quickly became one of my 5 year old’s favorite series. The show is cheesy and drives me nuts personally but my girl loves it and that is all that matters to me. This is the first book in the “Nella the Princess Knight” series and tells the story of “Nella’s Unicorn Rescue”. Since receiving this book, it has become a staple for my daughter at bedtime. If your kids has discovered this show I would recommend the book for sure…and if you haven’t discovered the show my daughter would highly recommend it.

Keeping it with the family, the story is written by Christine Ricci, which is a curriculum consultant on Nick Jr. shows like “Blaze and the Monster Machines” and “Team Umizoomi”. The show is cute and works well for kids because it focuses on relationship development and positive messaging for preschoolers and promotes them to be courageous. That is a message that I want my daughter to have as she is soaking up everything around her and growing up. I look forward to future books from Random House Books for Young Readers and I hope they continue this series for “Nella the Princess Knight” for a while!

Concert Review: “Charm Cities Tour” Williamsport, PA

“Charm Cities Tour”
Carousel Kings, Abandoned By Bears, Bad Case of Big Mouth, American Arson, Take Two
Saturday, April 8th 2017
Ground Floor 2.0, Williamsport, PA

Our score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Victory Records artist Carousel Kings brought their “Charm Cities” tour to the impressive Ground Floor 2.0 venue in Williamsport, PA on April 8th for a night of high energy punk rock. The quant Pennsylvania town which is best known as the home of the Little League World Series now has another claim to fame as the Ground Floor 2.0 venue boasts a fun and safe environment for all concert goers while providing top notch sound, lighting and amenities for its performing artists making for a great experience for everyone involved and the “Charm Cities” tour was no exception.

Kicking of the night was the Elmira, NY based band Take Two. The five piece group whose sound could be described as progressive punk rock performed a hand full of original material including a few songs off their recently released “Weekend Warriors EP”. The band did a great job warming up the crowd and received a hefty round of applause as their set came to a close. Michigan natives American Arson would be up next and though not originally part of the shows line up the band consisting of only two members guitarist/vocalist Evan Baker and drummer Jesse Gentry put forth a sound and style that would make full sized bands shake in their boots. The duo performed a brief, high intensity set which featured songs of their latest “Waymaker” EP. Taking the stage next would be NJ native Bad Case of Big Mouth or simply just “Bad Case” the band worked the stage like seasoned professionals as the bands vocalist and dual guitarist whipped up a solid helping of pop-punk goodness. In the direct support slot for the nights show was Sweden’s own…yes I said Sweden easy-core band Abandoned By Bears. The band which sports dual vocalist brought a heavier element to the shows lineup which contrasted nicely with the other bands on the bill as it set the stage nicely for tour headliners Carousel Kings. Flanked by numerous lighted pillars Carousel Kings would close out the night performing a variety songs including a handful from their latest release “Charm City”. It had been a little while since I had seen the guys perform live and since that time the band has undergone some lineup changes however they were just as solid as the previous incarnations.

Very rarely do you come across a tour and venue that are both equally great. However, in the case of the “Charm Cities” tour stop at the Ground Floor 2.0 both venue and artists clicked on all levels. The bands on the bill were all very personable and thankful to those in attendance and the same could be said for the venue staff as they treated every person that came through the door with the utmost respect. Though the “Charm Cities” tour comes to close on April 13th do yourself a favor and check out each of the bands on this line up as each one will not disappoint.

Carousel Kings: https://www.facebook.com/carouselkings
Abandoned By Bears: https://www.facebook.com/AbandonedByBears
Bad Case: https://www.facebook.com/BadCaseOfficial/
American Arson: http://www.americanarson.com/
Take Two: http://www.officialtaketwo.com/

Blu-ray Review “Lion”

Actors: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman
Directors: Garth Davis
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Run Time: 120 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Lion” is what I like to call an award season film. These films are not usually my favorite. This film packs some major talent starring Dev Patel, Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman. The film is impressive scenery. The locations were easily the best part of the film. I can’t call this film bad but at the same time I can say that it wasn’t for me. Others might love it but for the cast and locations its worth taking a look to see which is you.

Official Premise: A five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.

“Lion” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + Digital HD copy included. The 1080p transfer showcases the film’s beautiful landscapes. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also solid but recently most tracks are at all 7.1, so it’s debatable especially since this sort of film doesn’t need a 7.1 track to be good. Special features are lacking with only having a lyrics music video, some deleted scenes and a five part collection of featurettes in “Behind the Scenes Gallery”.

Concert Review: “Mockstrosity Tour” Syracuse, NY

“Mockstrosity Tour”
Mac Sabbath, Metalachi, Okilly Dokilly
Friday, March 24, 2017
The Westcott Theater, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Mac Sabbath frontman, Ronald Osbourne, summed up the Mockstrosity Tour best, shouting “Good luck describing this show to your friends!” A night of heavy music and big laughs was served up by perhaps three of the more unique parody bands in the business today. The classic Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY was rocked by the likes of Phoenix Arizona’s Ned Flanders themed metalcore act Okilly Dokilly, Metalachi the self proclaimed world’s first and only heavy metal mariachi band and rounding out the night’s lineup Los Angeles Mac Sabbath, picture Black Sabbath dosed in radioactive ketchup and mustard from the world’s favorite fast food chain.

Okilly Dokilly ripped through their “Nedal” (Ned-metal) crowd pleasers like “White Wine Spritzer” and “Nothing At All” which paved the way for the bands call to arms of all left-handed neighborinos for the song “All That Is Left”. Each member donned Mr. Flanders signature garb which added to the bands show allowing those in attendance to envision good ol’ Ned bellowing out vicious metal growls like no other in the Springfield zip code. Metalachi garnered a lot of attention with their mariachi flared renditions of classic hard rock and heavy metal jams, donning what can only be described as mariachi meets hair metal attire. The band crushed through classics like “Holy Diver” and “Raining Blood,” but really showed their talents with surprises like “Santeria” and the infamous “More Than Words,” during which the band invited a fan up on the stage to aid in the more romantic, bump and grind, portion of their set while violinista, Queen Kyla Vera stole the show shredding through solo after solo with every bit of intensity as a well-seasoned axe man.

The Mockstrosity would come to an end only after Mac Sabbath had their turn at the crowd of eager fans. The band’s sound was tight and their stage presence hilarious. The lighting and pyrotechnics further accentuated the group’s costumes and props, which were not limited by any means. The members of Sabbath had a good time with their stage banter between songs like “Frying Pan” and “Sweet Beef,” and at one point Ronald Osbourne himself was funneling PBR through a gigantic red, yellow, and white straw. Sabbath played on their strengths well, and did not seem to be too gimmicky, really backing up their act with musical talent and their performance. Overall, the night was a blast, and anyone looking for a great time needs to check out this tour when it rolls into town.

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CD Review: Mastodon “Emperor of Sand”

“Emperor of Sand”
Mastodon
Reprise
Producer: Brendan O’Brien
Tracks: 11

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Atlanta, GA rockers Mastodon return with their 7th studio album titled “Emperor of Sand”. The 11 track album is a dark and foreboding piece that revolves around the story of a desert wanderer who has been handed a death sentence. Produce by Brendan O’Brien (AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine) and released via Reprise Records “Emperor of Sand” serves as the follow up to the bands 2013 release “Once More ‘Round the Sun”.

Ever since seeing Mastodon play the second stage of Ozzfest in 2005 the band has always been able to catch my attention. “Emperor of Sand” did that and them some as the album runs the gamut of styles and sounds over the course of its eleven tracks. Tracks like the rawkus “Sultan’s Curse” and the catchy “Show Yourself” featured more straight forward arrangements while songs such as “Clandestiny”, “Scorpion Breath” and “Jaguar God” allow the band to stretch their legs some while showcasing a unique range and diversity through a variety of tones, texture and subject matter.

“Emperor of Sand” is an entertaining album which offers something a little different each time you listen to it. One thing that always seems to surprise me about Mastodon is that despite being only a four piece band they have a very immense sound capable of filling every nook and cranny of your senses. Combined with the members impressive musicality and the groups continued use of unique subject matter “Emperor of Sand” is a must have.

Track Listing:
1.) Sultan’s Curse
2.) Show Yourself
3.) Precious Stones
4.) Steambreather
5.) Roots Remain
6.) Word to the Wise
7.) Ancient Kingdom
8.) Clandestiny
9.) Andromeda
10.) Scorpion Breath
11.) Jaguar God

CD Review: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes “Rake It In: The Greatestest Hits”

“Rake It In: The Greatestest Hits”
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Fat Wreck Chords
Tracks: 17

Our score: 3 out of 5 stars

Everyone’s favorite punk rock cover band, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes have compiled 17 tracks spanning their 8 studio albums for their very first greatest hits album. Simply titled “Rake It In: The Greatestest Hits” the album documents the bands 20 years together through a variety of reworked pop, country and R&B hits that will have you immediately singing along singing along.

If you were at all keyed into the mid 90’s revitalized punk scene then you surely at some point came across Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. The band which consists of a variety of members from various Fat Wreck Chords bands including NOFX, Lagwagon and No Use For a Name have been putting their signature spin on pop culture tracks since their first official release in 1997. From John Denver’s American Classic “Country Roads” to Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” and Kermit the Frogs “Rainbow Connection” you get a little bit of everything the band has to offer in sleek package.

It was really great revisiting a lot of these renditions as it had been some time since hearing quite a few of these tracks. Each performance serves as a unique and fitting tribute to the originals making for an extremely fun listen. It would have been nice to have included some new material giving those who already have all the albums something more than just a glorified mix tape however, like the title implies why work when you can just sit back and “Rake It In”.

Track Listing:
1.) The Times They Are a-Changin’
2.) Rainbow Connection
3.) City of New Orleans
4.) Summertime
5.) All My Loving
6.) Straight Up
7.) Over the Rainbow
8.) Country Roads
9.) Sloop John B
10.) Jolene
11.) Uptown Girl
12.) Hats Off to Larry
13.) Desperado
14.) Lady
15.) San Francisco
16.) I Believe I Can Fly
17.) End of the Road

CD Review: Gary Clark Jr. “Live North America 2016”

“Live North America 2016”
Gary Clarke Jr.
Warner Bros.
Tracks: 12

Our score: 3 out of 5 stars

To coincide with Gary Clarke’s guest appearances during Eric Clapton’s 50th anniversary shows at Madison Square Garden and at The Forum in Los Angeles in mid March comes the guitarists latest live recording titled “Live North America 2016”. The album is being released via Warner Bros. Records and includes all new and unreleased live recordings from Clark’s 2016 tour which was in support of his acclaimed 2015 release “The Story of Sonny Boy Slim”.

Live recordings can often be hit or miss. Despite the recent advances in digital recording the main brunt of the work still falls on the artists to put forth a worthwhile performance. In the case of the latest Gary Clark Jr. album “Live North America 2016” is mostly all hits. Clark’s performance throughout the albums 12 tracks captures the listener’s attentions and holds it close. Tracks like the soulful “The Healing” and “Down to Ride” showcase Clark’s talents as both a player and vocalist while songs such as “When My Train Pulls In” and “Numb” capture a grittier side of Clark’s musical pallet.

Though I found the albums overall mix to be a touch off at certain points you have to know going in to a live album that there are going to be some audio short comings as there are multiple factors that come in to play with this type of set up some of which are not favorable for recording. However what is consistant across the albums 70 plus minute run time is the musicianship shown by Clark and his band. Each of the twelve performances that make up this album is sure to have something for every listener out there making it worth checking out.

Track Listing:
1.) Grinder
2.) The Healing
3.) Our Love
4.) Cold Blooded
5.) When My Train Pulls In
6.) Down to Ride
7.) You Saved Me
8.) Shake (feat. Leon Bridges with Jeff Dazey)
9.) Church
10.) Honest I Do
11.) My Baby’s Gone
12.) Numb

Blu-ray Review “Wishmaster Collection”

Actors: Tammy Lauren, Andrew Divoff, Robert Englund, Angus Scrimm, Paul Johansson
Directors: Robert Kurtzman, Jack Sholder, Chris Angel
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Run Time: 370 minutes

Collection: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Wishmaster” is and always will be one of my favorite horror genre flicks. I was one of the many few that saw this in theaters, dragging my father at the time (who still hates me to today over 20 years later). This is a great movie. It is made my horror legends for horror fans. It has everything. Gore. Comedy. Practical Effects. Great cameos including Robert Englund (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”), Kane Hodder (“Friday the 13th”) and Tony Todd (“Candyman”) aka horror icons Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Candyman respectively. This is a must see for all horror fans…the sequels are…watchable but never lived up to the first.

This four film collection on Blu-ray contains the following films: “Wishmaster”, “Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies”, “Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell” and “Wishmaster 4: The Prophecy Fulfilled”. Like I said, I have seen all the sequels but they never really wowed me. I enjoy the character but the limited budgets and production value doesn’t give them potential to reach far.

The A/V presentation on these films vary quite a bit but are all together impressive. “Wishmaster” and “Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell” both feature a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, even though “Wishmaster” claims on the box it comes with a 5.1 surround track. It doesn’t. A little bit of a let down I thought but overall it still impressed me. “Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies” and “Wishmaster 4: The Prophecy Fulfilled” both pack a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks.

“Wishmaster” come stocked with the best special features in the bunch. There are two audio commentary, first with director Robert Kurtzman and screenwriter Peter Atkins and second with Kurtzman (again) and stars Andrew Divoff and Tammy Lauren. They are both great and worth checking out. There is also isolated score selections and an audio interview with composer Harry Manfredini.

Next up there are a ton of interviews with everyone from director Robert Kurtzman and co-producer David Tripet to screenwriter Peter Atkins to stars Andrew Divoff and Tammy Lauren to director of photography Jacques Haitkin and actors Kane Hodder and Ted Raimi. Lastly there are some trailers, spots, vintage featurettes and behind-the-scenes footage along with galleries…and that is only on disc one!

Disc 2 for “Wishmaster 2” has an audio commentary with writer/director Jack Sholder. As well as a trailer and still gallery. Not a whole lot for the sequel. The commentary track is solid. Disc 3 “for Wishmaster 3” features an audio commentary with director Chris Angel and cast members John Novak, Jason Connery and Louisette Geiss. There is also a vintage making-of featurette and a trailer included.

Lastly “Wishmaster 4” which shares disc 3 with the previous film comes with two audio commentary tracks. The first is with director Chris Angel and cast members Michael Trucco and Jason Thompson and the second is with director Chris Angel (again) and actor John Novak. Also included is a featurette called “Wishmasterpiece Theatre” and a trailer included closing out this fantastic set!

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Blu-ray Review “Arsenal”

Actors: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Adrian Grenier, Johnathon Schaech, Lydia Hull
Directors: Steven C. Miller
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Arsenal” is a really bizarre film to come out…and without little notice at all. Director Steven C. Miller has been getting a ton of low budget grade B/C/D action thrillers recently and this just feels like another notch on the belt of blandness. But what makes it bizarre is that brings back Nicolas Cage’s character from the 1989 film “Deadfall”, also a film that no one saw, remembers or asked for a semi-sequel at all. Listen when it comes down to it, I am a sucker for anything Nic Cage but to see him play another weirdo character suits me fine but this is not a memorable movie and like “Deadfall”, many people will most likely know that it doesn’t even exist.

Official Premise: The Lindel brothers, Mikey and JP, only had each other to rely on growing up. As adults, JP finds success as the owner of a construction company, and Mikey becomes a small-time mobster. When Mikey is kidnapped and held for a ransom by ruthless crime boss Eddie, JP turns to the brothers’ old pal Sal, who is a plain clothes detective, for help. JP must risk everything and unleash his vengeance against King’s relentless army of gangsters to rescue his brother.

“Arsenal” comes in a combo pack including a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer looks ok enough, even though the film feels cheap. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. With the special features, we are getting more than I honestly expected. There is an audio commentary with Director Steven C. Miller. There is a featurette going behind-the-scenes on the film in “Building an Arsenal”. Lastly there are some extended cast and crew interviews to check out. Like the film not great but not terrible either.

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Blu-ray Review “Collateral Beauty”

Actors: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris
Directors: David Frankel
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: March 14, 2017

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Collateral Beauty” is a mystery of a film. They packed such a stellar cast into this film but it fails on every level and honestly is pretty unwatchable. I watched to see the talent do their thing and hoped that they could save the film after it’s terrible trailer but it just failed flat on its ass. This will disappear from all existence in a blink of an eye. Sorry Will Smith.

Official Premise: When a successful New York ad executive suffers a personal tragedy and retreats from life, his friends devise a drastic plan to reach him before he loses everything. Pushing him to the very edge, they force him to confront the truth in surprising and profoundly human ways. From Oscar-winning director David Frankel, this thought-provoking drama explores how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of beauty, and how the constants of love, time and death interlock in a life fully lived.

The film comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + UltraViolet copy. The 1080p transfer looks great with sharp details and the colors are super rich. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also sounds great with the scope of the film but the score is completely forgettable. There is only one special feature included which is a 15 minute chat called “A Modern Fable: Discovering Collateral Beauty”, which features the cast talking about the film.

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

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Page 39 of 272

Tag: review

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