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Archive for the 'Editorials' Category

The Three Musketeers (2011) 2D / 3D (Blu-ray Review)

The Three Musketeers is a modern retelling of Alexander Dumas’ timeless swashbuckling classic – arrived on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on March 13 from Summit Entertainment.  This exciting adventure for the whole family stars Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians), Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean films), Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil films) and Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz (Best Supporting Actor, Inglourious Basterds).  The Three Musketeers comes to life onscreen as Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), Porthos (Ray Stevenson) and Aramis (Luke Evans), along with aspiring warrior, D’Artagnan (Lerman), embark on a dangerous and legendary mission across Europe to save both their King and country – “all for one and one for all.”

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Happy Feet Two (Blu-ray Review)

The sequel to Happy Feet, the Academy Award-winning animated smash hit, Happy Feet Two returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica.  Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic.  Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven – a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model.  But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces.  Erik learns of his father’s “guts and grit” as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures – from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals – to put things right. Continue reading ‘Happy Feet Two (Blu-ray Review)’

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Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 3 (Blu-ray Review)

As seen on PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery!, the impeccable Hercule Poirot is back on the case in these eleven mysteries from the hit series.  David Suchet returns to reprise his role as the definitive Poirot, portraying Agatha Christie’s beloved Belgian with intelligence and bone-dry wit.  Brimming with beguiling 1930s period details, these lavish adaptations look better than ever in this remastered edition.  Also starring Hugh Fraser (Sharpe) as the affable Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson (Little Voice) as Chief Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon.

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The Hoosiers: 25th Anniversary Edition Comes to Blu-ray June 5!

Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) is a volatile basketball coach with a dark past who arrives in a small, rural Indiana town to attempt to lead the high school team to victory. This group of underdogs needs all the help they can get, and no one would have ever suspected that it would come from the unlikely duo of Dale and his newly hired assistant coach, the town’s recovering alcoholic, Shooter (Dennis Hopper). Under Dale and Shooter’s guidance, the Hickory team surprises their town – and themselves – by not only becoming an unstoppable team during the basketball season, but also taking home the 1952 State Championship. Continue reading ‘The Hoosiers: 25th Anniversary Edition Comes to Blu-ray June 5!’
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Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray Review)

Game of Thrones is the blockbuster new series from HBO that won two 2011 Emmy awards including Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Peter Dinklage). The drama follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. Two powerful families are engaged in a deadly cat-and-mouse game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. As betrayal, lust, intrigue and supernatural forces shake the four corners of the Kingdoms, their bloody struggle for the Iron Throne will have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences. Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray Review)’

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Los Angeles Animation Festival: The Iron Giant

On Friday, March 9, 2012, at the Regent Showcase Theater in Hollywood, California, the Los Angeles Animation Festival presented a screening of the 1999 animated film, The Iron Giant, followed by a Q&A with director Brad Bird, actor Eli Marienthal (all grown up), and members of the crew.  The screening was presented with an original 35mm print of the film, in a theater that was packed with fans.  Those who know of the history of The Iron Giant remember that, despite high critical praise, the film did poorly in theaters, only to find a much larger audience on home video and DVD.  Now the film has a strong cult following, which was certainly apparent due to the enthusiasm seen at this crowded charity screening of the film.  Continue on to find a full recording of the Q&A that followed the screening of the film. Continue reading ‘Los Angeles Animation Festival: The Iron Giant’

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John Carter 3D (Movie Review)

From Academy Award–winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes John Carter – a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). John Carter is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins).  In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands. Continue reading ‘John Carter 3D (Movie Review)’

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Transformers Prime: The Complete Season One (Blu-ray Review)

The Transformers saga starts a new chapter as old foes return, legendary heroes rise, and new ones are found in unlikely places. This visually stunning five-part miniseries started out on The HUB and led to an Emmy winning show.  Fan favorites Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Arcee, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and many others are back to “roll out” against Megatron’s latest attempt to conquer Earth.  And Megatron proves to be more powerful than ever, having acquired a rare element that allows him mastery over life itself. Optimus Prime and the Autbots may be few against the Decepticon hordes, but they find increased strength through bonds forged with three human teenagers.  Season One of Transformers Prime boasts an all-star voice cast, including Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Steve Blum, Jeffrey Combs, Adam Baldwin, Markie Post, Ernie Hudson, among other notables.  Transformers Prime is produced by Hasbro Studios, with Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Kline serving as executive producers. Kurtzman and Orci served as writers for the feature films Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Continue reading ‘Transformers Prime: The Complete Season One (Blu-ray Review)’

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Win a Blu-ray Copy of Columbus Circle from Universal and WSB!

When a murder mystery next door forces agoraphobic heiress Abigail Clayton (Selma Blair – Hellboy,“Kath and Kim”) to face her terrifying new neighbors, the safe and solitary world she created for herself violently unravels.  A dark and suspenseful thriller, Columbus Circle debuts on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand on March 6, 2012, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, but you can win one of two Blu-ray copies right here!  Read on for more information on how to win… Continue reading ‘Win a Blu-ray Copy of Columbus Circle from Universal and WSB!’

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Puss in Boots (Blu-ray Review)

Puss in Boots continues the legacy of Shrek, the #1 animated franchise of all time, with the uproarious and irresistible origin story of the notorious fighter, lover and outlaw Puss in Boots.  Filled with hilarious action and adventure, the missing tale – of how Puss became a hero long before he met Shrek – delighted audiences of all ages with its non-stop laughs, daring deeds and original story.  Even if you’ve become as disenchanted with the Shrek franchise as I have, Puss in Boots will restore your faith in Dreamworks Animation.  Puss in Boots also benefits from an all-star cast of voice talent including Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris, Puss in Boots is a must-own family film!   Continue reading ‘Puss in Boots (Blu-ray Review)’

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Robin of Sherwood: Set 2 (Blu-ray Review)

The conclusion to the mystical retelling of the Robin Hood legend with breakthrough roles for Jason Connery and Ray Winstone (Indiana Jones 4, The Departed, Sexy Beast), Robin Of Sherwood Set 2, is now available on Blu-ray. Presented in stunning high-definition, the Blu-ray 3-disc/DVD bonus disc set includes 13 episodes and more than nine hours of special features, including nine episode commentaries, a 76 minute making of documentary, outtakes, and much more.  Robin of Sherwood also launched the TV writing career of Anthony Horowitz (Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders, Poirot, and the newest Sherlock Holmes novel), who wrote five of the episodes and participates in one of the commentaries. Continue reading ‘Robin of Sherwood: Set 2 (Blu-ray Review)’

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Battlefield Detectives (DVD Review)

Offering the secret history of nine historic battles, Battlefield Detectives has made its debut on DVD thanks to Athena. Investigators re-create the conditions of history’s major battles using 3-D computer models, maps, artifacts, original footage, and dramatic reenactments. From the muddy fields at Hastings to the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, a variety of experts offer compelling new evidence on the wars that shaped the modern world. Produced in 2003, Battlefield Detectives aired on the History Channel. The 3-volume boxed set includes a 16-page viewer’s guide and biographies of major military leaders, among other bonus features. Continue reading ‘Battlefield Detectives (DVD Review)’

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The Moment of Truth: Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)

The Moment of Truth (Il momento della verità), from director Francesco Rosi, is a visceral plunge into the life of a famous torero – played by real-life bullfighting legend Miguel Mateo, known as Miguelín.  Charting his rise and fall with a single-minded focus on the bloody business at hand, the film is at once gritty and operatic, placing the viewer right in the thick of the ring’s action, as close to death as possible. Like all of the great Italian truth seeker’s films, this is not just an electrifying drama but also a profound and moving inquiry into a violent world – and it’s perhaps the greatest bullfighting movie ever made. Continue reading ‘The Moment of Truth: Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’

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Belle de jour: Criterion Collection (DVD Review)

Catherine Deneuve’s porcelain perfection hides a cracked interior in one of the actress’s most iconic roles: Séverine, a Paris housewife who begins secretly spending her after­noon hours working in a bordello. This surreal and erotic late-sixties daydream from provocateur for the ages Luis Buñuel is an examination of desire and fetishistic pleasure (its characters’ and its viewers’), as well as a gently absurdist take on contemporary social mores and class divisions. Fantasy and reality commingle in this burst of cinematic transgression, which was one of Buñuel’s biggest hits. Continue reading ‘Belle de jour: Criterion Collection (DVD Review)’

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Midnight InCeption

The summers of 2010 and 2011 have provided me with two films that, on the surface, have very little in common with one another; however, after some careful consideration, I have found many intriguing similarities between the two.  I am speaking of 2010’s Inception, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, and 2011’s Midnight in Paris, written and directed by Woody Allen.  These films are unlikely allies, because, in a broad sense, they are both very concerned with the concept of dreams.  Both films contain a somewhat multi-layered approach to their concepts and story and were met with much success both critically and financially.  It would seem audiences were on board for multifaceted thinking in the case of both a blockbuster film and a low key “art house” comedy.  Regardless, I had a simple goal in mind, which I hope properly puts forth how I wanted to turn a single idea into an in-depth article concerning two films I greatly admire. [Major spoilers for both films, beyond this point] Continue reading ‘Midnight InCeption’

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War Horse Arrives on Blu-ray April 3! Check out the Details!

“War Horse,” the Academy Award-nominated Best Picture, is a story of incredible friendship, loyalty, courage, hope and tenacity. Based on the Tony Award-winning play, and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt tale begins with the remarkable friendship between a feisty colt named Joey and his young trainer Albert (Jeremy Irvine). When they’re forced apart by war, the film follows Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets. No matter where they go or what they experience both boy and horse keep forging ahead, driven by devotion and the hope of returning home. Filled with spectacularly rich visuals, “War Horse” is one of the most powerful and moving stories of friendship and love ever filmed. Continue reading ‘War Horse Arrives on Blu-ray April 3! Check out the Details!’

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The Sunset Limited (Blu-ray Review)

Two celebrated actors, Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men) and Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction), star in The Sunset Limited, a searing film that explores the ongoing debate between belief and atheism, afterlife and nihilism, salvation and suicide. The Sunset Limited mixes humor and pathos to examine the relationship between strangers brought together by desperate circumstances.  Set in a New York tenement apartment, the story focuses on two very different men – a deeply religious black ex-con (Jackson) who thwarts the suicide attempt of an asocial white college professor (Jones) who tried to throw himself in front of an oncoming subway train, The Sunset Limited.  The men lock themselves in a passionate philosophical exchange of opposing views, each seeking the language and inspiration that will convert the other.  The conflict reaches a shattering conclusion that leaves viewers thinking well after the final frame. Continue reading ‘The Sunset Limited (Blu-ray Review)’

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Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition (Blu-ray Review)

A classic love story unfolds in the best Disney tradition as a lovely young pedigreed cocker spaniel named Lady, who lives a pampered life, finds herself falling romantically for Tramp, an amorous street-smart pooch without prospects. Although they have fun together on several dates, including a sentimental spaghetti dinner by moonlight at Tony’s restaurant, their relationship is strained not only by Lady’s loyalty to her human family and their newborn baby, but by Tramp’s devil-may-care attitude that eventually gets Lady in trouble and tossed into the dog pound. However, good-hearted Tramp redeems himself by saving the baby from potential harm and thus wins Lady’s love and the affection of her  human family. Continue reading ‘Lady and the Tramp: Diamond Edition (Blu-ray Review)’

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WWII In 3D (Blu-ray Review)

Telling  the epic story of the war from the rise of the Nazis, their sweep across Europe, the Allied counterattack and the fall of Nazi Germany, WWII In 3D delivers home audiences to the Last Great War as never experienced before. For the first time, you will see dramatic moments of WWII that were captured in 3D with stereographs and then shuttered away in secret archives and attics, until now. This stunning collection of color 3D photos includes Allied reconnaissance photos, a trove of images that documents the rise and fall of the Third Reich, and photos secretly taken by a civilian in occupied France. WWII In 3D also features an actual 3D motion picture film shot by the Nazis in 1943 and creates a fully immersive, three dimensional portrait of history’s largest and bloodiest conflict. Continue reading ‘WWII In 3D (Blu-ray Review)’

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Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 1 and 2 (Blu-ray Review)

Newly remastered and restored to their original U.K. broadcast order, Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 1 and 2 debuts on Blu-ray and arrives on DVD from Acorn Media on January 31, 2012. These 10 full-length mysteries per set star fan-favorite and BAFTA nominee David Suchet as the brilliant Belgian detective.  Based on the novels by Agatha Christie, these lavish adaptations capture every splendid detail of the Art Deco era.  ITV Studios’ Poirot has aired on ITV1 in the U.K. since 1989 and on PBS and A&E in the U.S. The 2-disc Blu-ray sets and the 3-vol. DVD sets include all 20 mysteries from the first two series, now with SDH subtitles. Continue reading ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 1 and 2 (Blu-ray Review)’

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