Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day Blu-Ray Review

You can own this blu-ray today

Synopsis: Ricky, Julian and Bubbles are about to get out of jail, and this time, Julian vows to go straight, even open a legit business.  Soon the Boys will all be rich.  At least that's what they've told the parole board.  But when they arrive back at the park, they find it's not the same old Sunnyvale - and it's not the same old Jim Lahey, Trailer Park Supervisor.  Lahey's a new man, hasn't had a drink for two years.  And he has plans - BIG PLANS - for Sunnyvale.  But unfortunately for Lahey, Julian stands in his way. 

Review: This movie is insane.  The show lasted seven seasons, which to me is odd.  I've seen amazing shows that can't make it more than one or two, but okay.  Its not that the trailer park boys isn't funny at times..its just that its hit and miss.

The movie showcases the boys getting out of prison (see previous movie) and heading back to the trailer park, only to find that life is changing too much for their tastes.  They find it challenging to 'go straight' in the changing world around them.

This continuation of the Trailer Park Boys saga is definately a step above the first film, with deadpan humor and some rather ackward moments, but it still misses the mark a bit and seems to try a little bit too hard.  It is funny and worth a watch, but the show is still far funnier.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Surrogates Blu-Ray Review

You can own this blu-ray today, comes out Jan. 26th 2010


Synopsis: How do you save humanity when the only thing that's real is you? From the director of TERMINATOR 3 comes a jaw-dropping psychological thriller starring the ultimate action hero, Bruce Willis. In the not-so-distant future, where people experience life through perfect surrogates controlled from the safety of their own homes, murder is a thing of the past. But when a college student linked to the creator of these replicants is killed, one FBI agent must re-enter reality and risk his life to unravel the mystery. In the battle of technology versus humanity, who can you trust? Experience every electrifying moment of this mind-blowing movie. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel and exploding with unforgettable action, SURROGATES is nonstop entertainment from start to finish!

Bonus Features include: Exclusive To Blu-ray: Deleted Scenes, Exclusive To Blu-ray: A More Perfect You: The Science Of Surrogates, Exclusive To Blu-ray: Breaking The Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes To Life, I Will Not Bow Music Video By Breaking Benjamin, Feature Audio Commentary By Director Jonathan Mostow

Review: The premise of Surrogates is fantastic.  In the tradition of great sci-fi films like Blade Runner, Surrogates carries the torch this year as one of those movies that is respectful to science fiction.  The film has its negative componants, but overall its a fun ride.

The concept is basically that a company develops such sophisticated androids that people begin to sit in chairs and hook their brains into these surrogate robots.  Society embraces this idea for safety and all of a sudden everyone is living their life vicariously through these surrogates.  Its become a normal way of life.  You can become anyone..look like anything.  Its like a hyper-realized version of a chat room, the cops even come across the owner of a gorgeous young woman that turns out to be an overweight older man.

We're introduced quickly to a much younger looking Bruce Willis.  You realize soon that its a self-designed surrogate of a younger version of himself.  There is a murder and the death of the surrogate actually kills the owner too, which is never supposed to happen.  That negates the entire purpose of the surrogates.  An investigation and action thrill ride ensue.

The effects, script and action are cool in this film.  I do have a criticism about the film.  You get thrown into this fictional world and are forced to become assuming about everything that is going on.  You never get motivations to the main characters, nor do we become invested in any part of this world.  Due to this oversight the film does come off a little skin deep.  I feel that this could've been a film of cult status had they taken the time to make it a little more personal for us as an audience.

Overall, I enjoyed this film and I do recommend picking it up.  The blu-ray option is the only way to go.  The 1080p high definition looks fantastic.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season Blu-Ray Review

You can purchase this Blu-Ray online today

Synopsis: Disc 1: 218 Minutes

• Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes
• Lost Verizon
• Double, Double, Boy in Trouble
• Treehouse of Horror XIX
• Dangerous Curves
• Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words
• Mypods and Boomsticks
• The Burns and the Bees
• Lisa the Drama Queen
• Featurette - "The 20th Anniversary Special Sneak Peek by Morgan Spurlock"

Disc 2: 264 Minutes

• Take my Life, Please
• How the Test Was Won
• No Loan Again, Naturally
• Gone Maggie Gone
• In the Name of the Grandfather
• Wedding for Disaster
• Eeny Teeny Maya Moe
• The Good, the Sad and the Drugly
• Father Knows Worst
• Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'oh
• Four Great Women and a Manicure
• Coming to Homerica

Review: The Simpsons is a series that has stayed hilarious for 20 years.  Its been there since I was a kid and looks to stick around long into my adult life.  I feel that its nearly impossible to review the show itself, so we're going to focus on the actualy product release.

The Simpsons is on blu-ray for the first time!  Now you may be asking yourself why the jump to season 20?!  If you have been following along with the Simpsons DVD releases you would know that they left off on season 12 this past summer, so why jump to 20?!  We figure the best explanation is marketing.  Its the 20th anniversary of the show, so perhaps it is to cash in on that.  Honestly, thats fine by us, as long as everything gets released eventually.

How does the blu-ray transfer look?  Thats what we all really want to know anyway, right?  Well, the Simpsons switched over to HD halfway through season 20, so there is a huge gap in quality for these episodes.  The first half looks great, as always, but the second half of the episodes pop in a way that is downright breathtaking.  It looks just beautiful.

The only negative about this release is the distince lack of bonus features.  In the past Simpsons fans have been treated to a plethora of bonus features including audio commentary, deleted scenes, etc.   This 20th season set has one bonus feature...its the 20th Anniversary Special Sneak Peek by Morgan Spurlock, which aired live a few days prior to the release of the blu-ray. 

Overall, I highly recommend this release.  Its not super-rich on features, but its the Simpsons on blu-ray..something I've been waiting for a long time now.    I honestly care more about the actual show than the features, so I'll enjoy watching it in high-definition!

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Boogie Nights Blu-Ray Review

You can own this blu-ray today!

Synopsis: From writer/director P.T. Anderson comes the turbulehnt behind-the-scenes story of an extended family of filmmakers who set out to revolutionize the adult entertainment industry in the seventies.

Idealistic producer Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) has always dreamed of elevating his films into an art form. When he discovers young actor Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), Jack begins to turn his dreams into reality. Under the stage name of Dirk Diggler, Eddie soon gives the adult entertainment world a star the likes of which it has never seen. But the rise to fame has its costs, and soon Dirk finds himself sliding down the slippery slope of sex, drugs and violence. The only question: can he get himself back together before it's too late?

Review: I never saw Boogie Nights.  Oh, I'd heard of it, but it never really interested me enough to bother with it.  It may have been due to Mark Wahlberg being the lead role.  Nothing against Wahlberg, he just isn't someone I feel should carry a film on his back.  On the other hand, this film is about porn, drugs and violence, so it'd fit right into my normal movie viewing habits....I suppose it coming out on blu-ray is the perfect time to experience the film.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining the film was.  Mind you, its mostly a montage of party after party, drugs and sex and mindless fun...but hey that has its place, right?  Its a reflection of culture and thats pefectly valid in my mind. 

The movie has never looked better.  The transfer into 1080p high-definition did it well.  The skin tones are better and the textures on the clothing are more defined.   The big stand-out difference between the blu-ray and DVD releases of this film are the colors.  The color really pops, which is a big deal since the film is set in the 1970s! 

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Links: www.warnerblu.com

Last Action Hero Blu-Ray Review

You can purchase this blu-ray online today

Synopsis: Arnold Schwarzenegger is movie idol Jack Slater in Last Action Hero, which follows the adventures of 11-year-old Danny (Austin O'Brien), whose magic ticket blasts him out of his theater seat and into an action movie. There he teams up with Slater, living his wildest fantasies in a celluloid world where anything is possible.

Review: I think that Last Action Hero is one of the most misunderstood films of the 1990s.  This one came out after Arnold Schwarzenegger's big screen smash Terminator 2.  The entire point of this film was somewhat misunderstood...it was a tongue-in-cheek view of the action film genre.  It was Arnold Schwarzenegger actually poking fun at himself.   I found this to be hilarious, myself.  Movie-going audiences didn't agree....

This film is considered by many to be Arnold's worst.  I think it was his best, because he was actually exploiting the industry that made him so famous.  The cheeky Stallone as the Terminator bit and all of the comedic overkill throughout the film made for a great watch.  I honestly feel that after T2 people just weren't looking for this type of move from Schwarzenegger. 

I can't lie to you..when this one got transfered into 1080p high-definition it left some grain behind.  The audio is great, but the picture does suffer a bit.  This is a fun film and is definately worth owning on blu-ray.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Cliffhanger Blu-Ray Review


You can purchase this blu-ray online today


Synopsis: Sarah was an inexperienced climber. She trusted Gabe to rescue her. But something went wrong high above the valley floor...Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner and Ralph Waite star in this high-altitude avalanche of action: a non-stop adventure peak with suspense and capped with heart-quaking terror. For Rocky Mountain Rescue, the mission is almost routine: locate five climbers. With the woman he loves (Turner) and his best friend (Rooker), Gabe Walker (Stallone) braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen (Lithgow). Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower, bitter cold, and dizzying heights, Walker must outwit Qualen in a deadly game of hide-and-seek.

Review: There were a lot of silly action movies back in the 1990s.  Two of the top silly action flicks have come out on blu-ray this last week!  Sylvester Stallone, a rock climber rescuer takes on terrorists in this homage to action.

The first thing you have to do with this movie is suspend reality.  You're thinking to yourself 'yeah, its a movie of course I need to do that'.  No, but you really, really need to suspend reality.  Firstly, you have Jonathan Lithgow as an international terrorist.  I'm sorry, but I'm not scared of Lithgow.  Its kind of like having Mr. T play the President of the United States.   Also, you get a lot of what are now very outdated special effects and scenery shots while they do battle on these mountains. 

We can get beyond that here at DVD Legion, though.  We love high-octane action flicks and Cliffhanger is one of the tops.  There's a ton of action and some great dialogue.  There are some great death scenes, including being thrown off of a cliff and dying in an avalanche.  I hate it when that happens!  The new blu-ray transfer comes across well, and doesn't have any excess of grain.  If you saw this movie back in the day, and you already make concessions for it, then you'll love this release.  If you've never seen Cliffhanger, well I feel sorry for you, because you won't be able to enjoy it like you would've been able to when it was released.  Still, this is a nice, solid addition to any blu-ray collection.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

The Marine 2 Blu-Ray Review


You can purchase this blu-ray online today

Synopsis: relaxing five-star holiday turns into an all out battleground for Marine recon sniper Joe Linwood when a group of local rebels seize control of the hotel taking the billionaire owner, and a group of guests, including Joe's wife, hostage. With the victims in danger of being brutally murdered, Joe takes matters into his own hands in order to save his wife from certain death.

• Audio: English: 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio / Spanish & French: 5.1 Dolby Digital
• Language: Dubbed & Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: Widescreen

• Forced Trailers: Hitman 2, Jennifer's Body, Family Guy Presents: Something Something Something Dark Side, Gentlemen Broncos
• Feature Commentary with Ted DiBiase and Roel Reine
• Feature Commentary with Roel Reine
• Extended and Deleted Scenes
• Deleted Scenes Montage
• Behind the Scenes/Making of Features
• BD +
• BD Live Ready Boot strap

Review: The WWE has been searching for their next big star.  They had Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena and of course Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as break-out stars that crossed over media.  Their latest offering to cinema is Ted DiBiase Jr., who is the son of classic wrestler 'The Million Dollar Man'.  Ted Jr.'s acting ability isn't exactly DeNiro, but he does an alright job.  We've come to expect a lesser grade of acting in action films.  I mean hell, we watched Schwartzenegger and Stalone, right?

This is truly an atypical action film.  An evil crime boss kidnaps our characters girlfriend and he goes on an explosive quest to get her back.  The film is rather predictable, but if you enjoy action films, then its plenty of fun.  The cinematography is great and it really comes off like a big-budget film.

The blu-ray transfer looks fantastic at 1080, but there is a little grain in the nighttime scenes.  The audio is fantastic.  I definately recommend picking this one up on blu-ray, its worth it for the explosion scenes!

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

10 Things I Hate About You Blu-Ray Review

You can purchase this blu-ray online today!

Synopsis: The classic comedy that launched the careers of Academy Award winner Heath Ledger (2008, Best Supporting Actor, THE DARK KNIGHT) and Julia Stiles celebrates its ten-year high school reunion with 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU: THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION. This special edition is packed with a million things to love, including an exclusive sneak peek at Heath Ledger's screen test. New kid in school Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is smitten with the beautiful Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). The problem is that Bianca isn't allowed to date unless her surly older sister Kat (Stiles) does. Cameron's only hope is to enlist the help of Patrick (Ledger), the school troublemaker with a reputation as nasty as Kat's. This special edition brings back the love-struck high school classmates of '99 with a treasure trove of never-before-seen footage. Also featuring a retro soundtrack of memorable nineties tunes, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU is a comedy you can count on.


Review: This is hands down a chick flick of the highest order.  I don't mean that as an insult, just a matter of fact.  When I first saw this film Heath Ledger hadn't yet turned in his epic performance as the Joke in the Dark Knight, so I wasn't as wild about him as I am these days.   This was a nice movie, though.  It came together well and it was a good watch, so when this blu-ray was solicited I thought hey, why not check it out.

Unfortunately, this release suffers from what I now call the Ghostbusters effect.  Its full and I mean FULL of grain.  Its hard to watch, almost like you're watching a staticy television.  I really wish that the studio had taken the time to clean up the film better or had just released it at 720p instead.  Its a shame, because the release has great bonus features (seen below) and really did deserve better.  I wish I could recommend the blu-ray here, but honestly you're better off with the DVD.

Bonus Features include:10 Things I Love About 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU 10 Years Later Take A Look Back And Remember Why Everyone Loves This Classic Teen Comedy. This New Documentary Features Interviews With Director Gil Junger, Co-Writers Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, Never-Before-Seen Casting Footage, Cast Interviews, And More, Deleted Scenes, Writers And Cast Audio Commentary 

Video Clips: Meeting in the Bookstore and the Trailer for the release

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Cheaper By The Dozen 2 Blu-Ray Review


You can purchase this blu-ray online today


Synopsis:Tom Baker (Steve Martin, Father of the Bride) and wife Kate (Bonnie Hunt, Jerry Maguire) bring their clan together for a memorable summer getaway. But their dream vacation turns into an outrageous competition with the overachieving, overzealous family of Tom’s long-time rivals, Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy, American Pie) and wife Sarina (Carmen Electra, Scary Movie).  Featuring all the original Baker kids, including Hilary Duff (A Cinderella Story), Tom Welling, (“Smallville”) and Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly), this super-sized comedy is fun for the whole family!  With a range of fun special features for families of all sizes, the Cheaper By The Dozen 2 BD will include feature commentary by director Adam Shankman (The Pacifier) and featurettes “Camp Chaos,” “A Comedic Trio,” and a Casting Session presented by Fox Movie Channel.  The Blu-ray Disc will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.99.

Review: I really have a lot of respect for Steve Martin as an actor.  He has managed to make some fantastic film in his day and he seems to float flawlessly between the mainstream family film and dark independant work.  This is a great achievement as an actor.  In the Cheaper by the Dozen films they re-make a black and white classic film that I really loved growing up.  I used to watch a lot of classic film (one of my favorite all-time movies is Bing Crosby's Holiday Inn!).  They did a great job in modernizing this classic in the first film and the second one just carries on the chemistry for an enjoyable time.


One of the nice things about this film is the cast.  Stars include Eugene Levy, Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling, Piper Perabo, Carmen Electra and Hilary Duff.  A young Taylor Lautner (who stars as Jacob in the immensely popular Twilightfilm series) plays Eliot Murtaugh of the Murtaugh family, the long-time rivals of the Baker clan.

The transfer to high-definition did well for Cheaper by the Dozen 2.  I was nervous that it'd be all grainy, especially with the nature shots, but it really turned out well.  Don't get me wrong the color doesn't pop or anything, but its a solid transfer that is enjoyable to watch.  The blu-ray also offers a nice, clean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 isn't a fantastic movie, but its a good one.  A solid watch and its family approved fun, which I appreciate in my old age.  I definately recommend this one on blu-ray, its worth the buy.


Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

All About Steve Blu-Ray Review

You can purchase the blu-ray online today

 Synopsis:Treat yourself this holiday season and fall in love with the witty romantic comedy All About Steve when it debuts on Blu-ray Disc (BD) and DVD December 22 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Golden Globe-nominee* Sandra Bullock (The Proposal) and Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) star in this off-the-wall comedy about a blind date gone hilariously wrong. When eccentric, but lovable, Mary gets set up with Steve, a news channel cameraman, she falls hard. He does not. Mary decides to follow Steve on a cross-country hunt for breaking news and soon finds herself entangled in the story. But despite the media storm surrounding her, Mary may just discover her true place in the world... and the man of her dreams!


Review: I was interested in this movie due to the cast.  It has two alumni of the Hangover (this next generation's Animal House as far as I'm concerned) and Sanda Bullock, who has been a favorite of mine since Demolition Man.  Yeah, thats right...Demo Man.  Anyway, I was excited to see what they'd do with this film. 

Sandra camps it up playing a complete loser that latches onto Bradley Cooper's character after one "date".  This very ackward Napoleon Dynamite type girl decides to get her shot at a normal life by going on a blind date.  She then jumps on him before they even leave her parents house.  He realizes quickly that she must be nuts and gets away from her and the rest of the movie is her following him around and acting erradic. 

Parents - beware there are is a good amount of cursing and sexual references in the film, along with a rather graphic (for a comedy) groping scene in the first part of the film when Sandra jumps on Bradley Cooper.  This

This is a new blu-ray, so there isn't much to say about the transfer.  It looks great in 1080p high definition.  I can't fault the sound quality or the video its all in order as you'd expect from any new release in 2009.  The film wasn't well recieved by critics or movie-goers, but I enjoyed it.  I liked how nuts Sandra's character was and I enjoyed a lot of the humor throughout.  I timidly recommend it ..comedy is so hit and miss.  It all depends on what you think is funny.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Extract Blu-Ray Review 

 You can purchase this blu-ray online today!


Synopsis: The creator of OFFICE SPACE, writer-director Mike Judge (BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD), moves from cubicles to the assembly line with EXTRACT his outrageous return to workplace comedy, featuring a hilarious ensemble cast of quirky characters. About to sell his successful flavor extract company, life is almost sweet for Joel (Jason Bateman) until a freak on-the-job accident happens. Add to that his bored wife (Kristen Wiig), his laid-back best friend (Ben Affleck), a sexy con artist (Mila Kunis) who blows into town with dollar signs in her bedroom eyes, and a dumb gigolo -- and life as he knows it turns sour. Filled with laugh-out-loud one-liners and raunchy comedy, EXTRACT is 100% pure hilarity.

Review: I was a big fan of Office Space, another film by Mike Judge, which serves as a close brother to Extract.  I did go back and watch the film recently and it just wasn't as interesting to me.  Extract really brought me back into Judge's universe, though.  The highlight of this film is Kristen Wiig.  I'm going to go on record as saying she is one of the funniest and most underrated women in film today.

The story of the film isn't quite as interesting as the banter.  This is something that Judge's writing has in common with Kevin Smith.  This isn't Clerks 2 quality humor, but its still funny.  The characters are full of life and have some great lines and observations.

The only way to own this one is on blu-ray disc!  Thats not to say that they don't offer it on DVD, but there is no point to wasting your money on DVD anymore if a blu-ray option is available to you!  The high-definition and amazing sound isn't to be missed.

Bonus Features include: Exclusive To Blu-ray Deleted Scene, Exclusive To Blu-ray Extended Scenes, Mike Judge's Secret Recipe Featurette The Ingredients For A Classic Mike Judge Film

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

The Mel Brooks Collection on Blu-Ray Review

You can purchase this blu-ray box set online today

Synopsis: Best known as a creator of broad film farces and uproarious parodies, jack-of-all-trades Mel Brooks has been entertaining audiences for years with his wacky and absurdist humor. Now just in time for the holidays, the king of comedy’s brilliant work is available for the first time in high definition in The Mel Brooks Collection on Blu-ray Disc, debuting December 15 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Embark on a hilarious adventure over and over again as the ultimate gift set debuts with some of Brooks’ best films including Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, History Of The World Part I, Robin Hood: Men In Tights, Silent Movie, Spaceballs, To Be Or Not To Be, The Twelve Chairs and Young Frankenstein.

Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special Blu-Ray Review!

You can purchase this blu-ray online today!

Synopsis: FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND DESTINED TO BECOME A HOLIDAY FAVORITE!

INCLUDES ONE HOUR OF EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE NOT SEEN ON COMEDY CENTRAL BROADCAST!

Jeff Dunham and his cast of characters join to make Christmas very special -- and hilarious -- like only they know how. All new show also includes bonus material with numerous extras. Share this must-have event with the entire family for Christmas and all year long!

Loaded with additional footage and extras not seen on television including Holiday Tips, Outtakes, Ask Santa-Walter, and Behind The Scenes.


Review: I was only recently introduced to Jeff Dunham's comedy by my wife earlier this year.  I know that he has been popular for awhile, but I'm late in the game on this one.   If you're not familiar with Jeff's work, he is basically a very talented ventriloquist that has a variety of character puppets that spout offensive material, from Achmed the terrorist to bubba.  His live comedy act has become something of a cult phenomenon over the past few years.  Now, this Xmas special is out on blu-ray to enjoy.

Jeff Dunham now has his own show on Comedy Central each week.  Its a pretty good show.  I didn't think he could hold his own in that capacity, but he really surprised me, at least so far.  This special pre-dates that show with a great selection of various skits and bits.  The blu-ray includes a lot of behind the scenes material and other things not seen on the television special when it originally aired.  Its like watching it all over again for the first time!  You defiantely need to score this one on blu-ray.  High-definition is the only way to go.  Firstly, why bother buying a DVD?  Its already an outdated medium.  Invest in blu-ray and you can have this great comedy special to pop in every year for the holidays!

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Monty Python: Almost the Truth the Lawyer's Cut Blu-Ray


You can purchase this blu-ray online today!


Synopsis: Monty Python reunites in this outrageous comedy and also features some of today's biggest comedians including Jimmy Fallon, Eddie Izzard, Dan Aykroyd, and Seth Green. The Pythons are matched against their contemporaries: rock stars, comedians, actors, politicians, Python-haters and potential axe murderers, in this never-before-seen outrageous comedy from the biggest comedy troupe of all time. Watch as Monty Python is brought to life on-screen in this six part mini-series which is airing on the IFC Chanel. The Monty Python troupe includes John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman.

Review: We love Monty Python here at the Legion.  When I say that we love Monty Python, I mean that we're complete fanboys.  We've seen all of the films that Terry Gilliam has directed.  We watch Michael Palin and John Cleese whenever possible in film roles.  Eric Idle still convinces us to watch the terrible films that he cameos in.   We still mourn Graham Chapman.  We're sad like that.  Needless to say, when there was a new Monty Python release coming out, it got our attention!

This blu-ray collects a six-part documentary series that will be running on the Independant Film Channel (IFC).  The documentary takes a unique look at the Python boys by conducting interviews with each of them about their days on the Flying Circus show, up to the present day.  They explain a lot of the behind the scenes motivations to things that we don't understand as fans, such as why there will be no new Python projects with the remaining boys.

This set really delves into any and everything you could want to know about Monty Python.  You even get to hear from celebrity fans like Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Izzard.  I highly recommend picking up this blu-ray.  Of note, its the only other Monty Python blu-ray release next to the Life of Brian, and this one is far more entertaining!

Rating: a strong 5 out of 5 stars

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Blu-Ray Review

You can purchase this blu-ray online today!

Synopsis: History is larger than life—and twice as funny—in this monumental comedy sequel that’s “better than the original” (At the Movies)! Ben Stiller leads an all-star cast (including Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria and Robin Williams) as Larry Daley, a former night watchman at the Museum of Natural History, where the exhibits come to life after dark. But now Larry’s nocturnal friends are being retired to the archives of the Smithsonian Institution, luring him back for a hilarious, all-out battle against museum misfits who plan to take over the Smithsonian...and the world!

Review: I remember when I took my family to see the first Night at the Museum.  I figured that it was going to be a rather dull and cliche kids movie.  And while it did employ some predictable elements, I had no idea that it was going to be so much fun.  Therefore, I was really looking forward to seeing the sequel.  Does it stack up to the first?  Read on...

The magical stone that brings all of the museum characters to life is being transferred to the Smithsonian museum and Ben Stiller needs to return to rescue it.  On the way we meet some new characters, most notably an evil pharoh played by Hank Azaria.  Azaria rescues this film with his fantastic comedic timing and whit.

The transfer on the blu-ray is flawless.  The high-definition graphics really help to move along the action sequences and I won't lie..I'm spoiled.  I want to see everything in HD now, so the blu-ray is the only way to go.  Plus, this one comes packed with the DVD and a digital copy for the iPod, so how can you really go wrong?

This film could easily have been horrible and deserving of a direct to DVD status.  While it doesn't exactly break down any cinematic barriers, it definately succeeds in being a pleasing and enjoyable film.  I have to highly recommend it to anyone with kids.  A great Xmas gift.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Kevin Smith Blu-Ray Box Set Review!

The Negotiator Blu-Ray Review














You can purchase this blu-ray disc today!

Synopsis: Maverick hostage negotiator Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is framed for embezzlement and murder. Just married and unjustly faced with prison, Roman turns hostage-taker to smoke out the guilty ones. Squaring off against him is respected, methodical negotiator Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey). F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, Be Cool) directs a top ensemble cast (including David Morse and J.J. Walsh) in a story honed with spiraling tension and volatile action – and unfolding via a dazzling series of twists and gambits.

Review: I remember when the Negotiator came out 11 years ago. It was a time when Kevin Spacey wasn’t quite as established in off-color films. Its a rare chance to see him do a rather conventional action-suspense film. We’re big fans of Spacey around the DVD Legion offices, so we were anxious to see this film in high-definition.

The film is basically a mystery thriller the first time you watch it. Samuel L. Jackson is hoping that Kevin Spacey can help him figure out who in his department is framing him before its too late. The film has a great script, its well-paced and full of great edits. It keeps you on the edge of your seat most of the time. Even after subsequent viewings and knowing the mystery, its still fun to watch.

The blu-ray transfer is fantastic. Its quite clear and crisp, no noticable scratches or dust. I didn’t really even notice any soft spots in the film. Special Features on the blu-ray include: The 11th Hour: Stories from Real Negotiators Featurette, On Location Making-Of Featurette and Original Theatrical Trailer.

We highly recommend this film to anyone that is into action, suspsense or thriller mysteries. Its a great ride!

Rating: 5 Stars

Links: http://www.warnerblu.com/