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DVD Review “Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart”

Actors: Michelle Fairley, Samantha Barks
Directors: Stephane Berla
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 89 minutes

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

“Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart” is a French animated film, which is based on the concept album by the French rock band Dionysos and on the illustrated novel “La Mécanique du cœur” written by the band’s lead singer Mathias Malzieu. The film was produced by Luc Besson’s company. Les Miserables’ Samantha Barks’ singing amazing, of course, since she is brilliant. It also stars Michelle Fairley (aka Lady Stark from “Game of Thrones”). The animation is absolutely really awesome and visually gorgeous. This feels like mix of “James and the Giant Peach” meets “Coraline”. It is funny, unique and has a nice heart. Recommended.

Official Premise: Edinburgh, 1874. On the coldest day in the history of the world, little Jack is born with his heart frozen solid. Wasting no time, midwife Madeleine takes action and saves his life by inserting a cuckoo-clock in place of his icy heart. And now Jack will live…as long as he observes three golden rules: He must never touch the hands of the clock. He must master his anger. He must never, ever fall in love. But fall in love he does, to a bespectacled young street performer, Miss Acacia, with a soul-stirring voice. Now begins a journey of escape and pursuit, from Edinburgh to Paris to Miss Acacia’s home in Andalusia.

If there is a film that I would have loved to see on Blu-ray, this would be one of them. In fact, Shout! Blu-ray comes in a combo pack with a DVD and digital copy as well. I actually would have loved to have seen this film released in 3D, since it would have really worked really well with the animation style. The special features included are decent, especially for a DVD. There are two featurettes focusing on “The Characters” and “From Book to Animation”. I enjoyed both of these for sure and they give a solid behind-the-scenes look at the film

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Film Review “Dracula Untold”

Starring: Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon and Dominic Cooper
Directed By: Gary Shore
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 92 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

The latest movie surrounding Dracula (or Vlad the Impaler) is a story nobody asked for. The combination of historical, fictional and contemporary folly has created “Dracula Untold”. In the same vein of this summer’s “Maleficent”, albeit a lot more bloody and silly, we have yet another look at a villain turned anti-hero. In many other circumstances, the concept of retelling a story most people know is manageable, but Dracula just doesn’t seem like a fruitful tree to pick from.

“Dracula Untold” steals so many pages out of so many other movies; you could probably fill a book with the stolen pages. There are some slightly original differences from Bram Stoker’s creature. Instead of being the original vampire, Vlad (Evans) has to bargain with a different, original vampire, known as Caligula (yes, that Caligula). Vlad travels to the dark, bone covered cave where Caligula lurks to make a pact with him. Vlad will become a vampire by drinking Caligula’s dark red blood and he does so to protect his kingdom, his wife and his son from Sultan Mehmed (Cooper).

As the movie says, Dracula is given the power of a hundred men along with some other powers that don’t make a lot of sense. He’s able to command vampire bats at will and he himself is able to turn into a flurry of bats while gliding rapidly through the woods. Without breaking a sweat, he takes out an entire army of invaders mere moments after acquiring his newfound skills. With powers like this, the ultimate boss battle at the end with the mortal Mehmed feels entirely way too anti-climactic.

One of history’s greatest monster/butchers has been defanged as he’s reduced to crying, spouting righteous teachings to his son and comforting his wife, all the while yelling at his village that he’s become a vampire to protect them from the true evils of the world. Maybe in 500 years someone will have Pol Pot as the sympathetic anti-hero who just wants to live life and love. Of course if you’re not knowledgeable on Romanian history, you might not care, and that’s completely fine.

The movie is far from shy at hinting and saying that Vlad is a terrible person. He still finds time to impale people and there’s even a scene where he admits to feeling nothing as he scorched entire village and murdered thousands of innocents (it’s OK, he had his reason). The charming presence of Evans can’t save this movie’s main character because he’s flawed from the beginning. Turning the most iconic Universal monster into a man of courage and nobility with an inadequate historical backdrop is one of the worst uses of Dracula in recent memory. He would have been more entertaining as the creature of the night that falls into his old, sadistic ways with his new powers instead of becoming a fanged nobleman or blood drinking seeker of justice.

All that aside, it’s still not a very well made movie. The action sequences, while shot imaginatively, have no bite. The visuals are automatically forgettable and the budget seems to have cut some corners in the CGI department and the storytelling sector. If this does well, it’ll most likely spawn a sequel or two, and just like the “Twilight” franchise, let’s hope Blade shows up at some point to put an abrupt end to this monstrosity.

Film Review “Kill the Messenger”

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Rosemarie DeWitt
Directed By: Michael Cuesta
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Focus Features

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Kill the Messenger” follows the fallout experienced by reporter Gary Webb of the San Jose Mercury News of his 1996 article “Dark Alliance.” The article linked the US’s own CIA with rampant dealing of crack cocaine in California for the eventual funding of Nicaraguan contras. Director Michael Cuesta’s version of it, thoroughly from Webb’s point of view, skillfully balances the political thriller with the family life of the reporter.

The first half of the film plays a bit like a television procedural episode with Webb going from source to source in chasing his story. If it’s a little by the numbers in that respect, it does give us the opportunity to enjoy scenes with Andy Garcia in a south American prison and Michael Sheen as DC insider who warns Webb of the dangers of chasing this particular story.

It’s just before Webb publishes his story however, where the film really picks up steam. In an ominous meeting with government suits, it’s hinted that Webb’s family could be ‘affected’ by his work, enraging Webb and spurring him on to complete his article. It’s a thrill to see Renner take the lead here as Webb after the last few years of supporting work in franchises and last year’s American Hustle. He plays him as a passionate family man with a slight sense of humor that he attempts to employ as defense to the very serious people he’s up against. Though he is not without his breaking points. At home he’s given strong support by Rosemarie DeWitt as his wife and Lucas Hedges as his 16 year old son who Webb strives to be as truthful with at home as he is when reporting. Even if his wife would rather he didn’t.

Much of the film after the published story focuses on the ripple effect of exposing the truth whereby the closer Webb gets to it, the more threatening his world becomes and the more viciously personal the media gets with Webb himself. Nathan Johnson’s score subtly increases the tension throughout while Cuesta powerfully weaves in actual archival media to show just how far reaching Dark Alliance’s impact was.

If the film seems a bit one-sided with Webb as the straight up hero, it’s devastating closing title cards will likely send you to seek out more about the story for yourself.

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Product Review “Coleman: Evanston Screened 8 Tent & Sunridge Rectangular Sleeping Bags”

I grew up in Long Island, NY and never camped as a kid (or at least that I ever remember). I do remember going for the first time (as far as I was concerned) when I was around 18 with my girlfriend (now wife) and her family. It was fun but I never really got into the whole idea of camping. I do love the idea of experiencing the great outdoors but I never had the urge to do it again. After moving to Orlando, FL and starting a family, we have have a two year old and things start to change.

The last few years, I was looking around Orlando and see tons and tons of amazing places to camp and new experiences to share with my daughter and wife. So the next thing, I knew I would need is the goods. I needed a good tent that we could use on this new planned adventure. My wife (who did camp as a kid) would always tell me that her parents would fight more when putting up a tent then any other time. So I knew I needed something that wasn’t going to make us get a divorce.

I started with Coleman since they are the first brand that comes to my mind when I think about outdoor equipment. They recommended to me the brand new Coleman Evanston Screened 8 Tent. This tent is absolutely amazing. I called it the spa of tents. First of all, the thing has two rooms, which is unbelievable and can easily sleep eight people comfortably. You have the part where you sleep and then a sort of sitting area like a covered porch, so you can enjoy the fresh air still without the bugs.

So back to the setup for the tent, which scared me but let me tell you this thing was easy as pie to setup. I had my wife time it and it took ONLY 20 minutes to the entire tent up…and that is with unpacking for the first time and figuring out what was what. I know when we attempt this for second time, we can probably cut that time in half. I mean 20 minutes is absolutely nothing. This baby is a dream to put up and it literally looks like a mansion of all tents when it is up.

Then of course the dismantling also was thought to be a problem. Are we really suppose to put this giant tent into this little carrying bag? But no joke, this thing was a piece of cake to take down and store with no problems at all. Since we are in Florida, it does rain from time to time. So this tent is designed to hold up to the weather. IT comes with Insta-Clip™ Pole attachments that stand up to high wind and the WeatherTec™ System’s patented welded floors and inverted protected seams help ensure (actually in fact it it guarantees to keep you dry) you stay dry. I can’t wait to do this again and throughout the years and getting a chance to explore all over. I tell you one thing, I will never do it without a Coleman EVER!

I thought to myself, I got the tent but what were we going to sleep on that is when Coleman again recommended to me another one of their amazing products. The Coleman Sun Ridge Sleeping Bag is perfect choice if you are looking for a great sleeping option. This sleeping bag allows you to sleep comfortably outside even when it’s 40⁰ F. You may not think Florida gets cold but it certainly does especially in the early months of the year, so this is going to come in very handy.

The bag itself has a designed, patented zipper system that takes the fabric away from the zipper to avoid snags and zips up all the way every time, which is always pain when using a sleeping bag. It also features a Thermolock system that reduces heat loss through the zipper. Of course it is important to be able to easily pack it up as well. This bag as a Roll Control™ loop fasteners that makes it super easily to put away and store. I can honestly say that our first family camping experience was outstanding and it was all due to Coleman products. I look forward to our next adventure!

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Blu-ray Review “Sex Tape”

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Rob Corddry, Jack Black, Rob Lowe, Ellie Kemper
Director: Jake Kasdan
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

When I saw “Sex Tape” in theaters, I had a blast. I don’t man. I have read some terrible reviews for this film but I really enjoyed it. I mean Rob Lowe’s role in the film is just so amazing and worth checking out just for that. Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel are fun together. The plot is light but it is short and sweet. I love comedies that it is around 90 minutes. This is not ground breaking and may not even be remembered next year but it was fun and if you are looking for an hour and half of mindless stupidity, I would recommend it. I haven’t laughed as hard as I did in “Sex Tape” in a long time, so have drink, kick back and enjoy this flick!

Official Premise: Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) are a married couple still very much in love, but ten years and two kids have cooled the passion. To get it back, they decide – why not? – to make a video of themselves trying out every position in The Joy of Sex in one three-hour marathon session. It seems like a great idea until they discover that their most private video has gone public. In a panic, they begin a wild night of adventure – tracking down leads, roping in friends and duping Annie’s boss – all to reclaim their video, their reputation, their sanity and, most importantly, their marriage.

There seems to be two versions of this film available, I happened to receive the Wal-Mart Exclusive with the alternate artwork. Sony is releasing this as a combo pack with Blu-ray + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 are good but nothing spectacular. The special features include some Bloopers, Deleted & Extended Scenes and Line-O-Rama. There is also “Capturing the Moment” which is a chat with director and cast. “Romance Reboot with Dr. Jenn Berman” is a chat with licensed Psychotherapist, VH1 television host, and author discussing the reality of film. Lastly “Meet Hank Rosenbaum” is a funny faux chat with fictional Entrepreneur/Philanthropist/Art Enthusiast talking about the film’s Disney-inspired paintings.

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Blu-ray Review “Leprechaun: The Complete Movie Collection”

Starring: Warwick Davis, Dylan Postl, Jennifer Aniston, Ice-T, Guy Siner, John Gatins
Directors: Brian Trenchard-Smith, Mark Jones (I), Rodman Flender, Zach Lipovsky
Number of discs: 4
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Running Time: 640 minutes

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

What horror fan doesn’t love the “Leprechaun” series? Warwick Davis built a career around this role. They are far from perfect films but they are certainly a ton of fun. I may get a role of the eyes but I especially love “Leprechaun 4: In Space” because it is just a blast. Plus who doesn’t love Las Vegas mixed that with “Leprechaun 3” and you have a winner. This Complete Movie Collection includes all seven films from the series including “Leprechaun” / “Leprechaun 2” / “Leprechaun 3” / “Leprechaun 4: In Space” / “Leprechaun: In the Hood” / “Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood” / “Leprechaun: Origins”, the 2014 reboot (and also the weakest title in the series). If you are a horror fan, this release is a MUST BUY!!

The real draw for me besides each of the seven films, is that this Blu-ray collection comes with a Digital HD UltraViolet copy of each of the films. Right there, this is worth the purchase of the release alone. These films don’t really scream high quality but the 1080p transfers are solid and good enough for what I expect from this series. The first six films come with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks. “Leprechaun: Origins” comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. I still absolutely hated this film and almost wish it wasn’t included in this set. In fact it almost ruins this set.

The first Blu-ray disc includes “Leprechaun” and “Leprechaun 2”. There is an audio commentary on track on “Leprechaun” by director Mark Jones and there is an audio commentary on “Leprechaun 2” by director Rodman Flender. Both tracks are good, not outstanding but worth checking out for some decent insight/stories about the films. There is also a making of featurette on both “Leprechaun” and “Leprechaun 2” with never before seen behind the scenes footage and photos. This is a must watch for fans.

The second Blu-ray includes “Leprechaun 3” and “Leprechaun 4: In Space” aka my favorites in the series. So this is my favorite disc for sure. The special features include an audio commentary on “Leprechaun 3 and 4” by director Brian Trenchard Smith. These are fun and light, which is good because both of the films are just plain fun. Again there is another making of featurette for both “Leprechaun 3 and 4” including never before seen behind the scenes footage and photos. I am very impressed with these extras so far, no question.

The third Blu-ray brings us to the hood or when the series jumped the shark..even not as bad as when he went to space. We get “Leprechaun In the Hood” and “Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood”. The first of the two is decent and co-stars Ice-T, so that is cool but the second one is just plain bad. The special features includes an audio commentary on “Leprechaun In the Hood” by director Rob Spera and an audio commentary on “Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood” by director Steven Ayromlooi. Again, there was a making of featurette on “Leprechaun In the Hood” and “Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood” with never before seen behind the scenes footage and photos.

The fourth Blu-ray includes just “Leprechaun: Origins”, which in case I didn’t say yet is terrible. There are two featurettes includes on this disc. “Leprechaun: An Icon Reborn”, which talks about rebooting this franchise. “Leprechaun: Behind the Blood” takes you briefly behind-the-scenes. So despite this film, I absolutely love the series as a whole and I just love how Lionsgate really delivered to their fans here. These movies look great, they come with digital copies and they have some great extras.

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Blu-ray Review “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods”

Actors: Sean Schemmel, Christopher R. Sabat, Stephanie Nadolny, Sonny Strait, Jason Douglas
Directors: Christopher R. Sabat
Rated: Unrated
Studio: FUNimation
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 85 / 105 minutes

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

The first new “Dragon Ball” feature film in over seventeen years?! Yeah sign me up!! “”Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” is a hell of a good time. I saw this film in theaters during its limited run and it was a real blast. The audience loved and we all really just loved seeing a new “Dragon Ball” feature. I think that diehard fans are going to love this as well (or loved it since it they are diehard fans they should have seen in theaters like me). I hope that the success of this film, still shows that there is plenty of demand for “Dragon Ball” content in the U.S., so I hope that they have future films planned as well. We are more FUNimation!! Bring it on!

Official Premise: Following the events of the Dragon Ball Z television series, after the defeat of Majin Buu, a new power awakens and threatens humanity. Beerus, an ancient and powerful God of Destruction, searches for Goku after hearing rumors of the Saiyan warrior who defeated Frieza. Realizing the threat Beerus poses to their home planet, the Z-fighters must find a way to stop him before it’s too late. Only Goku, humanity’s last hope, can ascend to the level of a legendary Super Saiyan God and stop Beerus’s from destroying Earth, and possibly the entire universe!

“Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” delivered a solid Blu-ray presentation courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment The 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 looks amazing with this films colors and animation style. It keeps the original series look with not too much of an upgrade in terms of style but it just looks very polished and sharp. Same goes for the audio tracks. There are Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks for both Japanese and English on the Theatrical Version of the film and and an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 track for the Uncut Version. Either one really rules personally. I originall saw it in English but I love DBZ in Japanese as wel.

The Blu-ray contains as a mentioned, two cuts of the film the Theatrical cut runs about 85 minutes, while the Uncut version runs about 105 minutes. Obviously, I love DBZ so the longer the better for me. The film already had slight pacing issues at 85 minutes, so it runs a little long but I still can’t get enough personally. In terms of special features, we get a Behind the Scenes look into the film with “Battle of Voice Actors” and also similarly “The Voices of Dragon Ball Z Unveiled”, which touches on the cast. There is also a Textless Closing Song and U.S. Trailer included.

Blu-ray Review “Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon”

Starring: Shep Gordon
Director: Mike Myers
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
elease Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 85 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 0 out of 5 stars

“Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon” is a documentary about the king of the entertainment industry. It is marks the directorial debut of Mike Myers. That’s right the same Mike Myers from “Austin Powers” series and “Wayne’s World” series. I have to admit, I wasn’t familiar with Shep Gordon but this guy knows EVERYONE in the business. He has been Alice Coopers manager for over 40 years and has worked with everyone from Pink Floyd (for like 9 days) to Groucho Marx to Jimi Hendrix to Emeril Lagasse. In terms of documentary, this one really interested me and was definitely worth checking out if you are in the world involved in the business.

Official Premise: In his directorial debut, Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Wayne’s World) steps behind the camera to document the remarkable career of friend and Hollywood insider—Shep Gordon. He isn’t a household name, but Gordon became a beacon in the entertainment industry after a chance run-in with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin launched his career in 1968. Since then, he has managed an endless list of talent, including Alice Cooper, Blondie, Luther Vandross, and Raquel Welch. His management of Emeril Lagasse was the driving force behind the “Celebrity Chef,” concept that turned the culinary arts into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. Capitalist, protector, hedonist, pioneer, showman, shaman…Shep, or SUPERMENSCH, is beloved by the countless stars he’s encountered. Now, Gordon’s fascinating story is told by those who know him best, his pals including Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson, and more.

“Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon” is not special at all when it comes to its Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p transfer is good but also barely decent at certain points. Since some of the content is taken from old sourced. It is not very polished but to be honest it still works since it is a documentary and I didn’t expect “Avatar”. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is a bit neglected since there isn’t much on the track besides the dialogue. There isn’t much music in the film either than the typical documentary music. In more disappointing there are zero special features on this Blu-ray. I would have loved to see a commentary track and some deleted or extended interviews included.

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Blu-ray Review “A Million Ways to Die in the West”

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 116 minutes

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

“Ted” is a very funny film and a real tough act to follow for Seth MacFarlane. “A Million Ways to Die in the West” tries its best and really succeeds. The film is also a Western, so right off the bat, that is a really hard act to sell. The film is funny as hell and also extremely raunchy. My only issue is that it is falls into the category of running about 30 minutes too long. It features an amazing cast including Seth MacFarlane himself along with Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman and Neil Patrick Harris. Honestly, I enjoyed the second viewing is more enjoyable. I recommend this for some great laughs.

Official Premise: Seth MacFarlane directs, produces, co-writes and plays the role of the cowardly sheep farmer Albert in A Million Ways to Die in the West. After Albert backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.

“A Million Ways to Die in the West” comes in a great Blu-ray from Universal. The 1080p transfer in 2.40:1 looks amazing. The location outdoor shots are gorgeous and totally unexpected from this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also great and delivers well on Joel McNeely, perfectly themed Western score. The special features are nothing special. There are commentary tracks on both cuts with Director/Producer/Co-Writer Seth MacFarlane, Co-Writers and Executive Producers Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild and Star Charlize Theron. This is worth checking out if you enjoyed the film.

There is an Alternate Opening and Alternate Ending, along with about 10 minutes of Deleted / Extended / Alternate Scenes and a Gag Reel. There is a basic EPK making of look with “Once Upon a Time, in a Different West” with package’s EPK, with some fun behind the scenes footage and interviews. The Blu-ray also includes an Extended cut of the film which runs about 2 hours and 15 minutes but honestly, it is way too long. I love comedies but they honestly need to be around 90 minutes.

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Film Review “The Judge”

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Robert Duvall
Directed by: David Dobkin
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hours 21 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Godfather: Part II,” “Network,” “The Natural,” “Falling Down.” What do these films have in common? They all feature performances by Robert Duvall that amazingly were NOT nominated for an Academy Award. I decided some time ago that, in my opinion, Robert Duvall is the greatest film actor of all time. Don’t believe me? Watch “The Great Santini.” Or “The Apostle,” which Duvall also wrote and directed. Then tell me I’m wrong. Those two films earned him two of his six Oscar nominations and he won the Best Actor Oscar for 1983’s “Tender Mercies.” He should earn his seventh nod shortly thanks to his performance in “The Judge.”

Hank Palmer (Downey, Jr) is the stereotypical “fat cat” lawyer. Big house in the suburbs. Drives a Ferrari. And has no problem defending clients who…well, let’s just say that not always guilt free. When an opposing attorney asks him why he never defends an innocent client, Hank replies that “an innocent man can’t afford me.” When his mother passes away, Hank leaves his high-style Chicago lifestyle for a trip back home to small town Indiana. Back to his family. Back to the Judge.

Flawlessly directed and skillfully acted, “The Judge” joins last week’s “Gone Girl” on this year’s short list of worthy Oscar contenders. With no love lost between them, Judge Joseph Palmer (Duvall) and his middle son are like oil and water. When Judge Palmer is involved in a hit and run accident – it doesn’t help that the man killed had once appeared before the judge and held a grudge – Hank must go to the mat to keep his father out of prison. Whether he’s innocent or not!

Duvall and Downey, Jr. are outstanding. Both men would certainly be recognized come Oscar time if I was in charge. Constantly finding just the right thing to say to twist the imaginary knife just a little more, the two bicker more than an old married couple. But, like that couple, there is also a mutual respect and love that they keep hidden in their emotions. As oldest son, Glen, Vincent D’Onofrio tries to be strong, though he still nurses a distrust of Hank and his efforts. Jeremy Strong plays youngest brother Dale, a young man who never goes anywhere without his Super 8 camera, with a gentle sweetness. Vera Farmiga is strong as a woman from Hank’s past while Billy Bob Thornton oozes with oil as the special prosecutor sent to bring Judge Palmer to trial. There isn’t a false note in the bunch. What is most surprising is the way the film is crafted by director Dobkin. A veteran of such comedies as “Shanghai Knights,” “Wedding Crashers” and “Fred Claus,” this is not a film I would expect from him. Though a tad too long, Dobkin manages to keep the film moving, only revealing something new when the time is right. The pace never drags and Dobkin has delivered a first rate dramatic debut!

Blu-ray Review “Attack on Titan: Limited Edition – Part 2”

Starring: Yûki Kaji, Yui Ishikawa, Marina Inoue, Kishô Taniyama, Yu Shimamura, Yû Kobayashi
Director: Tetsurô Araki
Number of discs: 4
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Run Time: 300 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Attack on Titan” has really resurrected my love for Japanese anime. The show is fantastic and as a whole is easily one of the best series that I have watched in a while. I just wish the series was longer than 26 episodes, since the manga is quite long as well. This Limited Edition Part 2 comes with a 3-D Lenticular Art Card and Notes From Beyond The Wall: Part 2 (a 24 page digibook containing 4 panel comics, artwork, interviews and more!). The series is also being re-adapted into two animated theatrical films set to be released Winter 2014 and 2015. The word is that there is also a live-action movie that will begin filming in summer 2014 for a planned summer 2015 release. So stay tuned “Titan” fans, there is still a lot of come!

Official Premise: Eren Jaeger vowed to rid mankind of the bloodthirsty giants who devoured his mother and destroyed his city. Now, after discovering that he has the ability to turn into a Titan, the world Eren promised to protect looks at him like he is the monster. Narrowly avoiding execution, Eren’s fate is entrusted to the Scout Regiment where he must prove capable of following orders. But on an expedition outside the wall, a unique female Titan appears and cuts through the Scouts, leaving a trail of carnage and splintered bones behind her and making it difficult for Eren to control his rage. As it becomes obvious that a traitor is sabotaging the Regiment from within, Eren must ask himself who humanity’s true enemy really is.

Like Part 1 of “Attack on Titan”, it is delivered by FUNimation Entertainment with a solid Blu-ray presentation. The episodes look fantastic in their 1080p transfers in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The style of animation looks so amazing and the detail is incredible. Same goes for the audio options. We get the original Japanese language track in Dolby TrueHD 2.0 and an English dub in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. Both are excellent but I have to admit like Part 1 as well, the 5.1 track wins. There is over an hour of special features included, a little less than Part 1 but still decent. There is a commentary track for episodes 14 & 25, Attack on Titan at Anime Expo, ”Chibi Theatre: Fly, Cadets, Fly!”, Eyecatch Gallery, Textless Songs, and trailers included.

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Book Review “Disney Fairies: Winter Wonderland Reusable Sticker Book”

Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Series: Disney Fairies
Paperback: 12 pages
Publisher: LB Kids
Release Date: October 21, 2014

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

My daughter loves two things…Disney Fairies and stickers. This book should be a win-win! But I have to admit, I was really disappointed with it. She loves the sticker and character portion of it but as a consumer, the book is sold as a “Reusable Sticker Book” and there is nothing reusable about this stickers. Once these suckers are pasted down, they are down for good. Personally if something is called reusable, I would expect it to be reusable. Big let down!

There are still pages and pages of stickers included and my daughter didn’t seem to care much. There are some pages where you have a blank background and you can fill in characters and accessories. Another page includes you matching outlines with stickers. Other pages allow you to change outfits to each character but like I said once you put them down once they are stuck, so if my daughter was a little older and wanted to change something she wouldn’t be too happy here.

Book Review “Disney Fairies: Bedtime Fairy Stories: A Treasury”

Author: Celeste Sisler
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Series: Disney Fairies
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: LB Kids
Release Date: October 7, 2014

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Tinker Bell has always been a favorite character from “Peter Pan” but she has recently developed into one of Disney’s biggest character within the Disney Fairies series. Having a two year old, I have become a big fan myself of the Disney Fairies, especially the movies. “Disney Fairies: Bedtime Fairy Stories: A Treasury” is a great collection of nine bedtime stories for my little tinker Bella (my daughters name). A must have for sure!

Official Premise: The fairies of Pixie Hollow are always busy flittering about. They have mysteries to solve, animals to care for, and a responsibility to help one another. But the fairies also know how to have fun together! They go on great fairy campouts, search for the perfect pumpkin, and paint beautiful pictures. This bedtime treasury includes nine soothing stories sure to put every fairy to sleep.

The illustrations are very colorful and vibrant. I have read some bedtime stories that are a bit too exciting to really be considered bedtime stories since it rallies the kids up. This collection really has some enjoyable stories but my daughter loves to point out each of the characters’ names and what is going on in the stories. So I have really enjoyed reading this to her at night. I hope that LB Kids have future volumes planned.

Blu-ray Review “Dragon Ball Z: Season Six”

Starring: Sean Schemmel, Stephanie Nadolny, Christopher Sabat, Daisuke Gōri, Mayumi Tanaka, Kenji Utsumi
Director: Daisuke Nishio, Mike McFarland
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Run Time: 685 minutes

Seasons: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

As we are flying through the seasons this year, FUNimation Entertainment is continuing the love for Dragon Ball Z Uncut with the sixth season which features episodes 166-194 of the classic anime series. The season around the Cell Games Saga and originally aired from 1992–1993 in Japan and 2000 in the U.S. on Cartoon Network dubbed in English. This is a great season as Cell was always a kick-ass villain. Three more seasons to go after this Funimation is determined to finish the series before the end of 2014.

Official Premise: Having at last achieved his Perfect Form, the evil Cell’s powers have soared to terrible new heights, overshadowing even the greatest of the Z-Fighters. Eager to demonstrate these newfound abilities and prove his superiority, Cell proposes a tournament. He issues an ultimatum to the people of Earth: produce a worthy opponent or die! The day of reckoning upon them, Goku and the Z-Fighters line up to participate in Cell’s twisted game, the world’s best hope of defeating the monster.

But they are not the only ones brave enough to accept the challenge. The reigning World Martial Arts Champion, Mr. Satan, has also stepped into the ring! Now, with the fate of the human race hanging in the balance, one of these valiant fighters must come forward to defeat the seemingly invincible Perfect Cell. But who will it be?

Like the past seasons, this one has be given a frame-by-frame restoration to remove blemishes, tape marks and foreign bodies from the film. The 1080p transfer at a 16:9 aspect ratio looks amazing. The audio tracks including the Japanese audio and two English tracks: the U.S. English-language broadcast dub and a mix with English dialogue and Japanese music have been re-mastered in the interest of noise reduction and superior sound quality, and the colors are bolder and more vibrant.

The special features are decent including two Inside Dragon Ball Z features. The first is an interview with Eric Vale, voice of Trunks. The second is an interview with Cynthia Cranz, who voiced infant Broly. There is also some Dragon Ball Z trivia and a must for those hardcore fans. Lastly there are Textless Opening/Closing Songs and trailers included.

Blu-ray Review “Dragon Ball Z: Season Seven”

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

As we are flying through the seasons this year, FUNimation Entertainment is continuing the love for Dragon Ball Z Uncut with the sixth season which features episodes 195-219 of the classic anime series. The season around the Cell Games Saga and originally aired from 1992–1993 in Japan and 2000 in the U.S. on Cartoon Network dubbed in English. This season focuses around Great Saiyaman and World Tournament Sagas. Getting close now only two more seasons to go after this as Funimation is determined to finish the series before the end of 2014.

Official Premise: Seven years of peace have passed since the defeat of the monstrous Cell, and the Z-Fighters have enjoyed a return to normal life. Goku has eagerly continued his training in Other World, Krillin has gotten married, and Gohan has renewed his scholarly pursuits while attempting to navigate the pitfalls of high school. Two fresh new Saiyan faces have also appeared on the scene – Goku’s son Goten, and Vegeta’s son Trunks.

Now, the time has come for the Z-Fighters to reunite, as the new World Martial Arts Tournament is set to begin. The greatest warriors on Earth have come together for their chance to capture the title of the reigning champion, Mr. Satan – but behind the scenes, sinister forces are at work. An evil eye watches the competitors’ every move, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. The action grows fierce on the tournament floor, but for the Z-Fighters, the real fight is only just beginning

The special features are decent including two Inside Dragon Ball Z features. The first is an interview with Justin Cook, who voices of Dende, Evil Buu & Super Buu. The second is an interview with Nathanael Harrison, who is the audio mixing engineer for the Funimation dub. There is an extras on the “Dragon Ball Z Card Game” called “Past, Present and Future”. Lastly there are Textless Opening/Closing Songs and trailers included.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: ball, bluray, dragon, review, season

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