DVD

Saturday 25 May 2013

• Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics - Blu-ray Review

  

  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has given fans of the gangster genre a great treat with the release of Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics - which includes some of the genre's greatest early films and most iconic actors.

• The Last Stand – Blu-ray Review

  

  He might be a little older and a little slower, but Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in form with The Last Stand. It is a throwback that mixes western, action and comedy elements into an explosive stylized movie that doesn't quite fire on all cylinders, but is still an entertaining ride.

• Fringe: The Complete Fifth and Final Season – DVD Review

  

  As sad as I was to see it come to an end, Fringe: The Complete Fifth and Final Season does an excellent job of ending the show’s storyline in a way that makes the journey worth taking, and makes you want to watch the whole series again from Season One.

Friday 24 May 2013

• Parker - Blu-ray Review

  

  While Parker has some problems, Jason Statham and director Taylor Hackford manage to capture the gritty violence of Donald E. Westlake's criminal pulp character, and his strict criminal code.

Thursday 23 May 2013

• Beautiful Creatures – Blu-ray Review

  

  While it has a lot of humor and a little charm, Beautiful Creatures suffers from a rushed story, poor editing, and poor use of such a great ensemble cast. The film has a lot to like in it, but those elements never come together to capture the magic of its story and setting.

Wednesday 22 May 2013

• True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) – Blu-ray Review

  

  The fairies are gone and the bloodsuckers are back on the front burner.  Sookie Stackhouse’s supernatural swamp adventures return and seems to be closer to what brought it to prominence but there’s a lot going on, including losing someone behind the camera.  However, other characters return from the grave.

• Dexter: The Seventh Season – Blu-ray Review

  

  Everyone’s favorite serial killer hero is back.  However, he’s only got one more season to go so just lean back and enjoy the twists and turns served up in this season.  We also get to look into the other characters that populate the series. 

Tuesday 21 May 2013

• Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Contemporary – Blu-ray Review

  

  Warner Brothers celebrates the gangster genre with these five modern takes on the Tommy gun toting mobsters.  However, the only new item you’ll get is the addition of a Paramount title and new packaging and artwork.  Not that it is a bad thing since the movies are fantastic.

• Barrymore - Blu-ray Review

  

  Christopher Plummer’s tour-de-force as boozy John Barrymore is committed to film for future generations and they’re the better for it.  If not for the Shakespearean histrionics of the great profile but for the grand performance of Plummer.

Thursday 16 May 2013

• Texas Chainsaw – Blu-ray Review

  

  Leatherface cranks his weapon of choice for yet another outing that starts interesting and wastes any potential it had in the opening minutes.

• Safe Haven – Blu-ray Review

  

  While it manages to be entertaining, Safe Haven follows the Nicholas Sparks' established blueprint too closely and fails to truly make the characters matter. Thankfully, the film is in the very capable hands of director Lasse Hallström and benefits from the likeable chemistry of its leads Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

• Liz and Dick – DVD Review

  

  Legendary, tempestuous, forbidden, worthy of two marriages, and generating an ocean of tabloid ink – the affairs of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are perfect fodder for the silver screen they lit up.  That may come one day, but now we’re only shown this small screen rendition that suffers in the casting department. 

Monday 13 May 2013

• Shakespeare: The King’s Man – DVD Review

  

  Shakespeare’s mature years as a writer and public figure are explored in this three episode series presented by Athena.  American scholar James Shapiro, a professor at Columbia University takes viewers through the history and culture while highlighting the plays produced during the time of James I of England.

• Sugartown – DVD Review

  

  Sugartown is the story of a tiny seaside town in Britain whose claim to fame and only source of income has been the Burr Candy Factory.  The candy factory is about to go under and the owner Jason Burr (Shaun Dooley) may have to sell it to his brother who wants to turn the place into a gambling casino and luxury holiday flats.

• The Impossible – Blu-ray Review

  

  Christmas 2004 a huge tsunami hit Thailand leaving behind death and destruction that horrified the world.  This movie is based on the real life story of Maria Belon and her family and their experiences during this time.

• Cloud Atlas - Blu-ray Review

  

  Cloud Atlas is engrossing, ambitious, and will also have some folks scratching their heads with all the connections in a story that spans millennia.  It’s a film that begs repeat viewings (well, unless you didn’t like it the first time) and will add something with each viewing, not that there’s not a problem or two. 

Wednesday 08 May 2013

• Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds – Blu-ray Review

  

  Many Star Trek fans spent a summer in suspense as the cliff-hanging ending of STNG: season 3 made it look like Captain Picard was kidnapped and assimilated.  To alleviate the suspense, not that it matters much anymore, Paramount has released both parts of Best of Both Worlds as one long episode with some exclusive extras. 

• Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Three - Blu-ray Review

  

  Third time is the charm.  The next generation crew of the starship Enterprise would begin to break away from the original show in this third season thanks to some fine acting, episodes, and a thrilling season finale. 

Tuesday 30 April 2013

• The Protectors - Complete Season 1 – DVD Review

  'The Protectors' is the latest offering from Arrow Films' Nordic Noir label to arrive in the UK.

Wednesday 24 April 2013

• Gangster Squad – Blu-ray Review

  

  Although it has the glamour of classic Hollywood and the gritty violence of the genre, Gangster Squad feels a tad too formulaic to ever fully stand on its own. The film features solid performances from its incredible ensemble cast, but seems to borrow a tad too much from past gangster films – most notably Brian De Palma's The Untouchables.

Tuesday 09 April 2013

• Star Trek: Enterprise - Blu-ray Review

  

  This release adds Star Trek before the title but Enterprise was seen as the series that started it all since it was set before the time period of when James T. Kirk captained a starship called Enterprise. Fans may debate the show, but it did have a good moment or two. Some Trek on TV is better than no Trek on TV I’d wager.

Friday 05 April 2013

• Willow - Blu-ray Review

  

  Fantasy films have become hot again thanks to the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. It’s no wonder that this adventure from Ron Howard would make its way to Blu-ray. The film may not have aged exactly well, but it does introduce us to the talent named Warwick Davis.

Monday 01 April 2013

• Lincoln - Blu-ray Review

  

  Steven Spielberg has been gestating his Lincoln film for some time, but the result doesn’t take the typical Lincoln biofilm. The biggest detriment may be the dialogue driven nature of the film, but the greatest asset is the man in the stovepipe hat who so becomes the president that he won an Oscar.

• Les Miserables - Blu-ray Review

  

  Les Miserables is based on the long running musical from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel. Other theatrical musicals have not made a smooth transition to the big screen and it may have been thought the same of Les Mis - since many of the actors weren’t known for their singing, but the resulting film is certainly not a misery.

• Hitchcock - Blu-ray Review

  

  Good evening. Anthony Hopkins transforms into the Master of Suspense, but his crackerjack performance may overshadow the liberties taken with the true story of making Psycho.

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Blu-ray Review

  

  Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey may lack some of the epic feeling the director managed to capture with The Lord of the Ring films, but it is massively entertaining and quite funny at times.

Thursday 14 March 2013

• The Hunchback Of Notre Dame/The Hunchback Of Notre Dame II – Blu-ray Review

  

  Victor Hugo devotees will not exactly like what Disney did to his classic novel, but musical and animation devotees may be able to forgive. Some still might not be able to being forced to buy the inferior direct-to-video sequel.

Friday 08 March 2013

• Schindler's List: 20th Anniversary Limited Edition – Blu-ray Review - CLIPS ADDED!

  

  Steven Spielberg was known as a blockbuster filmmaker who kept you out of the water or made your heart light glow, but he wasn’t known for taking on social issues. That would change with the powerful tale of a German who saved Jews.

Wednesday 06 March 2013

• Anna Karenina – Blu-ray Review

  

  Sumptuous costuming won this latest adaptation of Tolstoy’s novel an Oscar. Some will cry “style over substance” since there’s some creative use of set, but the film still excels in performance. What might not be so apparent to current audiences are the social ramifications of Anna’s choice.

Tuesday 26 February 2013

• Kids’ View Review: Wreck-It Ralph - CLIPS ADDED!

  

  Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph is truly a stunning masterpiece and a great present to gamers everywhere.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

• The Master - Blu-ray Review

  

  Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrays the inventor of a religion that ropes a World War II vet into his delusional inner circle. It’s a film that evokes a time period, features some fiery performances, and is also shot in glorious 70mm.

Tuesday 12 February 2013

• Gossip Girl: The Complete Sixth and Final Season – DVD Review

  

  Gossip Girl has come to an end, and fans will want to own the 6th and Final Season on DVD to complete the journey of fashions, friendships, scandals and relationships that all began in the Upper East Side private school so long ago.

Sunday 10 February 2013

• Unit One Collection - DVD Review

  Arrow Films' Nordic Noir DVD label is releasing rare Scandinavian screen classics with English subtitles.

• End of the Watch – Blu-ray Review

  

  The story about two friends, police officers and partners in the mean streets of LA, End of the Watch is brilliantly shot - thanks to the documentary style or “found footage” that has become popular in recent years. The film has a gritty realism that hooks you from the opening moments.

• Flight - Blu-ray Review - CLIPS ADDED!

  

  My handy American Heritage Dictionary defines flight as the act of flying, but it also says it is the act of running away. In the film, you’ll find both definition as Denzel Washington plays a pilot drowning his demons in booze and drugs but an act of heroism finds him in the spotlight.

Friday 08 February 2013

• Duchess Duke Street: Complete Collection – DVD Review

  

  A treasured program from 1979-1980 Masterpiece Theater on PBS, both series of the story are available from Acorn Media in this DVD set.

• Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime: The Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries (1983) - DVD Review

  

  The husband and wife sleuths Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are two of the most charming of Agatha Christie’s characters. Mystery lovers will want to add this set to their collections, and those interested in period costuming will adore the attention to wardrobe, especially Tuppence’s many fascinating hats.

• Wodehouse Playhouse: Complete Collection – DVD Review

  

  Acting partners and husband and wife Pauline Collins and John Alderton star in these comedic short stories by author P. G. Wodehouse. This is a must have set for fans of British comedy.

Tuesday 05 February 2013

• Tales of the Night – Blu-ray Review

  

  A movie theater complete with the ability to recreate fairytales forms the gimmick of Tales of the Night. What happens onstage is both charming and artistic, especially in the method that the whole movie is portrayed.

• Peter Pan (Three-Disc Diamond Edition) – Blu-ray Review - CLIPS ADDED!

  

  A special offer for today, I’ll tell you what I’ll do, for those who buy Peter Pan without delay will get a free tattoo. Well, maybe not (unless it’s a skull and crossbones, but you have to join Hook’s crew and set out to sea). Peter Pan comes to Blu-ray with a wonderful portion of fairy dust.

• Cabaret - Blu-ray Review - CLIPS ADDED!

  

  Life is a cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret… on Blu-ray. Bob Fosse’s award winning anti-musical finally makes its high definition debut and the results are spectacular. It’s a show you don’t want to miss. So come to the Cabaret!!

Sunday 03 February 2013

• Die Hard: 25th Anniversary Collection – Blu-ray Review

  

  The Die Hard films get collected in a nice booklet style set that includes a bonus disc of new material that every fan of the franchise will love.

Wednesday 30 January 2013

• Seven Psychopaths - Blu-ray Review

  

  A frustrated screenwriter works on a script called “Seven Psychopaths.” What he doesn’t realize is that his inspiration is all around him and he goes on a crazy trip involving a mobster’s kidnapped dog and the crazy consequences surrounding it.

Monday 28 January 2013

• The Possession – Blu-ray Review

  

  Even with such a generic title, The Possession manages to give a few surprises along with a couple of chilling moments. It borrows from other films, but manages to be a well-done thriller – even if it is a tad predictable

Wednesday 23 January 2013

• Total Recall – Blu-ray Review

  

  Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1990 sci-fi classic Total Recall gets a slick CGI heavy remake that takes Mars out of the plot, and is easily forgettable. The film isn’t that bad, but it doesn't take the time to make the audience care about the characters.

• The Apparition – Blu-ray Review

  

  Despite an eerie premise, The Apparition quickly squanders any of the chills the opening sequence managed to create and instead presents a “by the numbers” haunting movie that fails to give the audience one real scare.

• Dredd – Blu-ray Review

  

  Dredd brings the cult comic hero to the big screen the way the character was meant to be – ultra-violent, with very little dialogue, and never removing his helmet.

Thursday 17 January 2013

• Lillie – DVD Review

  

  Acorn presents the complete miniseries “Lillie,” a classic Masterpiece Theater offering from 1979 on DVD for fans and new audiences to enjoy. Brought to life by the beautiful Francesca Annis as Lillie Langtry, the story of a remarkable woman making her way in a dazzling age of manners and social intrigue is simply irresistible viewing.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

• Vexed - DVD Review

  

  Vexed is a modern day British crime solving drama that pits a new detective team DI Jack Armstrong (Toby Stephens) and DI Kate Bishop (Lucy Punch) against some tough cases.

• Vera: Set 2 – DVD Review

  

  Brenda Blethyn stars as DCI Vera Stanhope, a gifted detective whose rumpled appearance and sharp tongue give little indication of her acuity in crime solving. Acclaimed in Britain, series one of Vera has made fans in the USA as well.

• Arbitrage – Blu-ray Review

  

  Arbitrage is defined as the opportunity to buy an item at a low price then immediately selling it on a different market for a higher price. Sounds like Ebay, but Richard Gere seems to be negotiating for acting prizes with this film and he’s not the only one.

Tuesday 15 January 2013

• Game Change – Blu-ray Review

  

  Politics are an ugly business. A floundering campaign needs something to revive it and the person they choose does that but also brings her own troubles. What can’t be argued is that Julianne Moore morphs into her subject so much that it earned her an Emmy.

Thursday 10 January 2013

• Guns, Girls and Gambling – Blu-ray Review

  

  The film may be rife with Elvis impersonators, but we also find somebody trying to impersonate Quentin Tarantino. The project may have attracted a game cast, featuring a hot blonde, but the results are not the fried peanut butter and banana sammich you may wanted.

• Hit & Run – Blu-ray Review

  

  Hit & Run is a labor of love from couple Dax Shepard and his cars…. I mean Kristen Bell. If the elderly obese engaging in motel room orgies and a trigger happy Tom Arnold are your cup of tea then you may have found nirvana. Others might find enjoyment, but again others might find a flat tire.

• Frankenweenie – Blu-ray Review

  

  From the mind of Tim Burton comes the charming re-telling of the tale of Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Charlie Tahan), who has the terrific and terrible (and traumatic) need to bring something he loves back to life.

Monday 07 January 2013

• Kids' View Review: Tiny Toon Adventures Crazy Crew Rescues!

  

  Tiny Toons completely destroys every rule of what cartoons do NOT do on television. Cartoons are not supposed to air fake telethons. A cartoon normally does not compare our physics to their physics. However, this is the next generation of Looney Tunes and Looney Tunes has never followed the rules.

• Smash: Season One – DVD Review

  

  Smash is entertainment for the entrainment world. While the play being produced is engrossing, fun to watch and tug a little tightly at the heartstrings, the real drama of the series is what happens backstage.

• Looper – DVD Review

  

  Joseph Gordon-Levitt meets his future self and it’s Bruce Willis in this mind-bending time travel that has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing up to the end.

Friday 04 January 2013

• Poldark: The Complete Collection – DVD Review

  

  Acorn has the two seasons of Poldark on DVD for individual purchase, but now offers the series in a single complete set. It is newly packaged and accompanied by a multipage color illustrated booklet containing among other bits of Poldark legend, the first chapter of star Robin Ellis’s book MAKING POLDARK.

• Justified: The Complete Third Season – Blu-ray Review

  

  Based on a character created by Elmore Leonard from his short story “Fire in the Hole,” Justified is one of those rare television series that just keeps getting better with each season.

Friday 28 December 2012

• Blade Runner: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition - Blu-ray Review

  

  Collecting four different cuts of the film, the Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition arrives on Blu-ray looking and sounding incredible and loaded with bonus material – including a toy flying car!

• The Campaign (Combo Pack) – Blu-ray Review

  

  Set in a North Caroline district, long-time Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) has to defend his seat against a plot to unseat him by evil CEOs and new-comer Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis).

• Ted (Two-Disc Combo Pack) – Blu-ray Review

  

  From the warped mind of Seth MacFarlane comes the tale of a teddy bear…that is not so innocent. In fact, it’s downright twisted and vulgar. If you are easily offended,  you should probably pass on this one.

• Brave (Ultimate Collector's Edition) – Blu-ray Review

  

  In one of the most enjoyable movies of the year, Brave captures the heart and imagination and intrigues. It’s not your typical princess movie so be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

• Kids’ View Review: Ice Age: Continental Drift

  

  Ice Age returns at a mediocre attempt. When compared to the other hits released at the time (like Madagascar 3), it really fails. Ice Age died half a decade ago, and I really wish they’d stop making sequels like it is a brand new concept.

• The Odd Life of Timothy Green (Two-Disc Combo) – Blu-ray Review

  

  Timothy Green is an interesting boy. He doesn’t come from a mama’s belly, but from the earth and a good dose of wishes and dreams. The result is a charming, magical film that grows on you.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

• ParaNorman (Two-Disc Combo Pack) – Blu-ray Review

  

  He sees dead people, which doesn’t exactly make Norman the toast of the town. It does make a charming paranormal, stop-motion kid flick. Although a few of the gags might be a bit adult the stop-motion animation is top notch.

Tuesday 11 December 2012

• Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season Two – Blu-ray Review

  

  The Next Generation had many things going against it. It was a sequel series to a much beloved original, it was science fiction, and it was an experiment in syndication. It would overcome all of those perceived downfalls and season two would produce some iconic characters and enemies.

Wednesday 05 December 2012

• The Dark Knight Rises – Blu-ray Review

  

  Although the film has problems and some plot issues, The Dark Knight Rises is a solid conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman franchise.

Monday 26 November 2012

• Vamps – Blu-ray Review

  

  Vamps is a welcome reunion for director Amy Heckerling and Alicia Silverstone. The results may not put much of a new spin on the vampire genre but it does have enough heart to keep it from getting a stake to it.

Wednesday 14 November 2012

• Prep & Landing: Totally Tinsel Collection – Blu-ray Review

  

  An army of elves has to prepare people’s houses so that Santa can keep on his worldwide schedule on Christmas Eve. Wayne is one such elf and hoping to get a promotion but finds that maybe he’s found his niche at the North Pole.

• Savages (Two-Disc Combo Pack) – Blu-ray Review

  

  The best thing I can say about Savages is that I liked it better than Wall Street 2, but maybe not. Savages shares some lineage with other Oliver Stone projects but it doesn’t rise very far - thanks to a ménage a trois of main characters that don’t connect, a less-than-threatening villain, and a poorly conceived ending

Saturday 10 November 2012

• Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection – Blu-ray review

  

  While the films included in the Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection are classics in their own way, the collection is a bit of a disappointment due to less than stellar transfers on many of the titles and one so bad it completely ruins the picture and enjoyment.

Thursday 08 November 2012

• The Muppet Christmas Carol (20th Anniversary Edition) – Blu-ray Review

  

  The first Muppet feature since the passing of Jim Henson strikes all the right chords in a holiday chorus, but it is still suffering a ruinous, to some, edit. More on that later, but those happy characters meet a grouchy Michael Caine in a grand redo of Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic.

Wednesday 07 November 2012

• Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection – Blu-ray Review

  

  With a lush transfer and a wealth of special features on each title, Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection is a MUST OWN for any fan of the classic monster films or fans of classic horror movies.

Monday 05 November 2012

• Kids’ View Review: The Great Mouse Detective

  

  The Great Mouse Detective is a wonderful Sherlock Holmes parody. I don’t any other show of its kind that could compete with the characters, music, plot, and humor. Add in the Disney magic it makes it even better.

• Night of Dark Shadows – DVD Review CLIPS ADDED!

  

  The success of the first Dark Shadows film had Dan Curtis once again returning to Collinwood. However this time he wouldn’t have his vampire star. The result is more let down by editing scissors than the absence of Barnabas Collins.

• House of Dark Shadows – Blu-ray Review CLIPS ADDED!

  

  Cue spooky music because Barnabas Collins has risen from the grave once more, but the Johnny Depp starrer was not its first attempt at a film series. The original Barnabas comes off better as a movie since it doesn’t have a split personality.

Thursday 01 November 2012

• All I Want is Christmas – VOD Review

  

  A new children’s comic Christmas fable takes an unusual turn as far as Christmas movies go. An eleven year old Jewish boy is smitten by the idea of Christmas. Ira J. Finkelstein (Nelson) dreams of it; he’s obsessed.

• Prometheus (Blu-ray Combo Pack) - Blu-ray Review

  

  While it might not have lived up to the hype and terror promised in the build-up to its release, Ridley Scott’s Prometheus comes to Blu-ray in a combo pack that is well-worth the money thanks to multiple formats and more than seven hours of extras that take you into the film and answer a question or two.

• TV on DVD Round-up Review: Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Body Of Proof, Army Wives, Desperate Housewives

  

  Some of the best dramas on television have returned to DVD with new seasons of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Body of Proof, Army Wives, and the final season of Desperate Housewives.

Wednesday 31 October 2012

• Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures – Blu-ray Review

  

  For the first time in the 1080p format, the four Indiana Jones movies come to Blu-ray in a beautiful set reminiscent of an antique book. This set will not disappoint fans. The picture is crystal clear.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

• Titanic (Four-Disc Combo) –Blu-ray Review

  

  James Cameron’s epic story about the ill-fated ship gets even bigger with its 3-D Blu-ray release. Theatrically released in 1997 and then again this year to theaters in the 3-D format, it is now available on Blu-ray and 3-D Blu-ray for home enjoyment. The boat looks amazing but it still sinks. No spoilers intended.

• Magic Mike - Blu-ray Review - VIDEO ADDED!

  

  I’m certainly not the intended audience for this film, but Magic Mike worked his pole on both a salacious, if you’re the audience, and dramatic level. Mike is a stripper with a heart of gold and abs to match. Mike did work some magic, but more less for the stripper aspects.

Monday 29 October 2012

• Secret of the Wings (Four-Disc Combo) - Blu-ray Review

  

  Disney’s fourth fairy installment for girls that involves Tinker Bell comes in a Flitterrific combo back that includes Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Copy, and 3-D Blu-ray and is packed with a nice assortment of special features.

• Kids’ View Review: Pete’s Dragon: 35th Anniversary Edition

  

  This has got to be the cutest and most heart-warming show ever. Not only is the movie fun, but the animation is stunning - even though it is over two decades old.

Thursday 25 October 2012

• What Ever Happened to Baby Jane: 50th Anniversary – Blu-ray Review

  

  Halloween is coming and studios start dusting off their horror offerings. It’s my favorite time of the year. This grand dame guignol fifty-something fright fest saw the backstage battles between the two stars offering interest that comes through on screen as well.

• Strangers on a Train - Blu-ray Review

  

  Strangers on the Internet for the remake? Um, too easy and why bother since this classic from Hitchcock still has the locomotion to thrill passengers of all sorts. Buy the ticket and take the ride on this “quid pro quo” suspense merry-go-round.

• Dial M for Murder [Blu-ray 3D] - Blu-ray Review

  

  Murder by the rotary dial, remember those? Alfred Hitchcock needed to “recharge his batteries” so he adapted a stage play to film. I didn’t think that I was going to get grabbed in this confined 3D thriller but it did get the job done.

• Chernobyl Diaries - Blu-ray Review

  

  Not exactly covering any new ground and reeking of other films, Chernobyl Diaries is a film about a creepy Russian city near the infamous meltdown. It is not exactly irradiating and certainly no surprises.

Friday 19 October 2012

• Doctor Who: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy – DVD Review

  

  Step right up ladies and gentlemen… to the greatest show in the galaxy. Doctor Who, of course. The end of this season for McCoy ends on a happier note thanks to the coulrophobia inducing performance by the Chief Clown. Let the show begin.

• Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space - DVD Review

  

  We go back to the manger to witness the “birth” of my favorite classic Doctor. Jon Pertwee takes over for Patrick Troughton and joins up with UNIT. His earthbound exile would have the aliens coming to him, but also bring the series to a modern (1970s) reality.

Tuesday 16 October 2012

• Kids’ View Review: Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume Two

  

  Any collector of the Looney Tunes series would want this. The collection contains enough re-mastered episodes to fill up three Blu-ray discs and it includes a 28-page book describing every single episode! Who wouldn’t want it? Plus, the gags are top notch. It’s Looney Tunes! They practically invented laughter.

• Moonrise Kingdom – Blu-ray Review

  

  Moonrise Kingdom is a pleasant storybook surprise that put me in the mind of Stanley Kubrick. It doesn’t hurt that one of the young players resembled the legendary director. The film is a grand surprise that offers everything a memorable film should. Don’t let the moon set without seeing this gem.

• Little Shop of Horrors: Director's Cut – Blu-ray Review

  

  The mean green mother from outer space comes our way. This time the plant gets the goods on us humans as in the original play ending, which was shot but scrapped, gets its release.

Monday 15 October 2012

• That’s My Boy – Blu-ray Review

  

  That’s My Boy puts emphasis on the thrust in this case as Adam Sandler brings his deranged Jerry Lewis persona to this tale of shame fame.

Monday 08 October 2012

• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition (Combo Pack) – Blu-ray Review

  

  Everyone’s favorite Reese’s pieces loving alien is back and in high definition. If you were one that liked the CGI tinkering of some years ago you may come away disappointed, but if you’re one who likes Spielberg’s original vision then you’ll be delighted. So take the home phone off the hook and enjoy the high-flying adventure again.

• Rock of Ages – Blu-ray Review

  

  If you’re a juke box hero that grew up in the 80s, you’ll at least recognize most of the songs used in Rock of Ages. If you remember Pearl Harbor, you’ll also recognize the boy meets girl plot. Thankfully there are some killer performances in it as well, but the parts don’t add up enough to bring it to full rock god status.

Friday 05 October 2012

• Kids’ View Review: Tom and Jerry: Tricks & Treats

  

  Tom and Jerry are back to scare you as they run through haunted houses, dark forests, and witches’ houses. While Tom and Jerry have never been designed to make people scream, the jokes are so funny that they will “haunt” you for hours.

Tuesday 02 October 2012

• JAWS – Blu-ray Review

  

  JAWS' arrival on Blu-ray features a re-mastered picture that makes it feel like you are watching the classic film for the very first time. Along with the crystal clear picture and killer sound, the release also features enough bonus material to make it truly worth the double dip and purchase price.

• Mad Monster Party Combo Pack – Blu-ray Review

  

  Before Hotel Transylvania, Boris Karloff had a mad monster party… or did he since the opening credits add a question mark. This full length Rankin/Bass effort may not get all the holiday cred of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but it is monstrously fun.

• Bond 50 – Blu-ray Review

  

  Bond is back and looking better than ever with the release of Bond 50 - which collects all 22 films of the Bond franchise on Blu-ray along with having an open slot for the upcoming new film Skyfall.

Monday 01 October 2012

• Dark Shadows - Blu-ray Review

  

  Johnny Depp dreamed of playing Barnabas Collins and returning to Collinwood. What happened? I had waves of fear as I saw more and more of the production; sadly I had something to be fearful of. Longtime fans of the show may not much like Depp Shadows, but Depp and vampire fans might find something to enjoy.

Thursday 27 September 2012

• Castle: The Complete Fourth Season – DVD Review

  

  Richard Castle, author (Nathan Fillion) and Kate Beckett, detective (Stana Katic) have teamed up for a fourth season of adventure as they solve murders and navigate the murky waters of their relationship. They work well as a team, but is there something more to their partnership?

• Cabin in the Woods – Blu-ray Review

  

  Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Thor goes to the Evil Dead cabin with some of his pals and is attacked by a horde of ravenous hillbilly masochistic zombies. A merman might’ve been better, but those are the breaks. All is not what it seems in this horror show though.

Wednesday 19 September 2012

• Warner Bros. thriller titles arrive on Blu-ray

  

  Warner Bros has release several “thriller” and “action” titles to Blu-ray – including The Astronauts Wife, The Butterfly Effect, The Butterfly Effect 2, A Perfect Murder, Frequency, Just Cause, Hard to Kill, Next of Kin and Murder in the First.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

• The Adventures of the Wilderness Family – DVD Review

  

  No that’s not Joey Lawrence on the cover, but the classic family adventure hit returns to DVD. It may not be the most realistic depiction of a family going back to nature but it does have folksy charm.

Friday 31 August 2012

• Casa de Mi Padre – Movie Review

  

  Que? That’s “House of my Father” for those less schooled in Española. Will Ferrell and company gather around the campfire and decided to skewer telenovellas. Maybe not such a bad thing to do but it may have fit better in a short sketch format than a feature length movie.

• Once Upon a Time: The Complete First Season – Blu-ray Review

  

  “Once upon a time” is the phrase that starts many a fairy tale and these stories almost, always end with “and they lived happily ever after”. NBC's television program ONCE UPON A TIME takes legends and tales that are familiar to all of us and gives them a little twist to make them an entertaining viewing experience for the whole family.

• The Dictator - BANNED & UNRATED Version - Blu-ray Review

  

  Sacha Baron Cohen may be more recognizable thanks to his hit comedies so he can’t trick people into thinking he is a rapper or foreign news reporter. However, he can sport an oversized beard to play the character of a despotic dictator who dictates hilarity.

Wednesday 29 August 2012

• Revenge: The Complete First Season – DVD Review

  

  A number of people asked me all during the television season if I was watching Revenge. I had not been, as an earlier commitment fell into its time slot, but with the show’s release of the first season on DVD I found out what I had been missing.

Monday 27 August 2012

• Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (Universal's 100th Anniversary Blu-ray) – Blu-ray Review

  

  Hey Abbott! The bumbler and the straight man meet the creatures of the night in this funny film that was said to mark the end of the Universal Monsters era. It didn’t happen that way with me, but more on that later. Let’s open up the crypt and see if there are still laughs within.

• Airport (Universal's 100th Anniversary) – Blu-ray Review

  

  Airport is a 1970 prestige production that is based on a best-selling novel. It may not have aged well but gives us a glimpse into a simpler time of going to the airport without being strip searched. In fact, it seems that it was easy to sneak onboard and Helen Hayes certainly stole an Oscar.

• Clue: The Movie – Blu-ray Review

  

  I’d say that Clue is one of the more successful movies to be made from a board game. At least it’s the one that I can think of. The film takes the basic premise and puts its star cast through some comedy hijinks that riff on the concept of the classic game.

Thursday 23 August 2012

• Harvey (Universal's 100th Anniversary Blu-ray) - Blu-ray Review

  

  I cry fowl… or hare. I asked my invisible friend named Mortimer, a fifteen foot 3.75 inch giraffe, if Harvey was the real deal and he said it was bollocks. The movie still fills me with joy no matter what Mortimer says and Stewart shows that you don’t have to be sane to have a positive outlook.

• Full Metal Jacket (25th Anniversary Blu-ray Book) – Blu-ray Review

  

  Perfectionist filmmaker waited for others to make their statements on Vietnam before making his. The results are both chilling and masterful filmmaking. R. Lee Ermey takes his years of military experience and molds it into a drill sergeant it is not easy to forget and the same can be said for the young cast.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

• The Hunger Games - Blu-ray Review

  

  I was literally dragged to see it. I hadn’t bought into the Hunger Games books but I guess I was drafted, much like Katniss. I did get to hear what they got right about the movie and what they changed on the ride home though. Even with very little knowledge of the books, I found the film very good but a bit familiar in spots.

Monday 13 August 2012

• Grimm: Season One – Blu-ray Review (CLIPS ADDED!)

  

  Once upon a time, in the modern world it had become the fashion in movies and TV to retell stories, mainly fairy tales, with which we find ourselves very familiar. These retellings have a built in audience that instantly identifies with the new take of the story.

Friday 10 August 2012

• Le Grande Illusion - Blu-ray Review

  

  Jean Renoir’s best known film is given a magnifique 2012 transfer that makes it look brand new. This 1937 look at soldiers during World War I is a story that has relevance no matter what the decade or the war.

Wednesday 08 August 2012

• Grimm: Season One – DVD Review (CLIPS ADDED!)

  

  Grimm: Season One on DVD is a splendid set! If you are a fan of the show, you will definitely want to own this set, if you have never seen it or watched it here and there, this is a great way to catch up.