CD Review: Judas Priest “Redeemer of Souls”

“Redeemer of Souls”
Judas Priest
Epic Records
Producer: Mike Exeter/ Glenn Tipton
Tracks: 13

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The Metal God and company are back with 17th studio titled “Redeemer of Souls. The album is the follow up release to the bands 2008 release titled “Nostradamus”. 13 all new tracks make up recorded and is the first studio release to feature Richie Faulkner on guitar. Though the band initially stated it would be retiring after their 2011 Epitaph world tour the band sounds better than ever and “Redeemer of Souls” is a testament to that.

When I saw Judas Priest in 2011 as part of their Epitaph farewell tour I was a bit skeptical that it would in fact really be the last time. With the release of “Redeemer of Souls” and the announcement of the groups subsequent tour this fall my prior suspicions were confirmed. From start to finish the album is a perfect blend of modern and classic Priest elements. The albums opening track “Dragonaught” is a rocking number that spews heavy metal goodness out your speakers while tracks likes “Redeemer of Souls” and “March of the Damned” take a more groove oriented approach perfect for head banging and fist pumping. The album wraps up with the track “Battle Cry” which features Halfords signature soaring vocal prowess before giving away to the song “Beginning of the End” a haunting outro showcasing the bands versatility.

All the material written on “Redeemer of Souls” was done by Halford, Glen Tipton and new comer Faulkner. You can certainly sense a freshness to the material which was certainly missing on the last couple Priest albums. My only hope is that this new found inspiration will continue as it would be a shame to stop now. Priest fans both new and old will definitely want to add this to their collections. For those not so familiar with the band get this album and then go back and experience the group’s massive back catalog. You definitely won’t be disappointed!

Track Listing:
1.) Dragonaught
2.) Redeemer of Souls
3.) Halls of Valhalla
4.) Swords of Damocles
5.) March of the Damned
6.) Down in Flames
7.) Hell & Back
8.) Cold Blooded
9.) Metalizer
10.) Crossfire
11.) Secrets of the Dead
12.) Battle Cry
13.) Beginning of the End

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, judas, priest, redeemer, review, souls, ...

CD/DVD Review “Ministry: Last Tangle in Paris Live 2012”

“Ministry: Last Tangle in Paris Live 2012”
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Director: Zach Passero
Producer: Angelina Lukacin Jourgensen
Studio: UDR Music/ 13th Planet Records
DVD Run Time: 105 minutes
CD Tracks: 18

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

“Ministry: Last Tangle in Paris Live 2012” was recorded primarily at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, IL during the bands 2012 “DeFiBriLa Tour“. The disc’s feature a variety of live performances, in-studio, rehearsal and backstage footage, and one-on-one interviews with the “godfather of industrial metal”, Al Jourgensen. Produced by Angelina Lukacin Jourgensen and Directed by Zach Passero “Last Tangle in Paris” is being released via UDR Music/ 13th Planet Records on a number of formats including 2 CD/DVD Digi Packs, BluRay, 2-CD Amaray, 2 X vinyl Gatefold, digital audio/video and standard CD.

Announced as the “last live Ministry release” “Ministry: Last Tangle in Paris Live 2012” fires on all of its industrial fueled cylinders. Candid behind the scenes footage blends with flawless live performances giving the viewer/listener a package they can really sink their teeth into. After the death of longtime Ministry guitarist Mike Saccia in December of 2012 founder and lead vocalist Al Jourgensen disbanded the group in 2013 following the release of their 13th studio album titled “From beer to Eternity”. This package marks Saccia’s last run with the band and stands as a fitting tribute to his musical legacy. Everything from the explosive “Ghouldiggers” to “Psalm 69”, New World Order (NWO) to “Just One Fix” is featured on the DVD portion of this film.

When you get in to the audio portion of the release which is spread over 2 discs you are thrown further into the realm of Ministry as it features a retrospective of live tracks dating back to 2006 including live versions of “Rio Grande Blood”, Let’s GO and “So What” among many other Ministry staples.
The only thing I found to be missing from this release is the always entertaining “Jesus Built My Hotrod” however hardcore Ministry fans probably already have several live versions of this popular track tucked away in their closets next to their studded black leather boots. With the absence of that track aside you really couldn’t ask for a better release to go out on. The audio tracks on all three discs leap out of the speakers while the visual elements of the DVD keep your attention even after multiple viewings making “Ministry: Last Tangle in Paris Live 2012”a must have!

DVD Track Listing:
1.) Ghouldiggers
2.) No “W”
3.) Senor Peligro
4.) LiesLiesLies
5.) 99%ers
6.) Life Is Good
7.) Relapse
8.) The Last Sucker
9.) Psalm 69
10.) New World Order
11.) Just One Fix
12.) Thieves

Disc 1 Track Listing:
1.) Ghouldiggers
2.) No W
3.) Senor Peligro
4.) Rio Grande Blood
5.) LiesLieslies
6.) 99 Percenters
7.) Life Is Good
8.) Relapse
9.) The Last Sucker

Disc 2 Track Listing:
10.) Psalm 69
11.) New World Order (NWO)
12.) Just One Fix
13.) Thieves
14.) Khyber Pass
15.) Fear Is Big Business
16.) Let’s Go
17.) Watch Yourself
18.) So What

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: 2012, cddvd, live, ministry, paris, review, ...

DVD Review “¡Released! The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998”

Director: “Released”: Stanley Dorfman/ “Highlights of Released”: John G. Smith
Number of discs: “Released”: 6 Discs/ “Highlights of Released”: 1 Disc
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout Factory!
Run Time: “Released”: 16 hrs. +/ “Highlights of Released”: 2hrs. 38 min.

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Released: The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998” is this the first ever compilation of the historic Human Rights Concerts which were presented by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights organization Amnesty International from 1986-1998. Over those 12 years audiences around the world were treated to performances by a bevy of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel and Sting amongst a long list of others. To coincide with the 25th anniversary of the “Human Rights Now! 1988 World Tour” Shout Factory released the complete 6 disc version of the concerts in November of 2013. With over 16+ hours of footage directed by Stanley Dorfman fans for the first time were able relive all their favorite performances and moments from those truly memorable shows. The footage is also accompanied by a 40 page full color booklet that includes photos and written firsthand accounts from the people who were there during these events. Probably my favorite disc of the 6 was the “Context on The Human Rights Concerts- Part 2” which featured some really great performances by Green Day, Mumford and Sons and Seal and Jeff Beck. Though I found a large portion of the footage to be a touch grainy due to its age the overall sound of the 6 discs proved to be quite good and made up for the visual shortcomings of the release. The impressive amount of footage and artist roster make this release a music lovers dream however it may be a bit cumbersome for just your average listener.

The latest version of the Human Rights Concert series titled “Highlights of Released: The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998” was directed by John G. Smith and features select performances from the previously released 6 disc box set. Though the release sports a considerably stripped down program when compared to its predecessor viewers still get over 2 hours of footage with performances by The Police, Lou Reed and Bryan Adams along with an in-depth documentary featuring interviews with Sting, Pete Townsend and Bono. Though a number of the performances I enjoyed from the full release were left off this version I wasn’t too upset as there is only so much space to fill and it’s a select performance piece. The biggest thing is that the select portion of these releases is often times up to the director and/or producers to determine what they feel are the “best” pieces to include. This can certainly give a hit or miss element to a release like this but it seems like for the most part everything was a hit. If you were interested in the original release of these concerts however were a bit put off by the size or price you can now get a good taste of those memorable shows from a decade gone bye while supporting a good cause as both releases net proceeds will be given to Amnesty.

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 19861998, concerts, dvd, human, released, review, ...

Concert Review: Skid Row “United World Rebellion Tour 2014”

“United World Rebellion Tour 2014”
Skid Row, Sakara, the JJ Lang Band, Exit Sky, Methanol
Date: Wednesday, July 9th 2014
Venue: Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The hard rock band Skid Row kicked off their “United World Rebellion Tour” on July 9th in Rochester, NY in support of their upcoming release titled “”Rise of the Damnation Army, United World Rebellion: Chapter 2. The release is the second of several EP’s the band has planned for release this coming year. Though this was the first night of the US tour run the band seemed tight and ready to take their classic signature sound to the masses.

Montage Music Hall an intimate music venue tucked into one of the bustling side streets of Rochester, NY played host to a bevy of music artists all out to support their own endeavors along with setting the stage for the launch of Skid Row’s “United World Rebellion” Tour. Though the bill featured 5 bands in total the old saying “quality over quantity” seemed to have been ignored. Opening up the night was local act Methanol and though the band seemed well rehearsed they did little to capture the attention of those who came out to the venue early as their stage presence and crowd interaction needed some attention. Exit Sky another local act whose sound could be described as a mix between early Creed and Pearl Jam followed and seemed to garner quite a few cheers from the small crowd in attendance.

Closing out the list of local performers was The JJ Lang Band. The group’s performance was certainly my favorite of the 3 local support acts however; early on in the group’s 30 min set the band experienced some technical difficulties causing the lead singer/guitarist to throw his guitar on the ground in disgust. Though the guitar sound was noticeably thinner from there out I found the vocals to sound much better when that was all that was being focused on by the group’s front man.

The Massachusetts rock band Sakara would take the stage next as direct tour support a spot they will hold throughout this leg of the “United World Rebellion” tour. The band performed a solid set that seemed fairly well received by the crowd on hand who were anxiously awaiting the night’s headliner. After a rather length set change Skid Row would hit the stage helmed by lead vocalist Johnny Solinger who is celebrating his 14th year with the band. Flanked by original members Scotti Hill, Rachel Boland and Dave “Snake” Sabo and the groups newest member drum Rob Hammersmith the band flew through its 90 minute set playing a number of songs from their back catalog including “18 and Life”, “Monkey Business” and the always popular “I Remember You”. The band also performed one or two news songs which fans seemed to enjoy just as much as the older material.

Though it would have been killer to see/hear a 2 hour plus set from Skid Row and fewer local acts overall the show was a pretty decent night of music. Sure there were a few times where Solinger seemed to max out his vocal range however the solid combination of Boland, Sabo, Hill and newcomer Hammersmith provided the perfect support system to keep the night going smoothly and even though a full fledged Skid Row reunion may be just a pipe dream for those of us who grew up with the band the current incarnation of the band is just fine by me and certainly worth going to check out.

Skid Row Set List
1.) Let’s Go
2.) Big Guns
3.) Makin’ a Mess
4.) Piece of Me
5.) 18 and Life
6.) Thick Is the Skin
7.) Riot Act
8.) Darkened Room
9.) Kings of Demolition
10.) Psycho Therapy
11.) I Remember You
12.) Monkey Business
13.) Get the Fuck Out
14.) Slave to the Grind
15.) Youth Gone Wild

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: 2014, concert, rebellion, review, row, skid, ...

Product Review “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Z-Line Water Tower Washout Playset”


I wish they cool toys like this when I was a kid. With the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Z-Line Water Tower Washout Playset” you can literally build a city and then use your “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” character to zip-Line from wall to wall. It is pretty cool once you get it all setup and going. I have been a fan of the TMNT since the 80’s and I have a two year old daughter and we bought really enjoyed this!

This does not come with any “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” figures but it will most with any of the new Turtles figures or even the old ones as well. I tested my old 1980’s Michaelangelo and it worked perfectly. The directions were easy to put this together, if you are wondering how it holds on the wall, don’t worry there are no screws involved. It is held by 3M tape, which could work well or not well due to your texture on your wall.

The Water Tower Washout is not the only playset available either. There are three other playsets available including a Window Wipeout Playset; Billboard Breakout Playset and Fire Escape Free Fall Playset. These are connectable so you can wire up the entire room with these Z-Lines. Some parents might not dig this too much but I totally think it would be awesome to have the whole room as a Z-line obstacle course.

Here is what is included in the box: Water Tower Play set, 4 Command Strips from 3M, 4 wall clips, 1 gargoyle launcher, 1 C-Clamp, 2 tension cylinders, 2 Z-line pulleys, 1 two-hand handle, 1 one hand handle, 2 48″ Zip-line, 1 72″ Zip Line, 1 Angle Gauge. It definitely requires some parent’s assembly but once it is up and ready. It is very easy to manage and use. Also priced very well, this is a great product for any fan of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, young or old.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Toys Tagged With: mutant, ninja, playset, product, review, teenage, ...

CD Review: “Weird Al” Yankovic “Mandatory Fun”

“Weird Al” Yankovic
“Mandatory Fun”
RCA
Produced By: “Weird Al” Yankovic
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Mandatory Fun” not only marks Weird Al’s 14th music album, but it also marks 35 years since his first single, “My Bologna”. I’m not even 35 years old, yet I owe so much to my current nerdom to the polka comedy master. Ever since that memorable day for me when I first heard Weird Al through the car speakers, and even since his take on “My Sharona”, Weird Al has remained a goofy class act when it comes to his art and “Mandatory Fun” solidifies that fact. In this ADHD Internet age, he remains topical and funny.

Weird Al’s finger on the pulse of pop culture must be way better than mine since I immediately consulted Wikipedia on the first track. I had no idea who Iggy Azalea is, but luckily Weird Al did on the opening track, “Handy”. It isn’t the most fertile ground for comedy, a home repair man rapping his various skills, but his injection of other popular music lines and aged cultural references shows his sharp mind is still a walking encyclopedia of television, movies, and music in the U.S.

While “Handy” is a fantastic take on “Fancy”, the best parody on this album is “Word Crimes”, a play on Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”. It’s not only a perfect example of Weird Al’s brilliant wordplay, but feels like a funky “Schoolhouse Rock” song that could teach children a thing or two about the difference between who and whom, and other common grammatical headaches. Only Weird Al could take the much criticized “Blurred Lines” and create a song poking fun at the continual deterioration of writing skills.

While Weird Al may be well more known for parodies, he finds more success on this album with his musical style parodies, particularly a Pixie-esque song called “First World Problems”. It’s a perfect lampoon of spoiled rich people and possibly the first song he’s meshed with an Internet meme. He also stays true to his roots by consistently remaining silly throughout “My Own Eyes”, which beautifully captures the Foo Fighters style. Take out the vocals and you’d probably mistake it for another catchy rock anthem by Dave Grohl and gang. He finds success on other tracks encapsulating Crosby, Stills and Nash as well as Cat Stevens.

In an age where Youtube parodies are rattled off almost immediately after an artist’s work starts charting the Billboards, some may question the relevancy of Weird Al. But most viral videos come off as structurally weak or intentionally sinister while Weird Al seems to embrace the culture he’s satirizing. He also creates a completely unique and original feel despite imitating the footing of other musicians. He’s had a knack for targeting that sweet spot when a song begins to develop a disdain in the general population after it’s been left on repeat at every top 40 radio station in America. That’s flawlessly seen in “Tacky”, a riff on “Happy”.

Genuine artistry is seen throughout Weird Al’s latest album and it’s amazing that he’s further planted his humorous seeds into our culture. The title, “Mandatory Fun”, is a self-fulfilling prophecy once you’ve given the album a listen. While some may question his relevancy, I simply look at the explosion of coverage around his album and see that he’s become further ingrained into nearly every indie, nerd and mainstream facet of music. Question his growing legacy all you want, but his latest work has the lasting impact that “Eat It” and “Amish Paradise” have.

Track List:

1.”Handy” – “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
2.”Lame Claim to Fame” – Style parody of Southern Culture on the Skids
3.”Foil” – “Royals” by Lorde
4.”Sports Song” – Style parody of college football fight songs
5.”Word Crimes” – “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
6.”My Own Eyes” – Style parody of Foo Fighters
7.”NOW That’s What I Call Polka!”
– “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus
– “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People
– “Best Song Ever” by One Direction
– “Gangnam Style” by Psy
– “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen
– “Scream & Shout” by will.i.am featuring Britney Spears
– “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye featuring Kimbra
– “Timber” by Pitbull featuring Kesha
– “Sexy And I Know It” by LMFAO
– “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz
– “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams
8.”Mission Statement” – Style parody of Crosby, Stills & Nash
9.”Inactive” – “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
10.”First World Problems” – Style parody of Pixies
11.”Tacky” – “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
12. “Jackson Park Express” – Style parody of Cat Stevens

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: al, cd, fun, mandatory, review, weird, ...

CD Review “Snowpiercer” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Snowpiercer
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Composer:Marco Beltrami
Varese Sarabande Records
Tracks: 20
Running Time: 56 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Releasing on July 22nd is Marco Beltrami’s score to the fantastic Joon-Ho Bong film, Snowpiercer. Snowpiercer is the name of the post-apocalyptic train which shelters all remaining life on Earth in a dystopian society arranged from the haves in the front of the train and the haves-nots in the back of the train. Chris Evans’s Curtis leads a rebellion from the back to the front and Beltrami’s score excellently compliments his struggle.

Most of the tracks feature heavy metallic percussive beats that emulate the chugging along of the train as well as the battles along the way. Most notably in the “Blackout Fight” track. Fitting for one of the most exciting sequences of the film. Similarly “Steam Car” manages to maintain this train soundscape while also layering in the steamy atmosphere.

Frequently Beltrami lets up on the action to make way for eerie, sparse piano and orchestral work to accent the more decadent cars of Snowpiercer as in “Sushi”. He also manages to work in the thumping club music of the “Seoul Train”–so different visually in the film–into the forward motion of the rest of the score.

I will admit I enjoyed the action score much more in the context of driving the film, but the haunting piano work it kicks off with and spread throughout is more than enough to recommend giving this a listen on its own. Also, much to my amusement the final track also throws in the charmingly terrifying propaganda anthem from the classroom car (Sample: What happens if the engines stops? We all freeze and DIE!).

Track Listing:
1. This is the End
2. Stomp
3. Preparation
4. Requesting An Upgrade
5. Take the Engine
6. Axe Gang
7. Axe Schlomo
8. Blackout Fight
9. Water Supply
10. Go Ahead
11. Sushi
12. The Seven
13. We Go Forward
14. Steam Car
15. Seoul Train
16. Snow Melt
17. Take My Place
18. Yona Lights
19. This is the Beginning
20. Yona’s Theme

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, motion, original, picture, review, snowpiercer, ...

Blu-ray Review “Radio Days (1987)”

Starring: Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Wallace Shawn, Seth Green
Director: Woody Allen
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: July 8, 2014

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

A few years back I became very much obsessed with music from the 30’s and 40’s. I am a huge fan of Woody Allen but I have to admit, I have never seen this film prior to this release. It packs a wonderful cast including Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Wallace Shawn, Seth Green with Woody Allen narrating. I literally was watching this film speechless during certain points just completely in love. The music, the acting, the writing. Woody Allen never lets you down. A must have if you are a fan of Woody Allen, no question.

Official Premise: Writer-director Woody Allen’s tenderly nostalgic, joyously funny Radio Days (1987) is a vignette-packed memory piece about growing up in Brooklyn in the 1940s, obsessed with the music, entertainment, and news of the wide world brought into every household via the magic of radio. A young Allen surrogate (played by a teeny red-headed Seth Green) lives with his parents (the wonderful Julie Kavner and Michael Tucker) and extended family in the wind-swept Rockaway neighborhood, their daily routines spiced by the glamour, excitement, thrills, and even occasional doses of grim reality coming to them over the airwaves.

This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced. This film is delivered with a looks good with its 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono also works perfect with the dialogue and the music. Oh the music is so fantastic with some amazing songs from the 30’s and 40’s that intertwine so well with the film.
In terms of special features, besides some trailers, there is only an Isolated Music and Effects Track includes, which is a bit of a letdown. Nonetheless, Twilight Time has been releasing some great Allen films over the last year and change, so I hope that they are planning on continuing this.

 

Related Content

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, days, radio, review

Blu-ray Review “Scanners (Criterion Collection)”

Starring: Michael Ironside, Jennifer O’Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Stephen Lack, Lawrence Dane
Director: David Cronenberg
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Run Time: 103 minutes

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

David Cronenberg has really affected up my taste in films over the years. I remembered the first time that I watched “Scanners”, I didn’t know anything about the director but I instantly fell in love.  That is one thing that I have always loved about Croneberg’s films is that they are rather timeless. “Scanners”,”Videodrome”, “The Fly”, “Naked Lunch”, eXistenz”. These are all films that are just as good as the very first time that I saw them.  They are extremely unique and cannot be duplicated. This film has never been released on high-def Blu-ray in the States (though we do already have “Scanners 2 & 3” on Blu-ray, thanks to Shout! Factory). Leave it to Criterion for giving an amazing film like this an even better release. This comes with a brand new, restored 2K digital film transfer, which was supervised by director David Cronenberg and includes an uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray.

Official Premise: With Scanners, David Cronenberg plunges us into one of his most terrifying and thrilling sci-fi worlds. After a man with extraordinary—and frighteningly destructive—telepathic abilities is nabbed by agents from a mysterious rogue corporation, he discovers he is far from the only possessor of such strange powers, and that some of the other “scanners” have their minds set on world domination, while others are trying to stop them. A trademark Cronenberg combination of the visceral and the cerebral, this phenomenally gruesome and provocative film about the expanses and limits of the human brain was the Canadian director’s breakout hit in the United States.

Instead of telling you all the details, I will let the linear notes tell you the techy details: “Supervised by director David Cronenberg, this new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner from a 35mm interpositive at Vision Globale in Montreal; the color grading was done at Deluxe Toronto. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI’s DRS and Pixel Farm’s PFClean, while Digital Vision’s Phoenix was used for small dirt, grain, and noise management. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm Dialogue/Music/Effects magnetic track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD, AudioCube’s integrated workstation, and iZotope RX 3.

So if you understand what all that technical specs mean, this film looks just amazing. If you disagree, you might catch me starring at you very intently…wait a second…and…BOOM! Unlike the Australian Blu-ray, which has a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, this Blu-ray includes an LPCM 1.0 surround track, which is much more impressive. The score is just so outstanding, I would have loved to seen an isolated audio track. This director approved dual-format Blu-ray and DVD, also comes with an amazing illustrated booklet featuring an essay by critic Kim Newman. I look forward to Criterion releases so much because they really put a lot of effort into these releases and don’t settle for less than perfect. Plus take a look at this cover art, isn’t it just amazing and there is different version inside the case as well!!

Like always Criterion has delivered a jam-packed Blu-ray with amazing extras. “The Scanners Way” is a brand new documentary film and includes interviews with director of photography Mark Irwin, special makeup artists Stephan Dupuis and Chris Walas, special effects supervisor Gary Zeller, and visual effects specialist Rick Baker talking about the production. This was was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2014 by Michael Lennick, a Toronto-based documentarian and visual effects designer and supervisor (Videodrome). “Mental Saboteur” is a brand new video interview, actor Michael Ironside, who plays Darryl Revok, reflecting on his role. This was able produced by Criterion this year.

“The Ephemerol Diaries” is a video interview from 2012 with actor Stephen Lack, who plays Cameron Vale, discussing his work on the film. We get excerpts from the “The Bob McLean Show” from the March 10, 1981 episode with David Cronenberg. A real treat definitely has to be David Cronenberg first completed feature, “Stereo”, is included, which he did in 1969. It stars Ronald Mlodzik, Jack Messinger, and Iain Ewing and runs just over an hour. Lastly there is a trailer and three original radio spots included. If Criterion is reading this PLEASE give Cronenberg’s “eXistenZ”, the Blu-ray treatment next. It has only been given a rather poor Echo Bridge Blu-ray and needs some love.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, collection, criterion, review, scanners

Blu-ray Review “I’ll Follow You Down”

Starring: Haley Joel Osment, Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, Victor Garber
Director: Richie Mehta
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

When I saw that Haley Joel Osment was starring in a new science fiction time travel drama, I have to admit, I was rather curious. The kid hasn’t really done much major since his breakout role in “The Sixth Sense”. Along with Osment, it comes stocked with a great cast Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”), Rufus Sewell (“Dark City”) and Victor Garber (“Alias”). Great performances and a nice spin on the time travel genre, this film is entertaining throughout and packs a nice surprise. Worth checking out for sure.

Official Premise: An accomplished physicist (Rufus Sewell) mysteriously disappears on a business trip. Abandoned, his wife (Gillian Anderson) and son Erol (Haley Joel Osment) struggle to cope. Years later, now a young scientist himself, Erol uncovers papers, formulas, a machine, and a mind-bending possibility. But time travel is impossible. Isn’t it? Erol’s obsession to find his father and restore his family will throw him into the unknown and possibly threaten his life. What would you do to repair the past?

The 1080p transfer is solid and delivers with the sci-fi aspect of the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works with the rather impressive score. The special features aren’t anything special. There is a short 12 minutes behind-the-scenes making featurette, which looks into various aspects production including the music. Lastly there are three short deleted scenes included.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, follow, review

3D Blu-ray Review “Rio 2: Deluxe Edition”

Actors: Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jamie Foxx, Rodrigo Santoro, Leslie Mann, Jake T. Austin
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Directors: Carlos Saldanha
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Run Time: 101 minutes

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

When I saw that “Rio 2” was being released, I wasn’t really super excited for it. It is one of those kid flicks that was good but nothing special at all. What “Rio 2” does have is a fantastic A-list cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Bruno Mars, Miguel Ferrer, Jamie Foxx, Rita Moreno, Jemaine Clement and Kristen Chenoweth. The sequel is a bit of a mess in terms of story but it is quite pretty to look at and my two year old daughter enjoyed it quite a bit as well.

Official Premise: Blu (Eisenberg), Jewel (Hathaway) and their three kids are living the perfect domesticated life in the magical city that is Rio de Janeiro. But when Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture into the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in with his new neighbors, he worries he may lose Jewel and the kids to the call of the wild.

20th Century Fox is giving this film the Deluxe Edition treatment including a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy. One thing this film does use well is the added third dimension. The flying scenes are great and very well executed. There are a few other gags were the added format works well additionally. I watched this in 2D also and it was just as enjoyable, so to me that is a win win, especially since my daughter doesn’t do the glasses well.

The 1080p transfer overall is just extremely solid. The colors in the film are outstanding and the animation just so crisp and sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 was a delight as well since the film is packed with very fun music. I actually think that that was my favorite part of the film was the music, in that sense it reminded me of “Happy Feet 2”, terrible movie but fun music.

Besides amazing audio/video, Fox jam-packed this Deluxe Edition with some fun special features for the parents and the kids. “Boom, Shake, Snap: The Local Sounds of Brazil -The Bodybeats of the Barbatuques” is a three part featurette including “How to Play the Barbatuques!”; “Rhythmic Rio” and “The Upbeat Uakti Jam”. “Birds and Beats: The Singing Talents of Rio 2” looks into the voice talent that bring these characters to life. “Nigel the Shakespearean Cockatoo and Friends” is a fun feature on the character that Jemaine Clement voices.

If you didn’t get jist of this movie having to do with music and dancing, it is drilled home with “Music, Dance, Sing-Along Machine”, which is a three part collection of music that will get you up and shaking that butt. With “Music Machine” we get 10 songs including “What Is Love”, “Beautiful Creatures” and “I Will Survive”. In the “Dance-Along” there are 4 songs including “Ô Vida” and “It’s a Jungle Out Here”. In the “Sing-Along”, there are 6 songs including “Welcome Back” and “Don’t Go Away”. “You Be the Judge” is a collection of funny auditions from Tapir, Monkey and Turtle.

There are music videos for “What is Love?” Music Video by Janelle Monáe and a multi-language sequence for  “I Will Survive”. Lastly, there is is a deleted scene, still hallery, theatrical trailers and a “Rio Refresher” included to catch you up from the first film. So there is not much in terms of the production itself but these are fun and very entertaining features for the whole family to enjoy.

 

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 2, 3d, bluray, deluxe, edition, review, ...

Product Review “Turtle Beach Ear Force PX4”

It is not easy to be a gamer and also have a young child. I recently just purchased a Playstation 4 and I was dying to get lost in the system after putting my daughter to sleep. I could do so but I had to keep the volume so low it was taking some of the fun out of the experience. I wanted to give this system a real test run. Well, the answer to this problem can simply be resolved with the purchase of this fine product, Turtle Beach Ear Force PX4, which is a Wireless Dolby® Surround Sound headset

When I am playing a game, I like to get immersed in the game and listen to all the fine details and enjoy the score. This is honestly, the best and only way to do that. The PX4 allows you up to 15 hours of uninterrupted play on your video games sytems including the PS4, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. But the fun doesn’t stop there and you are able to also use this amazing headset to enjoy watching content on your Netflix account or even any of your Blu-Ray movies. The surround sound is absolutely impressive.

Besides just listening to your games or movies, this headset also has a receiver that allows you to stay connected with friends and teammates with chat audio for each system. The headset used Dual-Band Wi-Fi Wireless Technology that is interference-free with audio and chat. A really cool feature that I actually didn’t even know about until writing this review is the ability to dual-pair the headset. So you are able to link your Bluetooth on your phone to be able to answer mobile phone calls without ever leaving the game or pai with ANY Bluetooth communication device, such as a PC, laptop or tablet. Tell me this is MEGA cool!?

For those audiophiles out there this headset also takes advantage of multiple EQ presets including bass and treble boost combinations plus separate game and chat volume controls. You can adjust your experience by changing the positioning of the surround sound. You can even connect a second audio source (such as a phone or MP3 player) to the transmitter to listen to music when done gaming. Chat volume automatically increases as the game volume gets louder.

At first, I was a bit concerned about having to wear a headset for a long period of time but Turtle Beach really delivered a product that specialized in comfort. It is thickly padded with adjustable headband and breathable mesh ear cushions. What I really like is the fact that the built-in rechargeable battery delivers up to 15 hours of continuous play and you can even charge while playing (if you are close enough to your system). All and I, I couldn’t have been anymore excited for this release and if you are a gamer, I highly recommend this!

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Game Reviews, Technology Tagged With: beach, ear, force, product, px4, review, ...

Product Review “Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System”

Who doesn’t love coffee? I am not the kind of person that in order to start the day needs to have a cup of coffee but I do though my coffee very much. I also would much rather make a cup at home and bring it with me than stopping at a Starbucks, 7-11 or any other store on my way into the office. In the past, I have always made a whole pot of coffee, take a cup and leave the rest or end up drinking much more than I wanted due to a whole brewed pot. Personally, when I thought of getting a Keurig systems in the past, I never liked the idea that it just made one cup. Well, my eyes have been opened since the new Keurig K45 Elite Brewing System is a dream come true and has completely sold on the product.

When Keurig promotes the fact that they get “The Perfect Cup Every Time”, I had to be skeptical. Literally when I brewed my cup, the temperature was spot on and there was a great balance of water blended in. I initially tasted five different cups and each one was simply outstanding. So flavorful and fresh! This system is said to be ready and brews in under one minute, whether it is coffee, tea, hot cocoa or iced beverage and there is nothing but truth that There are three cup sizes to choose from and for us travelers there is a removable drip tray to accommodate travel mugs. A cool feature for this system is that it also comes in new colors in partnership with Pantone, including: Rhubarb, Patriot Blue and Coconut White

This package includes a Water Filter Kit, which should be changed out ever 2 months or every 200 cups for optimal flavor. Also included is a bonus 12 count K-Cup variety box to show off the variety that Keurig posseses. The flavors are Green Mountain Coffee® Breakfast, Green Mountain Coffee Hazelnut, Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend, Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend, The Original Donut Shop Regular, The Original Donut Shop Decaf, Eight O’Clock The Original, Starbucks Pike Place Roast, Barista Prima Coffeehouse Italian Roast, Celestial Seasonings English Breakfast Black Tea, Cafe Escapes Chai Latte, Swiss Miss® Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa. I am torn between The Original Donut Shop Regular and Eight O’Clock The Original being my favorite.

There is absolutely no shortage in variety when it comes to the Keurig. There are over 250 different gourmet brands to choose from. We all know how important coffee is to some people and Keurig aims to make sure that you can have your options. Whether it is coffee, tea or even hot cocoa, Keurig give you many choices. hot or even cold…this unit can even brew over ice for your favorite chilled beverage. For those who are concerned about space, the dimensions of the unit is 13.0H x 9.8W x 13.3D. The system also includes a quiet brew technology and a removable 48 oz water reservoir…honestly what more can you ask for? This is my first experience with a Keurig system and I have to admit, I think I am hooked…now I am curious to see what other types of systems they have.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Appliances Tagged With: brewing, elite, k45, keurig, product, review, ...

Blu-ray Review “Appleseed Alpha”

Starring: Luci Christian, David Matranga
Director: Shinji Aramaki
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

“Appleseed Alpha” is based on the original manga by “Ghost in the Shell” creator Shirow Masamune. This series has had a great life to do starting in 2004 with the first film “Appleseed” and in 2007 with “Appleseed Ex Machina”, this CG-animated film is a prequel to the series and one of the best installments to date. I love the new look of this film and I couldn’t take my eyes of the TV. Luci Christian and David Matranga return as the voices of Deunan and Briareos as well. If you are looking for a state-of-the-art action packed CG film, look no further.

Official Premise: Left to survive in a post-World War society, two mercenary soldiers – Deunan and her cyborg partner Briareos – are sent on a mission on the outskirts of their war-torn city. During the operation, they run into Iris and Olson, two citizens from the utopian city of Olympus, who might have a way to save the world but the ruthless Talos and the scheming warlord Two Horns have their own plans. It’s up to Deunan and Briareos to safeguard their newfound contacts and help save humanity’s last hope.

Sony is releasing this film as a combo pack including Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The 1080p transfer was simply amazing. I immediately fell in love with the the animation style. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track was easily the highlight though with a killer music soundtrack. This film includes some great songs from today’s top international music artists, including Yasutaka Nakata (CAPSULE), Skrillex & Alvin Risk, androp, CAPSULE, DJ FUMIYA (RIP SLYME), PASSEPIED, Q;indivi+, tofubeats, AKLO, 80KIDZ, nishi-ken, and RAM RIDER. In terms of special features, there is a great filmmaker commentary track with director Shinji Aramaki and 11 making-of featurettes that track the cover the film from script to screen.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: alpha, appleseed, bluray, review

Book Review “The Art of the Films: Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of Planet of the Apes”

Author: Matt Hurwitz
Hardcover: 173 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: July 8, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was released in 2011, I was very upset when it didn’t have an art of companion book. All the work, all the visual effects that went into that film to make it amazing as it was needed to be shared with the world. Well with the release of “Dawn of Planet of the Apes”, we are now getting an art of book for both of them. The book is a literally amazing from the hard cover to the last page including tons of great production photography and concept art for both films. I absolutely love both of these films and if you do as well, this is a must own.

So it is kind of obvious what the focus of this book would be and that is the creation of the apes. I recently went back and re-watched “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” after seeing Dawn of Planet of the Apes” and if you look at the apes in the first film compared to the second, there has been such an improvement. I thought they looked amazing in “Rise” but “Dawn” really delivered 10x the visual effects. So this book includes some fantastic concept art, production stills, VFX renders and finished frames from these movies showcasing those aspects. You also have to remember that these apes aren’t just CGI effects they included state of the art technology mixed with motion capture performances from some very talented actors.

Aside from the apes creation, there are also tons of great locations that was focused on. From “Rise”, there is the lab, Will’s home, primate shelter and, of course, the Bridge. In “Dawn”, there was a bit more since it takes place 10 years after “Rise” and shows pretty much the wipe out of the human race a very degraded world. I really enjoyed this section quite a bit for sure. Between the apes lair and the human’s hold up in a run down San Francisco, it just shows how much work went into this film. Kudos again to Titan Books for releasing yet another gem and my wife is cursing you for us needing a gigantic coffee table since each book is better than the next.

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: apes, art, book, dawn, films, planet, ...
« sdf
Previous
Page 94 of 272
Next
Next Page »