2 Guns (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Fun and Involving
So these two guys are gonna rob a bank...This is sort of a Spy vs Spy, as two undercover agents from two different government organizations, neither of whom knows of the other's link to his real employer, rob a bank together, only to discover they have been set up...plus there is waaaaay more money than they expect. $43.125M!

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur ("The Deep" one of my favorites from the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival) and written by Blake Masters (Lots of TV) based on Boom Studio's graphic novels, this is fun all the way, with enough comedy to keep ME happy and enough action to entertain the screening audience.

We enjoy:
* Denzel Washington ("Flight") is Bobby, the steady, focused DEA guy whose patience is sorely taxed by his gabby sidekick.
* Mark Wahlberg ("Broken City") is Stig, an ebullient (and very funny) Naval Intelligence officer...plus he's a GREAT shot!
* Paula Patton ("Disconnect") plays Deb, the beauty...
Entertaining buddy movie and action flick
"2 Guns" (2013 release; 109 min.) reunites director Baltasar Kormákur with Mark Wahlberg (they previously teamed up on another enjoyable crime action movie called "Contraband"), and for good measure Denzel Washington is brought along to co-star. The plot is pretty convoluted, and I don't spoil anything when I simply say that you shouldn't accept anyone being who they say they are. Apart from that, everyone is chasing $41.125 million in drug money.

Several comments: first, once in a while I need to see a great action movie, and this one certainly lives up to its billing. As the movie opens we see the characters played by Washington and Wahlberg observing a bank which they've decided to rob, from across the street in a diner. Some funny back-and-forth banter between the two ensues but before you know it we are in the middle of the hold-up, and its aftermath. Second, almost more important than the actual plot is the writing of the movie. The script is sharp from that...
AND BECAUSE ITS OUR MONEY
Bobby (Denzel Washington) is an undercover DEA agent working with Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) who in undercover Navy Intelligence. Each thinks the other is just a bad guy. Together they rob a bank on orders so as to steal money from a drug cartel. This way the money can be seized as evidence in a crime and they don't need a warrant, as if that has stopped them before. Things become confused as the there is more money than expected.

The banter between Wahlberg and Washington is what makes the film. They are too cool together. It is a fun popcorn film with comedy, dark comedy, and plenty of action. Good characters in a plot that was predictable. Worth seeing after you have seen Reds 2.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, brief nudity (Paula Patton).
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R.I.P.D. (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

The Dude kicks butt
This movie will not win any Oscars, I would guess, but it's a heck of a lot of fun.

Jeff Bridges was great, and It's nice to see a female star who is played as just smart, attractive and solidly in control rather than a brainless bimbo.

Ryan Reynolds does a solid job too. Great special effects.

I'd say a cross between Dead Like me and Men In Black.

Don't listen to the critics, this film was a blast to watch.
I Enjoyed the Performances
Interesting film depending how you look at it. This is not necessarily original or innovative film making. Yet, the characters sketched out save this film. There is good acting here. Great character studies. The surround sound was very impressive. What else are summers for? I liked it.
This Review Contains No Spoilers
I haven't read all the negative reviews, but I'm surprised that more people are not giving this movie 4 or 5 stars. I thought it was great. Jeff Bridges and Mary Louis Parker have great chemistry. Ryan Reynolds? I tend to agree with the reviewer who wrote that Reynolds just did not seem right for this movie. R.I.P.D is obviously a take on the Men-In-Black movies, but who cares? How many movies are its own version of Die Hard? The movie has plenty of action, and it also has some very funny scenes. I about lost it when Jeff Bridges describes what a coyote did to his skull after he died--and that's all I'm saying. Just know it's one of the funniest movie moments ever!! R.I.P.D is approximately 90 minutes long. I appreciated there were no scenes where I found myself wishing things would move on. It's a fun movie with lots of action, mostly good acting, and a sci-fi plot that was not overly far-fetched. Go watch it. You'll be glad you did.
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We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks

Entertaining, But Questionable Fact-Checking
Other than seeing the name "WikiLeaks" in news headlines, I previously knew nothing about it. The idea of a "true story" documentary about it was very intriguing to me. As a documentary, it is entertaining, captivating, and left me wanting more.

I went to WikiLeaks.org and found they had posted an annotated transcript of the movie. To my disappointment, the annotations pointed out "The film is filled with factual errors and speculation..." and provided links to all the sources to the contrary facts.

WikiLeaks also states "Neither Julian Assange nor anyone associated with WikiLeaks agreed to participate in this film. Any footage of Assange or WikiLeaks' staff was taken from stock footage. WikiLeaks has, however, co-operated with a film by respected Academy Award-nominated film- maker Laura Poitras, which will be out later this year. Another film, co-produced with Ken Loach's 16 Films, will be released shortly".

After reading the annotations, I felt...
Waiting for a Better Doc
On the good news side, "We Steal Secrets" is fast-paced, engaging and entertaining. It raises some interesting questions -- though more so about the nature of hero worship than about Wikileaks, and that is its downfall. There are so many huge, open questions about Wikileaks, about its ethics and its ongoing impact on the world and this doc really only scrapes that surface, preferring instead to spend its precious time on the prurient stuff about gender dysphoria and broken condoms.

To some degree, Alex Gibney's ability to tell a fully fleshed-out story was limited by who he had access to -- not Assange, not Manning and not anyone who has a current relationship with either of them. One can argue that this was the fault of Assange, who chose not to participate in this film for whatever reason (he tells a different story from Gibney, and there's no way to know what really happened there), or one can argue that Gibney rushed a film that should have taken a more painstaking...
Talk to Alex Gibney on Twitter
This is pro-government propaganda - NOT a documentary. Find the director, Alex Gibney, on Twitter and ask him "Who funded the film?" He'll pretend it's not important, but when it comes to so-called documentaries, it's the most important part. Save your money for an actual documentary if that's what you're into.
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The Wolf Man [Blu-ray]

Monster Movie Heaven comes in a long-overdue deluxe edition
If you've been keeping up with the DVD releases of Universal Monsters, you might already know this is the 3rd time The Wolf Man has been released in the past 10 years. But this new deluxe 2-disc edition should prove to be the definitive release. In addition to a spectacular restoration (which is still not quite perfect, but probably the best the film will ever look on home video), there is an exhaustive array of bonus features. Actually, only two of them are new, but when added to the already excellent extras carried over from previous releases, this is simply a must-have for anyone with even a slight interest in the film.

But let's take a quick look at the film itself. The Wolf Man has always been my favorite Universal Monster. I think it's the combination of Curt Siodmak's poetic and gothically romantic screenplay, and the Everyman performance of Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot. Chaney will perhaps forever reside in the shadow of contemporaries like Karloff and...
The birth of Universal's most tragic monster character
Among the pantheon of classic Universal monsters, only Dracula and Frankenstein's monster stand taller than The Wolf Man. This 1941 classic starring Lon Chaney, Jr., is a must-see for anyone claiming any interest in horror movies. The film has exerted a huge influence on the art of bringing horror to life for over six decades now, thanks to the heralded make-up prowess of Jack Pierce, the tight and powerful script of Curt Siodmak, some impressive photography work, and wonderful performances from a truly stellar cast of actors and actresses.

There is just something different about The Wolf Man; I have a hard time viewing him as a monster Larry Talbot is a thoroughly sympathetic and tragic character. Dracula loves being a vampire, Frankenstein's monster is just an unfortunate victim of circumstance whose various body parts have already lived full lives, but Larry Talbot desperately hates the monster he has become. He's already a sympathetic character, coming home after eighteen...
Universal Fans Drop Everything and GET DVD ALREADY!
When Universal started putting out the classic monsters on DVD this fall, I just knew I'd have to wait a long time for the underappreciated Wolf Man. But no! On the heels of the OUTSTANDING discs of Frankenstein, The Bride & The Mummy comes another first-class offering. Like the others, THE WOLF MAN contains an excellent documentary as well as the trailer and a commentary track by a film historian. The print of the film is gorgeous. I don't care what your age is or when you first saw this amazing film, if you're a horror fan you simply must own this one.
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Dracula (1931) [Blu-ray]

Dracula
DRACULA

**** Out of 5

Tagline- Carl Laemmle Presents the Vampire Thriller!

Release Date- February 14th, 1931

Running Time- 75-Minutes

Rating- NR

Screenplay- Garrett Fort (Novel- Bram Stoker)

Director- Tod Browning

Starring- Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye and Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing

Released in 1931 Dracula is probably the most influential vampire film ever made and one of the biggest hits in the legacy of Universal Pictures. Since its release the good portion of vampire films have taken many elements from this film and every actor to portray Count Dracula is directly inspired by Bela Lugosi (and from time to time Christopher Lee). As much as I enjoy Dracula I'd rate it behind the first 3 Frankenstein films as well as the Wolf-Man, but with that said I actually think in some ways Dracula might hold up a little better than those films (along with the Wolf...


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Chucky: The Complete Collection

"This is the End, Friend."
There are six Child's Play movies in this 6-disc Complete Collection on Blu-ray (Child's Play, Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky and Curse of Chucky). This collection is a good way to own the Child's Play movies in one place. Child's Play is one of only four horror franchises to get a complete collection box set (Chucky fans should rejoice). The bonus disc has been ported over from the previous DVD collection (includes audio commentaries, featurettes, photo gallery, and theatrical trailers). This is the first release of Curse Of Chucky in any format (also sold separately in its debut). My only complaint is that this release offers fairly light bonus supplements overall (each film is worthy of an hour or more in extras).

In the original trilogy, Chucky was possessed by a serial killer and is much darker in tone (more horror, less comedy). He tries to kill his young owner and torture the family. Part 2 features the beautiful Jenny Agutter...
"You just can't keep a Good Guy down"
PLEASE NOTE!: This is my personal review and not a official review. When reading my review it may contain a few spoilers from the first 5 Chucky movies (not Curse of Chucky). My review is based on my personal thoughts but you be your own judge on the series and product.

I am really excited about this release as I have been a Chucky fan since I was three years old and the first one released on VHS (that's showing my age!). Chucky has always been a interesting horror series as this was the first horror series to take a doll and make him into a foul mouth killer. Child's Play open the door for many other toy killers such as Puppet Master, Dominic Toys, Dolly Dearest and others.

The first Child's Play movie kept you guessing and weather you believed Andy Barkley (played by Alex Vincent) that his Good Guy doll was really coming to life and committing murders.

The second Child's Play movie took it a step further and added more carnage and more scares. Chucky...
Andy, Chucky's back
Hello, I really need your help(assistant)! I am French and plan to buy the complete collection blu ray of chucky on amazon.com, I see that it is to announce regien free with French version! Would have you information? Is this good(property) really French version either the Canadian for the last one? Cordially
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Columbo: Season Three

Six stars if possible...
Each and every one of Columbo seasons are great and have something special but this third one stands as on of my personal favorites because of the plots and guests actors that are featured. LOVELY BUT LETHAL features the great Vera Miles, Martin Sheen and the one and only Vincent Price; ANY OLD PORT IN A STORM features the great Donald Pleasence in an outstanding performance as a wine industry man; CANDIDATE FOR CRIME features Jackie Cooper; DOUBLE EXPOSURE features Robert Culp; PUBLISH OR PERISH features Jack Cassidy and John Chandler; MIND OVER MAYHEM features Jose Ferrer; SWAN SONG, my personal favorite that features the great country legend Johnny Cash and actress Ida Lupino; A FRIEND IN DEED closes this extraordinary third season with the help of actor Richard Kiley.
Amazing
What can be said of Season 3? Let's break it down, shall we?

3.1 Lovely But Lethal

Not my favorite episode, but still features some great moments. And who can deny Vera Miles her beauty, charm, and sophistication? Did you know that Miles was Alfred Hitchcock's first choice to play Madeline in Vertigo?

3.2 Any Old Port In A Storm

This is held by many Columbo fans - including those who frequent the Ultimate Columbo Site - as the all time best Columbo episode ever. While its not my personal favorite, it is within my top 3 and I can easily see why this would get top ranking by some. It is a masterpiece. Falk is absolutely amazing, Donald Pleasence is just as good. And the story makes you want to go out and pick up a bottle of port!

3.3 Candidate For Crime

Ah, Nelson Hayward and his camel hair sports coat. Jackie Cooper makes an excellent Columbo killer, as well as a great politician! He schmoozes everyone, including his...
5 Stars for Content - 1 Star for Quality
The season is great. If you're a Columbo fan or even just a 'mystery' fan I recommend it. The content (Columbo) is fine. It is the quality of the product that is poor.

First off - the packaging. The S1 Columbo episode used a higher gauge cardboard with higher gloss. The S3 set's outer package feels thin and flimsy. It is very obvious that they have cut back in quality. This extends to the plastic hardshell cases that the discs are in. They feel thinner and cheaper. The paper insert is also sort of plain and uninteresting. It really does seem like some super-cheap set that some guy pressed in his basement with generic plastic cases and printouts from Photoshop on an Inkjet.

Sadly, this lack of quality spills over into the actual DVDs. Firstly, these are double sided discs. I'm no fan of this kind of disc. It always seems that the quality of a double sided disc is iffy at best. For this production it definitely hurt because I have had 3 different DVD...
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Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Series

Truly complete???
Does anyone know whether this set will be *TRULY COMPLETE* -- will it include the four made-for-TV movies that followed the series? Also, the first three seasons were released on double-sided discs (undoubtedly to save money) and there were technical problems with some of them -- discs froze in the middle of several episodes and would not continue playing. Have the first three seasons been remastered for this set and will they be released on single-sided discs? If not, and if the four TV movies are not included (and it would be stupid not to include them), then I will not bother purchasing this set as I already own all twelve individual seasons and the four-movie set.

(Incidentally, the five-star rating is for the shows themselves, as well as for my deep and abiding love for the divine Angela Lansbury.)
WOW! - Over 212 straight hours of Murders on DVD . . . . .
Just think, if you ever sat down and watched each one of these 264 episodes end-to-end for 24 hours a day, it would take over 8 and half days to watch the entire series that ran for 12 seasons on TV (from 1984 to 1996). Since I think at least one murder occurred in every episode, that's one a heck of a lot of murders. I was always amazed that every place Jessica ever went, another murder occurred, and many of them right there in her own small town of Cabot Cove, Maine. That place must have been the murder capital of the world. I certainly wouldn't want to be around Jessica for very long or I just might have turned up dead. Even though this TV series is still on TV in reruns, we still watch it every day it's on. We truly love it. I'm sure we've probably seen every episode numerous times but we still enjoy watching each one of them. We already own every one of the 12 individual sets, but it's interesting to see it re-released as one complete set (but I guess without the 4 extra movies)...

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Murder, She Wrote: Season One

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Weird Science (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Stay Away...Stay Far Away
This DVD tries to suck the buyer in by telling him/her that this DVD contains music from the original score...which it might have, but along with that there comes the added bonus of missing lines that made the movie a classic...for instance the "If there's one thing I know its female stats..." line is completely gone. There are others but I don't have enough room to put them here. Not since the latest Animal House with the missing "Have you seen my rolling papers?" line has a DVD release been so disappointing. While these things may not matter to the majority of you viewers, it will to some of you so you have been warned.
Let's put the granparents in the broom closet
Another John Hughe's classic. It falls into the same DVD treatment as 'Sixteen Candles' though. It was released poorly on DVD, and is no longer in production. But hold on, there's rumours that this and 'Breakfast Club' and '16 Candles' will get the DVD treatment they deserve in time for their 20th Anniversary! Weird Science, although silly at times, is a must-have 80's classic with some VERY entertaining scenes. Wait for the next DVD release, please don't pay high amounts for the used early DVD copy!
Another John Hughes Must Have!
Finally, the big boys in hollywood have been decent enough to grace us with a re-release of one of the great teen flick's of the 80's. Starring a young and accomplised Anthony michael Hall (The Breakfast Club) and a host of other 80's stars, the story follows two 15 year old teens who decide to make a virtual woman on their computer. However, things become more then just virtual as the woman they created becomes more then just a dream, and infact, real!

If your a fan of director John Hughes, then this is a DVD you simply have to own. It'll go nicely with other classics like "The Breakfast Club", "Sixteen Candles", "Pretty In Pink" and many more.

Oh, one more thing...I'm glad its being re-relesed for 2 reasons. 1) my VHS copy is almost worn out. 2) I wont have to pay for a over priced second hand copy.
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Love Actually (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet + Collectible Ornament)

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Flower Drum Song

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Law & Order: Thirteenth Year

Fred Dalton Thompson as the DA we all hate
It says a lot for his acting ability that at times I had trouble remembering that the views expressed by DA Arthur Branch were not necessarily those of the actor portraying him, Fred Dalton Thompson. I cordially loathed him throughout his years on Law & Order. Now Sam Waterston, as EADA Jack McCoy, not only has to fight ignorant, biased or obstinate judges, underhanded, sleazy and even criminal defense attorneys, he has to deal with this red-neck boss. This is a very good season, but not the best. One of the most interesting episodes feels incomplete, because it focuses on a very busy day for the detectives and practically omits the DA's office entirely. It's a nice change of pace to see the detectives deal with overwork instead of showing them on just one case. There is a particularly annoying episode, Chosen, which features a slimy lawyer whose neck should be wrung, and an excellent one in which an apparent domestic terrorist turns out to have a surprise motive. As always, several...
American Jihad
This episode in the 13th Season of Law & Order was an excellent representation of the rage and distortion that followed the 9/11 attacks. As always, great script, direction, cast, and especially a fine performance by lead guest actor Ali Reza Farahnakian.
Law and Order:The 13th Year returns!!
Returning to the crime scene on The 13th season of "Law and Order" returns with former senator Fred Dalton Thompson joining in as the new DA Arthur Branch. Also in the 13th season it marks it's 300th episodes, and with the late Gregory Hines guest stating in this season. Also returning in the 13th season are Sam Waterston, Jesse L. Martin, S Epatha Merkerson, Elisabeth Rohm, and the late Jerry Orbach. There are 24 extreme episodes in the 13th season!! This is worth watching it!!!
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Slap Shot (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Fantastic, Funny, a CLASSIC for ANY Hockey Fan
Slap Shot is a great hockey comedy. It's a hilarious, vulgar, completely wild joyride through the trials of a failing 70's steelmill-town based, utterly amateur hockey team. Failing, that is, until their players resort to pure violence in an attempt to keep their franchise alive.

Paul Newman plays the womanizing player/coach who, after a series of embarassing losses (including one to a visitng team's center who's flat drunk) needs to work with a 3 brother gang of misfits, who all look alike and have an incredibly aggressive style of playing.

Chaos insues when Newman's character decides to finally play these "goons" with his other teammates, and he watches as the fan base increases when they proceed to physically demolish - without any love for the game - the opposing teammates in an series of hysterical scenes that combine the best in hockey photography with hilariously explicit dialouge and violence. The shot of the goon's nonchalanty skating past the...
Maybe the greatest sports movie ever
Ask hardcore hockey fans (the kind that are familiar with the Montreal Maroons or that understand that present-day hockey is virtually figure-skating compared to the seventies) what their favorite sports movie is, or ask hockey pros what their favorite sports movie is; probably more than half the time, you'll hear "Slap Shot". Some "serious" sports films suffer from self-importance or a lack of realism; try watching a good war documentary for actual life-and-death situations. Thankfully, "Slap Shot" doesn't take itself terribly seriously yet still manages to paint an accurate, believable picture.

Sure, the humor is rude and crude, but necessary to paint a somewhat accurate picture of `70's minor league hockey (surely these guys weren't discussing Plato or speaking in blue-blood accents). It may be offensive to uninitiated people (e.g. people who don't watch hockey or team sports in general), but the humor is oft-hilarious for hockey fans.

Paul Newman plays...
At last, the original version is saved
I have just received (and watched) the DVD version of "Slap Shot", and I thank the powers that be for restoring the original sound track to the movie. The generic music that was released on VHS took the heart out of the movie. With the restoration, and the excellent digital quality of the movie, my favorite film is complete. Now, a full 5 stars only because I can't give it 10.
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