Doctor Who – The Complete Fifth Series (Blu-ray Review)
November 23rd, 2010 by Sean Ferguson
The latest entry in the long running Doctor Who series is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Starring Matt Smith as the new “Eleventh Doctor,” who has taken over the role from the well-regarded David Tennant. Joining him as the new companion is Karen Gillan as Amelia Pond (or Amy as she prefers to be called later). The show’s amazing longevity is truly impressive considering that it started in 1963 and it’s still playing today. The show is popular across the world and for all ages and it’s currently listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest running science-fiction show. Continue reading ‘Doctor Who – The Complete Fifth Series (Blu-ray Review)’
To celebrate renowned composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday, this star-studded tribute concert was assembled by Lonny Price and held at the Avery Fisher Hall last March 2010. For those of you that aren’t aware of who Sondheim is, he has won an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards (more than any other composer) including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammys, and a Pulitzer Prize. His best know works (as composer/lyricist) are A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins, as well as the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy.
It seems like every year we get some kind of Christmas movie and they usually all follow certain patterns which can be comforting or annoying depending on how well executed it is. Some movies like Elf, take familiar story that comes with the usual plot-lines but somehow manages to create something new and original. 
I recently had the chance to talk about this film with it’s director, Jon Turteltaub which you can read 
When I watched this movie, I didn’t realize that it was the ninth (!) entry in a long running franchise that began with Air Bud and evolved in the “Buddies” series. It seems that they keep re-inventing the franchise to keep it fresh. This movie is a spin-off of it’s own from Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws which was a spin-off from Santa Buddies, so you get the picture and I’ll stop the chain right there. 
At last the hills are alive with the Sound of Music on Blu-ray! This is is one of my all time favorite musicals (a genre that doesn’t have that many movies that interest me) and one of the movies that never fails to cheer me up. After all, it was brilliantly directed by Robert Wise and has a stellar cast, great songs and choreography, and breathtaking panoramic visuals that just beg for the Blu-ray treatment.
I had the good fortune to be allowed to participate in a round-table discussion with the Director of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (and the National Treasure series) to promote the upcoming Blu-ray and DVD releases of the movie. A lot of times, it’s hard to get a lot of questions answered either due to the quantity of interviewers or because of time but Mr. Turteltaub was extremely generous by allowing us over two hours to talk with him so I was able to get in a lot of questions.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a family classic that I somehow missed until now which is a mystery to me since I am a huge fan of Dick Van Dyke. The movie stars not only Dick Van Dyke, but also the beautiful Sally Ann Howes (in a role that was originally intended for Julie Andrews), Lionel Jeffries, and in a drastic departure from the role of the villainous Auric Goldfinger, Gert Frobe too. It’s funny that my next review is for The Sound of Music which stars Van Dyke’s fellow Mary Poppins alum Julie Andrews and it’s interesting to see both of their follow-up movies play even more to both of their unique talents than Mary Poppins did. This time, Dick Van Dyke has a the starring role and it’s one that showcases his admirable abilities as a singer and a dancer.
Re-imagining classic TV shows has become very popular since the shows tap into any nostalgic feelings viewers may still harbor for the old show, and it also gives the new show a chance to update and modernize the special effects, the tone, and the story-lines. A perfect example on how to do it right would the remake of Battlestar Galactica which ended up being superior in every way compared to the original show that it was based on.
Hey you guys! One of the greatest movies of the 80s is finally on Blu-ray as The Goonies 25th Anniversary Box Set with some fun extras. I’ve always loved this movie and I think this was a one of those rare movies that is a part of our cultural landscape and loved by most of my generation. You can’t go wrong when the movie was conceptualized by Steven Spielberg, written by Chris Columbus, and directed by Richard Donner and has a fantastic cast. 
Did reading Aaron’s (read it 
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is another family classic that is finally coming to Blu-ray with a ton of special features! Starring Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, and Lionel Jeffries, this tale about an eccentric inventor and his magical car is a long time classic and has been remastered for both video and audio and has never looked or sounded better! Take a look at the press release below to see all of the special features that will be loaded on this long awaited Blu-ray and also some clips of the movie kindly provided by MGM Studios. 
On November 23rd, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment kicks off the holiday season with the release of The Search for Santa Paws on Blu-ray & DVD! A heartwarming prequel to 2009’s Santa Buddies, this film reveals how the legendary friendship between Santa Claus and Santa Paws began and continues the most successful live action direct to video franchise ever. If your kids enjoyed some of the earlier movies in the franchise, they will be sure to like this latest holiday installment. 
Baz Luhrmann’s version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a highly stylized retelling that sets the story in modern times. The second movie in Luhrmann’s self-described Red Curtain Trilogy (preceded by Strictly Ballroom and followed by his masterpiece of Moulin Rouge). In this movie, Luhrmann was stretching his wings and trying out new and innovative ideas and assembled an all-star cast to realize his vision. 
The comic-con sensation is now on Blu-ray and although it may not have done great business at the box office, I predict that over time more audiences will discover this movie much like they did director Edgar Wright’s earlier movies Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Also like those previous films, Scott Pilgrim is a hybrid of multiple genres as it blends a mix of comedy, action, music, and a whole lot of video-game conventions and graphics together to create something original and fun. As Wright said,”“At one of the [test screening] focus groups somebody said, ‘It’s like a cross between Superbad, and Kill Bill, and Tron,” he recalls, “and I thought, ‘There’s nothing wrong with that!”
Easily the most anticipated movie in our household (especially by my son) this deluxe Blu-ray set has finally arrived to our delight and now I can share with you how incredible it is. The movie isn’t officially released until November 2 so get your pre-orders in! Not only is Toy Story 3 getting the Blu-ray treatment, it’s also getting a deluxe box set that contains the entire trilogy and all of their special features all in a replica of Andy’s wagon train toy box! 
