Snow White and the Huntsman Blu-ray review

Actors: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Sam Spruell

Director: Rupert Sanders

Format: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English, Spanish, French

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Universal

Release Date: September 11, 2012

Run Time: 127 minutes

            This is definitely not the Snow White that I grew up with, either on the page or screen. This version comes with a new brand of visuals and adult themes that seem better fit in a Lord of the Rings film than they do in a classic fairy tale. There are trolls and fairies and even a forest with a hallucinogenic ability, making this an adult reimagining of the classic story. There are many of the familiar elements, although the manner in which they are presented is wholly original. Even the seven dwarfs have seen a makeover in this version.

            Filling the story with war and evil magic, the tale of Snow White and the Huntsman begins with a grieving king drawn into battle with a mysterious army of soldier who shatter like glass when struck. This should be suspicious enough, but when a pretty young woman is found as they magic army’s captive, the king quickly becomes entranced. When he marries her, she becomes Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and takes over the kingdom with dark magical powers and ordinary betrayal.

            The king’s daughter is thrown into a tower to be kept prisoner for years, until Ravenna discovers that Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is both the answer to her problem with aging and the inevitable downfall of her reign of terror. After Snow makes a daring escape, Ravenna sends Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) into the dark forest to retrieve and kill the princess. Although there is still the apple, the kiss and even the dwarfs (cast with stars who are shrunk down in size with computer effects), Snow White and the Huntsman then moves on to a finale with a battle and out princess in armor rather than a ballroom dress.

            The Blu-ray combo pack release of Snow White and the Huntsman comes with a Blu-ray disc, DVD, digital copy and Ultraviolet copy. The theatrical version is included, as well as an extended version which is four minutes longer. Exclusive to the Blu-ray disc is a second screen option for anyone with a tablet of some sort, as well as a number of great featurettes. The most unique is a 360° interactive tour of the set, though there are also three traditional featurettes, one of which has four parts to it. 

Spartacus: Vengeance Blu-ray review

Actors: Liam McIntyre, Katrina Law, Dustin Clare, Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett

Producers: Rob Tapert, Steven S. DeKnight, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen

Format: Widescreen

Language: English, Spanish

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Release Date: September 11, 2012

Run Time: 572 minutes

            The first season of Spartacus was a 300-style visual approach to the classic tale of a gladiator’s uprising, though it left off with the beginnings of the uprising. With the actor in the title role battling disease, the second season became a prequel. A prequel to Spartacus, which is strange considering the title of the series is still “Spartacus” despite having no character by the name. Instead, the second season shows the rise of the House of Batianus before its fall in season one. This includes the beginnings of the gladiator known as Crixus. Season three manages to bring us back to the place where season one left off, though it also creatively blends the characters and plot developments of the prequel season to make Vengeance all the more interesting.

            Liam McIntyre steps into the role of Spartacus as the story develops beyond the gladiator battles and into the battlefield. This season follows the path of the slaves and gladiators as they start to build an army to take down the Roman tyranny. Though there is no denying the fact that the change in cast is noticeable, though the violence seems to have increased as well, making it easy to be distracted. There is a lot going on this season, if only because they have blended characters from the two previous seasons, giving plenty of plot and character development in-between bloody battles and flesh-filled sex scenes. This is still one of the most visually engaging shows on television, with a story that occasionally matches the images.

                                  

             Because the visual quality is increasingly impressive, it is deserving of the high definition presentation that Blu-ray offers. The Blu-ray also has special featurettes that show the post-production efforts as well as many production elements which make this show the visual spectacle that it is. Special features also include bloopers, and a special look at the next and final season in the series. Exclusive to the Blu-ray are audio commentaries and extended versions of select episodes.

Where Do We Go Now? Blu-ray review

Actors: Claude Baz Moussawbaa, Leyla Hakim, Nadine Labaki, Yvonne Maalouf, Antoinette Noufaily

Director: Nadine Labaki

Writers: Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Rodney Al Haddid, Sam Mounier, Thomas Bidegain

Producers: Abla Khoury, Anne-Dominique Toussaint

Format: Closed-captioned, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Arabic

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: September 11, 2012

Run Time: 110 minutes

            Where Do We Go Now? is a modern fable with remarkable relevance while retaining unimaginable whimsy and charm. The subject of religion is one which has long caused wars and devastation, yet this film somehow manages to address these issues in fervor of personalized hope of change. The conflict is localized within the film, but it could retain the same relevance for any number of conflicts around the world.

            Set in a remote Lebanese village where a church and a mosque stand side by side in the center of town, a group of mothers devise a plan to keep the peace. In other parts of the country there are Christians and Muslims fighting and killing each other, but the women of the small village have kept peace with a number of ruses. They realize that as long as the men are ignorant to conflicts elsewhere in the world, they will be able to coexist and even intermingle without conflict. Once a television is brought out for entertainment, however, they incidentally expose their men to news of conflict elsewhere.

            It is interesting to see how the knowledge of a fight in the country instigates a conflict in a village which was otherwise peaceful. Even more compelling is the desperate efforts of the women to keep their men distracted. They hire a group of Ukrainian dancers to flirt with their men and keep them preoccupied. When that doesn’t work, they have a master plan involving drugs, dancing and the ultimate trick.

            The Blu-ray release of Where Do We Go Now? comes with a filmmaker’s commentary with director Nadine Labaki. There is also a featurette with the director, Khaled Mouzanar and Anne-Dominique Toussaint, a making-of featurette and a making the music featurette.

White Vengeance Blu-ray review

Actors: Shaofeng Feng, Leon Lai, Hanyu Zhang

Directors: Daniel Lee

Format: Widescreen

Language: Cantonese

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Run Time: 135 minutes

            White Vengeance is a complex film about the thirst for power and the corruption and deception that comes with it. This is not a typical martial arts epic, where it is clear who the bad guys are and who our hero is. There are characters of certain integrity which we may be drawn to within the storyline, but when the love of one woman and the promise of unimaginable power is brought into the equation there is no telling who can be trusted.

            During the fall of the Qin Dynasty, two friends are brought into a world of changes that alter the course of their relationship with each other. Liu Bang (Leon Lai) and Xiang Fu (Feng Shaofeng) each have their own motives for entering into the bloody battles that would come to be known as the Red Cliff rebellion bringing down the Qin Dynasty. With the infamous battle known as the Feast at Hong Gate as the backdrop, there is also the added complication of a beautiful woman loved by both men.

            There is a great deal of action within White Vengeance, and it is fairly stylized despite the story being based upon facts. Part of this seems to come from director Daniel Lee (3 Kingdoms, Black Mask), who seems to have a penchant for strong visuals. This does not detract from the power of the history behind the story, but it is clear that this is a fictional film set within historical times rather than a historical film using fiction to enhance it.

           

            The Blu-ray release includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, as well as interviews with the stars and select crew members and a trailer gallery. The highlight, however, seems to be the sound improvements which come from the DTS-HD Master audio, which utilizes the surround sound despite only being 5.1. The battle scenes pop with added audio enhancements.

Sacrifice DVD review

Actors: Xiaoming Huang, You Ge, Xueqi Wang

Format: Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Indomina

DVD Release Date: September 4, 2012

Run Time: 1210 minutes

            Sacrifice is a slow burning revenge film of epic proportions, both sweeping in grand scope and emotional precision. It is a lavish martial arts film within a much more complex human drama, and all of this is possible due to the steady hand of director Kaige Chen (Farewell, My Concubine). The film is filled with impressive cinematography and breathtaking fight choreography, but this is still secondary in importance to the characters within the story and the choices that they make. Above all else, this film is about the complexities of loyalty, sacrifice and vengeance.

            The beginning of Sacrifice begins as so many of the martial arts epics do; with ancient China in general turmoil. When a powerful general (Wang Xuegi) seizes the throne at the court of Duke Ling, pinning the crime on the rival Zhao clan. They are all massacred to hide the deception, with only a single baby to survive. This child is snuck out with the help of a loyal doctor (Ge You), who incidentally has a child of his own. When the search for the missing Zhao child brings the general to the doctor’s home, it results in a switching of the children. The Zhao child survives, but at a great cost to the doctor.

            The resulting years have the Zhao child raised in the general’s household; all the while the doctor plans his perfect revenge against the tyrant. The film is more like a game of chess than an action film. Each of these two men know they have an enemy in each other, but they each have full confidence in their own influence on the boy. After years go by, this has not changed. All of the plans made by the doctor and the punishment of the deceitful general lies in the hands of one boy, whose mind must be made up on his own.

             

Quick Blu-ray review

Actors: Min-ki Lee, Ye-won Kang

Directors: Beom-gu Cho

Format: NTSC, Widescreen

Language: Korean, English

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Shout! Factory

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Run Time: 111 minutes

            Quick is like the Korean version of the 1990s Hollywood blockbuster, Speed, minus the bad acting from Keanu Reeves. It is also a little bit like Die Hard With a Vengeance, another 90s action classic. Even the back cover of Quick says “It’s Speed on a Motorcycle,” and it is that motorcycle which sets this film apart, if only slightly. Korean cinema has mirrored Hollywood in the 90s for the last decade or so, pumping out entertaining spectacle such as this at a rate that rivals most countries’ national cinema.

            This is not to make Quick seem like a cinematic triumph, because in many ways it is simply sub-par entertainment. There are cheesy elements and some unbelievable action which is accomplished only thanks to computer generated graphics to help the impossible become possible. The difference between a film like this and Premium Rush is the amount of stunts which can actually be accomplished by stunt men and not CGI graphics.

            Beyond the occasionally unbelievable use of special effects, Quick is a solid piece of entertainment which is able to bounce back and forth from comedy to action within the fast-paced storyline. Gi-su was formerly the leader of a motorcycle gang, but after a tragic accident he is living as a bike messenger. When the horrors of that one night come back to haunt him, Gi-su finds himself targeted by a madman who is setting bombs off across the city, and using a very specific bike messenger to do it.

            To complicate issues, Gi-su gives a ride to a pop star and former girlfriend. When she puts on the bike helmet, Gi-su discovers it has been booby-trapped by the mad man, in order to assure each of his bombs are dropped off on time. With each new bomb there is a timer set on the bike helmet, threatening to blow up if the destination is not reached in time.

            The Blu-ray release comes with a making-of featurette, not to mention a featurette on that lovely CGI work. There is also anther featurette on the actual stunt work of the film and one on the making of the poster design.

New to Blu-ray: Mother's Day

Actors: Nancy Hendrickson, Tiana Pierce, Deborah Luce, Frederick Coffin, Michael McCleery

Director: Charles Kaufman

Format: NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Run Time: 90 minutes

            Charles Kaufman’s Mother’s Day was a blatant rip-off of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre when it was first released, though it seems tame by today’s standards. Or even by the standards of other Troma Team releases, Mother’s Day is fairly controlled. There is still plenty of blood and gore, and a little bit of the deviant sexuality that the studio is known for, but there is simply far less than some of the other vulgar cult classics.

            The story for Mother’s Day is more than a little simple. It involves a group a wilderness dwelling madmen who all happened to be tied by blood and a psychotic mother. This crazed mother has her deranged sons brings victims back, when she isn’t luring them herself, and together they kill innocent victims for pleasure. When three college friends reuniting for a trip away together accidentally stumble on this family, it becomes a struggle for survival.

            The plot somewhat resembles the onslaught of torture porn captivity films, though the violence is much more tame by today’s standards. There are a few great low budget deaths, but most of the film is built upon suspense. This is the way it must be when there are really only three victims to keep the story moving along. The true horror of the film comes from each of the uniquely deranged sons, whether filled with the desire for rape or carnage; they are individually insane in their own way.

            The Blu-ray release of this 1980 horror classic contains an audio commentary, a behind-the-scenes collection of footage and even a quick blurb on the film’s significance by filmmaker and actor Eli Roth. There is also an intro from Kaufman, who now sells bread.

Modern Family Season Three Blu-ray review

Actors: Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell

Format: AC-3, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: September

            The mockumentary style of television has become a standard style after the success of “The Office,” though “Modern Family” gives it a suburban household twist. We don’t know why the characters are talking to the camera, but it provides ample opportunity for humor, as does the option of acknowledging the camera’s existence during the action as well. What it all comes down to is the interesting characters, and in this way “Modern Family” also seems to be mimicking the success of “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation.”

            The show follows three families which are all tied together and are also conveniently comprised of three types of modern families. There is the traditional family with a wife, husband and their three children. There is also a family with an older man and a second and younger wife and a step-son, and the third family are two gay men and their adopted toddler. These characters are embellished further with extreme personalities and absurd situations.

            Season three brings back more of the same silly fun, along with a plethora of new star cameos. The kids are growing up and changing quickly, except Manny who always acts like he’s the same age, it just never happens to be the age that he is. There is not much at stake in “Modern Family.” Nobody is getting fired and the relationships aren’t ever in real danger. The dynamic hardly ever changes even in the slightest and so the characters seem stagnant also. They are almost caricatures, but that doesn’t stop the show from being humorous. More importantly, it doesn’t stop us from caring about them.  

            The Blu-ray release of the complete third season includes all 24 episodes on the 3-disc set. The special features include some deleted and alternate scenes, a bunch of featurettes and a gag reel. There are plenty of extras to be watched, not to mention the perk of the Blu-ray ‘season play’ feature. Many of the featurettes of this season have to do with the many trips that the cast takes out of the suburbs this year, from Wyoming to Disneyland.  

Piranha 3DD Blu-ray review

Actors: Danielle Panabaker, David Koechner, Katrina Bowden, Gary Busey, David Hasselhoff

Directors: John Gulager

Writers: Marcus Dunstan, Patrick Melton

Format: Color, 3D, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: The Weinstein Company

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Run Time: 83 minutes

            The title of this film tells you all that you need to know. They could have waited until there was a Piranha 2 in order to make one called 3DD, but instead they made Piranha 2 in 3D and called it 3DD for the important inclusion of large breasts in the storyline. The franchise also attempts to keep many of the same elements similar to the original, although the gore seems far less shocking when not accomplished at the hands of Alexandre Aja. Even though director John Gulager is accustomed to gory horror, having previously directed Feast, it is quite clear that the goal for Piranha 3DD is simply to imitate the original remake instead of doing anything new or original.

            There is enough similar in Piranha 3DD to the original to keep fans happy, from excessive nudity and violence to the comical CGI creatures which do all of the killing. The main difference in the storyline is simply a change of location for the attacks. While the first one had a Piranha attack in the open water, Piranha 3DD moves the action to a swimming pool. After previous attacks, few people go in the water anymore, leaving an opening for a water park to make a killing. Then the real killing begins when the water used to fill the pools is taken from a reservoir filled with the prehistoric creatures.

Casting is one of the few things that actually make this sequel stand out somewhat, adding humor in-between scenes of vulgar nudity and gruesome gore. There is a memorable one-liner from Gary Busey in the opening scene, before his demise, though it is the inclusion of David Hasselhoff as himself which makes the movie. This tongue-in-cheek performance is far more entertaining than most of the carnage brought on by the man-eating fish. There are a few moments where the film purposefully pushes the gore to the point of bad taste, and these moments are likely to please the fans enough, but the entire endeavor felt short of complete. At 83 minutes, it moves fast and is over before there is time to think about all that seems to be missing.

The 3D Blu-ray combo pack includes a 3D Blu-ray as well as the standard Blu-ray disc, not to mention a DVD and digital copy of the film. The special features are padded with some great comedic additions, including a featurette for each of the three comedic supporting stars; David Hasselhoff, David Koechner, and some bloopers with the reliably unpredictable Gary Busey. There is also a filmmaker commentary with Gulager, deleted scenes and a short film with John McEnroe.

High School Blu-ray review

Actors: Michael Chiklis, Adrien Brody, Colin Hanks, Sean Marquette, Matt Bush

Format: Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Run Time: 99 minutes

            The premise for High School is so cleverly promising, filling the mind with so many smoke-filled ideas and jokes that the actual film seems more than a little disappointing. What gags and jokes regarding marijuana that are within this film just seem obvious, whereas much of the humor relies to heavily upon a cast which is not particularly known for comedic abilities. This isn’t to say that High School doesn’t have moments, but director John Stalberg Jr. doesn’t always know how to reign back his actors and much of the antics end up a little too goofy even for a stoner comedy.

            Matt Bush stars as Henry Burke, valedictorian of his high school class until a reunion with an old friend puts his future at risk. The day after Henry smokes weed with his old friend Breaux (Sean Marquette), the school principal (Michael Chiklis) institutes a mandatory drug test for all students. Seeing no way of passing the test, instead Henry and Breaux come up with a plan to make everyone else in the school fail the test also. Replacing the brownies for a bake sale with a fresh batch of high grade marijuana brownies, the two friends are able to get the entire high school high.

            Much of the film is not focused on the antics of the drug addled minds in the high school, however. Instead we are primarily focused on all of the sobering facts that Henry must take into consideration with these actions. There is the angry drug dealer they stole the marijuana from in order to bake the brownies, played by an almost unrecognizable Adrien Brody, as well as a vindictive principal and a competitive student trying to steal the valedictorian spot from Henry. Unfortunately, all of these take priority in the plot than any of the more humorous aspects of the film, such as the drug use. It is also a little bit distracting to watch Chiklis try so hard to be humorous. Try as he may, this is not his genre and no amount of fake hair can make him funny.

            The Blu-ray release of this ambitionless stoner comedy comes with few perks. There is a rather dull commentary track by executive producer/co-writer/director Stalberg Jr., as well as a few deleted scenes which are no better than what was already in the film. This movie had promise but needed a steadier hand behind the camera, as well as a screenplay that took a few more risks.

New to Blu-ray: Halloween 4 and 5

            The first Halloween film is a modern horror classic. The second one continues the same story, picking up immediately after the previous film had left off. These first two films technically take place on the same Halloween night, and then Michael Myers vanished until the fourth film in the series. The third film strayed from the storyline to have a plot about some haunted masks instead, but the fourth film is a return of sorts. Both Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 continue the story of Michael Myers, and he remains human rather than supernatural despite how unbelievable his survival in each film may seem.

            Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers brings back the original storyline, minus Jamie Lee Curtis as the sister under attack. Instead it is her daughter who is targeted by Michael. Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris) is just a small child, but she is helped by her babysitter and cousin, Rachel (Ellie Cornell). These two spend the next two films attempting escape from Michael, over the course of two different Halloween nights. In Halloween 4, Rachel agrees to baby-sit her cousin begrudgingly only to discover that they are being hunted down by an escaped killer.

            How Michael is able to continuously escape as well as survive the brutal onslaught that ends his reign each film is a mystery. This is another where Michael is able to escape during transport and makes his way back to his hometown, apparently now able to drive. The fourth film is famous for amping up the amount of gore as well as a twist ending that is somewhat discarded for the next film.

            Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers has the same characters and continues the storyline in a similar way that was successful with the first two films. Both Rachel and Jamie are back as the victims of a once again attacking Michael Myers. By now there is no question about his destructive abilities and after he was gunned down only to survive, there is no telling how he can be stopped.

            The Blu-ray release of Halloween 4 has two audio commentaries; one with actors Ellie Cornell and Danielle Harries and another with director Dwight H. Little and author Justin Beahm. There is also a discussion panel for the fourth and fifth film in the series. Halloween 5 also has two audio commentaries, and also separates the actors from the filmmakers. The actor commentary has Danielle Harris, Don Shanks and Jeffrey Landman. The filmmaker commentary has director Dominique Othenin-Girard and author Justin Beahm. There is also an on-set featurette and both films have the original promo material.

One in the Chamber Blu-ray review

Actors: Dolph Lundgren, Cuba Jr. Gooding, Louis Mandylor

Directors: William Kaufman

Format: Color, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: August 21, 2012

Run Time: 91 minutes

            Cuba Gooding Jr. has had a strange career. He struggled to get to the top, doing small roles until he made huge waves with one of them. After his supporting performance in Jerry Maguire garnered him an Academy Award, it seemed that the world was at his feet. Instead of making more movies like the one that made him famous, however, Gooding Jr. started making family films in desperation. When those did little to help his career, he began popping up in many straight-to-video action films. Now he seems to have made a niche for himself as an assassin in low budget films, which One in the Chamber simply helps to confirm.

            Though One in the Chamber is in every way a straight-to-video action film, it is far better than most. The directing is still poor, the dialogue ridiculous and the supporting acting atrocious, but this one has decent action and the inclusion of Dolph Lundgren to help elevate the film slightly. The storyline isn’t half bad either, pitting two trained assassins hired by feuding crime families against each other.

            Ray Carver (Gooding Jr.) is a skilled assassin whose failure at a job in Prague begins an Eastern European mob war. The rival gang hires a man known as “The Wolf” (Lundgren) to clean up the mess, which leads to an inevitable confrontation with Ray. There are many double crosses and twists in the storyline, but we are all truly just paying the price to watch this film in order to see these two stars fight. They do fight, which can appear somewhat comical when considering their size difference, but the action is otherwise fairly solid.

            The Blu-ray release includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, though the real reason is the high definition presentation of mediocre action.

A Separation Blu-ray review

Actors: Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami

Directors: Asghar Farhadi

Format: Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Farsi

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Release Date: August 21, 2012

Run Time: 123 minutes

            The Best Foreign Language Film winner of this past year was the Iranian drama, A Separation. The film is about the dissolution of a marriage in modern day Iran, but at the center of the film is an event which ends up taking over the plot of the film. It is interesting, because trouble brings the separated couple back together, though their separation is the ultimate point of the film. It is a complex movie in which every character is relatable and logical in their own way, though this does not prevent them from conflicting with other logical and reasonable thinking minds of opposing views.

            The film’s highly debated moment comes after a series of events. Simin wants to leave Iran with her husband Nader and daughter Termeh. This is possible because they have visas, but they are also about to expire. In an act of desperation, Simin sues her husband for divorce and moves out to live with her parents. Nader doesn’t want to leave because he feels responsible for his Alzheimer’s-inflicted father. Without his wife to help, Nader is forced to hire a woman to help out. The woman is a devout Muslim, having difficulty with the task of helping an elderly man.

Her husband is even more religious, which is why she keeps her job from him. When Nader returns home to find his father tied to his bed and locked up in his room, he fires the woman, who then sues him after an accident outside of his doorstep. There is a bit of discrepancy over what really happened and who is to blame for what, but it all comes out in court. The interesting aspect of the film is watching the way that Nader and Simin interact during the conflict, and how they return to their stale mate once it has been resolved.

The Blu-ray includes a commentary track with writer/director Asghar Farhadi, as well as two featurettes about the filmmaker.

Chimpanzee Blu-ray review

Actors: Tim Allen

Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield

Producers: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield, Alix Tidmarsh, Connie Nartonis Thompson, Don Hahn

Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Release Date: August 21, 2012

Run Time: 78 minutes

            All nature films and television programs are quite spectacular these days, mostly because of the advances in the equipment used to capture the images. High definition nature programs truly became a phenomenon with the success of the “Planet Earth” series, which Disney released as a family-friendly film. Ever since Earth there have been a stream of additional nature films from the studio, including Oceans, African Cats and now Chimpanzee; the most intimately remarkable of them all. 

            While all nature films and programs now have remarkable images, Chimpanzee stands out with a remarkable story. This is the kind of thing that can’t be planned, and it is miraculous to have happened at all, not to mention on camera. The story follows a young chimp lovingly nicknamed Oscar. When this little chimp is orphaned at a young age, he is forced to look for a new mother in the pack to take care of him. This leads to an unexpected partnership which must be seen to be believed. It is a heartwarming story that is perfect for the whole family, only further enhanced by the spectacular high definition presentation of Blu-ray.

            The 2-Disc Combo Pack includes both a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the film. The DVD has three featurettes about nature conservation and Disney’s involvement. These three are all included on the Blu-ray, as well as interesting special features. There is a great making-of featurette, which shows the obstacles faced along the way. Some of these were shown in the credits, but there is much more that was not shown. There is also a music video and a making-of feature for the music video.

Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure Blu-ray review

Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)

Number of discs: 2

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Release Date: August 21, 2012

Run Time: 69 minutes

            The straight-to-video sequels which come from Disney Home Entertainment aren’t even made in the same studios that created the theatrical originals, so it is no wonder why they never seem to capture the same successful essence. Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure is typical in every way as far as these sequels are concerned, which is far from a stellar recommendation. Even when the animation is close, the story could never be close to the original, which remains one of my favorite Disney films. So perhaps I am somewhat biased.

            This time around it isn’t technically about Lady and the Tramp, not only because the story follows different characters, but also because the street dog is female this time and the lady is more of a gentleman. Scamp is the rambunctious only son of Lady and Tramp, who is now completely domesticated. Scamp must have developed the rambling nature of his father somehow, and he is desperate to explore beyond the confines of the yard. This leads Scamp to make friends with a street dog named Angel, giving him the chance to see what it is like on the other side. This makes the sequel somewhat of the same story as the original in reverse, and eventually Scamp makes his way home again.

            The Blu-ray combo pack comes with an additional DVD copy of the film. The special features include a sing-a-long for the songs, a puppy trivia track, three bonus cartoons with Pluto, and a making-of featurette. There is also an audio commentary, but the main reason for this upgrade is the high definition presentation of the adequately animated sequel. 

Pocahontas Blu-ray review

Format: Animated, Color, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertaiment

Release Date: August 21, 2012

            In the minds of many Disney lovers, there were two great periods for the animation studio; the 1940s-60s when most of their beloved classics were created, and during the 90s when a revival of great Disney animation occurred. The 1970s and 80s are mostly ignored, and at a certain point after the stream of good 90s films, the focus disappeared from the studio. That is, until they started releasing Pixar’s film. I would say that it was around the time of Pocahontas, Tarzan and Mulan that the Disney films of the 1990s fell off. Pocahontas may be one of the last great ones, though it isn’t nearly as great as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin.

            Pocahontas takes a stab at a kid-friendly telling of the romance between settler John Smith and an Indian named Pocahontas. They have a star-crossed-lover romance in the new world, with each able to share their different traditions with each other. This romance is destined to be short-lived, though filled with a number of memorable songs and a completely forgettable sequel to bring them back together again. Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World brings Pocahontas into Smith’s world, back in Great Britain. While the first film taught him to appreciate nature, the second has Pocahontas as the fish out of water.

            For the first time on Blu-ray, this 3-Disc special edition has both films on Blu-ray and also on DVD. The Blu-ray has the space to hold both films, whereas the remaining two discs are DVDs of both films separately. Although many purists may not go out of their way to purchase the sequel, there is no denying the appeal of having it available in a double-feature release. There are also a number of all-new special features, including “Drawing Inspiration: The Lost Story of Hiwatha,” which tells the original film was drawn from an idea Walt Disney were once developing. There is also a deleted song by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, which is amazingly fully animated and in high definition. There are plenty more additional features, but nothing is quite as worthwhile as the upgrade in visuals and audio which comes with the high definition presentation.

The Aristocats Blu-ray review

Format: Animated, Color, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Release Date: August 21, 2012

Run Time: 78 minutes

In the Paris of 1910 a delicate and upper-class cat and her three kittens are thrown into an adventure in the streets of Paris when their owner’s butler decides to dispose of them from the house. From here the film follows a familiar story of class issues, although they are not addressed as much as they are in other Disney classics. Immediately after they are left to die by the evil butler who has heard that his master’s estate will be left to the cats instead of him, they are discovered by an optimistic alley cat named Thomas O’Malley. Even though they are from different worlds Thomas and Duchess fall in love during their journey back to their home, and even though it seems like they don’t fit in each other’s world the film proves that the two classes can be joined by the end.

The music in The Aristocats is filled with beloved classics and some great numbers with a French flair and feline fundamentals. The opening song was sung by Maurice Chevalier, a famed singer who came out of retirement just to sing this one last song for the film. Also included in the film’s music is a jazz influence, which shows up in the lower class alley cat’s home, but eventually marries into the upper-class household with Duchess and a closing jazz song with the whole team of cats. Along with the jazzy soundtrack comes some great colorful animation, filling in the holes of the very simple story.

As wonderful as this simplistic Disney film is, following a pattern of choosing an animal and a location to tell a fun story, the DVD was sadly lacking anything impressive as far as special features were concerned. The best part is usually the film, but after a little of time searching through the special features I realized the best ones were just clips of the film that I longed to watch again. There is an unnecessary waste of time with two games, although I can appreciate that a young child may be amused temporarily by these distractions. The Blu-ray release has a few welcome additions, as well as the ones from the DVD which left me unimpressed. The brand-new bonus features include a featurette with Richard Sherman with an alternate beginning sequence, a deleted character and a deleted song with a demo that has the Sherman brothers singing together.

The music section merely plays the songs from the film, without any of the dialogue scenes, whereas the backstage section has a little more meat to it, although not much. There is an extremely short featurette with the Sherman Brothers, who created the music for the film. They pound away the songs at a piano and tell the story of their experience. There is also an excerpt from another Disney program, obviously released on television as a way of anticipating the new film about cats. It is just an excerpt, but there is Walt Disney as a host and a cartoon to show the different cats in “The Great Cat Family”. There is also a scrapbook and a deleted musical scene shown with still frames and an old recording.

The Rescuers Blu-ray review

Format: Animated, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Disney

Release Date: August 21, 2012

            Looking throughout the history of Disney, there have been a lot of mice. From Mickey on, there have been a lot of animated mice characters in Disney films. Cinderella has her friends and helpers, Dumbo has a lone defender and companion and even Sherlock Holmes appeared as one in The Great Mouse Detective. So, it should come as no surprise that there is an elite group of international animated mice who gather to solve the problems of the world. These problems usually include a captured or kidnapped child, and the same two mice are able to rescue them.

            The classic film, The Rescuers, is released as the 35^th Anniversary Edition. When a small child sends a distress sign via empty bottle out to sea, a group of rescue mice intercept it and call an emergency meeting. Top agent Bianca from Sweden chooses Bernard, the janitor, as her companion on the mission. They venture into the swamps of Devil’s Bayou, battling against the wicked diamond hunters and pet crocodiles to free the child. Bernard and Bianca return again in the sequel many years later, The Rescuers Down Under. This time the couple must travel to Australia to free another child from the grips of a poacher seeking an endangered eagle.

            Both films are fit onto one Blu-ray disc in this two-movie collection. There are also DVD copies of the films as well, though I would highly recommend watching the Blu-ray if at all possible. Animation is one of the few mediums which is undeniably enhanced by the high definition presentation of Blu-ray discs. The special features include a deleted song, a Silly Symphonies animated short, a sing-a-long song and a making-of featurette. These are all included on the DVDs as well.

The Tigger Movie Blu-ray review

Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Video

Release Date: August 21, 2012

            Winnie the Pooh is a character that has stayed the same over years, only slightly adjusted since the voice actors have been changed. The Tigger Movie was a reintroduction of these characters with a few new actors stepping in to do voices, including John Hurt who provides the voice of the narrator. Later Piglet would also get his own film, but the characters are all present and significantly used. The story which takes primary focus, however, is Tigger’s search for his family tree, unaware that it can’t be physically found. Tigger wants to know if there are other Tigger-like animals, and at times is forced to settle with the zealous Roo. 

            For the first time since Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) former Disney composers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman created the music for the Disney studios, and it was ultimately the last they would compose for the studio. As a result there is a great deal of emphasis on the music, which is entirely fitting for Winnie the Pooh and gang. The animation also has a nostalgic feel to it, with a much simpler style that makes the film feel comforting and familiar.

            The Bounce-A-Rific Blu-ray Edition of The Tigger Movie includes a DVD and an HD digital copy of the film. The DVD special features have been transferred over for the Blu-ray. There are featurettes, including a trivia game, a matching game, a sing-a-long, a DVD storybook and a music video. There are also episodes from “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh,” which is actually older than The Tigger Movie and on DVD for the first time here. Exclusive to the Blu-ray are two all-new special features. There is the Disney Intermission feature, which allows viewers to interact and participate in games whenever the film is paused. There is also a featurette about the history and creation of the Tigger character, and how that played into the making of this film.

The Walking Dead Season 2 Blu-ray review

Actors: Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn

Producers: Glen Mazzarra, Gale Anne Hurd

Format: Widescreen

Language: English, French

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 4

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Anchor Bay

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Run Time: 578 minutes

The Walking Dead S.2

            With the countless films that continue to drive the zombie film to the forefront of the horror genre, it is not surprising that a zombie television series was finally created. Vampire series are now cliché and predictable, mirrored after Twilight. “The Walking Dead” seems to be similarly drawn to the plot which brought back a new type of zombie film in the genre. Both Zack Snyder and Danny Boyle had their zombies run rather than walk in the Dawn of the Dead remake and 28 Days Later. “The Walking Dead” allows the same, though perhaps with a little less ferocity. This bloody AMC series also begins in the same manner as 28 Days Later; our protagonist awakens from a coma in a hospital to find that the world has completely fallen apart.

            County Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) awakens from a coma and discovers that his town is abandoned. His wife and child are gone, so he sets out to find them, discovering along the way that there are undead walking and hunting living flesh. He eventually finds other people, and they band a group together for survival. The cities are over-run with zombies, and the only chance is to hide from the mass of undead. The series is spectacularly well done, created by Frank Darabont who also directs select episodes. Darabont is best known for his Steven King adaptations, most remarkably the prison ones (Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile). The last one he made, however, seems closest to the style of “The Walking Dead.” The Mist was a horror film about a group of survivors trapped in a grocery store. “The Walking Dead” is a spectacular series about the difficulties of this type of post-apocalyptic lifestyle as well as the threat of being eaten.

            The first season was only six episodes, which seemed like plenty with the high quality of production. Season two more than doubles the amount of episodes, and takes the storyline in all-new directions. First they must leave the city, since they have discovered that there is no help to be found. This journey away is detoured when one of the vehicles breaks down and one of the members of the survivors is shot in a random hunting accident. There is also a missing member of the group and all of the twists and turns left unresolved from the first season.

            As well as an increase in episodes, there has also been an increase in the treatment of the series on Blu-ray. The four-disc set includes all of the episodes for season two and 11 featurettes about the production from every gory aspect to actor’s opinions. There are also six webisodes and audio commentaries on five of the episodes from season two. There are also a handful of deleted scenes from select episodes.