Category: DVD

SIX: Season One – Blu-ray Review

The United States military is one of the reasons our country has endured and survived since its founding over 200 years ago. The strength and bravery of the men and women who dedicate their lives and sometimes sacrifice themselves to protect the people of this nation makes the heroic above and beyond any Marvel or DC Comics creation.

There are millions of stories that can be told about these strong men and women and several are explored in the latest History Channel series, Six. More importantly: Navy SEAL Team Six. You may know the name; they are the elite group of SEALs that took out Osama bin Laden in 2011. Here, a variety of their missions are brought to life and the personal lives are also shown. After all, they aren’t just warriors, they’re also human.

Six is a celebration of America’s elite fighting forces. We get an insiders look at what goes into planning and executing some of the most daring and dangerous military missions of the 21st century. These men are more than a military unit, more than friends; they are a family. One that must work together to not only achieve the goals of their mission, but also to never leave a man behind no matter what it takes to get them back alive.

With a superb cast, realistic action sequences, and its hear rooted in true stories, Six delivers plenty of military-based action, suspense, and intensity. If you enjoy war stories, war films, or anything having to do with our great American military, Six is a definite must see!

Six: Season One is available now on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital HD.

What your favorite military-based series, film, or documentary? Leave a comment and let us know!

Disney’s Moana – Blu-ray Review

Disney has done it again! Moana is fun, exciting, mesmerizing, and energy-filled family fun! I truly enjoyed every moment of this tale about a young girl and her quest to save her people and the island they inhabit. The adventure is at full sail as Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) teams with demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on a mission that takes her to new and exciting places she once only dreamed of seeing.

Disney is a master at pulling together humor, heart, music, and story into a feast for all the senses; and Moana is no exception. In fact, it’s one of their best yet! I loved the setting, the time period, the characters, and the ancient lore that drives Moana to seek out Maui’s assistance on her quest. Every aspect of the film is solid, and I laughed as much as I cried throughout the films many ups and downs.

Did I mentioned I loved this movie!?

Along with Moana, the blu-ray includes lots of special features:

Maui Mini-Movie: Gone Fishing

This was very short, but also very fun!

Short Film: Inner Workings

With a brief intro by its creators, Inner Workings is another solid short from the creative minds at Disney.

Deleted Song: “Warrior Face”

Voice of the Islands

Things You Didn’t Know About…

Find out interesting trivia about the cast.

Island Fashion

They Know the Way: Making the Music of Moana

Music Video – “How Far I’ll Go” sung by Alessia Cara

Deleted Scenes

Fishing for Easter Eggs

If you enjoyed Tangled, Frozen, or any past Disney animated classic, I know you’ll LOVE Disney’s Moana! It’s grade-A entertainment!

Disney’s Moana is available now on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download!

What’s your favorite Moana moment? Leave a comment and let us know!

Power Rangers Dino Super Charge: Extinction, Vol. 2 – DVD Review

Get ready for the fast-paced, action-packed, multi-colored excitement that is Power Rangers Dino Super Charge: Extinction! Power Rangers! Dinosaurs! Wacky villains! There’s so much intergalactic excitement happening and so much energy surging through this fast-paced series that you’ll be saying “Go, Go, Power Rangers!” each and every episode!

Tasked to protect the Energems, the Rangers must join forces time and time again to keep these precious stones out of the hands of their evil nemesis, Sledge. Along the way they have to fight and protect the universe from a whole host of baddies that have nothing more on their minds than the ultimate destruction of the Rangers so they can keep on being the baddest baddies on the planet…and the universe!

The Power Rangers have been a staple of American TV since 1993, and their popularity has continued to thrive for generations. The 1992 version of the Japanese series Super Sentai was adapted and Americanized into what became Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Since then, the franchise has grown and evolved into the latest incarnation, which is a new feature-length movie that hits theaters March 24, 2017 (there have been two other Power Rangers films in 1995 and 1997).

Whether it’s the original 1993 series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Saban’s latest, Power Rangers Dino Super Charge: Extinction, of the upcoming film, it’s clear that the Power Rangers and their message of teamwork, optimism, and hope will continue to be a part of the American culture for decades to come.

I highly recommend Power Rangers Dino Super Charge: Extinction to fans of the series and kids who enjoy action-filled shows!

Power Rangers Dino Super Charge: Extinction, Vol.2 is available now on DVD!

What’s your favorite version of Power Rangers? Leave a comment and let us know!

Chronic – DVD Review

Tim Roth is a man who literally stares death in the face in the drama, Chronic. Roth plays David, a middle-aged widower who takes care of terminally ill patients until their untimely demise. He’s a compassionate, caring, and thoughtful man who takes great pride in providing those in his care with the utmost comfort and assistance until they pass on. As David connects with those he knows will soon be gone, he also begins the healing process of digging himself out of a dark depression. He helps the patients and in they help him in this heart-wrenching film.

While the film may be a serious and oftentimes melancholy narrative, it’s the way in which Writer/Director Michel Franco has artfully shot the piece that catches the eye. The average film in 2017 is composed of 1250 shots; many action films have 3000+. Chronic has a mere 97. Franco also utilized static shots with no camera movement for extended periods of time almost as if you are looking at and analyzing a photo as you watch the events unfold.

This minimalist approach toward such intimate subjects – depression, illness, death – makes for an even more impactful film that lingers long after you’ve finished viewing it. Franco’s unique style definitely makes him more than a director and more of an auteur with a distinct style much like Kubrick, Hitchcock, and Fellini had.

If you hadn’t figured it out from the opening of this review, Chronic is a challenging film to watch due to its subject matter and themes. While that may be the case, it’s also rather beautiful in its simplicity of story, shots, and acting. Each actor gives an A-list performance that brings a realism and depth to each scene. The film even won an award for Best Screenplay at Festival De Cannes.

The DVD includes the featurette Behind the Scenes of Chronic, which contains interviews with the director and Tim Roth. It’s a fascinating watch if you are a filmmaker or a person who is intrigued by the creative process.

I recommend Chronic, but bring the tissues and brace yourself for a very emotional journey.

Chronic is available now on DVD.

Fuller House: The Complete First Season – DVD Review

“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.”

For eight season, Full House was a successful family-friendly hit for ABC. Its presence helped launch TGIF for the network, along with shows like Perfect Strangers, Mr. Belvedere, Just the Ten of Us, and Family Matters, until Full House moved to Tuesdays where it also did very well in the ratings. At the end of its eight-year run, Full House had remained one of the Top 30 shows on TV, hitting the Top Ten in its fifth and sixth seasons.

Twenty-nine years later, the original series is still in syndication, still has an audience, and many were contemplating a very serious question: What would the Tanners be up to in the 21st century? Well, the answer to that question, and many more, is answered in the new and fantastic series, Fuller House.

Thankfully, Jeff Franklin who created the original series is at the helm, which means that the characters, the tone, and the humor feels like familiar yet different; exactly what a follow-up series should be. And with 98% of the cast back for more wacky and heartfelt antics the show is a definite must-watch for fans of the original series.

I grew up watching Full House, I own the entire series on DVD, and I can tell you as a die-hard fan of the show, Fuller House is just as funny and entertaining as the original series. Yes, the show was cheesy, but that’s exactly what made the series such a joy to watch. And now that I’m older I enjoy and appreciate the series even more due to its even-keel approach to comedy. And while Fuller House does have the occasional racy joke, it’s nothing that wouldn’t be present in a Shrek or Despicable Me movie, so most of the more risqué one-liners will go right over kids’ heads.

So, what’s this new series about?

Full House’s premise was a widower (Danny Tanner) enlists the help of his best friend (Joey Gladstone) and brother-in-law (Jesse Katsopolis) to help him raise his three daughters (DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle). Fuller House is about a widow (DJ Fuller) who enlists the help of her best friend (Kimmy Gibbler) and her sister (Stephanie) to help her raise her three sons (Jackson, Max, and Tommy Jr.). Both have a similar premise, but the execution of both is very different and leads to a multitude of new storylines and subjects that the original series never explored.

Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber reprise their roles as DJ Tanner-Fuller, Stephanie Tanner, and Kimmy Gibbler, respectively. They are a great comedy trio playing characters who are independent, strong, and very funny. It’s nice to see these three back in these roles, playing off each other, and really having a good time in each and every episode.

I was very excited that everyone – with the exception of the Olsen twins so far – from the original cast comes back in several cameo appearances throughout the season. It was nice to see all the familiar faces like Bob Saget, John Stamos, Lori Laughlin, and Dave Coulier and to catch-up with characters who seem like old friends (including Mr. Woodchuck!). Is that weird to say? Probably. I also loved the self-referential moments, the flashbacks to scenes from the original series, and the updated version of the theme song performed by Carly Rae Jepsen.

And I can’t forget to mention the very talented kids that populate the cast that include Michael Campion, Elias Harger, and Dashiell & Fox Messitt as DJ’s three sons, and Soni Nicole Bringas as Kimmy’s daughter, Ramona. Each brings a unique comedic energy to their characters that makes them more than just by-the-numbers kid characters. All of them are fantastic!

Fuller House is hilarious, very entertaining, and fun. I blew through all 13 episodes in a matter of days and waned more (so it’s good that Season Two is on Netflix!). The one thing I wish the DVD edition had were special features with interviews with the cast or with the series creator or even with Carly Rae Jepsen about updating the original theme song. Hopefully season two’s DVD will have a few extras.

I highly, highly recommend Fuller House for any fellow Full House fans who loved the original series and want to continue the fun with this ever-growing group living at 1882 Gerard in San Francisco, California. I can’t recommend it enough!

Fuller House: The Complete First Season is available February 28, 2017 on DVD!

What’s your favorite Full House/Fuller House moment? Who’s your favorite Full House/Fuller House character? Leave a comment and let us know!

London Town – DVD Review

Coming-of-age in any decade is certain to be filled with frustrations, troubles, and stresses. No matter where you go through adolescents, there are some things that are universally shares by young men and women as they traverse the rocky slopes to adulthood. London Town shows us how sometimes being forced to grow up and take responsibility even when one is not ready can be a curse, but also somewhat of a blessing in disguise.

For young Shay (Daniel Huttlestone), his teen years have brought him and his sister an absent, free-wheeling mother and set-in-his-ways father. In many ways, he and his sister are raising themselves in the tumultuous climate of the Britain in the 1970s. At 15, Shay has yet to discover an outlet for the angst he feels inside; to find a way to express his teenage views and opinions. That is until his mother send him a cassette with songs from The Clash, which opens his eyes to a world of music he never knew.

Suddenly swept up into the anti-establishment punk culture, Shay soon finds himself at odds with his parents, but also at odds with himself as he tries to rebel while still taking on the responsibilities left behind by both his parents. His newfound love of punk helps him become a stronger, more self-assured person, while he works to save his family and life from falling apart around him.

I really enjoyed London Town. I think we all have a song, a band, or a genre of music that set us off on a new path in life. Lyrics that fit perfectly into a moment in our existence that helped us through a difficult time or helped us take a path we were afraid to go down. To me, that is what this film is all about: using music as a form of expression in order to become the person you always knew you were but were never sure how to express.

London Town also includes a fantastic performance by Jonathan Rhys Meyers as The Clash’s lead singer, Joe Strummer, who strikes up a friendship with Shay. Rhys Meyers is excellent in the role, and the interview with him included on the DVD is a fascinating look at how he dedicated himself to the role to make it an homage to a punk icon.

I highly, highly recommend London Town!

London Town is available now on DVD.

What’s your favorite punk band? Leave a comment and let us know!