Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

The quest to unlock the mystery of Mars has bewitched scientists for
over 50 years, dating back to early probe discoveries of the 1960s. It's
a planet of untold resources and possible life, yet exploring efforts
with rovers have only managed to scrape the dust off the surface. Enter
Curiosity, a behemoth of a rover that was launched in 2011 in an effort
to send a machine skyward capable of doing a little more than to simply
collect soil samples. Here was a work of engineering mastery, with
drills, wheels, and cameras able to observe and tour Mars in ways
previous thought unimaginable. And while the rover made its miraculous
touchdown on the red planet in 2012, the story of Curiosity begins with
its construction — a concerted effort to build a machine durable enough
to withstand the harsh elements of an alien landscape. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 1999, the pairing of Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy was considered a
major event. While the two already worked together in
1992's"Boomerang," "Life" caught the pair during a celebratory career
run, with Murphy riding high on the success of "The Nutty Professor" and
"Doctor Doolittle," while Lawrence was burning off his "Bad Boys"
goodwill, developing his transition from sidekick tomfoolery to leading
man responsibility. This collision of comedic spirits creates an
interesting atmosphere of improvisational skill in "Life," though the
movie itself feels short-sheeted, without a full sense of the titular
experience, despite a premise that could reasonably carry a pleasing
episodic narrative. Laughs are found in the film, supplied by its varied
cast and director Ted Demme's patience, but "Life" is far from
satisfying, only masterminding a few compelling scenes of character
interaction and conflict before it's buried back in the screenplay,
which never figures out exactly what it wants to be, often content to
permit star power to carry the story along. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

David Siegel took the real estate world by storm when he founded
Westgate Resorts, a timeshare company based out of Orlando, Florida that
quickly grew in stature and profit with its slick sales techniques and
luxurious accommodations. Soon spawning multiple properties around
America, Westgate blossomed into a billion-dollar business, peaking five
years ago when the average vacationer could easily borrow money to
purchase their dream getaway. The corporation permitted David a lavish
lifestyle, a trophy wife in Jackie, and a family of eight children. The
man could buy anything his heart desired, and he did, culminating in the
construction of Versailles, a 90,000-square-foot home in Orlando
inspired by a vacation to France. In 2007, this cavernous dwelling
sounded like a great idea. In 2010, the unfinished domicile came to
represent everything that soured in David's life after the financial
collapse of 2008. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The direction of Rob Reiner's career has been quite curious as of late.
After scoring a major hit with 2007's "The Bucket List," the helmer has
retreated into smaller films of a more wholesome nature, including
2010's unexpectedly tedious family offering, "Flipped." "The Magic of
Belle Isle" furthers Reiner's newfound interests in unexceptional
entertainment on a slightly more victorious note, though the picture
isn't something that demands attention. Better with intimacy than
artifice, the movie shines intermittently, holding out hope that Reiner
will wake up before the feature concludes and deliver a string of
amazing scenes. Instead, "Belle Isle" contains very little magic, at
least the sustained kind. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"White Men Can't Jump" is a lively movie, almost to a fault. Blessed
with a provocative title, perfect theatrical release timing, and a
commitment to the mischief of men conducting business on street
basketball courts, the feature made a sizable impression when it was
released in 1992, pulling in unexpectedly hearty box office returns
while hinting at a bright screen future for the pairing of Woody
Harrelson and Wesley Snipes. Audiences responded to the material's slack
broheim attitude and attention to sporting detail, while its
improvisational loquaciousness caught many off-guard, generating a rowdy
atmosphere of put-downs and double-crosses, soaked in a distinctly
urban Los Angeles atmosphere of desperation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I'm sorry to report that my education in all things Gamera is sorely
lacking. My only exposure to the longstanding film series (which kicked
off in 1965) was though UHF viewings as a child, a time where the thrill
of giant monster battle finds its greatest appreciation. And there's
the exquisite tomfoolery of "Mystery Science Theater 3000," the
brilliant cinema-roasting show that poked fun at five of the "Gamera"
movies, exposing the inherent weirdness and shrillness of the franchise
with a sublime sense of humor. "Gamera the Brave" is a 2006 revival of
the character, which alternates between a celebration of the magic
turtle's heroic exploits and a reboot of his cash machine potential,
aiming the production squarely at younger audiences to secure future
interest. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Returning American network shows have the benefit of a summer hiatus,
typically three quick months set aside for producers to get their act
together and map out a creative battle plan that will carry over 20+
hours of television. "Downton Abbey" elects the opposite route, securing
nine-month-long absences between seasons, creating a voracious appetite
among superfans for all things Crawley. The extended period allowed for
anticipation is incredibly brave, especially now with the program a
permanent fixture of message boards, award shows, magazine articles, and
personal diaries, creating an intimate universe of admiration and
expectation that's turned the series into a smash where most efforts
fail miserably. Emerging from the erratic but undeniably attractive
second season, "Downton Abbey" picks up the baton for another round of
heartache, frustration, humiliation, and doubt, sprinting ahead with a
robust third series that corrects many of the minor, heartburn-inducing
mistakes that ate away at the previous season, while establishing a bold
new realm of mortality that's sure to keep the faithful at the edge of
their seats, possibly hurling pillows at the screen in disgust. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Having only a fringe comprehension of actor/creator Chris Lilley and his
fondness for the mockumentary genre (explored in "Summer Heights High"
and "We Can Be Heroes"), I was surprised by much of his latest effort,
"Angry Boys." Billed as a comedy, the series is actually anything but at
times, refusing opportunities for humor to take the entire enterprise
with the utmost seriousness, as though Lilley was aiming for
respectability with his well-rehearsed sideshow act, trying to breathe
life into caricatures that he barely has a handle on. While his
improvisational breathlessness is something to behold, Lilley doesn't
have much to say with "Angry Boys" outside of some mild satire directed
at the fragility of emotionally stunted men. The rest is a blend of
profanity, touches of blackface and yellowface, anti-gay slurs, urine
and semen jokes, and wild tonal swings that render the show a real
patience-tester at times, watching the star feel around in the dark for a
narrative direction that he's never able to find. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Many images come to mind when the name David Geffen is mentioned. A
protector of music, a producer of movies, a billionaire, and a tenacious
businessman, Geffen has lived quite a life. Filled with the type of
entertainment world high adventure few will ever be able to equal,
Geffen has built a brand name of quality and longevity, often from mere
scraps of ideas, trusting in his instincts and a good hearty yell to
broker deals and secure interests, with over 50 years of ladders
climbed, egos endured, and financial risks to show for his work. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The haunted ship subgenre is not something that's explored much these
days, with 2002's "Ghost Ship" perhaps the last major effort to claim
multiplex attention, and that didn't go well. Back in the 1970s and
'80s, fascination with all things floating and demonic was more common,
with "Death Ship" (released in 1980) a prime example of what the premise
has to offer on an absurdly tiny budget. It's ridiculous and dips a toe
in tastelessness, but the core terror experience is acceptable for fans
of the scary stuff, eating up 90 minutes with creepy corridors,
unexplained antagonism, blood showers, and the most dangerous peppermint
candy ever committed to film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Unless you happen to be an archaeologist or a closet fan of the 1994
adventure film, "Rapa Nui," there are plenty of mysteries left to
examine when investigating the cryptic Polynesian location, Easter
Island. Researchers and scientists have spent the last century
attempting to deduce the experience of the island's indigenous people,
with special concentration on monolithic human statues called "moai."
These enormous ancestral tributes are catnip to those with a curiosity
about the area, providing an irresistible puzzle of movement, with the
impossibly heavy rock creations (weighing about 14 tons) scattered
around the island, despite little evidence on how they were actually
able to reach their final resting places atop "ahus," or sacred stone
platforms. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Boasting over 120 species and a substantial history, it's about time the
ducks of America receive their own "Nature" special. "An Original
DUCKumentary" (hee-hee) endeavors to explore the strange, cyclical realm
of behaviors and quest of survival for these peculiar birds, studying a
year in the life of these animals. The journey is brief but
informative, aided by oddly enthusiastic narration from Paul Giamatti,
imparting a basic understanding of the duck experience, from the first
steps out of the nest to the gamesmanship of finding a suitable mate,
with feeding rituals, flight patterns, and regional habits inspected
along the way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Babes in Toyland" represented a bold step forward for Walt Disney in
1961. His first live-action musical, the mogul proceeded carefully with
the work, updated from the operetta by Victor Herbert, casting
fan-favorite and loyal Mouseketeer Annette Funicello (the girl who
launched an entire generation of boys into puberty) in the lead role,
while filling the frame with all kinds of advanced Disney wizardry to
keep audiences amazed and, at times, distracted. Experimental in nature
but familiar in design, the picture is a mixed bag of delights, with the
majority of its success tied to the designers and animators, who bring a
surprising amount of invention to the screen, working to open up the
limited stage setting Disney requested. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When "Heavyweights" opened in 1995, it bombed. It was an unsurprising
fate for the feature, which was cursed with a ridiculous poster, a
flaccid trailer, and a February release date, keeping the summer camp
adventure away from more appreciative summer audiences. I caught the
film during its initial theatrical release and was left a tad puzzled by
the effort, watching the production stitch together a traditional
Disney-style family film experience with an edgier comedic aim, keeping
what should've been a forgettable matinee distraction interesting,
dusted with a few sizable laughs. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It's hard to believe it's been a decade since the release of "Like
Mike," leaving "Thunderstruck" ample room to pick up where the
teen-centric sports fantasy left off. However, while "Like Mike" at
least made a faint attempt to conjure curiosity concerning the iffy
magic dust it was spreading, "Thunderstruck" doesn't even attempt to
pinpoint its basketball enchantment. It's a peculiar creative choice in
an otherwise bland, feebly acted comedy, concentrating more on laughs
and half-realized messages of adolescent responsibility than solidifying
a truly bizarre premise, at least to a point where it appears as though
the production actually cared about telling a coherent story. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The trailer for "The Apparition" contained more story than the picture
it was promoting. In fact, I think the trailer for "The Apparition" is
actually more of a movie than "The Apparition." A wildly incoherent
effort that spends most of its running time avoiding its own plot, "The
Apparition" is one of those major studio releases that's so stunningly
inept, it's a wonder it ever received a theatrical release, possibly
finding a more appreciative audience with the no-risk Redbox crowd,
allowing those with a few bucks in their pocket and heavenly B-movie
patience to sit down and decode the bungled filmmaking. Perhaps there's
someone out there who could possibly explain the feature to me one day. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Full confession: I'm not a fan of comic books. It's not my field of
expertise, not a page-turning pastime that was burned into my routine as
a young boy. These days, it's difficult to go without an OCD knowledge
of the industry, especially as someone who spends most of the day
watching comic-inspired screen entertainment, hit with all types of
heroes and obscure characters boasting rich ink and paint histories only
the truest of the true fan could decode. And colleagues in possession
of such knowledge? Transformed into message board deities. The beauty of
director Ron Mann's 1988 documentary, "Comic Book Confidential," is
that it requires little homework to enjoy, creating an air of artistic
accomplishment and expression without working through the suffocating
details of history, hitting the viewer with brief blasts of idiosyncrasy
and storytelling that provide a secure appreciation of the
personalities involved with the production. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

While never greeted with a rapturous response befitting a world-class
thespian, Jean-Claude Van Damme made a welcome impression performing in
low-budget actioners that didn't tax his English language skills,
focused primarily on his feats of strength and flexibility. He was a
built guy with a thick accent and a wide-open face that could register
fear and fury (not to mention a stupendous command of plausible
confusion), and his early work benefited from that simplicity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"Crooked Arrows" is a film I wanted to like, came close to enjoying, but
was consistently pulled away by some poor storytelling decisions. It's
one of the first movies to concentrate solely on the game of lacrosse, a
sport that's grown in popularity in recent years after spending
centuries as a sacred activity for Native American cultures, where it's
known as "The Creator's Game." It's a highly athletic, fast-paced sport
that deserves a better onscreen celebration than "Crooked Arrows," which
slaps around every cliché imaginable, looking to win over viewers
through the comfort of familiarity. It has charm and a refreshing
cultural perspective, but the predictability is often too much to bear,
tanking the potential for a proper cinematic exploration of lacrosse. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When a documentary from Ken Burns steps into view, certain expectations
are triggered that would never apply to a routine production. Building a
golden reputation with his work on "The Civil War" and "Baseball,"
Burns supplies a certain regality to his efforts that's blended with a
sensational amount of textured information, creating unforgettable
portraits of American life and conflict. "The Dust Bowl" furthers his
interests in the fragility and fortitude of the country. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com