Product Review “Loot Crate – August 2014 – Heroes”

Loot Crate is a epic monthly subscription box for geeks and gamers for under $20. You are getting at least $40+ Retail Value in every crate, most of the contents are exclusive to Loot Crate! So be sure to subscribe to have bragging right against your friends. You also have a chance to win Mega Crate with $750+ Value! This is the first time that we have received Loot Box (and hopefully not the last). I came across an ad on Facebook and couldn’t help but requesting one and helping spread the word.

Loot Crate isn’t messing around with its partners either. They only have the best including Capcom, Marvel, DC Domics, Star Wars and Nintendo. So you are guaranteed to get something amazing each month for sure. This month focus is on Villains, so if you dig that be sure to check out our video unboxing below to check out what great goods is included in August’s box.

There are three ways to sign up for Loot Crate:
1 month plan $13.37/mo + $6 S&H
3 month plan $12.37/mo + $6 S&H
6 month plan $11.67/mo + $6 S&H

Click here to sign up your own Loot Crate subscription!

Click here for our video unboxing of this latest Loot Box:

Since last month’s Loot Crate was Villains, it is only right that this month’s is Heroes! Since the movies this summer have been taken over by the Guardians of the Galaxy and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you can expect some goodies from them. I AM GROOT! But this is not just stuff you can get anywhere…this is EXCLUSIVE loot only available here! Inside the August pamplet, there is a cool feature article on the “Origin Of Heroes” by Joshua Brown. There is another great article called “What Makes a Hero?” by Candice Shane. This is no three line article either, it is a solid essay like article. Very cool stuff. .

In case you don’t feel like watching the video, here are the items included in this month’s Loot Crate:
1. TMNT Ooze Action Figure – Glow in the Dark Series – Raphael
2. Exclusive Funko POP! Groot – Glow in the Dark
3. TMNT Mask Glasses (I got Michaelangelo)
4. The Flash Shoe Lightning Bolts by Schwings
5. Sonic, Mega Man or Proto Air Fresheners (I got Sonic)
6. Deadpool – Chimichango’s Magnet
7. Bonus Exclusive Digital Loot

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Filed Under: Toys Tagged With: 2014, august, crate, heroes, loot, product, ...

DVD Review “Scott Ian: Speaking/Swearing Words in Glasgow”

“Scott Ian: Speaking/Swearing Words in Glasgow”
Number of discs: 1
Label: Megaforce Records
Rated: Unrated

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In 2013 Heavy Metal musician, author and television personality Scott Ian made his way over to Europe to perform his first run of speaking shows detailing his 30+ years in the music business. “Scott Ian: Speaking/Swearing Words In Glasgow” is the full length visual presentation of Scott’s show in Glasgow, Scotland which was made possible by fans from around the world donating money to the project through the PledgeMusic campaign.

Even if you are not a fan of Anthrax or heavy metal music in general there is plenty of humor in this release from Scott Ian. Shot live while performing his first ever run of speaking shows Scott shares some of his most wild stories from his career as the guitarist for one of the founding bands of thrash metal, Anthrax. From the tale of drinking with legendary Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister to his chance meeting with director Steven Spielberg, Scott’s dialogue will have you laughing from the word go. Over the course of the DVD Scott takes the viewer on a roller coaster that is his life. Through ups and downs Scott pulls no punches and is steadfast in his approach. You don’t have to be a heavy metal music fan to enjoy these stories!

To more to Scott’s witty banter are a handful of art slides that correspond with each of the stories told. This was a great addition as just seeing a cartoon version of 80’s era Scott with long hair was enough for me. Add in similar cartoon versions of Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna, heavy metal icon Johnny Z and of course the previously mentioned Lemmy and these entertaining slides act as the icing on the cake for this release. If you were fortunate to catch this show or one of the other European/U.S. shows this DVD is a must have for your collection. If you weren’t able to make it out to the live show but wanted to then you already know what you need to do. Buy this DVD!

 

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DVD Review “Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys”

Director: Brian Stillman
Number of discs: 1
Rated: Unrated
Studio: X-Ray Films
Run Time: 70 minutes

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

“Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys” tells the behind the scenes story of how one of the most successful toy lines ever came to be. From the lackluster early planning stages of a toy line/film destined for failure to the over whelming response which prompted the creation of the “Early Bird” mail order set to meet the immense demands. Directed by Brian Stillman the film is a fresh and in-depth look at not just the toy lines creation but also how it impacted countless childhoods.

This is not just another “Star Wars” documentary retelling stories fans of the series have heard time and time again. Instead Director Brian Stillman and company have put together a fun and informative documentary about the next best thing besides the films…the toys! Packed full of interviews with the people who designed the toys along with interviews from various collectors the film is part formal information and part childhood memories. Accompanying the interviews are a slew of vintage commercials, television spots and photo stills that catapult you back to the glory days of immense toy isles chocked full of your favorite “Star Wars” items. Equally impressive is the new animation that was created to transition various sections of the film. The art is fresh and new while retaining that late 70’s early 80’s feel. Something I very much enjoyed.

Alongside the film are a variety of Special Features including one titled “Know Your Lightsaber”. A fun spoof that had me cracking up from start to finish as it recounts the various light saber models and subsequent knock offs that were produced throughout the years. Whether you are a hardcore “Star Wars” collector, a casual fan or someone just wanting to take a trip down memory lane “Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys” is a fun film from start to finish that can be watched by the whole family.

 

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Concert Review: Goo Goo Dolls, Daughtry, Plain White T’s – Tag’s Summer Stage, Big Flats, NY

Goo Goo Dolls, Daughtry, Plain White T’s
Saturday, August 16th 2014
Tag’s Summer Stage, Big Flats, NY

Our score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

The quiet town of Big Flats, NY sprung to life on Saturday, August 16th as New York natives the Goo Goo Dolls made a stop at Tag’s Summer Stage as part of their summer tour which also featured season 5 American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry along with the Plain White T’s. Though the weather was touch and go throughout the night it didn’t stop those in attendance from enjoying the night of music.

Opening up the nights show was Plain White T’s who burst on the music scene a few years back with their hit song “Hey There Delilah”. The group performed an intimate acoustic tinged set that sounded great however with the exception of one or two more well know songs the bands time on stage did little to ignite the crowd’s attention. Daughtry would take the stage next opening up his set with the title track off his newest album “Baptized” and instantly had the crowd in his hand. As the set progressed Daughtry and company treated the crowd to a variety of songs from his current and previous albums including hits like “Feels like Tonight”, “It’s Not Over” and “September” before closing out his set with “Long Live Rock & Roll”. Though the crowd seemed appreciative of the bands performance there were several points during the set where Daughtry seemed to push his voice a little too far past his range making those parts a bit harsh on the ears. Personally I also would have enjoyed hearing a few more of his edgier rock tunes this time around however that did not happen.

As darkness fell on the semi-remote venue the Goo Goo Dolls would take the stage to close out the night with an impressive 21 song set which ran the gambit of the bands 20+ year career. The group opened the set with the song “Dizzy” which gave way to other classic tracks like “Big Machine” and “Slide” before the night was closed out by songs like “Broadway” and “Iris”. I found the band’s sound to be tight and well rehearsed however with the exception of bassist Robby Takac whose energy kept the show interesting the other members seemed to be just going through the motions. It was also a little disheartening to see the absence of vintage Goo songs like “Long Way Down” and “Naked”.  Despite my own feelings toward the nights set those in attendance seemed very appreciative of the bands performance and showed that by large periods of applause after each and every song. If you have never seen any of the bands or you are a seasoned show going fan make your way out to one of the remaining shows for a solid night of music and fun as the tours lineup has a little something for everyone.

Plain White T’s Set List:
1.) American Nights
2.) Helium
3.) The Giving Tree
4.) 1,2,3,4
5.) Should’ve Gone to Bed
6.) Hey There Delilah
7.) Rhythm of Love

Daughtry Set List:
1.) Baptized
2.) Feels like Tonight
3.) Over You
4.) Renegade
5.) Traitor
6.) It’s Not Over
7.) What About Now
8.) Wild Heart
9.) Battleships
10.) Home
11.) September
12.) Waiting for Superman
13.) Long Live Rock & Roll

Goo Goo Dolls Set List:
1.) Dizzy
2.) Big Machine
3.) Slide
4.) Rebel Beat
5.) When the World Breaks Your Heart
6.) Already There
7.) Another Second Time Around
8.) Come to Me
9.) Black Balloon
10.) Stay With you
11.) Here is Gone
12.) Caught in the Storm
13.) Name
14.) January Friend
15.) Bringing on the Light
16.) Better Days
17.) Slow It Down
18.) Broadway
19.) Let Love In
20.) Iris
21.) Give a Little Bit (Supertramp cover)

 

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Concert Review: Doyle “Annihilate America Tour 2014”

“Annihilate America Tour 2014”
Doyle, Ashylus, The Isotopes
Date: Friday, August 15th 2014
Venue: Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Former Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein kicked off his “Annihilate America Tour” at the intimate Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY on August 15th and despite several last minute set backs which included being stranded in New Jersey the night before and the band’s drummer quitting several days prior the band simply named “Doyle” proved that nothing was going to stop them from hitting the road in support of their debut release “Abominator” and pulverizing the masses.

Tension was certainly in the air for the tours opening night as band and crew members scurried about the venue after a late arrival due to Doyle and company experiencing last minute transportation issues. Combine that with the group’s drummer Dr. Chud leaving the band only a few short days before and any lesser band would have called it quits even before starting. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. Kicking off the night was Rochester’s own The Isotopes. The 4 piece instrumental act took to the stage donning horn rimmed glasses, green ties and pocket protectors flanked by an impressive light show complete with two lovely go-go dancers. Equally impressive to the bands stage show was their tight sound which seemed to mix 60’s surf music with Iron Maiden like solos and pure punk rock energy.

Though the crowd was still filing in through the venue doors it did little to sway the bands presentation. Up next was the direct support act for the tour Ashylus Hailing from the Pacific Northwest the 5 piece metal-core band quickly elevated the rooms growing excitement as they blasted through songs of their album “Leave Your Mark” which was released earlier this year. After the bands powerful 30 minute set headliners Doyle would take the stage to close out the night. The band consisting of Cancerslug vocalist Alex Story, Bassist Left Hand Graham, Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein and the bands newest member drummer Anthony “Tiny” Biuso.

The band took the stage basked in a red and green glow as Doyle’s signature guitar tone blasted through the towering stack of speakers which flanked both sides of the stage. Before you could blink the band launched in to “Abominator” the title track off the group’s debut album. Doyle pummeled is guitar repeatedly as singer Alex Story belted out lyrics with a guttural growl. The bands set was a perfect mixture of new songs like “Valley of Shadows” and “Headhunter” to Misfits classics such as “Hybrid Moment” and “Where Eagles Dare” and “Last Caress”.

Though the band still had a few kinks to work out as working in a new drummer just days before a tour requires quite a few adjustments however a few small bumps in the road didn’t stop the band from delivering a blistering set that left peoples jaws on the floor from just the sheer impact of the bands volume. Doyle and company proved that they are hell bent on domination and If the same power they brought to the tours opening night continues throughout the rest of the tour then nothing will stand in their way.

Doyle Set List
1.)   Abominator
2.)   Learn to Bleed
3.)   Valley of Shadows
4.)   Where Eagles Dare
5.)   Cemetery Sex
6.)   Headhunter
7.)   Hybrid Moment
8.)   Attitude
9.)   Love Like Murder
10.) Last Caress
11.) Die Die My Darling
12.) Hope Hell is Warm

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Blu-ray Review “The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season (Limited Edition)”

Actors: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Scott Wilson
Directors: Ernest R. Dickerson, Guy Ferland, Greg Nicotero
Number of discs: 5
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: August 26, 2014
Run Time: 696 minutes

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

Just when you thought that “The Walking Dead” couldn’t get any crazier…main characters getting killed off, pushing the limits of cable TV…we get season four, which takes it up yet another notch. Season four was a very impressive season for this show and easily my favorite to date. The season is split into technically three parts. The first half is the take down of the prison, the second is the group solo and getting back together (in some sense) and the third is the arrival at Terminus. Season five is being setup to kick off what is guaranteed to be the best season yet. With the show getting more and more popular with each episode, it is becoming an unstoppable force. If you love this show, this Blu-ray should hold you off until “The Walking Dead” season 5 returns on Sunday, October 12th.

Official Premise: In the new season, we see Rick and the group of survivors fostering a thriving community in the safe haven of the prison only to have it short-lived as the group loses everything, their home, family, and friends to the threat of the walkers, outside threats and the hidden dangers brewing inside the fences. The group of survivors are broken apart and sent on divergent paths, unsure of everyone else’s fate as they are exposed to new dangers, new enemies, and heartbreaking choices. They will have their faith thoroughly tested — a faith that breaks some of them and redeems others.

This season show not great but literally outstanding performances from everyone in the cast including. Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Emily Kinney, Chad Coleman, Sonequa Martin-Green, Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. and Scott Wilson. Speaking of Scott, we lost our beloved Hershel this season but his spirit will live on. He was a hard person to lose and easily one of my favorite characters on the show. Last season, I absolutely hated (and I am sure I am not alone) Carl but this season, Chandler really knocked it out the park. The VIP of the season easily has to be Melissa McBride! WOW! Looking at flowers will never be the same! Where is her damn Emmy nomination!?

Anchor Day has been amazing with giving “The Walking Dead” Blu-ray amazing Limited Edition sets. The first season was more basic but the second season was the large zombie head with the screwdriver in the eye and the third was The Governor’s tank. The fourth season’s limited edition release includes an exclusive McFarlane Toys Tree Walker Case. The Tree walker’s head and arm move when you remove the Blu-ray set. It is quite epic and a must have for any hardcore collector. You look at the quality of work that comes with this release and you will be convinced that it is worth the extra money. But get it while it is available because like the other seasons, this is sure to become an expensive collectible.

Like the past seasons, The Blu-ray presentations comes with outstanding 1080p transfers with even better Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround tracks. Literally this are GOLD! I love watching this show on TV when it airs but the Blu-ray presentations are so much better to enjoy. When the Governor storms through the prison in their tanks, my surround sound system was screaming for a break. From every gunshot to zombie roar, the sound is just outstanding. You literally forget you are watching TV series, as this show feels so theatrical.

The special features for this series have always been amazing! This season is no different. To start, we have Blu-ray exclusive extended episodes for “After” and “The Grove”. There are six cast and crew audio commentaries included on this set. The first is on “30 Days Without An Accident”  with Executive Producer and Showrunner Scott M. Gimple, Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager Tom Luse and Executive Producer/Special Effects Make-Up Supervisor/Director Greg Nicotero. Next is “Internment” with Executive Producer and Showrunner Scott M. Gimple and Actor Scott Wilson (Hershel). “After” includes Greg Nicotero, Co-Executive Producer Denise Huth and Actor Danai Gurira (Michonne).

There are two tracks for the episode, “Still” the first with Director Julius Ramsay and Actor Emily Kinney (Beth) and the second with Writer/Producer Angela Kang and Actor Norman Reedus (Daryl). The last track is “The Grove” (Ep14) with Scott M. Gimple, Denise Huth and Actor Andrew Lincoln. I cannot say enough good things about these tracks. I loved everyone of them. The ones with Greg and the other producers are super technical and you get tons of great information about the show. If you love this show, you cannot miss these. All gems.

Next up we have eight outstanding Behind-the-Scenes Production Featurettes. First up are “Inside The Walking Dead and “The Making of The Walking Dead”, which are self-explanatory. These are great for fans wanted an inside look in how the show is created. “Hershel” and “The Governor Is Back” are character based featurettes on two of our favorite characters to bit it this season. “Drawing Inspiration” and “Society, Science & Survival” look into the preparation taken for this season. “Inside KNB EFX” dives into the work of Greg Nicotero and his creations. Lastly “A Journey Back to Brutality” is a look back at the season and there are some Deleted Scenes included as well.

Here is the Comic-Con trailer for what we can expect for Season Five!

 

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Blu-ray Review “The Possession of Michael King”

Actors: Shane Johnson, Julie McNiven, Ella Anderson, Cara Pifko, Dale Dickey
Directors: David Jung
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Run Time: 83 minutes

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

Found footage meets Exorcism, sounds good but has been done before, with “The Last Exorcism” coming to mind.  Surprisingly, “The Possession of Michael King” is a decent entry. Not groundbreaking or genre changing but overall decent. It comes from the producers of “White Noise” and “The Haunting in Connecticut”, so that is a plus in its corner. The film fails with its narrative and wide open ending that answers basically nothing but it definitely had some solid scares and kept my attention the whole film. Plus it run just over 80 minutes, so that works in its favor as well. Shane Johnson is a good lead and has solid co-stars including Dale Dickey (“Iron Man 3”), Tomas Arana (“Gladiator”), and Julie McNiven (“Mad Men”). Worth a rent if you got nothing else to do this week.

Official Premise: Michael King (Shane Johnson) doesn’t believe in God or The Devil. Following the sudden death of his wife, the documentary filmmaker decides to make his next film about the search for the existence of the supernatural. Michael decides to make himself the center of the experiment – allowing demonologists, necromancers, and various practitioners of the occult to try the deepest and darkest spells and rituals they can find on him – in the hopes that when they fail, he’ll once and for all have proof that religion, spiritualism, and the paranormal are nothing more than myth. But something does happen. An evil and horrifying force has taken over Michael King. And it will not let him go.

Anchor Bay is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet HD Digital copy included. Honestly, it is really rare for Anchor Bay to be releasing digital copies for it’s smaller releases, so this is a real treat. Not that I loved the film enough to watch it again but it hopefully means going they are going to do so. The 1080p transfer is what it is since we are working with found footage here. The picture is clear and the dark scenes are balanced well. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track sound solid and works well the film scares for sure. There are no special features at all included on this release, which is definitely a let down.

 

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Film Review “If I Stay”

Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley
Directed by: R.J. Cutler
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 46 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

Before you begin to think of me as an unfeeling dolt, let me say in my defense that I love a good romantic drama. I’ve been known to bawl my eyes out during certain films, among them “Ghost,” “Forrest Gump” and “Sophie’s Choice.” The only way “If I Stay” could make me cry would be if I had to watch it again.

Mia (Moretz), her little brother and their parents have decided to go for a drive. It’s a snow day…no school and what better than to bundle the family up in the car and head down the highway. Sadly, this is not a wise idea. A horrible accident ensues. Mia finds herself walking the halls of the local hospital, soon realizing that she is having an out of body experience. She watches as her friends and family deal with the horrible news and as a team of doctors operate on her. During the operation one of the nurses leans over and whispers to Mia that it will be up to her. Her will is what will determine if she lives or dies. And, I would hope, the quality of the medical attention she is receiving.
A film that probably read better as a book, “If I Stay” attempts to stuff too many events into a short time period. The story is told via flashbacks, so we get glimpses into Mia’s life interspliced with shots of her and her family in the hospital. We get to witness her meeting hot schoolmate Adam (Blackley), a musician whose anger at the way life has treated him is channeled through his music. Mia also loves music. Classical music. She can sit down and knock out a tune on a cello like no one you’ve ever heard before. The two begin dating, using music as a common ground to build a relationship on. Mia’s dad had been part of a punk rock band called Nasty Bruises, so he readily approves of Adam. Of course, when not discussing music the two lovebirds quibble with each other. But then they make up. Then they quibble. Again, they make up. Do you see a pattern here?

What kills this film is the script. First off, the dialogue is horrible (a pregnant women, spying a container of Chinese food, quips “I’m having dim sum for a twosome!” Ha ha! There is even a snippet of dialogue which could have been taken, almost verbatim, from the film “Carrie.” We later learn that Mia has an audition in San Francisco (the film is based in Portland, Oregon) and is driven down by her grandfather (Stacey Keach). Apparently he drives her home also, which means he must have had a spaceship since it’s an almost eleven hour drive between the two cities. Realism goes out the door when Mia is shown studying and listening to classical music through headphones. Later she takes them off and in a few minutes she is removing the album she was listening to from a 1970s style turntable. But what really angered me about this film was a scene when Adam is stopped by the nurses from visiting Mia in the Intensive Care Unit, being told it’s only for immediate family members. He is so persistent in his attempts that eventually he is led away by three security guards. However, 20 mins later half of the cast, including people we haven’t even been introduced to yet (remember…flashbacks) start filing into Mia’s room. Did the ICU Nazi go home?

The cast does its best with what it has to work with. Adam and the band begin to gain momentum, even though, in the four different concert shots, they apparently only know one song. But hey, that’s show-biz. I’d like to tell you how the film ends, but I won’t for two reasons:

  1. 1. It wouldn’t be right for me to ruin the ending.
  2. If you still want to see this film after you’ve read this, then you might as well see the whole thing. If “I” had to “STAY” until the end then so do you.

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

Film Review “Land Ho!”

Starring: Earl Lynn Nelson and Paul Eenhoorn
Directed by: Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 35 mins
Sony Pictures Classics

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Even with Iceland as the setting for this story, the new film “Land Ho!” is full of warmth. I really, really liked this movie. It harbors the true spirit of independent filmmaking, looking as if the directors just grabbed a camera, a sound person, flew to Iceland and had two extremely sweet and personable guys interact with each other. The actors and the landscape do all the work here, because when you examine the film you’ll find that there is almost no story whatsoever. And I was okay with that.

Colin (Eenhoorn) and Mitch (Nelson) are two former brothers-in-law, having once been married to a couple of sisters. Colin is an Australian while Mitch is an American hailing from Louisiana. Both are recently retired, and Colin is again recently divorced. On a whim, and as an escape for Colin, Mitch books them tickets to go to Iceland and travel around. And that’s all there is to it.

Mitch, a garrulous and big bear-of-a-man, was once a physician. The more reserved and shy Colin had, in another life, been a talented French horn player turned bank branch manager. Although their backstories have definitely molded them into the men they are today, their history doesn’t play too much into their present. The film is really a road movie at heart. We watch as Mitch and Colin travel to various tourist spots in Iceland and interact with other travelers, natives and, most importantly, each other. The two men seem to enjoy one another’s company, yet come across as complete opposites. It’s almost an Icelandic version of Neil Simon’s “Odd Couple,” though here both men are well-dressed and clean. It’s just Mitch’s vernacular that tends to be a bit dirty.

There are hints of the old versus the new in this story; but that theme doesn’t seem to be of too much importance. Mitch and Colin are of a different generation, but they discuss Facebook and aren’t neophytes when it comes to technology and change. “Land Ho!” is nothing more than a series of scenes or vignettes. There is no overall story. It’s just two men sharing an adventure together, letting loose and feeling free for what could possibly be the first time in a while.

Having never seen either of the two main actors in anything before I can’t tell you how their performances were in comparison to anything else. But I can tell you that they are very naturalistic. Very rarely did anything either one of them say come off as scripted or pre-planned. It all seemed spontaneous and real. Earl Lynn Nelson is likeable from the start. He knows who he is, and he owns any room he walks into; but not in a self-important way. Eenhoorn is a bit more relaxed and laidback, but still a tad shy. You don’t warm to him as fast as you do to Mitch, but within fifteen minutes you love both of these men and enjoy watching them wander around.

The Icelandic scenery is splendid to watch. If you filmed this movie in any other place, I honestly feel it would have lost its appeal. If this story was about two men driving around America and stopping off at the Grand Canyon, I don’t think I’d write such a glowing review. I just love the look of Iceland. The directing is minimal, and I mean that in a good way. The directors new that the landscapes of Iceland and the warmth of the characters would carry the story to where it needed to go. For what I presume was a relatively low-budget production I think it was beautifully shot; although there are a few shots that were straight out of film school and they come across as almost too artsy for this film.

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DVD Review “Killer Mermaid”

Actors: Franco Nero, Kristina Klebe, Natalie Burn, Dragan Micanvic
Directors: Milan Todorovic
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Epic Pictures
DVD Release Date: September 9, 2014

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

With the overflow of creature features recently like “Sharknado” etc, I caught wind of this horror film. Here is the problem though, the film is called “Killer Mermaid” but for the first hour all the “killing” is done by some grizzy old man and there is no sight of any mermaid until about 65 minutes in.

Official Premise: Two young women go on a Mediterranean vacation and uncover the watery lair of a killer mermaid hidden beneath an abandoned military fortress. What was once a carefree adventure becomes a deadly fight for survival.

When you finally do get to see the mermaid, let me tell you she is freaking awesome looking, but the wait is too long. The film is obviously lov budget but the mermaid design is pretty cool. The shooting locations are also quite the view. From the caves, to the beaches, they cast must have had a nice trip with this film.

The film also stars Kristina Klebe, who is know for her role in “Rob Zombie’s Halloween”. Other than her, the rest of the cast is surprising decent as well for a low budget creature feature. I was just really hoping for more mermaid and less old man with a throwing anchor.

The special features on this DVD are not jam-packed. There is a behind-the-scene featurette included. There is a bonus crowdfunding promo, I guess film reach out to fans to help make some bucks. Lastly there is a featurette on the creature in “Making of The Mermaid”, which was easily my favorite extra.

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Blu-ray Review “Once Upon a Time: The Complete Third Season”

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Josh Dallas, Emilie De Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Lana Parilla, Jared Gilmore, Robert Carlyle, Michael Raymond-James, Rebecca Mader
Director: Victor Nelli Jr.
Number of discs: 5
Studio: ABC Studios
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Run Time: 946 minutes

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

When this show first aired, the first season was a good draw but the second season lost some focus and was just full of tons of fairy tale character cameos with no main goal for the show. The third season was a nice return to the focus of the first season and the show seems to be on the right track going forward especially with introduce the “Frozen” gang into the fourth season. This show is sure to double its viewers easily. Luckily, it is already coming off a strong season. The first half of this season focuses on the characters from Peter Pan and the second introduces the new villain, the Wicked Witch of the West. So I enjoyed this season quite a bit and I can’t wait to see where they take us next.

This show has a fantastic code including Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming, Emilie De Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook, Lana Parilla as Evil Queen, Jared Gilmore as Peter Pan, Robert Carlyle as Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin, Michael Raymond-James as Baelfire and this season also introduces the Wicked Witch of the West played perfectly by Rebecca Mader.

Official Premise: Can five heroic characters set aside their personal grudges and private demons to rescue Henry — and themselves — from the ultimate evil? The stakes are higher than ever in a Neverland that’s the stuff of nightmares. At the dark heart of its mystery is Peter Pan, an ageless entity with a diabolical agenda and a chilling secret. For Emma, Henry, Hook, Rumple, Regina, Charming and Snow, Pan’s actions have far-reaching consequences that will change their lives forever, create new alliances and introduce both Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest to a powerful new villain of legendary wickedness: the Wicked Witch.

“Once Upon a Time: The Complete Third Season” includes the 22 episodes from the season with beautiful 1080p transfers. As this show progresses, it is getting much more polished and pretty and these transfer are benefiting from that. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks are also top notch and deliver the charm that this show has. I would have loved Disney to hook us up with digital copies of this season like they have been with their DisneyMoviesAnywhere.com website, but I guess the key word is in the URL and they haven’t crossed over into TV yet.

In terms of special features, there are three featurettes included to start. The first is “Wicked Villains: What makes the villains of Once Upon A Time tick?”, which looks into the shows baddies. “The Tale of Ariel” looks into the character and her development. The next is a Blu-ray exclusive featurette called “Inside the Writer’s Room: The Next Big Character”, which gives us an inside look into the writer’s process. There are cast and crew audio commentaries included, which are a great way to re-visit specific episodes. There are also some deleted scenes and a gag reel included titled “The Fairest Bloopers of Them All”.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, complete, review, season, time

DVD Review “Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series”

Actors: Gabe Kaplan, John Travolta, Ron Palillo
Directors: Bob LaHendro
Number of discs: 16
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: August 26, 2014
Run Time: 2280 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Welcome Back, Kotter” was in the new this week since the internet was buzzing with the death of Ron Palillo aka Horshack. Of course, only if everyone actually knew that Ron actually passed away in August 2012, so don’t believe everything you read online. I remember watching repeats of the 70’s classic comedy “Welcome Back, Kotter” on TV. Shout! Factory is giving this series a Complete Series on DVD on August 26th, 2014. This is the first time that this show is available complete in one box set. This 16-disc release contains all 95 episodes from the series. If you are a fan of this show, I wouldn’t pass up this opportunity.

Official Premise: Meet the Sweathogs. They’re the rowdiest, goofiest bunch of students to ever step foot inside a high school. But if they think they’re too unruly for a good teacher to handle, they’re in for a rude awakening when they meet Mr. Kotter: a former Sweathog who’s returned to his alma mater to shape the minds of these remedial students as their new teacher! With the hilarious talents of comedian Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Travolta in the role that made him a star, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Robert Hegyes and Ron Palillo, the Emmy-Award nominated run of Welcome Back, Kotter will have you rolling with laughter and maybe even a little nostalgia from your own days as a Swea

Revisiting this show was proved this show was still hilarious and jam packed with great talented actors including Gabe Kaplan, John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Robert Hegyes, Ron Palillo and Marcia Strassman. “Welcome Back, Kotter” was also lined-up with some amazing guest stars as well including George Carlin, James Woods, Pat Morita, Scott Brady, Richard Moll, Della Reese and Dinah Madoff. If you are looking for a little nostalgia, this is a good trip for sure. In terms of special features, we only have a featurette called “Only a Few Degrees from a Sweathog” and the Actors’ Original Screen Tests. I would have loved to see some commentary tracks or retrospectives for sure.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: complete, dvd, kotter, review, series

Blu-ray Review “The Legend of Hell House (1973)”

Starring: Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Gayle Hunnicutt, Clive Revill, Roland Culver, Peter Bowles
Director: John Hough
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Run Time: 95 minutes

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

I remember as a kid seeing the VHS box for this film and never renting it. In fact, I still had never seen the film prior to this Blu-ray release. “The Legend of Hell House” has a sort of Hammer feel to it but takes too long to get going and the pay off is not worth the wait. There is a point when not seeing anything gets old. I expected some of that and then some reveal but it never came. Roddy McDowall is always great to watch though. Hardcore horror fans might dig having this on Blu-ray.

Official Premise: A team consisting of a physicist, his wife, a young female psychic and the only survivor of the previous visit are sent to the notorious Hell House to prove/disprove survival after death. Previous visitors have either been killed or gone mad, and it is up to the team to survive a full week in isolation, and solve the mystery of the Hell House.

I feel like Shout! Factory could have done a bit more with this release to be honest. It is not being released as a combo pack just a Blu-ray. The transfer is good but nothing spectacualr for the age of the film it looks ok but feels a little bit muted to me. The DTS-Master Audio Mono track does work with the successful score and the dialogue. The special features are bit lacking as well. There is a new interview with Director John Hough as well as a new audio commentary With actress Pamela Franklin. Both are good but we usually get more from Shout! Lastly there is an original theatrical trailer included.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 1973, bluray, house, legend, review

Film Review “Calvary”

Starring: Brendan Gleeson and Chris O’Dowd
Directed by: John Michael McDonagh
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 40 mins
Fox Searchlight

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

On a Sunday morning, while hearing confession, Father James (Brendan Gleeson) is told by the confessor that he plans to kill him in exactly one week. This is how our story begins. And it is all downhill from there.

If it were not for the support of Gleeson this film would collapse on itself from the weight of its pretension and cheesy performances. Gleeson carries this film entirely, but even his likability (as a person and as the character) is not enough to save this film from falling flat. Being that it was financed by the Irish Film Board is surprising considering the film paints all of the inhabitants that we meet in this small Irish town as disgusting, depraved, and horrible human beings. Save, of course, for Father James.

The biggest hindrance here, in my opinion, is the writing. It seems too self-aware and tries to be clever while, at the same time, calling attention to its supposed wit. Each character speaks too well to be believable. There are a myriad of literary references thrown about and each one is picked up almost immediately by another character without hesitation. I am all for being literate and learned, but this was too scripted.

Gleeson’s performance is the only believable one, and even he didn’t seem to be bringing his A-game. That being said, what he is putting out is far beyond that of the rest of the cast. Gleeson’s performance, and the amazing scenery of the coastal Irish town in which the film takes place, are what kept me watching the film, though I also must admit to watching the clock on my cellphone to see how much I had left to sit through. This film is full of quirky, dark characters, but none of them are funny or amusing enough for it to be comical. While at the same time I didn’t care enough about the characters to view this film as the drama it is intended to be. It’s as if the filmmakers wanted the film to be a Best Picture contender, but one with the low-brow humor of an Apatow comedy. Unfortunately it is far from either.

If the audience pays attention to voices, it is easy to know to whom the threatening voice belongs. And it’s no surprise when we reach the climactic final scene and that person is revealed. Of course, I don’t think it was intended to be much of a mystery. I knew nothing about this film when walking into it, but felt positive based on Brendan Gleeson’s track record. Sadly, while HE doesn’t disappoint just about every other facet of this film does.

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

Blu-ray Review “Toy Story of Terror!”

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Carl Weathers, Stephen Tobolowsky, Timothy Dalton
Director: Angus MacLane
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Run Time: 22 minutes

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

One of the best things to happen to “Toy Story” was the continuing of the franchise through Toy Story Toons. These are short and absolutely amazing mini-stories that have been shown in front of Pixar and Disney films since “Toy Story 3”. “Toy Story of Terror!” is the longest of the group and was planned as Halloween special last Fall. The film sees the original talents returning including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Timothy Dalton, Don Rickles, Kristen Schaal, Wallace Shawn and Carl Weathers as series newcomer Combat Carl.  The film is a little scary but definitely another great installment in this franchise.

Official Premise: What starts out as a fun road trip for the Toy Story gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse when the trip detours to a roadside motel. After one of the toys goes missing, the others find themselves caught up in a mysterious sequence of events that must be solved before they all suffer the same fate.

The Blu-ray edition of Toy Story of Terror! comes in a Combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is gorgeous like you would expect from the Toy Story franchise and Disney/Pixar. It crazy to believe but this special also comes with an epic DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. I am really impressed with this track.

Toy Story of Terror! Blu-ray doesn’t come alone either as it is comes with three of Toy Story Toons shorts including “Hawaiian Vacation”, “Small Fry” and “Partysaurus Rex”. It also includes some never-before-seen bonus features as well. There are three Vintage Toy Commercials, which can be viewed as act breaks during the film or separately with Director Introductions. There is also an Audio Commentary, Deleted Scenes with Editor Introductions and “Team of Specialists,” in which director Angus MacLane goes behind the scenes.

“Toy Story of Terror!” isn’t the only Toy Story Toons short to get extras though, “Hawaiian Vacation”, “Small Fry” and “Partysaurus Rex” also come with audio commentary tracks. So if you think about you aren’t just buying this for “Toy Story of Terror!”, you are getting much more as well. Lastly there is also a D23 Teaser included. Disney/Pixar is tackling Christmas this year with the new special, “Toy Story That Time Forgot”, so I can’t wait for that and also up next is a new Toy Story Toons short, “Mythic Rock”.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, review, story, terror, toy
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