The Flash: The Complete Second Season – Blu-ray Review

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

What events from your past do you wish you could change? What would you do differently? How do you think that would affect your life in the present day? For Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin), this isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s a reality. A reality that has taken him from tragic backstory a happy world with both parents and a positive outlook on life.

Or is it?

After speeding back in time to prevent the murder of his mother by Reverse-Flash (Matt Letscher), Barry finds himself in an alternate timeline known as Flashpoint. Things and people in Flashpoint look the same, but this alternate reality soon begins to affect Barry in strange ways. While he’s happy to have his mom back, was it worth the toll the reversal is taking on him and his powers? And who’s this other guy protecting Central City?

As Barry struggles to maintain familiar-to-him-but-new-to-everyone-else relationships with his friends and colleagues, it soon becomes clear that what he’s done by creating Flashpoint has created implications and complications that he never foresaw. Will his return from Flashpoint reverse all that he’s done? Or has he forever altered the lives and events of everyone and everything in Central City?

The Flash is a fast-paced and fun series that does a great job in the third season expanding Flash’s universe and creating new complications for Barry and his friends. The Flashpoint storyline definitely adds a new layer of complexity to the narrative as Barry’s friends start to feel the effects of the alternate universe even after Barry’s return.

It’s a solid season with a solid cast that includes cameos by Green Arrow, Supergirl, and the Legends of Tomorrow in a huge four part cross-over multi-episode event (only part one is featured on The Flash. The other parts can be seen on Supergirl (Season 2), Arrow (Season 5), and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (Season 2))! And, of course, don’t miss the musical episode, “Duet,” featuring Supergirl and Glee‘s Darren Criss as the Music Meister!

The Third Season of The Flash is loaded with fantastic Flash-centric features, that include:

Villain School: The Flash Rogues
Get schooled in Season 3 bad guys from Mirror Master to Doctor Alchemy!

Allied: The Invasion! Complex (The Flash)
Explore the story behind the Crossover Event.

Rise of Gorilla City
Join Grodd on his quest from the VFX artists’ point of view.

The Flash: Hitting the Fast Note
The meta-musical, from concept to final score.

The Flash: I’m Your Super Friend
A musical tribute to the song “Super Friend.”

Harmony in a Flash
Composer Blake Neely’s journey arranging Duet’s score.

Synchronicity in a Flash
Blake Neely works with the live orchestra to lay down the right sound for duet.

The Flash: 2016 Comic-Con Panel
Join the cast and executive producers in San Diego.

A Flash in Time: Time Travel in the Flash Universe
It’s Flashpoint 101, from comic-book inspiration to the implications of time travel left unbound.

A Conversation with Andrew Kreisberg and Kevin Smith
Discover the director’s unique approach to directing The Flash and Supergirl.

Gag Reel

The Flash is a great show that continues to get better with each season. I highly recommend it!

The Flash: The Complete Third Season is available September 5, 2017 on Blu-ray!

Ash vs Evil Dead: Season 2 – Blu-ray Review

What’s your hometown like? Is it a place filled with happy memories of your childhood? A place where your parents still live and you feel embraced? Is it a place filled with places you used to go with your friends on summer nights? Well, if you’re name is Ash and you fight Deadites for a living – despite your reluctance to do so – you don’t have any of these things. In fact, Ash’s hometown is about to become much more of a nightmare than it was when he left over 30 years before.

Welcome to Season 2 of Ash vs Evil Dead where we find our swaggering one-armed hero (Bruce Campbell) headed back to his hometown if Elk Grove, Michigan to do what he does best; whether he likes it or not. He’s on a mission to once again stop not only Deadites, which have popped up once again despite the truce he a Ruby (Lucy Lawless) made at the end of last season, but her evil children, and host of other demonic creatures as well. Luckliy, Ash has his partners in gore to help him fight the horrors that await them.

Get ready for one bloody, gory, disgusting, and hilarious good time as the one-liners and guts fly with reckless abandon over the course of the season. There’s a reunion of sorts (remember Henrietta Knowby from the first Evil Dead movie?), an evil puppet named Ashy, and a fight in a morgue that is as disturbing as anything I’ve seen on TV in a while (I highly recommend not eating while watching this show).

Watch as Ash, Pablo (Ray Santiago), and Kelly (Dana DeLarenzo) battle for the fate of the Necronomicon and the soul of Elk Grove. Will their efforts pay off? Or will they, too, end up in bloody pieces like so many of their Deadite kills?

There are LOTS of great bonus features to accompany your viewing of Season 2. These include:

Season 2 First Look
A brief intro to the upcoming season.

Inside the World of “Ash vs Evil Dead
Featurettes analyzing the events of each episode with the cast and crew.

Up Your Ash
A look at the making of one of the more disturbing but hilarious battles in the season.

Women Who Kick Ash
A look at the kick-ass ladies who populate Ash’s world.

Puppets are Cute
Find out what went into bringing Ashy to evil life.

Dawn of the Spawn
Insight into the design and execution of Ruby’s demon children.

Bringing Henrietta Back
A reunion 30 years in the making. See how they made Ash battle one of his oldest foes.

The Delta
The 40 year history of director Sam Raimi’s/Ash’s car: the 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale.

How to Kill a Deadite
An insiders guide on how to take care of business one bloody Deadite at a time.

Fatality Mash-up
A quick cut compilation of the many kills throughout the season.

If you love your horror with a healthy helping of comedy, then I highly recommend Ash vs Evil Dead: Season 2. It’s great entertainment!

Ash vs Evil Dead: Season 2 is available NOW on Blu-ray!

What’s your favorite Ash line or kill from Season 2? Leave a comment and let us know!

Supergirl: The Complete Second Season – Blu-ray Review

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

Superhero series and films have been a mainstay in our lives for decades. Whether it’s Marvel, DC, or another entity entirely, comic books and graphic novels have offered up a well-spring of material that creatives in Hollywood have adapted into both huge blockbusters and popular series. The vast majority of these properties have revolved around male superheroes; their female counterparts relegated to supporting roles as helpers or mere love interests.

In 2015, Supergirl premiered on TV and suddenly a strong female superhero was on the radar in their own series and saving the world just the guys. The original Wonder Woman (1976-1979) series starring Lynda Carter and 1984’s Supergirl were the last female-driven superhero TV shows prior to 2015’s Supergirl’s debut.

So what took so long?

The huge success of DC’s Wonder Woman at the box office (it’s the second highest-grossing movie domestically for 2017 with $405 million as of this writing), the popularity of the animated DC Superhero Girls franchise, and the increasing popularity of Supergirl show that there is a need for strong female superheroes in film and TV.

I hope this trend continues.

With season two of Supergirl, the adventures of Kara Danvers/Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist) become even more complicated and dangerous as she and her fellow metahumans encounter a whole new host of problems and villainous ne’er do wells that make her life in National City all the more difficult. Throw in her job at CatCo Worldwide media, her search for her father, a new love interest, and teaming up with her cousin (a guy named Superman) and there’s a lot for this Girl of Steel to grapple with.

This is a fun season of Supergirl. Along with all the action and solid effects, there are plenty of cameos from actors who are no strangers to the world of superheroes. Look for Lynda Carter (TV’s Wonder Woman), Teri Hatcher (Lois Lane in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules), and Grant Gustin (The Flash), along with series regular Dean Cain (Clark Kent/Superman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman).

There’s no limits to what Supergirl can do. She’s a strong and independent woman who is an excellent role model for women of all ages. And while she does face challenges that are much more daunting than what we mere mortals may face, her persistence and strength of character make her a shining example of integrity and courage for all who see her in action.

The Season Two Blu-ray includes the following special features:

Supergirl: Alien Fight Night
Dive into Survivors, where Supergirl and other downtrodden metahumans are forced to compete in Roulette’s Octagon.

Supergirl: 2016 Comic-Con Panel
Cast and executive producers talk up Season Two!

Supergirl: Did You Know?” Facts for Fans
The cast and executive producers reveal some of the show’s most fascinating secrets!

Supergirl: Aliens Among Us
Examine the outsiders from beyond the stars and the visual effects that bring them to life.

A Conversation with Andrew Kreisberg and Kevin Smith
Discover the director’s unique approaches to directing The Flash and Supergirl.

For more high-flying, superheroine excitement, I highly recommend Supergirl: The Complete Second Season!

Supergirl: The Complete Second Season is available NOW on Blu-ray!

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

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season – Blu-ray Review

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

There’s something unique and special about this particular superhero series. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow takes us not just from one good guy versus bad guy battle after the next, but takes us through history as the Legends must prevent catastrophic events all over the world and all over time. Whether it’s Nazi-occupied France or King Arthur’s Camelot, this team of heroes has their work cut out for them as each mission becomes more complex with each decade they traverse through.

With its excellent ensemble cast, led by veteran actor Victor Garber (Titanic, Argo, Power), DC’s Legends of Tomorrow explores real-world situations with time travel and superheroes as an overarching factor. What would you do if you could go back in time and prevent tragic events from happening? How would you choose which ones to interfere with, to alter, or even eliminate completely?

Adding to the dilemma is that the villains – like Neal McDonough’s Damien Darhk and the Legion of Doom – have begun to time travel and influence and affect past events for their own diabolical purposes. Will the Legends be able to stop the baddies and save/change history without it resulting in total disaster for not only the world but themselves as well?

The series does an superb job with its production design and it’s a shame that series like this don’t get more attention and recognition when awards season comes around. While it may be a superhero series, it’s clear that great care and attention to detail were taken into account when creating the myriad historical periods the Legends inhabit throughout the series.

The second season Blu-ray includes the following special features:

Allied: The Invasion! Complex
Can DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Arrow, and The Flash vanquish evil and save Earth Prime?

2016 Comic-Con Panel
Join the cast and executive producers in San Diego!

Gag Reel

Get ready for some time traveling fun and excitement with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season!

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season is available NOW on Blu-ray!

What’s your favorite time period explored by the Legends of Tomorrow? Leave a comment and let us know!

Riverdale: 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.”

Archie has been a mainstay in the world of comics since he was introduced to the world in 1941. For over 76 years, the zany adventures of Archie Andrews and his friends Betty, Veronica, Jughead and others have entertained audiences both old and young. The trials and tribulations of this swell group of teens in the small town of Riverdale still has a place on supermarket checkout stands throughout the nation with Double Digests showcasing its myriad characters time and again.

Over the course of seven decades, Archie and his pals remained their classic selves, with misadventures and teenage drama never getting too crazy for the comic world they inhabited. Whether it was the innocent love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica, or Jughead’s love of food, the plots of the early comics were rather tame.

But Archie and Riverdale would move beyond comics and into radio, TV, and film over the course of those seven decades, and as the medium evolved so did the characters, the stories, and the themes. It was the evolution of more mature thematic elements that eventually led to the death of Archie in the comics in 2014 (in at least one incarnation of the Riverdale universe).

Like Marvel and DC, Archie and his pals exist in multiple versions of their respective worlds, with each new iteration bringing a fresh take to old and new audiences. The latest take on Archie is the new series, Riverdale.

A Millennial update of the 1941 storyline, Riverdale introduces Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Veronica (Camila Mendes), and others in a much more brooding and sullen manner than the initial incarnation did. There are secrets and lies aplenty that each character possesses; each one dedicated to their own personal need to maintain some semblance of balance between their personal and social lives. It is from this conflict than many of the stories arise in Riverdale, and the multitude of setups from the pilot build to the revealing season finale.

This definitely isn’t your grandparent’s Archie Comics! There’s a lot of sex, a lot of angst, and a lot of suspense that make Riverdale a must-watch for anyone who’s looking for a solid teenage soap opera. It’s definitely for those who miss Dawson’s Creek and are looking for a new series to sink their teeth into.

And there’s plenty to explore and get excited about in this particular Archie universe. With new problems mixed with familiar comic book storylines, the creators of the series have done a great job mixing the old with the new, the classic with the contemporary. Fans of the old Archie will be intrigued, while newcomers will find something to enjoy as well.

Riverdale: The Complete First Season includes a number of great special features:

The New Normal
See how the world of the beloved comic book icons Archie, Betty, and Veronica has grown darker and more mysterious over the decades.

I Got You
Unplugged musical duet featuring Archie and Valerie.

Riverdale: 2016 Comic-Con Panel
Cast and crew gather to discuss the show.

Riverdale: The Ultimate Sin
This short documentary explores how a dead body plunged a small town into the heart of darkness.

These Are the Moments I Remember
Musical piece featuring Archie with Josie and the Pussycats.

Gag Reel

There’s plenty of suspense, excitement, and drama to be explored with Riverdale: The Complete First Season.

Riverdale: The Complete First Season is available NOW on DVD!

What’s your favorite Archie storyline? Leave a comment and let us know!

LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain – 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.”

Something is amiss at Super Hero High School! Many of the students are acting out, acting up, and getting into trouble. And it’s the ones that normally would have no part in such devious shenanigans. Do they truly know what misdeeds they are doing, or are they inadvertently part of a nefarious plot by some dastardly villain whose motives are less than noble?

Welcome to LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain! This is the third animated feature starring the strong female characters that make up the DC Comics universe with an adolescent twist. And this time they’re not just animated, they’re LEGO!

Once again Warner Bros. Animation delivers a solid and entertaining movie all about girl power, teamwork, and friendship that also delivers plenty of sight gags, one-liners, and silly puns to go with the action. And there’s plenty of action and excitement to be had as Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl work together to figure out why everyone they know is acting so strange…including themselves!

Skullduggery is indeed afoot at Super Hero High, and it will take the strong minds and spirits of these Super Hero Girls to get things back to normal. Can they do it? Watch and find out!

So get your cape on and take flight with LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain! It’s Super fun!

LEGO DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain is available NOW on DVD!

Who’s your favorite DC Super Hero Girl? Leave a comment and let us know!