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Blue Mountain State: Season One
Lionsgate/Released October 5, 2010
The Pitch
Nothing is out of bounds in the first season of this SPIKE original comedy. At the center of the action is The Blue Mountain State “Goats,” the team with the nastiest sacks in all of college football. With a freshman lineup that includes a back-up quarterback who’d rather party than play, a star running back who can’t score with the ladies, and a team mascot who redefines “personal foul,” will they be able to juggle football, girls, class and nonstop hazing? Blue Mountain State: Season One is the rudest, dirtiest comedy to ever hit the field.
The Review
Combine the subtle humor of American Pie with the homoerotic subtext and team intensity of Varsity Blues, add a generous helping of stupidity, raunchiness and Maxim magazine and you pretty much have the recipe for Blue Mountain State. Set around a fictional college football team, Blue Mountain State is pretty amusing, but unfortunately wears itself thin as the show quickly becomes “more of the same.” But, if sophomoric comedy is what you enjoy (and I’d be lying to say that I don’t), then Blue Mountain State is definitely worth checking out. Extras include outtakes/deleted scenes, picture-in-picture commentary for the pilot and cheerleader featurette.
Thundarr The Barbarian
Warner Archive/Released September 28, 2010
The Pitch
Man’s civilization is cast in ruin when a runaway planet speeds between the Earth and the Moon, unleashing cosmic destruction. Two-thousand years later, Earth is reborn from the ashes with a savage landscape, strange creatures and a primitive sense of justice. But one man fights to spread peace throughout the land: he is Thundarr the Barbarian and you can own All 21 Exciting Adventures in a 4-Disc Collection starring Thundarr and his companions Ookla the Mok and sorceress Princess Ariel. Using their strength, courage and wits plus Thundarr’s magical Sunsword, they journey from village to village, liberating slaves and battling all kinds of beasts, mutants, wizards, thieves and robots. The future of Earth may be shrouded in darkness, but Thundarr the Barbarian bursts into action as a shining symbol of hope for humanity.
The Pitch
Rarely has the post apocalyptic setting been fodder for Saturday morning cartoons, but if you add some Jack Kirby, with a bit of Star Wars, Planet of the Apes and Conan and you’ve got a beloved cult classic that actually holds up to the nostalgiac memories. It’s nearly impossible for today’s younger viewers to comprehend that magic that Saturday mornings held in the Seventies and Eighties, especially for comic book fans. Since live action adaptations were very rare and some of the animated translations lacked the dynamic energy of the comics themselves, shows like Thundarr were embraced pretty quickly. Created by Howard the Duck creator Steve Gerber, the show featured an enormous amount of comic book talent behind the scenes including Kirby, Alex Toth, Buzz Dixon, Roy Thomas, Mark Evanier, and Marty Pasko.The set features no extras and the image hasn’t been restored, but the picture quality is as good as you’ve ever seen it. It’s the perfect way to kill an afternoon with a big bowl of cereal and a must have for any geek library.
The Power
Warner Archive/Released September 14, 2010
The Pitch
Who has The Power? The Power to control minds, move objects, and murder by telekinesis? That’s what scientists at a space lab want to know when they realize they are targeted by one of their own – someone who possesses a superhuman power and a terrifying secret agenda. Producer George Pal brings the imagination and craft that turned his The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine into sci fi-classics to this eerie tale heightened by a suspenseful Miklos Rozsa score. The fine cast, led by George Hamilton and Suzanne Pleshette, includes two talents forever emblematic of paranoid post-war sci-fi/creature features: Michael Rennie (The Day the Earth Stood Still) and Richard Carlson (Creature from the Black Lagoon).
The Review
George Pal produced this telekinesis-based science fiction thriller that has been pretty well forgotten about until it’s recent resurrection from the Warner Archive. Set in the near future, George Hamilton plays Professor Jim Tanner, a member of a team of scientists, one of who is revealed to have telekinetic abilities (aka The Power) and is using those powers to systematically murder fellow team members. With a rich cast including Suzanne Pleshette, Richard Carlson, Yvonne Decarlo, Earl Holliman, Gary Merrill, Ken Murray, Barbara Nichols, Arthur O’Connell, Nehemiah Persoff, Aldo Ray and Michael Rennie, The Power is actually a fairly entertaining film, but drags a bit and isn’t as smart as it thinks it is. Nevertheless, genre fans will definitely enjoy a viewing of this suspenseful, fun rarity.
Atlantis The Lost Continent
Warner Archive/Released September 14, 2010
The Pitch
Rejoice, citizens of Atlantis! Princess Antillia, lost upon uncharted seas, has been guided home by intrepid Greek fisherman Demetrios. In a strange act of Atlantean gratitude, Demetrios is cast into slavery. He will endure the macabre House of Hell. Fight for his life before a cheering arena throng in the Ordeal of Fire and Water. And rescue the princess again as they flee the realm’s volcanic doom. Welcome to Atlantis, the Lost Continent, where royal guardsmen wear uniforms that could easily be from the wardrobe of Ming the Merciless and where some unfortunate slaves are turned into bovine-headed beasts. Yes, that kind of movie: popcorn-worthy and spearheaded by legendary fantasy film producer George Pal (The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine).
The Review
Despite being called director George Pal’s worst film, Atlantis The Lost Continent is far better than it deserves to be, delivering a rollicking fantasy film filled with action and imagination. Filled with familiar props, stock footage and recognizable character actors, the film focuses on a lost Atlantean princess found by a Greek fisherman who tries to return her to her home only to discover that the scientifically advanced culture has their own nefarious agenda. And of the thought of a nefarious agenda from angry Atlanteans doesn’t put a smile on your face, then you might be a little bit dead inside. No extras, but guaranteed to make you smile. Recommended.
The Human Centipede
IFC Films/Released October 5, 2010
The Pitch
100% Medically accurate.
The compelling simplicity of Saw. The stylish dread of Eraserhead. The black humor of A Nightmare On Elm Street. Those are the benchmarks of horror that the outrageous Dutch film The Human Centipede matches. The plot is diabolically simple: two stranded American tourists are given shelter by a famed German doctor (a maniacally intense Dieter Laser) who made his fortune surgically separating conjoined twins. Now his mad genius is pushing the doctor to do the reverse. He tells the women that they will be surgically attached to a Japanese businessman mouth to buttocks, one after the other and thus will be born a new creature: the human centipede! Compellingly perverse, hilarious, and shockingly straightforward, Dutch director Tom Six’s new film is hands-down the most memorable horror film of the year.
The Review
To be completely honest, I expected to hate this film. I don’t like the torture porn genre that has become so prevalant in horror films, yet this film was one of the most unique viewing experiences I’ve had in some time. It’s shocking, gratuitous, over the top, but it surprisingly kept my attention to the end. It’s creepy, with excellent performances from Ashley C. Williams as the doomed party girl and Dieter Laser as the mad scientist who seems like the demented offspring of Udo Keir and Christopher Walken. The film is certainly not for everyone and even now, I’m not sure if I liked it. I do know I’ll never forget it. Extras include deleted scenes, featurettes, and an interview and feature length documentary with director Tom Six.
Phineas & Ferb: A Very Perry Christmas
Walt Disney Home Entertainment/Released October 5, 2010
The Pitch
Phineas and Ferb and Perry the Platypus are gonna save Christmas! Get ready for the wildest sleigh ride ever as the hilarious heroes of summer vacation launch into their merriest and “Perry-est” mission yet!
Amp up the holidays with outrageous laughs, out-of-this world fun and totally over-the-top songs—everything you need for the ultimate Christmas extravaganza experience! In an all-new, Perry-powered adventure, Phineas, Ferb and their pet platypus (aka Agent P) set out to thwart Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s “naughty” plot to ruin Christmas. Will they get everything wrapped up in time for Santa’s flyby? Find out in the coolest gift you’ll get this year—packed with festive bonus features that will have you rockin’ ’round the tree!
The Review
Prior to this, I hadn’t seen any of the previous adventures of Phineas & Ferb, and my first exposure certainly delivered. Not a Christmas film, but rather a collection of episodes, A Very Perry Christmas (Perry aka Agent P is a pet platypus) is both entertaining and charming, with lots of original songs and abundant pop culture references. Extras include Easter eggs, a bonus episode, sing along and karaoke features, behind the scenes and more. Clever and funny, Phineas & Ferb: A Very Perry Christmas might be worth your time as a casual or curious viewer, but for families, it makes a nice addition to any yuletide dvd collection.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Warner Home Video/Released October 5, 2010
The Pitch
Five teenage friends living on one street all dream of a sinister man with a disfigured face, a frightening voice and a gardener’s glove with knives for fingers. One by one, he terrorizes them within their dreams–where the rules are his and the only way out is to wake up. But when one among them dies, they soon realize that what happens in their dreams happens for real and the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. Buried in their past is a debt that has just come due. To save themselves, they must plunge into the mind of the most twisted nightmare of all: Freddy Krueger. Jackie Earle Haley plays the legendary evildoer in this contemporary reimagining of the seminal horror classic.
The Review
Not only a poor reimagining, but also a completely unncessary one. Robert Englund, who’s Freddy Krueger became one of the most recognizable and iconic horror characters of all time has been replaced by the usually great Jackie Earle Haley. Haley’s performance is lost under disarmingly heavy burn victim make-up and his interpretation of an intense pedophile really didn’t have the appeal of Englund’s more playful take on the character. With the exception of his trademark glove, there isn’t much of a physical menace from the slight, squirrely actor. Nevertheless, Haley is pretty much the only thing worth watching in the film, with much of it’s tweentastic cast just going through the motions.
One of my biggest issues with this take is they took the inferred back story of the Krueger character and made it the focus of the film’s plot. I might be in the minority, but motivation isn’t what I want out of a Nightmare film. The film lacks suspense and the scares feel mechanical. Visually the film is slick and polished, emotionally it did nothing for me. Extras include a lone featurette. A Nightmare On Elm Street fails not because it’s a bad remake, it’s just a bad film.
Ugly Americans: Volume 1
Comedy Central/Release Date October 5, 2010
The Pitch
Take the Big Apple, add every horrifying beast, science-fiction freak and fantasy faerie, shake thoroughly and you’ve got Comedy Central’s new hit animated series, UGLY AMERICANS. This animated horror-comedy series follows one Mark Lilly, social worker at the Department of Integration, as he helps new citizens both human and “other” adapt to hectic life in the Big Apple.
The Review
Mark is the human protagonist who works at the Department of Integration in an alternate New York filled with monsters, demons, wizards and creatures. Drawing heavy inspiration from classic EC Comics and it’s “stranger in a strange land” premise feels fairly akin to Futurama. Unfortunately, there’s not an awful lot of character development, but to be fair the season is only seven episodes so it might take a bit more time to see the series hit it’s stride. Ugly Americans shows a world where the fantastic exists, I only wish it were depicted with an equal amount of enthusiasm. Extras include commentary, web shorts and art gallery.
The Hangover (Extreme Edition)
Warner Home Video/Released October 12, 2010
The Pitch
From Old School director Todd Phillips comes a comedy about a bachelor party gone very, very wrong. Two days before his wedding, Doug (Justin Bartha) drives to Las Vegas with his best buddies Phil and Stu (Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms) and his future brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), for a blow-out bachelor party they vow they’ll never forget. But when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning with pounding headaches, they can’t remember a thing. Their luxury hotel suite is beyond trashed and the groom is nowhere to be found. With no clue about what happened and little time to spare, the trio must attempt to retrace their bad decisions from the night before in order to figure out where things went wrong in the hopes of finding Doug and getting him back to L.A. in time for his wedding. But the more they begin to uncover, the more they realize just how much trouble they’re really in.
The Review
Combine a bachelor party, a missing groom, Mike Tyson, Mike Tyson’s tiger, a baby, a police car, a missing tooth, a prized automobile, a gay Chinese gangster and a nervous bride and you have one of the funniest movies in recent memory. Let’s be honest, if you haven’t seen The Hangover yet, you either don’t find movies funny or more than likely don’t have much of a sense of humor. The big draw to this new edition are the extras. And there are plenty:
- Both the Unrated and Theatrical Versions of the Film
- Audio Commentary of the Theatrical Cut with Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Todd Phillips
- FOUND! A stash of incriminating photos exposing the events that culminated in an unforgettable night of mayhem
- “The Madness of Ken Jeong” (TRT 7:38) – Ken Jeong’s non stop hilarious improv
- “The Dan Band!” (TRT 1:06 min) – The Dan Band performs, “Fame”
- Gag Reel (TRT 8:43)
- “Three Best Friends Song” (TRT 1:52) Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis “freestyle” their own song
- “Map of Destruction” (TRT 15 min) Re-trace each step the guys took during their fate-filled evening and see the real locations, learn about their Las Vegas lore and see the filming that took place there
- “Action Mash-Up” (TRT :30) Compilation of all the physical comedy from the film
If you just have the previous standard release or haven’t bought this must have addition to your collection yet, this is the version that you need to own. Highly recommended.
White on Rice
Indieblitz Releasing/Released October 12, 2010
The Pitch
Freshly divorced, Jimmy lives with his sister Aiko (Japanese Academy Award® winner Nae) and her family while boldly searching for a new wife. His brother in-law, Tak (Mio Takada, Late Night with Conan O’Brien) thinks he’s a disaster. And although Jimmy may lack social grace, he is convinced the best years of his life are just beginning. His plan seems like it’s all falling into place when Tak’s beautiful niece Ramona (Lynn Chen, Saving Face) moves in. But once Jimmy sets his sights on stealing her from his best friend Tim (James Kyson Lee, Heroes), he sees his intentions go hilariously awry.
The Review
A damned funny look at a disfunctional Japanese family, White on Rice suffers from a mess of a plot with memorable characters, think essentially an Asian Napoleon Dynamite. Like most films of the Apatow oeuvre, the lead character is a clueless man-child unaware of how to be an adult in society. Unfortunately this distracts at times from the really spectacular supporting cast that enable this grating, emotionally stunted protagonist. Nevertheless, there’s more good than bad and certainly justifies a rental recommendation. Extras include commentary, premiere footage, trailers and marketing featurettes.
Wolverine & the X-Men: The Complete Series
Lionsgate/Released October 12, 2010
The Pitch
After a mysterious explosion at the Xavier mansion, and the resulting disappearances of Professor Xavier and Jean Grey, the distraught X-Men disband. But soon Wolverine, Storm, Beast and the others must join together again to not only battle the increasingly powerful Mutant Response Division, but also to prevent a catastrophic future that Xavier has warned Wolverine must never come to pass. With help from their allies, the heroic X-Men wage war against formidable foes as the present and future collide. But who will win? Discover for yourself as this extraordinary series is presented together in one complete collection like never before.
The Review
Finally, an adaptation of the Marvel Comics series that truly captures the energy, scope and breadth of the X-universe. Combining elements from storylines as diverse as “Days of Future Past”, “The Dark Phoenix Saga”, “Fall of the Mutants”, Hulk #181, “Weapon X”, and both Joss Whedon and Grant Morrison’s runs on the book, this 26 episode series is a geek delight with dozens of cameos and Easter eggs of various characters and stories. Die hard fans might be put off with an alternate take on these tales, picking and choosing elements rather than a straight adaptation, but these various elements have been combined into a new narrative that is both engrossing and entertaining. Extras are abundant with 29 commentary tracks covering the 26 episodes, and various featurettes. The only criticism is that the series only lasted a single season. Highly recommended and a must have for any X-fan past or present.
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