You can enter to win one of these great DVD sets from DVDLegion.com!  You can read our review of the set HERE.

You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: Released from the Major League Baseball Film and Video archives for the first time ever, each disc features the actual television broadcasts of this historic Fall Classic.  The seven games in this remarkable DVD collection showcase the rollercoaster of intra-state emotions as the Cardinals flew out to grab three quick wins in the first four games, only to have the Royals capture the final three games in oh-so-dramatic fashion.  These vintage games capture the beauty of mid-1980s Royals Stadium, a roster of all-time Royals stars, and a battle of players, managers, and intra-state cities that enthralled the region and delighted a nation.

DVD bonuses on the set include the 1985 Kansas City Royals season Highlight Film, segment on George Brett Hometown Hero, Bret Saberhagen Cy Young Award Winner, and classic segments including: ALCS Highlights; Royals Clubhouse Celebration,  “Royals Looking Back”  and “How The Royals Met the Cardinals”.

Review: I won't lie, I'm not a huge sports person.  I don't watch it anymore, but as a kid I grew up in the midwest and around here it was all about the KC Royals!  I remember the 1985 World Series when they faced the Cardinals.  Its a now epic battle that has gone down in history.  You got players like George Brett and Bret Saberhagen leading the team in their glory days.

This DVD set commemorates the 1985 World Series by giving us all seven of the games in their original television broadcasts.  You can literally relive the series!  Its a wonderful piece of history and most certainly something that any baseball fan needs to own!

We're going to be giving away one of these great sets!  Watch the site later for a giveaway!

Interest Range: Baseball, Kansas City Royals, Sports

You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: Lab technician Virgil Gurdies embarks on an epic quest to create the greatest goat cheese the world has ever known, and reclaim the heart of his beloved Angie. She has taken a new job in Detroit and to follow her means signing his life over to his soul-sapping career in artificial flavor additives. To stay behind and pursue his newfound passion for fine artisanal goat cheese, is to risk losing her forever. Despite his lack of resources, experience, or basic competency in the field of agriculture, Virgil heads for the hills (literally) with a felonious German baker, a grave- digging hermit, and a tiny white goat named Artois. With Angie awaiting his imminent return and a conference of the International Cheese Consortium just a few months away, he has no choice but to go for broke. Throw away everything he has on a gamble: That, before it is too late, he can craft a cheese that will change the world. A cheese that will buy him a new life. A cheese of destiny.

Review: I just got done reviewing an indie film called Entre Nos.  It is a dark and unrelenting drama about the harsh realities of life.  This is the exact polar opposite of that film!  Artois the Goat was a welcome break from drama with an indie delve into the extremely comedic!

This lab tech named Virgil basically is trying to win back the love of his life with this crazy quest to create the best goat cheese.  Yep, thats the plot of the film!  It eneds up being hilarious and heart warming as he learns the inevitable lessons of life and the secrets to love.  Its a cute film and definately worth your time.  It makes a great film to watch with your sweetheart.

Interest Range: Indie Film, Comedy

Synopsis: Mariana (Paola Mendoza) is determined to keep her family together. Her children, Gabriel (Sebastian Villada Lopez), 10, and Andrea (Laura Montana Cortez), 6, have grown up in Colombia without their father. He immigrated to the United States years earlier in order to make a better life for his family. Finally after many years of separation the family is reunited in New York City. After coming home late from work one night Antonio announces he has found work in Miami and will be moving there...alone. He will send for the family when he is settled. Days go by and Mariana does not hear from him. Worried and desperate, she goes to her only friend s home only to find out Antonio is not coming back. The rent is due, there is no food on the table and Mariana has fifty dollars to her name. With no one to turn to, she must find a way, in a strange city where she barely speaks the language, to provide for her family, financially and emotionally. Mariana makes homemade empanadas (meat patties), which she tries to sell on the streets, however this quickly fails. With all options closing in on her, Mariana turns to the city s trash, collecting cans in order to put food on the table. With Gabriel and Andrea working beside her, the family finds the most stability they have known since their arrival, and it is during these challenging moments that the family triumphs. In entre nos, Mariana, Gabriel and Andrea take us on a remarkable journey where we bear witness to a family s commitment to survival and their unrelenting hope for the American dream...one soda can at a time.

Review: We're big fans of Independant Filmmaking here at the Legion.  Its really nice to see movie making that still captures your soul and moves you.   This tale of a woman that comes to America, only to be abandoned by her husband and have to find a way to support her family against all odds.  You truly feel her desolation and desperation as she struggles to achieve the myth of the American dream.

Entre Nos is without a doubt one of the most emotional and moving films that I've seen and its most definately the best drama of 2010! 

Interest Range: Indie Film, Drama

 You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: The series featured the adventures of DC Comics book heroes Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. These five superheroes along with superheroes in training Wendy, Marvin, and Wonder Dog focused their abilities on putting away criminals, saving lives, and stopping terrible disasters. Each episode of the SuperFriends was geared to present, not only action, but also some lesson of educational value. A number of other famous DC comic book heroes appeared: Plastic Man, The Flash, and Green Arrow Eight 1-hour timeless adventures in a Deluxe 2-Disc Collector’s Edition showcase the universe’s greatest heroes paving the way for a brighter future.

Review: This review is courtesy of our network site www.legionsofgotham.org

The Super Friends is a classic cartoon that has enthralled fans of all ages.  To those of us that grew up on it as children, which can be quite a few as the show spanned over a decade in it's various incarnations, to our own children that are seeing it now for the first time.  I won't lie to you, the show is dated.  Its old and its silly.  Its also fun and safe for your kids.  Its not as dark as some of the other incarnations and not as painfully campy as Brave and the Bold.  Its not trying so hard to be anything but fun for kids.  The best thing about all of these new DVD releases is not only can you relive your childhood memories of this great series, but you can now share it with your own kids.

This volume of Super Friends is the second volume of the original season.  Warner Bros. has kinda released these in a random order, but we're finally starting to wrap it all up!  This is a solid set.  It has very nice graphics and a neat little slipcase to give the set a little bit of class on your shelf.  Its a solid release with some great episodes of the show.  Bottom line, if you dig the Super Friends, then you'll dig this.  Its not heavy on extras in the slightest, but its a great collection of episodes.

Synopsis: For hundreds of years, Africa has existed in a state of despair Famine, civil wars and rampant disease have left the continent without hope, but for the efforts of Western do-gooders. At first, they arrived with food, bibles and the magic of penicillin; more recently they have hosted rock concerts and sent plane loads of grain. And in the last decade of the 20th century they arrived and took babies home with them. First there was Angelina, then Madonna, and now...Pauly Shore!

Review: I first heard about this documentary while listening to Pauly Shore on the Howard Stern Show.  We haven't seen a lot of Pauly Shore in past years, so its a welcome return as far as we're concerned here at the Legion.  This documentary chronicles Pauly's spoof of the Hollywood community as he goes to a foreign country and tries to adopt a child.

The film first and foremost is funny.  Shore still has it and the documentary puts him in the best situations.  What really struck me most about this documentary, though, is how it really had a heart.  The film gives stats on orphans around the world and some adoption numbers.  There is such a need out there and while this film spoofs, it also brings attention to the millions of abandoned children around the world.  

A very nice return for Pauly Shore and a great documentary.

Interest Range: Documentary, Pauly Shore

Synopsis: Returning home to a small town in Montana for her high school reunion, filmmaker Kimberly Reed hopes for reconciliation with her long-estranged adopted brother, Marc. But along the way she uncovers stunning revelations, including Marc's blood relationship with Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, intense sibling rivalries and unforeseeable twists of plot and gender that forces them to face challenges no one could imagine.

Winner of Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival's FIPRESCI prize, Jury Award for Best Documentary at Newfest, and Special Jury Prizes for Bravery in Filmmaking at the Florida and Nashville Film Festivals, Prodigal Sons is a raw and provocative examination of one family's struggle to come to terms with its past and present.

Review: I was definately not expecting what I got from this film!  You go into it thinking ok..here is a male to female transgendered woman that is going back to her hometown for a reunion.  No doubt it will be met with shock and awe when the school jock is a woman now, with a female partner...right?  Amazingly enough..wrong.   She actually gets a nice reception from her old classmates!   

all is well, right?  Wrong.  She is trying to reconnect with her adopted brother Marc.  This is where the twist comes..he is going through his own crisis of who he is, as he discovers his relation to Orson Welles!  I wish that I was related to Orson Welles.  My relatives are less than interesting!  

Bottom line, this is a great documentary.  It couldn't be better if it was scripted and planned!  Absolutely loved it and I highly recommend.

Interest Range: Documentary Film

 Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, On Demand and for Download 7/20!

Synopsis: An explosive action tale of betrayal and revenge, The Losers centers around an elite Special Forces unit sent to the Bolivian jungle on a search-and-destroy mission. But the team – Clay, Jensen, Roque, Pooch and Cougar – soon find that they have become the target of a deadly double cross instigated by a powerful enemy known only as Max. Making good use of the fact they’re now presumed dead, the group goes deep undercover in a dangerous plot to clear their names and even the score with Max.

Review: The Losers is one of those classic action shoot 'em up films.  Based on a comic book, the Losers is another in an increasing line of movies that take the comics seriously.  And in this case it really does pay off.

I would almost go as far as to call this film Oceans 11...with guns.  It has great character development and such a great mix of action and snarky humor that it is sure to please.  The blu-ray looks fantastic, because the film has plenty of special effects that are best enjoyed in high-definition.

The blu-ray special features include: Zoe and the Losers, Band of Buddies: OPS Training,
The Losers: Action-Style Storytelling,  Sneak Peek at Batman: Under the Red Hood and Deleted scenes

Links: http://www.the-losers.com/dvd/

Synopsis: Officers Jimmy Monroe and Paul Hodges have their weapons drawn on a gun-wielding killer. They agree to shoot on three. But, wait, does that mean 1…2…shoot or 1…2…3…then shoot? Punches hit hard and laughs hit harder (or is it the other way ’round?) when action star Bruce Willis and ace comic Tracy Morgan pair as bickering-but-got-your-back Brooklyn buddy cops. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) directs the gritty, goofball goings-on as the guys hunt for a stolen 1952 mint-condition baseball card (Jimmy needs it to fund his daughter’s wedding), a hunt plunging them into a gunslinging war with a deadly drug ring. Batter up, fans. The boys are ready to take you out to the ol’ brawl game!

Review: Cop Out is one of those movies that got a very bad theatrical reception.  It just didn't resonate with audiences well, I don't know if they were expecting something different, but that really soured what I expected going into this film.  When we popped in this blu-ray I was pleased to find that not only was it funny, but it was highly enjoyable.

Firstly, Kevin Smith is a mastermind.  The man pulls things out of his ass almost without fail.  Even his lesser known films like Jersey Girl were enjoyable.  Is it Clerks II?  No.  It is a great movie though. A perfect mixture of action and comedy.  Its very similar to the Rush Hour and Beverly Hills cop formulas.  In fact, this feels like the type of film they would've made back in the 1980s.  Its two cops that are buddies that stumble onto a huge drug dealer, all the while searching for a baseball card that was stolen from one of the cops that is supposed to be sold an used to pay for his daughter's wedding, so that her jerk step-dad (played by the great Jason Lee) can't step in and make him look bad.  Whew.  All in one breath!

Bottom line, don't listen to the hype..or lacktherof.  Its a fun film and is definately best seen in blu-ray high-definition!  The Kevin Smith extras are hilarious.

Interest Range: Comedy, Action, Kevin Smith

 

Synopsis: They’re cunning. They’re stealthy. They’re waging a top-secret, ultra-high-tech struggle for global domination right under our noses. They’re…Cats & Dogs! Witness this epic “tail” of what happens when an eccentric professor (Jeff Goldblum) makes a discovery that could tip the age-old balance of pet power. Now an inexperienced young beagle pup (voiced by Tobey Maguire) will undertake the ultimate mission impawsible: saving humankind from total catastrophe! Voices of Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Jon Lovitz, Charlton Heston and Sean Hayes are also featured.

Review: Oh, no..here comes the cliche, right?  A talking animal kids movie.  Not again!  Right?  Wrong!  Cats and Dogs revolutionized kids movies with their snarky and fun take on the talking animals.  The film has great star power with Susan Sarandon and Jon Lovitz and as many jokes for the adults as the kids!  This film is a spoof on James Bond and other action spy films, but with the premise that there is a secret world existing beneath ours amongst the pets!

The sequel to Cats and Dogs (The Revenge of Pussy Galore) is coming to theaters and now you can see the original hit on blu-ray for the first time.  The sound and picture both look fantastic.  The transfer into high-definition was a wonderful success.   Our kids love this film and continue to be huge fans of what is turning out to be a cool franchise.

Links: www.warnerblu.com

Interest Range: Kids Movies, Talking Animals

Synopsis: Roger Greenberg (Stiller) is single, fortyish and deliberately doing nothing. In search of a place to restart his life, he agrees to housesit for his brother in LA and tries to reconnect with his former bandmate (Rhys Ifans) and successful ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh). But old friends aren't necessarily still best friends, and Greenberg soon finds himself forging a connection with his brother's personal assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig). Despite his best attempts not to be drawn in, Greenberg comes to realize that he may at last have found a reason to be happy. Critics rave, “Greenberg has a soul, a heart and a sense of humor.” (Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com)

Review: This is not your average Ben Stiller film.  This is an independant film in every way, shape and form.  It was done by Noah Baumbach, who is infamous for directing piercing character pieces like Margot at the Wedding and the Squid and the Whale.  This film is dry, shyly dark and full of realism that will turn off anyone looking for a silly comedy.

Greenberg is a great character piece that really illustrates the human condition.  Stiller plays a character that is so vile and yet he does such a great job of coyly convincing us to feel for him.  This is the type of film that gives me hope in the industry, when you can find a 'big name' actor willing to flex his real acting muscle and not pander to the mainstream.   This is art film in its finest and I highly recommend it.

The film comes off best on blu-ray, so if you have the ability to get it in high-definition, definately do so!

Interest Range: Indie Film, Noah Baumbach

Synopsis: A thriller to keep you wide awake in mesmerizing hi-def from the director of The Dark Knight and Inception. Invited to Nightmute, Alaska, to head a murder case, a veteran LAPD detective finds his investigation disrupted by an ever-shining midnight sun that wreaks sleep-depriving havoc on him – and by personal guilt over a second crime that may be real...or a figment of his increasingly unstable consciousness. Director Christopher Nolan (whose other credits include Memento and Batman Begins) crafts another jolting psychological thriller to remember, guiding Academy Award winners* Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank in Insomnia. In the season of the midnight sun, no one – and no secret – can forever hide.

Review: Insomnia was the second offering from director Christopher Nolan.  It was a far departure from his debut film, Memento, which was full of twists and mind-bending turns.    The cast is all-star with Robin Williams and Al Pacino.  The film is essentially a cop drama and it was really a way for Nolan to show is level of range after Memento, so that he wouldn't be sectioned off as an oddball indie film director.

You may know Nolan's name for reviving the Batman franchise with Batman Begins and the now infamous, The Dark Knight.   You can really see his ability for these films in Insomnia, and no doubt his pulling off of this film contributed to his getting work on Batman.  The scenery is so epic and grand that it almost overshadows the small cop drama plot.  The film itself isn't terribly odd or extraordinary, but in fact it is a typical film, done in such a way that it grabs you.

The blu-ray looks fantastic and the film definately shines in high-definition.  We recommend this film for any fan of Nolans and anyone that enjoys police drama and suspense.

Links: www.warnerblu.com

Interest Range: Thriller, Suspense, Christopher Nolan

 You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: Out of the vaults and into the light: a fascinating 4-Disc Set showcasing 8 genre gems rich with the intensity and diversity of noir! Disc 1 wreaks revenge, with Dick Powell on the hunt in Cornered and Steve Brodie on the lam in Desperate. Caught-in-the-act immediacy highlights Disc 2’s corruption exposé The Phenix City Story and the hostage drama Dial 1119. Disc 3 turns procedural with noir ace Charles McGraw bulldogging the perps of an Armored Car Robbery then turns to social-conscience filmmaking with Crime in the Streets (John Cassavetes and Sal Mineo star). An unfatale femme is rare in noir but invaluable when strong dames help their men out of jams, as do Disc 4’s Susan Hayward in Deadline at Dawn and Virginia Mayo in Backfire. Step into the shadows and suspense.

Review: We're talking guns, dancers, crime, women and an old world sensibility that you just don't see in film today.  This fifth collection in the Film Noir series by Warner Bros. has another great collection of retro film.  We get a lot of these types of collections at the Legion, but none like this one.  I started to watch these old films and I was drawn right into the world of yesterday.  It was so much fun to see these black and whites from the 1940s and 1950s. 

The collection is eight films on four discs and it doesn't disappoint.  If you enjoy retro film at all, then this set is for you!  Its definately a peek back into culture and the way movies were made during the WWII and post WWII era.

Cornered (1945):
From England to continental Europe to Buenos Aires, ex-RCAF pilot Dick Powell stalks the Nazi collaborator who murdered his bride. But one fact constantly surfaces during his quest: no one can describe the mysterious man. Joining Powell in the film shadows are the director and other key talent behind Murder, My Sweet of the year before.

Special Features:
Cornered trailer.

Runtime:           102 minutes
Rating: NR
Film Specs:       B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language:         English Mono
Subtitles:           English

Desperate (1947):
Desperate is the first of seven atmospheric noirs directed by Anthony Mann. Steve Brodie is a postwar every man who accepts what he thinks is an honest trucking job, only to find he’s the driver in a botched heist that puts Brodie and his bride (Audrey Long) on the run from the cops and the cons who planned the job (including chief thug Raymond Burr).

Runtime:              73 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:          B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English

The Phenix City Story (1955):
Corruption, brutality and vice plagued Phenix City, Alabama, for 100 years, so who would dare to change it? Based on real-life events and filmed on location in what was called Sin City USA, director Phil Karlson’s semi-documentary tells the jolting tale of those who risked their lives to bring the burg’s syndicate of thugs and murderers to justice.

RT:                      100 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:          B&W 16x9 Widescreen 1.77
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English


Dial 1119 (1950):
An asylum inmate escapes to the city, where he takes hostages at a local dive, guns down a bar employee and warns authorities his captives will be next if the doctor whose testimony first put him away doesn’t arrive within the hour. A bit of casting irony goes with the movie’s then-novel use of TV news coverage: actors Marshall Thompson, William Conrad, Keefe Brasselle and Leon Ames would have significant career ventures in television.

Special Features:
Includes Dial 1119 theatrical trailer.

RT:                      75 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:          B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English

Armored Car Robbery (1950):
Richard Fleischer directs this brute-force milestone about a deadly heist and the battle of wits and firepower between a fugitive gangster (William Talman) and his stripper moll (Adele Jergens) and a bulldog cop (Charles McGraw), out to avenge his partner’s death, who uses hidden microphones, lab work and his own well-honed instincts to close the net.

RT:                      68 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:          B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English

Crime in the Streets (1956):
Following a turf rumble with a rival group, a street gang leader (John Cassavetes) tells his gang to do what they’ve never done before: kill a snitch. Reginald Rose wrote and Don Siegel directs a jazz-riffing screen version of a tale first seen on TV and co-starring James Whitmore and Sal Mineo.

RT:                      91 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:          B&W 16x9 Widescreen 1.77
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English

Deadline At Dawn (1946):
A gangster’s sister lies dead. All clues point to sailor Bill Williams as the murderer. Slated to depart for duty at dawn, the swabbie, aided by good-hearted dime-a-dancer Susan Hayward and affable cabbie Paul Lukas, has mere hours to prove his innocence. The tangy Clifford Odets script is based on a novel by William Irish (pseudonym of Cornell Woolrich).

RT:                      83 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:                   B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English

Backfire (1950):
Vincent Sherman directs this gripping yarn about recovering war veteran Gordon MacRae’s quest to prove pal Edmond O’Brien innocent of murder. Aiding him is his resourceful nurse Virginia Mayo. And a secretive doctor, a lively undertaker, a desperate gambler, a dying witness and a haunting Viennese melody all lead them to a shocking climax.

RT:                      91 minutes
Rating:                 NR
Film Specs:          B&W 4x3 1.37 standard aspect ratio
Language:            English Mono
Subtitles:              English

Links: www.warnerbros.com

Interest Range: Vintage Film, Noir Film

Synopsis: Batman faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when the Joker falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.

Review: This review is courtesy of our network site Legions of Gotham.

I've had mixed reactions to the DC Universe movies thus far.  I was pleased with Superman: Doomsday, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, but the Bat-related films have been lacking in my opinion.  None of them have really felt like they belong until Under the Red Hood.

I popped in the blu-ray a few weeks back and it is just phenominal.  Firstly, this release has a TON of extras!  We're talking documentaries about Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, classic B:TAS episodes and a cool Jonah Hex animated short.

The voice actors chosen for the film were all fantastic.  Especially the Joker.  I'm going to tell you right now, the Joker steals the show.  John DiMaggio is on my top list of favorite Joker voice actors...he's absolutely fantastic and I hope that we see him in the role again.  He does a great job of balancing the menacing tone of the Joker with a slight dash of insanity.

Under the Red Hood is well animated, well acted and well scripted.  They finally 'get' the Bat-Universe with this one.  I hope that we see more like this one.   I think the great quality is due to the director Brandon Vietti.  Brandon is a friend of Legions of Gotham and we've gotten to know him over the years, and he really 'gets' Batman.  He's a huge bat-fan and that really shows through in this feature film.    We highly recommend picking up this blu-ray!

Interest Range: Dc Universe, Batman, Dc Comics, Animated Film

Synopsis: Playing cat and mouse for years, an unlikely partnership is formed between a con artist and an FBI agent in USA’s hit original series, “White Collar." Matt Bomer plays Neal Caffrey, a charming criminal mastermind, who is finally caught by his nemesis, FBI Agent Peter Burke played by Tim DeKay. When Neal escapes from a maximum-security prison to find his long-lost love, Peter nabs him once again. Rather than returning to jail, Neal suggests an alternate plan: he’ll provide his criminal expertise to assist the Federal Agents in catching other elusive criminals. Initially wary, Peter quickly finds that Neal provides insight and intuition that can’t be found on the right side of the law. “White Collar” also stars Tiffani Thiessen (“Saved By The Bell”) and Willie Garson (Sex and the City) and Natalie Morales.

Review: There is a lot of crime drama on television.  In fact, I'd dare say that there is too much crime drama on television.  Its a flooded market.  In this marketplace, you want to see something different.  We don't need more CSI or Law and Order.  Then, someone gets the brilliant plan of focusing on conmen and we get shows like TNT's Leverage and USA's White Collar.

White Collar is one of those great cat and mouse type crime shows.  It has plenty of drama, but its mixed with humor.  Not ha ha funny humor, but hey we just saw this anti-hero screw the badguy with his elaborate scheme humor.  Its a light-hearted show that has a serious side.  White Collar is without a doubt one of the best new shows on television.  It follows in the veign of movies like Oceans 11-13, where we get some fantastic cat and mouse action.

The blu-ray of the first season is now available.  The show looks fantastic in high-definition.  This is one of those that you can watch more than once, because more than likely you missed something the first go-around anyway, and its definately entertaining enough to become a favorite.  I look forward to seeing season two!

Interest Range: Crime Drama, USA Network

Synopsis: A village in Protestant northern Germany. 1913-1914. On the eve of World War I. The story of the children and teenagers of a choir run by the village schoolteacher, and their families: the baron, the steward, the pastor, the doctor, the midwife, the tenant farmers. Strange accidents occur and gradually take on the character of a punishment ritual. Who is behind it all?

Review: The White Ribbon took me by surprise.  It looked rather boring to be honest, but once it got going, it was anything but.  It was rather dark and twisted to be honest.  I mean that in the best of ways.  Its definately not for the squeamish.

This black and white film is set in a World War One era Germany.  The black and white coloring is a great little trick to give it that vintage and authentic feel.  This film goes into some very disturbing and graphic punishment rituals that may shock some and intrigue others.  It was a great watch, full of drama and a bit of mystery.  In the end, I'd say its one of the most outstaning films I've seen this year.

The special features on the blu-ray release include:

Interest Range: WWI era, Dark Drama, Adults only

Synopsis: Experience this captivating special that marked the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking children’s series that taught us our ABCs, 123s, and so much more! Hosted by Bill Cosby, SESAME STREET: 20 YEARS...AND STILL COUNTING! includes appearances by favorite “Sesame Street” residents like Big Bird, Grover, Bob and Maria. It also features timeless clips from past episodes; performances by Ray Charles and famed tenor Plácido Domingo (with his operatic Muppet™ counterpart, Plácido Flamingo); and in-depth interviews with the series’ creators. Sweep the clouds away and rediscover the carefree days of childhood with this delightful special! “Sesame Street” is produced by the nonprofit educational organization, Sesame Workshop.

Review: I can't believe that Sesame Street has been around for 40 years now!  This DVD collects a special documentary on the show that features clips and interviews from 20 years ago on the 20th anniversary of the show!  Its great that they're releasing all of this Sesame Street stuff this year.  I have found more and more that I appreciate Sesame Street, not just for my own memories, but for the news ones that the show continues to give my own children.  In a world of constant change, this is one show that has always been there for us!

The special is great.  Its from 1990, so it feels a little dated, which just adds to the fun.  I learned quite a bit about the production of the show and we get to see a ton of great clips of the characters and guest stars of the show up to that date.  This DVD is an absolute must for any fan of the show, serious or casual.  Its also something you can watch with the kids, which lets be honest isn't that easy to find these days!

Interest Range: Sesame Street, Jim Henson, Children's Programming

 You can purchase this DVD exclusively from the Warner Archive today!

Synopsis: Brewster McCloud (Bud Cort) lives deep within the cavernous underground of the Houston Astrodome, but his dreams rise much higher. He aims to fly. Not in a plane. But with strapped-on wings he’s designing – encouraged by a mysterious woman (Sally Kellerman) who may be his guardian angel. But Brewster McCloud, Robert Altman’s wild, anarchic cult fave, isn’t about dreams as much as it is about the highs and lows of humanity. It’s a serial-killer mystery. A frenetic car-chase flick. A crazy circus-finale comedy. Shelley Duvall debuts as the tour guide whose seduction of Brewster may lead to his undoing. Ah, love. The thing that at once shapes and unravels us. The thing that may or may not give us wings.

Review: I had never seen or heard of Brewster McCloud prior to getting this DVD in the mail.  I popped it in expecting some typical 1970s flick and what I got was one of the craziest and most entertaining films that I've seen in some time.  The best way that I can describe this movie is gonzo filmmaking.

Robert Altman, the director of the original MASH film, helms this piece that really can't be described.  I can't even go into giving you more detail than the synopsis, because I just want you to see this one for yourself.  I promise that you're in for a treat.  You can get this one exclusively through the Warner Archive.

Interest Range: Vintage film, Bizarre film

Synopsis: The most successful children’s entertainment group in the world has finally released a collection of their most loved songs, Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles. The Wiggles’ songs have drawn millions of people over the years to see their live concerts. The New York Times called The Wiggles, “the band that rocks the cradle” and this is certainly true. They have set records for their sold out performances everywhere from Madison Square Garden in New York to the Hammersmith Apollo in London to their home town of Sydney, Australia. Their songs are instantly memorable and get you wiggling in seconds! Those same songs have seen music royalty line up to record music with the fab four of fun! We’ve picked the best for you to listen to, but snap it up as this DVD will go like....hot potatoes!

Review: I'm a parent to three wonderful kids and I love the Wiggles.  If I weren't a parent, I'd probably make fun of them and really not 'get it', but being a parent I've had the chance to not only struggle to find decent programming for my little ones, but to appreciate what good children's programming can bring.  Everything Sesame Street does is gold and the Wiggles are also on that level.

This DVD is a 'greatest hits' of sorts, giving some of the best clips from the various Wiggles specials/movies.  Its a great watch and definately fun for everyone.

The DVD extras include Interviews with the Wiggles' mums, Original film clips from 1991: Rock-A-Bye Your Bear and Here Comes a Bear, The Woman Who Signed the Wiggles!, International film clips: Can You (Point Your Fingers and Do the Twist) (Latin America) and The Monkey Dance (Taiwan), Growing Up with the Wiggles (Fairy Clare and Fairy Larissa), Competition winners' drawings, Wiggletime.com info clip and a Photo gallery

Interest Range: The Wiggles, Kids programming, Pre-K Programming, Singing

Synopsis: At first glance, Ray Drecker seems like an ordinary divorced dad who’s facing tough times and trying to make ends meet. But Ray’s got one extraordinary, God-given gift – call it his “winning tool” – that sets him apart from other underpaid high-school teachers. With a little help from an unlikely business ally named Tanya, Ray is about to hatch an inspired plan to ride his winning tool all the way to a moreproductive, debt-free life.

Review: HBO often has great programming, but HUNG is the best show I've seen in years.  Its literally hilarious and dramatic all at once.  If you enjoy WEEDS, HUNG is kinda like its male counterpart.  I mean that in the most flattering of ways.

Ray, played by Punisher star Thomas Jane, is a screw-up.  He's a divorced gym teacher and father who can't afford his life and lives in a busted old house by the lake.  He has failure after failure in his life, until he goes to these motivational seminars about finding your 'winning tool'.  He quickly decides that his winning tool is...well...his tool.  He subsequently decides to become a male escort and bumbles his way into the world with the help of Tanya as a shy, but odd pimp.  

The show is hands-down original and hilarious.  It only has 12 episodes, but each is more enjoyable than the last.  I can't wait for season 2.  This one is best seen in blu-ray, as is everything these days!  I highly recommend.

Interest Range: TV Shows, Drama, Sensual, Dark Comedy

Synopsis: 2010 Oscar Nominee for Best Documentary Co-winner of 2009 Freedom of Expression Award from the National Board of Review (and one of their Five Best Documentaries of the Year), Winner of the Special Jury Award at IDFA, and now nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary, The Most Dangerous Man in America tells the story of Daniel Ellsberg, a high-level Pentagon official and Vietnam War strategist, who in 1971 concluded that the war is based on decades of lies and leaks 7,000 pages of top secret documents to The New York Times, making headlines around the world. A riveting story of how this one man's profound change of heart created a landmark struggle involving America's newspapers, its president and Supreme Court. With Daniel Ellsberg, Patricia Ellsberg, Tony Russo, Howard Zinn, Hedrick Smith, John Dean, and, from the secret White House tapes, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger, who called Ellsberg "the most dangerous man in America."

Review: We love documentary films here at the Legion.  We watch them often and most definately enjoy just about every one that we see.  This one on Daniel Ellsberg really stands out as a high-quality production that is well researched and full of great info and insights.  Obviously the Academy feels the same, since this was nominated for an Oscar!  Wow!  Thats quite a coup for production company First Run Features!

For those that may not be familiar with Ellsberg, he is the man that single-handedly blew Watergate wide open and helped to finally end the Vietnam war!  Sounds like a hero, right?  Except when you factor in that he helped to plan the war in the first place!  This is a great documentary that is a must-see for any American.

Interest Range: Documentary Film, Vietnam, Nixon

Synopsis: In the near future as fear of terrorism escalates, privacy is a luxury of the past. Now, in people's homes, on the streets, in the workplace, everyone is constantly being watched by mobile robotic cameras known as "Eyeborgs." But are the cameras just watching...or are they up to something else? As an increasing number of people die in bizarre ways, federal agent Gunner Reynolds (Adrian Paul, TV's Highlander) is determined to find out after he realizes that a camera has recorded an event much differently than he recalls.

Review: Ok, you can approach a movie like this in two ways.  I think if you're a fan of campy sci-fi you'll look at the cover of this film and be interested.  If you're into just normal films, you may be turned off by how it looks.  I want to say, don't be fooled!  This is not a crappy movie!  Thats right, its actually really, really enjoyable!  The film falls somewhere in-between V for Vendetta and Terminator.  Its an action film to be sure, but the dialogue is really high-quality.  I was impressed.

Adrian Paul (of TV's Highlander fame) pulled out a really great performance.  He hasn't done much to speak of since Highlander, but I loved that show.  He really put in the effort here and exceeded by expectations.  The film has a great political message about our privacy as a backdrop, but its not too preachy.  Its fun and definately worth owning.

Due to the surprisingly great special effects for a lower budget film, you'll want this one on blu-ray.  The high-definition picture is fantastic!

Interest Range: Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure

 You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: ER continues to find ways to captivate its audience, as more than 11 million viewers turned in for Season 13. This season, Dr. Tony Gates (John Stamos) returns to the ER, now as an intern, with a straightforward attitude and a complicated personal life. He is Dr. Gallant?s opposite: brash, cocksure, with a bad-boy past, and maybe the right prescription for Neela?s (Parminder Nagra) broken heart. Further shaking up the ER, Weaver (Laura Innes) decides to leave County General for a career move you wouldn?t expect. And the profound dramas of the outside world continue to make their way to the ER, including a hostile patient whose real condition is a secret even to himself, homeless children who escape to a magic world of their own making, and a Christmas miracle. Then again, miracles happen every day at County General.

Review: Another fantastic season of ER!  My wife made me watch ER every Thursday on NBC.   When I say that she made me I mean to say that...well, she made me.  I've never been much on the medical drama, but this one really started to grow on me.  This was my issue with the show..shell out some money and keep a cast member for more than three seasons.  After awhile it just got crazy, because to watch a show I have to be invested in the characters..its not the ER itself that I care about, so why keep switching it up on me?!  That being said, ER was a phenominal show.

Season 13 of ER was no exception to the tone of absolute drama!  The show cast has now been changed-up quite a bit and season 13 sees the pernament addition of John Stamos to the cast as Tony Gates.   Weaver has fallen from grace and we see the aftermath of the kidnapping of nurse Sam's kid Alex.  Unfortunately, this season gives us a new actor for Alex, which is kinda distracting, but nevertheless.   Its another great season, full of wonderful situations, like the one where Forest Whitaker plays a patient suing Luka for malpractice!  

This show is a must-own and a great addition to your DVD library!

Links: www.ertv.com

Interest Range: TV Shows, Drama, Medical Drama

Synopsis: Fantastic special effects by Ray Harryhausen and exciting mythological adventure make this a film that is fun for everyone. It's the story of Jason (Todd Armstrong), a fearless sailor and explorer, who returns to the kingdom of Thessaly after a 20-year voyage to make his rightful claim to the throne. But to do so, Jason must first find the magical Golden Fleece. He selects a crew and with the help of Hera, Queen of the Gods, sets sail in search of the Fleece. Jason and his crew must overcome incredible obstacles including a 100-foot bronze giant, the venomous Hydraa huge creature with the heads of seven snakes, and a spectacular battle with an army of skeletons.

Review: Jason and the Argonauts is a classic 1960s fantasy epic that featured the stop-motion animation of the great and legendary Ray Harryhausen.   This film is not only fantastic, but its a great piece of cinematic history.  It pre-dates other popular Harryhausen fantasy epics, like Clash of the Titans.

The film itself is a classic and has been widely seen, so lets focus on the blu-ray release!  The transfer is into 1080p and you can imagine what that looks like on a film that is over 40 years old, right?   Wrong.  It actually looks pretty dynamic. Here are the facts, there is grain.  A lot of grain, but the rest of the picture is pretty well cleaned-up.  The colors are rather dynamic, but the stop motion animation definately suffers in high-definition.  Overall, its a great release and a nice way to update your library with a classic.

You can fend off the skeleton warriors and pick-up your copy today!

Interest Range: Classic Film, Sci-Fi Classic, Fantasy Classic

Synopsis: A missed flight...a lack of intimacy...guarded secrets... To Catherine (Julianne Moore), every detail suggests that her husband David (Liam Neeson) has been unfaithful. But there's only one way to know for sure. Catherine pays the mysterious Chloe (Amanda Seyfriend), an escort, to seduce her husband. She wants to know exactly how far she can trust him. But soon Catherine finds herself pushed beyond all limits as passions burn and obsessions build. From Academy Award®-nominated director Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter, 1997).

Review: Chloe is one of those films that only comes around so often.  Its a sensual thriller that has some rather twisted dimensions.  Julianne Moore plays the wife suspecting her husband (Liam Neeson) of infidelity.  She hires a prostitute (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him and ends up pretty much directing their encounters and gets lost in the sensual world she has created.  

Firstly, if hookers looked like Amanda Seyfried I think that industry would be a bit more popular.  Thats Hollywood for you though!   This film is fantastic.  I kind thought it'd be a snoozer going into it, but I found myself really involved with Moore's performance and definately interested in everything Seyfried was doing on screen!  Neeson bores me a bit, but he plays a good slimeball husband.

Overall, fantastic watch.  I definately recommend getting it in blu-ray..you need to see every steamy moment in blu-ray high-definition!

Interest Range: Drama, Sensual Thriller