Film Review “The Connection”

Starring: Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche
Directed by: Cedric Jimenez
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 15 mins
Drafthouse Pictures

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

In 1971, the movie “The French Connection” did many things. In Hollywood, it won (5) Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and made a star out of Gene Hackman. Outside of Hollywood it did something very few films at the time did: it opened people’s eyes. That same year, President Nixon declared that drug abuse was America’s “public enemy number one!” The film also did something for the country of France. It embarrassed them. Out of that embarrassment came the events that are chronicled in “The Connection.”

When we first meet police magistrate Pierre Michele (Dujardin in an amazing performance), he is helping supervise juveniles who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. Impressed with his work, his superiors put him in charge of the Organized Crime squad, hoping that he will be able to stop “the French connection,” the almost unstoppable passage of heroin from France to the rest of the world. Much like Hackman’s Popeye Doyle, Pierre tends to listen to his gut when working on a case. His rival is Gaetan “Tany” Zampa, a drug dealer with a network that keeps him almost untouchable. Almost.

A first rate thriller, “The Connection” excels because co-writer and director Jimenez has chosen to show both main characters in their entirety. Not just at work (enforcing the law or, in Zampa’s case, breaking it) but home with their families. Both men have young children that they adore and wives that often feel neglected because of their husband’s hours. Running the period of 1975 through the early 1980s, the film is a continual rollercoaster, with great highs and depressing lows. The cast here is top notch. Dujardin won an Oscar a few years ago without saying a word. He tops that performance here. For those of you that may only be familiar with him from “The Artist” or his short role in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” I urge you to see “The Connection” and marvel at Dujardin’s layered and nuanced performance. The supporting cast is equally up to the task and there isn’t a false performance in the bunch.

“The Connection” is currently playing exclusively at an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema near you.

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Blu-ray Review “Time Lapse”

Actors: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O’Leary, George Finn, John Rhys-Davies, Amin Joseph, Jason Spisak, Sharon Maughan, David Figlioli and Judith Drake
Director: Bradley King
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Xlrator
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 103 minutes

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

Since her role in The CW’s “The Flash” TV series, Danielle Panabaker has really hit the spotlight. “Time Lapse” is a really neat sci-fi horror thriller with a cool time travel angle twisted in. The film also has an impressive co-starring cast including: Matt O’Leary, George Finn, John Rhys-Davies, Amin Joseph, Jason Spisak, Sharon Maughan, David Figlioli and Judith Drake. Take a little bit of “The Twilight Zone” mixed with “Memento”. Worth checking out for you time travel junkies.

Official Premise: A science fiction thriller with a mind-bending premise, TIME LAPSE explores the possibilities of time travel via a camera that takes pictures 24 hours into the future. When three friends discover this mysterious machine, they conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop and tear their relationship apart.

The Blu-ray comes with a both solid 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. You can tell that even though this is an indie, it has some impressive production values. XLrator is known for usually deliver bare bones special features but this release has some decent extras. There is an in-depth look behind-the-scenes into the makinng of “Time Lapse”. There are two commentary tracks from the filmmakers. There is a “Nuts and Bolts” guide to how to make an indie film. Lastly there are some deleted scenes also equipped with filmmaker commentary.

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Film Review “Inside Out”

Starring the voices of: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Phyllis Smith
Directed by: Pete Docter
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 34 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

What is your earliest memory? Mine is Christmas 1963. I can’t remember a lot of what went on but some of that day’s events are vivid in my mind. Seeing photos from that day years later convinces me my memories are true. In the new film “Inside Out”, we learn that our life is really made up of memories. Some are fleeting and some permanent. Some are stored indiscriminately and others are put in the core memory. Either way, life isn’t always easy as it seems (or seemed).

Meet Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). She’s had a great life. Popular in school, loving parents and a love for junior hockey, which should be natural since she lives in the snowy Midwest. But one day her dad announces that he’s taken a new job in San Francisco. And soon, everything Riley has ever known, or can remember, is in the past. She doesn’t like her new city – it doesn’t help that the moving van hasn’t shown up yet – and begins to rebel against her folks. But it’s not her fault. Blame her emotions. Seriously. Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Smith), Fear (Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling). These are the ones helping run Riley’s life, constantly battling and then working to preserve each memory perfectly. Unfortunately what once was a great memory can be altered by another emotion interfering. A perfect day outside can be ruined if Sadness gets her hands on it. Joy does her best to keep things up-beat but she’s only one emotion among an assembly of many.

Like most PIXAR/Disney films, “Inside Out” is technically brilliant. Director Docter, who also directed the original “Monster’s Inc.” and “UP,” winning an Academy Award for the latter, continues what he started in “UP” by bringing emotions to the forefront of the story. What pulls the film down, unfortunately, is that it is so depressing at times, as if Sadness had gotten ahold of the script. Little girls on either side of me at the screening were crying at times and, while it’s nice to know they understood the film, I can’t thank a trip to the multiplex to make my child cry would be something I’m looking forward to.

The film is well cast. Who else could play the always effervescent Joy but Amy Poehler. Her supporting cast of emotions are equally well cast. And they are joined by such familiar voices as Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Diane Lane, Laraine Newman and, of course, PIXAR’s good luck charm, John Ratzenberger. The characters they play are also well crafted, especially Sadness, who sheds tears at the drop of a hat while insisting she knows what “funny” is, like that movie she saw where “the dog died.” Though no dog dies in this movie, some people may go home so depressed they might think that theirs had!

On a brighter note, get to the theatre early enough to catch the new PIXAR short entitled “Lava.” It will definitely make you smile.

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Theatre Review “Once: The Musical” Tour – Kansas City, MO

Once: The Musical
June 17th, 2015
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Kansas City, Mo.

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

A few years ago I was given the chance to watch the movie “Once”. I had never heard of it and I didn’t know a single thing about it. From the first song of the movie, I was hooked and within its 85 minutes, I fell in love. Now, fast forward to the present and I, once again, had no idea that there was a stage adaptation of this movie and that it was wildly popular ever since the first curtain call on Broadway. I know that a transition from film to stage is difficult, so I quelled my expectations. Luckily they were exceeded.

Just like the movie, “Once” follows a scruffy faced street musician, who works at his dad’s shop repairing household items. The repair business is a simple side project to his passion. He performs soothing toe tapping songs and soulful songs about love loss. His name? Not necessarily given. He’s simply known as Guy, but he represents so many disenfranchised musicians hoping to make it big, his story is fairly common, so his name isn’t required.

Whilst performing, he’s approached by Girl, who, for lack of a better word, is a girl. She eagerly plays piano alongside him and they quickly connect through their tune, “Falling Slowly.” He’s obviously smitten, but she isn’t as interested. She has a kid, lives with her family, and has a husband. She also notices that all his music, which comes from the heart, is linked to a girl in his past. Girl knows that Guy can still go back to that long lost love, and she doesn’t believe he should go chasing after her.

So it comes down to if they hook up or not. And obviously I’m not going to tell you because that’s part of the charm of this production. The story mainly stays intact and hovers closely to its source material. Certain aspects are changed because you don’t have the luxury of having multiple, expansive scenes. The only problem is the characters. The characters have been tweaked a bit to be more humorous and more relatable.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a nagging aspect in the back of my mind because these are two characters that I remember fondly for the story that they tell. When some jokes are thrown in to help break up the tension between the two, it feels out of place. The other characters that provide comedic relief also provide some cheap laughs that don’t fit in with the musical as a whole.

But what makes “Once” truly outstanding is the cast and crew. This is a musical that requires our singers to play instruments, interact, and constantly be moving. The choreography to change sets within the confines of a stage while swinging instruments to and fro is perfect. So every bit of praise that I have goes to the people who helped bring “Once” to life. And despite my disappointment with their characters, I’m very pleased with how well they handled the material.

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Blu-ray Review “The Cat Returns”

Actors: Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Elliott Gould, Peter Boyle, Tim Curry
Directors: Hiroyuki Morita
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 75 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“The Cat Returns” is a 2002 spin-off of the Studio Ghibli film “Whisper of the Heart”, which is one of my favorites.The film featured a fantastic US voice cast including Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Tim Curry, and Elliott Gould. This film followed in the path of “Spirited Away” but didn’t catch on like the Oscar winner. This film is quite magically though and really is very entertaining. I have a feeling that my 3 year old is really going to like this film as well, so I can’t wait to introduce her to this. If you are looking for a sweet fantasy tale, this is a good one.

Official Premise: “The Cat Returns” is a spectacular animated journey to a world of magic and adventure. Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat, and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she ever imagined. The Cat King rewards her good deed with a flurry of presents, including a very shocking proposal of marriage to his son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world and her destiny is uncertain. To change her fate she’ll need to learn to believe in herself and, in the process, she will learn to appreciate her everyday life.

Disney released this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD included. I would have lvoed to see a digital copy but Studio Ghibli films have been yet to be released digitally. The 1080p transfer is solid though and the animation looks fantastic. The colors are crisp and the line detail is well done. There are two audio options, the original Japanese and English dub, both with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks.

The special features are decent but not amazing though inline with most of the past Ghibli Blu-rays. There are the Original Japanese Storyboards and Original Japanese Trailers included, as well as TV Spots. There is also “The Making of The Cat Returns” looking into the production, a little short. Lastly, there is “Behind The Microphone”, which features the US voice cast discussing about their respective roles.

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Blu-ray Review “Spirited Away”

Actors: Daveigh Chase, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Mardsen
Directors: Hayao Miyazaki
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 125 minutes

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

“Spirited Away” is one of my all-time favorite films, animated or not. Studio Ghibli in fact has delivered some of my other favorites including “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Howl’s Moving Castle”. Hayao Miyazaki is a genius and this is his BEST film. “Spirited Away” won Best Animated Feature Oscar at the 75th Academy Awards, which it very much deserved. This film was also very important for Japanese anime because it was brought to the spotlight due to the Oscar win and also brought Studio Ghibli from and center in the United States. Just because, this is a “cartoon” doesn’t mean it is for kids, it is aimed for both adults and kids. I watch this film a few times a year and I cannot recommend it any higher.

Official Premise: From Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema, comes the Oscar(R)-winning triumph (2002, Best Animated Feature Film), filled with astonishing beauty and epic adventure, a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. “Spirited Away” is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call on the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. an unforgettable story, brimming with creativity, “Spirited Away” will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. It’s a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again on Disney Blu-ray!

Disney’s US Blu-ray of “Spirited Away” is outstanding (the film was previously released in Japan only). This is literally the best Studio Ghibli US Blu-ray release to date. The 1080p transfer is perfect. The colors are gorgeous and the animation looks flawless. There are two audio options both in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The original Japanese language track and Disney’s English dub are honestly both amazing. I have watched both and they are each wonderful in their own way.

The special features are good but do not feature much new content from previous releases. The only HD feature is to watch the film consisting of the Original Japanese Storyboards presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and an Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track with optional English subs. “The Art of Spirited Away” features Jason Marsden discussing this beautiful film. “Behind the Microphone” features US voice cast discussing their roles. There is the Nippon Television Special, which focus on the studio and the film runs just over 40 minutes. Lastly there is an intro from John Lasseter and Japanese trailers and TV spots for the film.

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Blu-ray Review “Unfinished Business”

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson, Dave Franco, Sienna Miller, Nick Frost, James Marsden
Director: Ken Scott
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Poor Vince Vaughn. Man o man, I actually love me some fun non-stop riffing Vince Vaughn but his recent films have consisted of some very bad choices. “Unfinished Business” is easily one of the worst. He also teamed up with an odd group consisting of  Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco (who is completely not funny at all), which makes it worse for him. This should have been called “Unfunny Business” since there wasn’t a single joke in the entire film that I even cracked a smile for. A BIG pass!

Official Premise: Vince Vaughn stars as a hard-working entrepreneur who travels to Europe with his two associates (Dave Franco, Tom Wilkinson) to close the most important business deal of their lives. But the journey quickly spins out of control as the hapless trio encounters all kinds of crazy obstacles, including Oktoberfest bar brawls, hotel foul-ups, foreign GPS directions, and a global fetish festival. In the end, these guys gone wild might just land the deal…if they can survive the trip. Bottoms up!

Fox delivered this film with a Blu-ray plus digital HD copy. Nothing special on the Blu-ray specs here, the 1080p transfer was typical comedy blah, nothing special. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which didn’t deliver anything special either. The special features surprisingly were better than the entire film (but not by much). There is about 30 minutes of deleted and alternate footage, a photo gallery including the trio being funny and lastly “Show Me Your Business” has the cast discussing their experience.

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Blu-ray Review “Kingsman: The Secret Service”

Starring: Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Taron Egerton, Mark Hamill
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 9, 2015
Run Time: 129 minutes

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

After “Kick-Ass”, I was pretty much on board for anything from the minds of Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar. Honestly though, I did have much interest in “Kingsman: The Secret Service” during it’s theatrical run but I did here a lot of good praise. Well, damn was I missing out. This movie is a real trip. Bond meets Kick Ass except a little more edgy. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is a blast to watch with great performances from Colin Firth and even a nice cameo from Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. The church scene is worth watching the film alone. Easily of the best fight scenes since Kill Bill’s Crazy 88 battle. One of the best surprises I have seen so far this year, don’t miss it.

Official Premise: Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (“Kick Ass“, “X-Men First Class”), Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

The Blu-ray is outstanding with an exceptional 1080p transfer. The action is captured and shot beautifully. The visual effects are sharp and the colors are crisp. The star of the film is the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, which is outstanding. This track works perfectly with the film’s music and score. Also the action sequences literally were shaking my picture frames, which was super cool. The special features are decent but a little light. “Kingsman: The Secret Service Revealed” runs about 90 minutes and is split into six featurettes covering the film’s production. There is also a Gallery focusing on the sets and props. Lastly there is a Theatrical Trailer.

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Book Review “The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road”

Author: Abbie Bernstein
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: May 19, 2015

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is easily one of the best films to date for 2015. When you watch this film it is like watching a video game live action. You can also see in the film that there is very little visual effects in this film and a lot of practical effects were used. I couldn’t wait to dive into the making of book for this film. Kicked off with an amazing foreword by creator/director George Miller. This guy is extremely passionate about “Mad Max” and this intro really gets you in the mood for this.  “The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road” is another winner from Titan Books.

Official Film Premise: Max Rockatansky returns. Haunted by his turbulent past, the wandering Road Warrior becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. Seeking escape from the tyranny of Immortan Joe, what follows is a high-octane Road War – and a chance for redemption.

“The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road” is jam packed with super high res production stills, some really cool behind-the-scenes photos and my favorite concept art. You can tell that a lot of planning and details went into making this film and it is well represented here in this book. They deliver another winner. Author, Abbie Bernstein knows here making of books having worked on “Fantastic 4: The Making of the Movie”, “The Guild: The Official Companion” and “The Cabin in the woods: Official Visual Companion”. She really sums up what any reader is looking for after soaking in this crazy film. A must read for any “Mad Max” fan!

 

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Film Review “Jurassic World”

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and Vincent D’onofrio
Directed By: Colin Trevorrow
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 124 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Like most Millennials, “Jurassic Park” still holds a special place in my heart. When it’s on TV, I watch it. When I think dinosaurs, I think of the creatures I saw stalking around in Steven Spielberg’s movie. And it was the first PG-13 movie I got to lay eyes on. I’m sure most people, when talking about “Jurassic World”, will reminisce about “Jurassic Park”, much like a friend they haven’t seen in a while, but have not forgotten. “Jurassic World” is a sufficient new friend that you’ll also gladly reflect back on in 20 years.

Seemingly ignoring the events of “The Lost World” and “Jurassic Park 3” (thank God), “Jurassic World” seems to follow the real world’s timeline, picking up over 20 years after the events of its 1993 counterpart. This time around, the park is more than Jeeps on a monorail style track going from exhibit to exhibit. The park is a lush and lavish Disney World style resort. Interactive exhibits and museums are sprawled out everywhere. There are hints of the stereotypical spa baths and golf courses that accompany these amusements. Then of course, there are the dinosaurs. Every exhibit births a new awe inspiring moment for the people within the movie and us viewers in the theater.

Claire (Howard) runs the show behind the scenes, attracting new investors, cracking the whip in the control room, and making sure no disasters happen. She’s hoping to see a spike in attendance, and some more corporate investors, with her future attraction, Indominus Rex. Now I know the few paleontologists who read movie reviews are already swearing at their computer screens that that’s not a real dinosaur. Well, it isn’t. Since kids these days (in the movie and probably in real life) just aren’t wowed by dinosaurs anymore (stupid kids), they’re having to concoct some news dinosaurs in the lab.

Everyone loves this idea, except Owen (Pratt). Owen is like the park ranger. He lives in a mobile home trailer on site, rides around on a motorcycle, and to be blunt, is a total badass. Anyone who can crack the code to how to be the Alpha to a pack of velociraptors is pretty awesome in anyone’s books. Owen understands animals more than anyone around him. Where he sees nature, they see green. So when he learns that they’ve created a monster and treated it worse than Harry Harlow treats monkeys, he can sense trouble.

Even before the inevitable jailbreak, “Jurassic World” is a lot of tongue-in-cheek fun. Even after the jailbreak, there’s a perfect balance of humor and suspense. The creators of “Jurassic World” seem to understand how far to push their outlandish ideas without teetering into “Lost World” territory and they make their characters a lot more intelligent than the ones scurrying about in “Jurassic Park 3”. A lot of time and care went into the story and they’ve really handpicked the best cast. Count this as blockbuster number two for Chris Pratt who seemingly can do no wrong since bulking up for “Guardians of the Galaxy”.

It becomes painfully obvious in the third act of “Jurassic World” that there were four screenwriters. They quickly try to wrap up every sub plot, which becomes a hassle and a little bit too choppy when we want the dinosaurs to keep chomping away. It’s easy to gloss over some of these moments that need polishing when there are a couple clever twists on some of the typical clichés we’ve come to expect from our summer blockbusters.

“Jurassic World” far exceeds expectations with a fun cast and exciting story. It’s the perfect popcorn flick for sun weary crowds. Sure it’s sometimes hammy and predictable, but what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in Meta commentary. Without going too much into the details, there’s a great moment where a character points out the commercialization of attractions, well after many gratuitous shots of product placements in the movie. If it took them over two decades to nail down a legitimate sequel to “Jurassic Park”, I’m willing to wait that long again for an epic sequel to “Jurassic World”.

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Blu-ray/CD Review “Melissa Etheridge: A Little Bit of Me: Live In L.A.”

Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Run Time: 60 min
Format: CD/DVD/Blu-Ray

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“A Little Bit of Me: Live In L.A.” is the latest live release from singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge. The performance was recorded on December 12th 2014 at the historic Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles during the last show of Etheridge’s “This is Me” Tour. The package is being released via Shout! Factory and is available on both DVD/CD and Blu-Ray/CD combo’s and Deluxe Digital Edition formats.
2 time Grammy Award winning singer/song writer Melissa Etheridge is back with a brand new concert performance release, Her first new live release since 2001’s “Live and Alone”.

Though “A Little Bit of Me: Live In L.A.” clocks in at just 60 minutes the 13 tracks that make up the set list are pure magic. All the hits are here including “I Want To Come Over”, “Come To My Window” and “I’m The Only One” along with several new tracks from Etheridge’s most recent studio album “This Is M.E.” including “Take My Number” and “A Little Bit of Me”. Though I found the sound and picture to be really great on the Blu-Ray edition I was a little underwhelmed that the entire concert only ran 60 minutes. With Etheridge’s last live release clocking in at over 2 hrs. and packed with bonus footage there was certainly something’s left to be desired. Don’t get me wrong the behind the scenes footage and interviews with the band are ok but nothing that hasn’t already been done.

If you are a long time Melissa fan and have to have everything she release to fulfill your collection then this release is certainly for you. I think this also would make a great piece to have if you saw one of the shows from this tours run. However if you are really looking for a more complete M.E. package then dig into her expansive back catalogue as there are several options that will probably be able to fit what you are looking for.

Track Listing:
1.) I Won’t Be Alone Tonight
2.) I Want To Come Over
3.) Chrome Plated Heart
4.) Take My Number
5.) Come To My Window
6.) Ruins
7.) A Little Bit of Me
8.) If I Wanted To
9.) Meet Me In The Back
10.) Bring Me Some Water
11.) I’m The Only One
12.) Like The Way I Do (Bonus track on Blu-Ray, DVD and Deluxe Digital Edition)
13.) Monster (Bonus track on Blu-Ray, DVD and Deluxe Digital Edition)

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Film Review “Spy”

Starring:  Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham and Jude Law
Directed by:  Paul Feig
Rated:  R
Running time:  2 hrs
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

As much as I love Melissa McCarthy, I learned with last summer’s “Tammy” that she is so much funnier when surrounded by a great comedic cast.  Nothing against Susan Sarandon but I think the last time I consistently laughed at a film she was in was 1977’s “The Great Smokey Roadblock!”  That being said, with the cast appearing on-screen with Ms. McCarthy in “Spy,” she has herself another classic.

When the film begins we are introduced to the suave Bradley Fine (Law), the kind of secret agent that pauses to make sure his hair looks good after he gets physical with the bad guys. But, as everyone knows, you’re only as good as the people around you, and Fine is working with one of the best – Susan Cooper (McCarthy).  Coop’s job is to watch Fine’s back electronically and talk him through his mission, alerting him to on-coming baddies and the closest secret exit.  While working on a case together something goes horribly wrong and Fine is killed.  Susan is devastated.  However, when her agency needs someone to go out into the field – someone unknown to the enemy – Susan is given the chance.  World diplomacy may never be again.

A true comedy adventure, “Spy” is Melissa McCarthy at her best.  There are very few comedians, man or woman, that have her physical and comedic skills.  As she frequently changes disguises (and names), she becomes that character completely.  Again, she is aided by a great ensemble cast, including Law, Rose Byrne (her “Bridesmaids” co-star), Allison Janney, Bobby Cannavale and British funny lady Miranda Hart.  But the comic secret-weapon here is action star Statham, who plays an over the top version of his normal screen hero.

The script, by director Feig, is full of classic situations, both comedic and dramatic.  Some of the set pieces, including car chases and gun battles, are well staged.  The fact that he is directing and co-writing the upcoming “Ghostbusters” re-boot tells me that film is in more than capable hands. 

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Product Review: Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse

The brand new Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse has been billed as the “Most Advanced Portable Mouse…Designed to Work Anywhere You Do”. Being an IT guy, I love new tech. If you use computers you also realize how important mice are to your job. You need to have a good one if you want to make your life each. The Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse hits stores this month with a very reasonable retail price of $79.99.

We all know what a mouse is used for (hopefully), so I will discuss some of the neat features that this new “advanced” mouse has. Firstly it has an advanced Darkfield™ Laser Sensor is made to be used on physically ANY surface…that includes glass..yes GLASS!! No more mouse bad needed for those with a glass table. It has a nice compact size , a contoured shape and a rubber surface that makes it use very user friendly.

If you are a fan of Logitech mice then you will realize that the Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse is actually a more mobile version of their award-winning MX Master Wireless Mouse. A real important feature of the mouse is that it has dual-connectivity and connects easily to easiy Windows or Mac computers through the Pico Unifying Receiver (included) or through Bluetooth Smart technology. Either one works great and is extremely easily to connect. Another awesome feature is that you can pair the MX Anywhere 2 with up to three devices at once, this is an awesome feature if you are taking this mouse on the go and moving it from machine to machine.  With the touch of the Logitech Easy-Switch button you can easily switch.

If you are on the computer all day like myself, then you are used to scrolling non-stop through your Facebook page or through ending websites. This mouse’s scroll wheel is equipped with hyper-fast scrolling, so you can easily browse your sites easily and then shift to click-­to-­click mode for precise navigation. Lastly the most important part for a wireless mouse is do I need batteries? or does it charge? The Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse has a rechargeable battery lasts up to two months elimating the new for replacing batteries often. It if you need quick results only one single minute of USB-cord charging actually ends up giving you up to two hours of usage. I recommend this for sure.

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Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: 2, logitech, mobile, mouse, mx, product, ...

Blu-ray Review “Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Series”

Starring: Steve Buscemi, Stephen Graham, Vincent Piazza, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham
Number of discs: 20
Studio: HBO
Rated TV-MA
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Running Time: 3360 minutes

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

“Boardwalk Empire” wasn’t a show that I originally was stopping all press to see. I know that Martin Scorsese was involved and directed the pilot but it never really excited me. Despite my interest this show had a very successful run with 56 episodes over five-seasons and was quite the award-winner during that time. “Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Series” is bringing this show to Blu-ray with all previously released extras and also an exclusive disc packed with additional never-before-seen content. In fact, this is the first time that seasons one, two or three have ever been released on Blu-ray. With today’s obsessions of bing watching, this show works well for a quick watch. Great performances, worth checking out if you haven’t checked this show out and if you have this is way to own the complete deal.

Official Premise: Throughout its five-season run, the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire stood “at the pinnacle of TV achievement” (Philadelphia Inquirer), garnering 18 Emmy Awards and critical accolades for its superb cast and its unfaltering attention to 1920s period detail. From Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Terence Winter and Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, the series chronicles the life and times of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Golden Globe winner Steve Buscemi) as he undergoes vicious power struggles and deals with opportunistic rivals — including Arnold Rothstein, Lucky Luciano and Al Capone — at a time when Prohibition proved to be a major catalyst in the rise of organized crime in America.

Along with the Blu-ray discs, HBO is also including Digital HD copies of the series as well as either an iTunes or Google Play option as well. The 1080p transfer for each episode looks great presented in its 1080p transfer. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. They are near perfect and really add a lot of the charm of the show. In addition to the hour of new exclusive special features, there are all previously included extras including 28 audio commentaries, 13 episodes Picture-in-Picture tracks and over four hours of production documentaries and featurettes.

The new special features included are worth checking out. “Building The Boardwalk” features Executive Producer/Director Tim Van Patten and crew discussing bringing the show together. “Shooting The Series” features chats with Directors of Photography Jonathan Freeman and Bill Coleman. “Designing The Series” features Production Designer Bill Groom and Set Decorator Carol Silverman discuss the look for the show. “Visual Effects” discusses the show’s work with Visual Effects Supervisor Lesley Robson-Foster. “The Final Shot: A Farewell To Boardwalk Empire” features cast/crew discussing the show. “Anatomy Of A Hit” features Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Terence Winter, Executive Producer/Director Tim Van Patten and Executive Producer/Writer Howard Korder discuss the best kills in the film.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, boardwalk, complete, empire, review, series, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Wire: The Complete Series”

Starring: Dominic West, John Doman, Deirdre Lovejoy, Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Wendell Pierce
Number of discs: 20
Rated TV-MA
Studio: HBO
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Run Time: 3645 minutes

Series: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

In 2001, I remember seeing a Roundabout Production of Noel Coward’s “Design For Living”, which starred Alan Cumming and a then relatively unkown Dominic West on Broadway in NY. I got to see the true genius at work here. Shortly in 2002, HBO delivered us “The Wire”, which easily ranks as one of the best original drama series produced by HBO. It is definitely not a easy show to say. The pay off is a slow burn and there is no easy way to sum up the show. It is complex and really demands attention and patience but it is completely worth it.

Official Premise: From the drug-infested streets of West Baltimore to the corruption of City Hall, The Wire chronicles the tribulations of a post-industrial American city. Viewed from the perspectives of both the police and their targets, the award-winning series captures a world where easy distinctions between good and evil,and crime and punishment, are challenged at every turn.

Along with the Blu-ray discs, HBO is also including Digital HD copies of the series as well as either an iTunes or Google Play option as well. All five seasons of the show were originally broadcasted in 1.33:1 but this Blu-ray is the first time that the show was converted to 1.78:1. I am sure there are tons of haters about this since it is not “original” but having watching this show on TV and DVD, I did really enjoy the widescreen version. The series also includes solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks throughout.

The special features are definitely worth checking out. There is one newly produced feature including a reunion special that was recorded at PaleyFest back in October 2014 but Dominic West and Idris Elba aren’t there in person but are via video message.  There are also four behind-the-scenes documentaries on the fourth and fifth seasons. Additionally, there are three prequel shorts that total 6 minutes and explore the story before “The Wire”.

There are 22 audio commentaries spread out over all the seasons. The first season has three tracks for “The Target” (Episode 1), “The Detail” (Episode 2) and “Cleaning Up” (Episode 12) . The second has two tracks on “All Prologue” (Episode 6) and “Port in a Storm” (Episode 12). The third season is when the commentaries tracks really amp up with some great tracks. There are five tracks including episodes “Time After Time” (Episode 1), “All Due Respect” (Episode 2), “Dead Soldiers” (Episode 3), “Middle Ground” (Episode 11) and “Mission Accomplished” (Episode 12).

The fourth season also has six tracks with more cast included on episodes “Boys of Summer” (Episode 1) , “Refugees” (Episode 4), “Margin of Error” (Episode 6) , “A New Day” (Episode 11) , “That’s Got His Own” (Episode 12) and “Final Grades” (Episode 13). The fifth and final season including the best tracks on this release on episodes “More with Less” (Episode 1), “Unconfirmed Reports” (Episode 2), “Transitions” (Episode 4), “The Dickensian Aspect” (Episode 6), “Took” (Episode 7) and “-30-” (Episode 10)

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, review, series, wire
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