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Book Review “Once Upon a Dream: From Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty to Disney’s Maleficent”

Author: Charles Solomon
Series: Disney Editions Deluxe (Film)
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Disney Editions
Release Date: June 17, 2014

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

One of my sister and I’s favorite Disney films growing up was “Sleeping Beauty”. We used to watch it over and over. So we were both really excited for the new Disney film “Maleficent”. Right after seeing the new film, I immediately went online to see if there was an art of book released for the film. What I found was this book. I have to admit, I am a little disappointed personally. I would have thought that Disney would have released a nice hardcover solo art of/making of book for “Maleficent”. This does still contain a great wealth of information covering all aspects of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”. This book still is worth checking out if you love “Sleeping Beauty” but in no way should it be considered an acceptable replacement for an art of book for “Maleficent”.

Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” remains one of the most beloved of all fairy tales. The story itself was originally published by Charles Perrault in 1697. For more than 300 years, this story has been adapted by many different artists and authors. The best part of this book (if you can look past the lacking cover art) is that is is jam-packed with great illustration that folow the history of that fascination of this story of “Sleeping Beauty” from literature, fine art, poetry, music, and film. Author Charles Solomon is an internationally respected critic and historian of animation. He has written numerous amazing books for Disney including “The Toy Story Films: An Animated Journey”; “Tale As Old As Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast” and many more. He is a guy that knows Disney and he is definitely the write before for this job. I was am just hung up on the fact that Maleficent didn’t get more focus.

Briar Rose/Aurora was and still is one of the most beautiful and beautifully animated of the Disney princesses. The film also featured one of Disney’s best villains still to date, Maleficent. Perrault’s created such an amazing character here that she has still leaves fear in the heart of its viewers/readers. As well as covering the literature and animated film of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”, this book also touches (I use that lightly, since “Maleficent” could have fill a book on its own) on the new film “Maleficent” with interviews with Angelina Jolie, Imelda Staunton, Linda Woolverton, Sean Bailey, Joe Roth, Don Hahn, and director Robert Stromberg (Oscar-winning art director of Avatar and Alice in Wonderland). There is some behind-the-scenes details and photography; costumes, props, and makeup included as well.

Book Review “Minnie Minnie’s Bow-tastic Sticker Collection”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: June 17, 2014

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Besides “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” one of the best things that Disney Junior has ever done is create the show “Mickey’s Bowtique”. My two year old daughter absolutely loves these shorts (and so does daddy, to be honest). What does a two year love more than watching the show on TV….playing with STICKERS!!

“Minnie Minnie’s Bow-tastic Sticker Collection” comes jam-packed with 48 pages of activities and get ready for this parents…over 1000 stickers. But this isn’t just 1,000 use once and two away stickers. These are reusable stickers! That is the real draw here for this book. A must have for an any Minnie fan. You know what they say “There is no business like bow business”.

Book Review “Walt Disney’s Classic Storybook (Volume 3)”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Storybook Collection (Book 3)
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Disney Press; 3 edition
Release Date: June 17, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When my wife and I started dating back in 1999, she gave me the first volume of the Walt Disney’s Classic Storybook. I have always loved that book. The stories are so timeless and give you the ability to open it up at any time and revisit your favorite Disney stories very easily. I thought to myself that I was going to hang on to this book until I have kids one day and then this would make a great bedtime book. Fast forward 15 years, we have a two year old together now and there is a third volume of this series released perfect timing for our daughter bedtime story reading tradition. If you love Disney, this book is a must own.

This new third edition of Walt Disney’s Classic Storybook Collection retells some of Disney’s best known stories, including “Cinderella”, “Peter Pan”. “Lady and the Tramp”, “The Love Bug”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Bambi” and “Pinocchio”. Also included are some lesser-known but still classic tales such as “Pluto Pup Goes to Sea” and “The Flying Car”. This updated collection also contains over 300 beautiful pieces of vintage art as well as gilded pages. This book is perfect to just flip through of to look at the wonderful artwork or to sit down and read these wonderful stories. Each story is not to long either, so as I stated they are perfect for bedtime stories. I hope Disney doesn’t wait too long to release a fourth volume because we are already half way through the book.

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Blu-ray Review “Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 6”

Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 1175 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 43.5 out of 5 stars

The sixth season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is easily one of my favorites. Each of the show’s characters have been developed so well by this point. This show was also airing the same time as “Deep Space Nine” but this season was still one of the most strongest of the series. Patrick Stewart really delivered some of his best performances with the following episodes “Chain of Command, Parts 1 and 2”. Also season six includes several well-known recurring characters, most importantly being Montgomery Scott, the Enterprise engineer from the Original Series, who is found alive and adjusting to the twenty-fourth century. This is also the second to last of the seasons, which means that most likely later this year this “Star Trek: The Next Generation” will be available complete on Blu-ray.

Here is the episode list for this season: Time’s Arrow, Part II; Realm of Fear; Man of the People; Relics; Schisms; True-Q; Rascals; A Fistful of Datas; The Quality of Life; Chain of Command, Part I; Chain of Command, Part II; Ship in a Bottle; Aquiel; Face of the Enemy; Tapestry; Birthright, Part I; Birthright, Part II; Starship Mine; Lessons; The Chase; Frame of Mind; Suspicions; Rightful Heir; Second Chances; Timescape and Descent, Part I. Brent Spiner’s dual performance as Data and his father Dr. Noonien Soong in “Birthright” are fantastic. Of course like I said above, the two part episode “Chain of Command” is literally one of the best arcs. Also Riker (Jonathan Frakes) copes with a bizarre identity crisis that pits him against himself in “Second Chances”.

Like the five seasons before this one, Paramount has consistently delivered this series with amazing releases. These episodes are newly remastered within their 1080p transfers. The visual effects look better and overall the show just feels much sharper. Since this show was shot on video and the special effects were set in their masters. They really went to town and delivered an impressive release yet again. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which is a such a treat for this series. I literally just got a new 7.1 surround sound system and I couldn’t help but turn it up to 11.

The special features are a step up again and deliver some great extras. There is are three audio commentary track included. The first is with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda on “Relics”. Next is an audio commentary with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda on “Tapestry”. Lastly there is an audio commentary with James L. Conway and Jonathan West on “Frame of Mind” . There are a few “Archival Mission Log” over first five discs focusing on “Mission Overview Year Six”, ” Bold New Directions”, “Departmental Briefing Year Six: Production and Dan Curry”, “Special Crew Profile: Lt. Cmdr. Data”, “Select Historical Data” and “Inside Starfleet Archives: Sets and Props”.

There are brand new deleted scenes on the following episodes Time’s Arrow, Part II, Relics, True Q, Ship in a Bottle, Face of the Enemy, Tapestry, Birthright, Part II, The Chase and Rightful Heir. The real star of this release is easily the brand new, three-part documentary “Beyond the Five Year Mission – The Evolution of Star Trek: The Next Generation” featuring fascinating interviews with cast and crew. Lastly there are episodic promos on each on the six discs and a new gag reel included.

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Book Review “Phantasm Exhumed: The Unauthorized Companion”

Author: Dustin McNeill
Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: Harker Press
Release Date: April 21, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Grab your balls horror fans because “Phantasm” is finally getting an amazing behind-the-scenes book coming the franchise. I think “Phantasm” is a horror franchise that never really got the love that it deserved. When the first film came out it was a sleeper hit. The second film had a big budget and wasn’t really given a huge reception with its theatrical release. This led to the third and fourth films to be released direct-to-video at the time. Not that they weren’t successful but in general but I have always felt the series never got expanded beyond its core fan base. Again don’t get me wrong it has quite a large core fan base for sure. When I think about “Phantasm”, I go back in time to walking down the horror aisle at the local mom and pop video store looking at each box trying to find something to rent. I remember the first time that I rent “Phantasm” and instantly falling in love. If you have that same experience then I cannot recommend “Phantasm Exhumed” anymore. It is the best (and only) Unauthorized Companion to this series.

I have no idea why it has taken this long to get a book about the making of “Phantasm” series made but author Dustin McNeill has done it. And done it well that is. I literally received this book in the mail and honestly didn’t but it down till I was done with the last page. The book kicks off with an amazing introduction by the Tall Man himself, Angus Scrimm. There are more than sixty new interviews with cast, crew, effects creators and studio executives. Dustin takes us deep into the behind the scenes of this franchise and history of Phantasm that starts with “Jim the World’s Greatest” to “Kenny & Company” and right through “Phantasm: Ravager”. No that is not a typo BTW, Dustin actually includes the new fifth film that was secretly filmed over the last two years. Some of the long lost production stories are amazing to read in this book and have never before told by the filmmakers.

There are more than 250 rare photographs, many never-before-seen. There is information on deleted scenes and script changes. There is some rally in-depth research and insight into the series’ effects, props & set construction. There are also rare letters, memos, production artifacts and even excerpts from Angus Scrimm’s personal 1977 set journals. This is worth the purchase alone of the book since it has never been released before. What I also love about this book is that besides the films that we know and love. There is also a section focusing on sequels that never came to be like “Phantasm 1999”, the 2005 remake and “Phantasm Forever”. It is cool to be able to get the inside scoop on these as well since there isn’t too much available on those. I would love to someone get Don Coscarelli to somehow release that recorded table reading with the added special effects, this would make many fans very happy.

If you are wondering, how Dustin McNeill has was able to gather all this information about this franchise, he has been a long time fan and he also launched the popular website “Phantasm Archives”. He worked with actor Michael Baldwin personally to return to the convention scene for several cast reunions. He authored an article for the 30th anniversary “Phantasm” retrospective in the best horror magazine of all-time, Horrorhound and much more. This book is literally a half a decade of research but the work pays off in every amazing page of this book. This is Dustin’s first book and I can’t wait to see what he covers next. If you are a fan of “Phantasm” and are looking for an amazing glimpse into the mind of this franchise, pick up “Phantasm Exhumed” and be sure to recommend to your friends as well!

Blu-ray Review “Ranma ½ Set 2”

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

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

Rumiko Takahashi’s classic martial arts romantic comedy Ranma ½ is back! In Mach, Viz Media released the first 23 episodes of the popular anime series “Ranma ½” and this month we are already getting “Set 2”, which includes the next 23 episodes. With 56 episodes in the bag already this series is on fire with this new revival. I have been having flashbacks of my younger days watching this show on bootleg VHS that I got from a friend, who got it from a friend. I cannot wait for the next release from Viz Media and I hope that they continue to release this series quickly since I cannot get enough of it.

Official Premise: Ranma Saotome, the boy who turns into a girl with a splash of water, always has his hands full fending off crazed admirers. One of the most fanatical is Shampoo, a girl from a tribe of Chinese Amazons who tried to kill girl Ranma, was defeated by boy Ranma, and then proposes marriage to him due to her clan s rule. Things get a little crazier when Shampoo falls into a cursed spring and turns into a cat! And even crazier when Mousse, who is in love with Shampoo, challenges Ranma to a battle over…Ranma s fiancée, Akane…? Back at the Tendo dojo, Ranma s dad, Genma, and Akane s dad, Soun, receive a visit from their former master, Happosai. Around the same time, some of the neighborhood ladies find their undies are disappearing… Is Happosai responsible, or is it just a coincidence?

Like the first set of episodes, these 1080p transfers are absolutely stunning with high quality encodes created using the original Japanese Blu-ray masters. Fans are able to enjoy each episode with an uncropped, 4:3 aspect ratio. These episodes are also arranged in the original Japanese episode order. There are both lossless tracks available for the original Japanese (with English subtitles) and the English dub, and a secondary subtitle track is available for signs and songs. The box presentation also for this set is amazing coming in a premium chipboard box with gold foil stamping with art illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. Inside it also includes an exclusive art card and a 32-page booklet with episode summaries

The special features aren’t as impressive as the first set. “We Love Ranma Part 2: Favorite Scenes” is a collection of notable scenes in these episodes. There is “Next Episode Previews” for the upcoming set. Lastly there are Clean Opening Animations and Clean Closing Animations for the episodes. After the decent extras in set 1, I was hoping that this was going to be the trend for these releases. I hope that they pick up the slack with set 3 and future installments after that. Still though for the outstanding video and audio on this Blu-ray will make this worth it alone for any anime fan.

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Blu-ray Review “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Owen Wilson
Director: Wes Anderson
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was no question one of my most anticipated films of 2014. It is also since seeing it one of my favorites. The film is absolutely stunning and like all Wes Anderson films completely out there. It is funny and yet romantic at the same time. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” has an ultra all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Léa Seydoux and Harvey Keitel. Let’s not forget the hotel, which is a like a character itself. This is beautifully shot. If you are a Wes Anderson film, you will not be let down!

Official Premise: The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune — all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” comes to Blu-ray in a combo pack including a Digital HD Ultraviolet copy. The 1080p transfer is nothing short of a masterpiece. The film switches between a wide array of aspect ratios including 2.39:1, 1.85:1 and 1.33:1, which is the bulk of film. I really enjoyed the way that Anderson and his cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman decided to be very experimental with the way they shot this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track also works perfectly with the dialogue and score.

Since all of Wes Anderson’s films make their way to Criterion Collection, they are going to have a hard time topping the audio and video tracks. But they definitely have room to improve in the special features, which are ok but nothing spectacular like the film. “Bill Murray Tours the Town” is short featurette with the actor visiting locations. There are three short Vignettes, which run under 10 minutes. There are three promotional featurettes focusing around “The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel”, the “Cast”, director “Wes Anderson”. Lastly there is a Stills Gallery and Theatrical Trailer.

DVD Review “Masters of Sex: Season One”

Starring: Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Bobby Campo, Caitlin FitzGerald, Beau Bridges, Nicholas D’Agosto
Directors: John Madden, Michael Apted
Number of discs: 4
Rated: TV-MA
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 677 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Masters of Sex” is based on Thomas Maier’s biography “Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love”. The Showtime Original Series aired its first season last year, which consisted of 12 episodes. This is a smart, clever, sexy and very fun show. Showtime has renewed “Masters of Sex” for a second season, which will premiere on July 13th, so keep an eye out for more of this great show.

Official Premise: Based on the book by Thomas Maier, Masters of Sex stars Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominee Michael Sheen and acclaimed actress Lizzy Caplan, who portray the real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The series chronicles the unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory of Masters and Johnson and the effect their research had on the family and colleagues around them. Their study ignited a sexual revolution and took them from a Midwestern teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine.

The show perfectly cast the amazing Michael Sheen (“TRON Legacy”) as Dr. William H. Masters and Lizzy Caplan (“True Blood”) as Dr. Virginia E. Johnson. These two have great chemistry together and really deliver some amazing performances. Co-starring alongside them are Nicholas D’Agosto (“Final Destination 5”) as Dr. Ethan Haas, Beau Bridges (“The Descendants”) as Provost Barton Scully and Allison Janney (“Finding Nemo”) as Margaret Scully.

The DVD includes the following special features, an audio commentary with Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears, Michelle Ashford & Sarah Timberman on the show’s pilot episode. “Making Masters of Sex” is a behind-the-scenes look of the series. “A Masterful Portrayal: Michael Sheen as Dr. Masters” is a feature on the beloved actor and his taking on the role. “Ahead of Her Time: Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson” is a the same thing for the lead actress. Lastly there are deleted scenes included.

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Blu-ray Review “Brazil With Michael Palin”

Actors: Michael Palin
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 220 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I see the title “Brazil With Michael Palin”, I can’t help but think about fellow Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film “Brazil”, which also co-starred Michael Palin. This is a 2012 documentary miniseries hosted by the the Monty Python member is making its debut on Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S. In fact, after Python, Palin began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian. Besides Brazil, he has traveled across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas and Eastern Europe. He has written books and filmed documentaries on his travels. If you are curious to see a different side to funnyman Palin, this is a great miniseries.

Official Premise: Brazil in the 21st century has become a global player. With a booming economy and massive social changes, there is a swagger to this once-sleeping giant, but what do we know of it apart from football and carnival? Michael Palin has travelled across most of the globe over the years, but never to Brazil. In this four-part series he crosses the country as big as a continent to find out what makes it tick. Meet remote tribes who pit their survival skills against gold diggers and loggers. Dance with witches. Watch the new World Cup stadium rise in Brasilia. In the entertaining company of your good-humored host, you’ll delight in the spectacular landscape, food, music, beach life and unique cultural heritage of this rising global power.

The episodes included on this Blu-ray are “Out of Africa, “Into Amazonia”, “The Road to Rio” and “The Deep South” Going from the lost world of Amazonia to the big city of of Rio de Janeiro, Palin allows us to join him as he meets the people and visits these amazing places that helped shape our nation. The 1080p transfers on these episodes are simply stunning. These located are extremely beautifully filmed whether it is of the remote tribes on the Venezuelan border to the modernist  buildings of Brasilia or my favorite the spectacular Iguaçu Falls, this Blu-ray is sure to get you considering a trip to these wonderful locations.

Blu-ray Review “The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night (Criterion Collection)”

Starring: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Director: Richard Lester
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Criterion Collection
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 87 minutes

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

The Beatles is one of the best bands EVER. They have changed pop culture forever. Their music is eternal and will never be forgotten. I can sum this Blu-ray up in one word…SPECTACULAR. If you are a Beatles fan, you NEED this release. If you don’t have a Blu-ray player, go out and buy one! “The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night” was released on Blu-ray back in 2009 to a pretty poor release. If you felt burned that one all you need to know is that this is being released under the Criterion Collection and that means perfection. The music in this film is just so amazing. Tell you that you don’t belt out these classic Beatles tracks like “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Tell Me Why”, “If I Fell”, “And I Love Her”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, and “I Should Have Known Better” while watching or even thinking about this film.

Official Premise: In 1964, the Beatles had just recently exploded onto the American scene with their debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The group’s first feature, the Academy Award-nominated “A Hard Day’s Night,” offered fans their first peek into a day in the life of the Beatles and served to establish the Fab Four on the silver screen, as well as to inspire the music video format.

Criterion is releasing this as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The film itself has been recently given a spectacular 4K restoration from the original camera negative for this Blu-ray. Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.75:1, I cannot stress how stunning this transfer looks. 5/5 stars is simply not high enough. Also this release is also director approved, so you can not just take my word but also Richard Lester’s word. The black and white is so sharp looking and you couldn’t tell that this was shot nearly 50 years ago.

Since The Beatles are obviously known for their music, the audio tracks on this release are very important. There are a few different tracks on this Blu-ray. My favorite has to be the LPCM mono track. It is extremely clear and the songs are very well balanced. When I cranked up a few of the songs, they just sounded absolutely perfect. Same goes for the dialogue in the film, it sounded great as well. There is also a new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which was made by Apple Records. Personally, this track works best with the songs, of course. Both very impressive and two different experiences, to be honest.

The special features are jam-packed and quite outstanding for this release. “Anatomy of a Style” feature story editor and screenwriter Bobbie O’Steen and music editor Suzana Peric discussing the film’s music sequences including “A Hard Day’s Night”, “I Should Have Known Better”, “Cant Buy Me Love”, “And I love Her” and “She Loves You”. “In Their Own Voices” includes behind-the-scenes stills and footage from the making of “A Hard Day’s Night” as well as clips from audio interviews a few of the Beatles. “You Can’t Do That: The Making of A Hard Day’s Night” is the 1994 documentary, produced by Walter Shenson (producer of “A Hard Day’s Night”) and narrated by Phil Collins featuring cast/crew from the film and runs just over an hour.

“Things They Said Today” is a documentary from 2002 that focuses on long term success of “A Hard Day’s Night”. “The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film” is a short film that was shot by Richard Lester in 1959 and features Richard Lester, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Graham Stark, and Bruce Lacey. “Picturewise” is a new video essay focuses on the production history of “A Hard Days Night” and Richard Lester’s directing style. This was written and produced by critic and filmmaker David Cairns exclusively for Criterion. “The Beatles: The Road to A Hard Day’s Night” is a new video interview with Mark Lewisohn, author of “The Beatles: All These Years, Volume 1 — Tune In”, which was also conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2014.

But wait, there is still more…there is an audio commentary track from 2002 created from material produced by Martin Lewis and features actors John Junkin, David Janson, and Jeremy Lloyd; cinematographer Gilbert Taylor; associate producer Denis O’Dell; second assistant director Barrie Melrose; assistant editors Pamela Tomling and Roy Benson; and others. There are two trailers including the 2000 re-release and the 2014 re-release. Lastly there is an fantastic illustrated booklet featuring an essay by critic Howard Hampton.

Blu-ray Review “The Mechanic (1972)”

Starring: Charles Bronson, Jan-Michael Vincent, Keenan Wynn, Jill Ireland
Director: Michael Winner
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Running Time: 100 minutes

Film: 4 out of stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I think about Charles Bronson, I think about two things “Death Wish” and “The Mechanic”. If you are thinking about the remake with Jason Statham from 2011, this is the original and much better film. Bronson is such a bad-ass in this film and in general. It has been many years since I viewed this film and it is still as gritty and entertaining as it was the first time I saw it. If you love Bronson, this release is a no-brainer.

Official Premise: Director Michael Winner’s The Mechanic (1972) stars his long-term collaborator, the sui generis Charles Bronson, as a hardened professional hitman who’s feeling the strains of his profession. He joins forces with a ruthless up-and-comer (Jan-Michael Vincent) in a partnership that wavers between sustaining and profoundly dangerous.

This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced. I was very impressed with the 1080p transfer on this release. For a film that is over 40 years old, it looks ace and sounds amazing as well. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono is stunning, especially with one of my favorite scoirres by the legendary Jerry Fielding.

In terms of special features, there is not much here, but what is is still worth checking out. Speaking of how much I love Fielding’s score, there is an Isolated Score Track included on this Blu-ray. There is an audio commentary track with Cinematographer Richard H. Kline and Film Historian Nick Redman. Lastly there is an Original Theatrical Trailer. If you want this film don’t hold out cause once it sold out, its gone for good!

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DVD Review “Transformers Animated: The Complete Series”

Actors: David Kaye, Corey Burton, Bumper Robinson, Bill Fagerbakke, Jeff Bennett, Tara Strong, Tom Kenny, Susan Blu
Number of discs: 6
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 930 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

A Japanese animation take on the “Transformers”…how can that be bad? I never really jumped on board with the series “Transformers Animated”. I love the animation style but the feel of the show didn’t land well with me. I feel it feels more like “The Powerpuff Girls” than “Neon Genesis Evangelion”. I know the “Transformers” have always been a little campy but this went a little overboard for me. I feel that it took one too many tips from “Transformers: Rise of the Fallen”. Even though I am not in love with this series, hardcore “Transformers” fan will did it.

Official Premise: Trapped on Earth, far from home and living in disguise, the brave Autobots must protect the ancient, all-powerful AllSpark from getting into the hands of the malevolent Decepticons. As if their task weren’t difficult enough, the team (led by the honor-bound Optimus Prime and including Bulkhead, Prowl, Ratchet and Bumblebee) must also protect Earth from its own nefarious super villains! Can this mere maintenance team live up to the highest standard of what it truly means to be Autobots?

The main Autobots in this series are Optimus Prime (of course), Prowl, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. The main Decepticon include Megatron (of course), Starscream, Blitzwing, and Lugnut. The show ran for three seasons and was never renewed for a fourth. This series aired from 2007-2009 and this release includes all 42 episodes and they are finally able own the complete series along with the never-before-released third season, right here in one collection!

Blu-ray Review “Joy Ride 3: Road Kill”

Actors: Jesse Hutch, Ken Kirzinger, Dean Armstrong, Ben Hollingsworth
Director: Declan O’Brien
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 96 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Rusty Nail has really become a great icon in the horror world. He is not at the level of Freddy Krueger but he definitely kicks some ass. I am sure this wasn’t planned (I hope) but since the death of Paul Walker (who starred in the first “Joyride”) was only a few months ago, it feels a little odd for this to be coming out right now. After the terrible follow up “Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead”, “Joy Ride 3: Road Kill” is action-packed, entertains and is worth checking out if you enjoy this character and the series.

Official Premise: This third hellish installment in the bloody series finds director Declan O’Brien in the driver’s seat for another deadly detour. The nightmare begins when a group of young street racers take a desolate shortcut on their way to the Road Rally 1000. But a chance encounter with Rusty soon turns deadly as he stalks, taunts, and tortures his next victims with deranged delight. It’s a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal chill ride packed with killer twists and turns!

Fox is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray, DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Copy. It is also releasing it with a Limited Edition Killer Packaging. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works for what the film is, which is a low-budget gritty horror sequel. There are some decent special features including some Pre-Vis Sequences. “Road Rage: The Blood, Sweat and Gears of Joy Ride 3” is a look into the production. “Riding Shotgun with Declan: Director’s DIE-aries” is a chat with the director Declan O’Brien. Lastly, we have a featurette “Finding Large Marge” and an audio commentary track.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 3, bluray, joy, kill, review, ride, ...

Blu-ray Review “House of Cards: The Complete Second Season”

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Reuel Pendleton, Sakina Jaffrey, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly
Directors: David Fincher, James Foley, Allen Coulter, Carl Franklin, Charles McDougall, Joel Schumacher
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 663 minutes

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

When I watched the first season of “House of Cards“, I thought what could be better than this season? Well that answer is easy because it is the second season. It is rare that a show not only stayed in line with the previous season but also surpasses it. The acting in this series just keeps blowing me away as well. Kevin Spacey really gets comfortable in the shoes of Frank Underwood and Robin Wright just stunning, not to mention the rest of this stellar cast. I dare you to watch one episode of this series and see if you don’t end up binging on it for the rest of the night. If you dig shows about the seedy world of politics, look no further because it doesn’t get any better than this…(I hope I can negate that statement when season three hits).

Official Premise: Masterful, beguiling and charismatic, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Robin Wright) continue their ruthless rise to power in Season 2 of ‘. Behind the curtain of power, sex, ambition, love, greed and corruption in modern Washington D.C. the Underwoods must battle threats past and present to avoid losing everything. As new alliances form and old ones succumb to deception and betrayal, they will stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy.

Sony released The Complete Second Season of “House of Cards” on Blu-ray accompanied by a Ultraviolet Digital Copy. The 1080p presentation of the episodes is near flawless. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track worked perfectly so I can lean on every word spoken. The special features are another win for this release. “Two Houses” looks into at the original show and how this series came together. “Table Read” is a behind-the-scenes look cut with with the scenes from the show. “Direct Address” features how Francis Underwood speaks directly to viewers in both the original BBC series and this new adaptation. “Politics for Politics Sake” takes at looks into the politics themes in the show. Lastly, “Line of Succession” looks into what goes into making an episode.

Blu-ray Review “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”

Starring: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Directors: Brannon Braga, Ann Druyan, Bill Pope
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 572 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I first show this TV series advertised on Fox, I knew it was going to be amazing. It is executive produced by Seth MacFarlane and hosted by renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. The 13-episode series follows in the footsteps of Carl Sagan’s original televised study of the mechanics of the universe. I don’t know science is so interesting but I actually find it very entertaining as well as informative.

It has been more than three decades since the debut of Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage”, which took a stunning and iconic exploration of the universe. Seth MacFarlane has re-teamed with Sagan’s original creative collaborators including writer/executive producer Druyan and co-writer, astronomer Steven Soter. So this has the same feel of Sagan’s series but we a new 21 century technological visual upgrade.

Official Premise: As with the legendary original series, the new Cosmos is the saga of how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. The series brings to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge, transporting viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on both the grandest and smallest scales.

The series is such a visual masterpiece on Blu-ray. Thje 1080p transfers look amazing as the show switches from live action with Neil deGrasse Tyson to CGI work to animated sequences. “Wow” is literally the first words that come to my mind to describe these episodes on Blu-ray. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround, which has an amazing score by Alan Silvestri. I just wished that Fox would have given us a digital copy with this release.

The special features are split over the four discs. Disc one has an audio commentary track for the episode “Standing Up in the Milky Way”, which features Ann Druyan, Mitchell Cannolo, Brannon Braga, Jason Clark and Kara Vallow. Disc two includes “Celebrating Carl Sagan: A Selection from the Library of Congress Dedication” which focuses on (1080p; 34:37) is a great piece focusing on giving Sagan’s papers and notebooks to the Library of Congress.

Disc Three includes “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey at Comic-Con 2013” is a fun and interesting look at the world of geeks at a convention. Disc Four includes “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey – The Voyage Continues”, which is a great behind the scenes looks at the series. Lastly there is an “Interactive Cosmic Calendar” with Ann Druyan as host and voiceover artist. Calling all science nerds, tech nerds…”Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” has something for everyone.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, cosmos, odyssey, review, spacetime

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