Synopsis: Teen sensation Selena Gomez (Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place) teams up with newcomer Joey King in this delightful coming-of-age comedy based on the best-selling books by Beverly Cleary. Ramona (King) is a little girl with a very big imagination and a nose for mischief. Her playful antics keep everyone in her loving family on their toes, including her older sister Beezus (Gomez), who's just trying to survive her first year of high school. Through all the ups and downs of childhood, Ramona and Beezus learn that anything’s possible when you believe in yourself and rely on each other.

Review: I grew up reading Beverly Cleary books.  I don’t know if all boys did, but I’m a weirdo.  I loved Ramona.  I loved Beezus.  I loved that entire series.  Everything from Ramona to their pal Henry Huggins and her Mouse and the Motorcycle series, Cleary was a literary genius, as far as I’m concerned.

Finally, we get a great film adaptation of the book “Beezus and Ramona” reworked as “Ramona and Beezus.  The film is very sweet and fun and definitely does a great job of portraying the special relationship between a teenaged Beezus and her naughty little third-grader sister Ramona.  Beezus is portrayed by the always lovable Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place).  The quality of acting and the great feel of the story definitely makes this an enjoyable film.  I recommend it for the entire family!

The Blu-ray + DVD combo gives you a blu-ray for the family and a DVD for the kids to take and watch (and scratch!).

Interest Range: Family films, Beverly Cleary, Selena Gomez

Synopsis: Make your stand against evil with this exciting Collection of 4 DC Showcase Animated Shorts starring favorite DC Comics super heroes! Chosen the world’s protector against the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man--pride, envy, greed, hatred, selfishness, laziness and injustice--young Billy Batson accepts his destiny as Captain Marvel. Battling alongside Superman against nefarious Black Adam, Billy soon discovers the challenge super heroes ultimately face: is it revenge or justice?  For bounty hunter Jonah Hex and hard-boiled cop turned vengeance ghost The Spectre, getting their hands dirty is part of the job-- maybe even the fun part. But Superman, Green Arrow and Black Canary follow an internal moral code to guide their actions. They know it’s easy to get lost in the darkness of the fight, especially when villans like Merlyn the Magnificent and Count Vertigo place no value on human life.

Review: Dc Comics has been putting out some very cool Dc Universe features over the past few years and with the recent features they have been producing animated shorts.  This new blu-ray set collects the following Dc Showcase Animated Shorts: Jonah Hex (Batman: Under the Red Hood), Green Arrow (Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) and The Spectre (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) and a brand new short Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam, which is a whopping 22 minutes ( a great length for a Dc Showcase Short!).

Superman/Shazam is a great little feature that is primarily full of action and battle between some of the coolest superheroes and villains in the DCU.  It’s a fun watch and this collection is a great way to preserve the new era of Dc animation for any collector.  In some cases these shorts have been better than the actual Dc Universe feature films.

The special features on this blu-ray include: Commentaries by writers Steve Niles, Joe Lansdale, Greg Weisman, and Michael Jelenic and Four bonus TV episodes picked by Bruce Timm.

Links: www.LegionsOfGotham.org

Interest Range: Dc Comics, Dc Showcase Animated Shorts

 You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: Behind the amazing tales of legendary super heroes is the equally amazing story of the company that told them. So many heroes, so many stories to tell--stories of DC Comics' 75 years of challenges, creativity and triumph. This DC Comics Original Documentary is both a compelling insider's tale and a celebration seen through the inkwell of those who created and lived it, balanced with insights from key historians and filled with interviews, archival footage and a dazzling parade of riveting and splashy DC covers. From the bans to the breakthroughs, from humble pulp beginnings to the literary rise of the graphic novel, the story holds a mirror to an ever-evolving enterprise and the society reflected in its comic book pages. It's an American story.

Review: When I first got the Secret Origin DVD in my hands I knew that I would enjoy it.  After all, I’m a huge comic book geek and I love documentaries.  Win-win, right?  What I expected was a very nerdy and sometimes self-indulgent look into how amazing Dc Comics is.  What I actually got was a very well-produced and relevant documentary about the origins of the industry and the influence and ramifications of the characters and the industry on American culture.   I have to admit, I’m rather blown away by it.  I’ve watched it twice already and I’ll probably pop it in again soon.

Ryan Reynolds, who has primarily done Marvel-themed comic book movies (Wolverine and Blade), is starring as Hal Jordan in the Green Lantern feature film next year.  His narration of the documentary is very serious and straight forward.  He gives a great credibility to the piece and I definitely enjoyed it more knowing he was doing the job.

If you’re a fan of comic books at all, you need to see this documentary.  You can actually watch this with non-comic book geeks and they’ll enjoy it.  Its well-made and very interesting with a lot of dimensions.  We highly, highly recommend this one.

Links: www.legionsofgotham.org

Interest Range: Dc Comics, Documentary

Synopsis: From the imagination of Steven Spielberg, The Goonies plunges a band of small heroes into a swashbuckling surprise-around-every corner quest beyond their wildest dreams! Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys…and a mild mannered monster with a face only a mother could love.

Review: “Goonies NEVER say die!” That, along with a hundred other quotes still circle the head of any kid that grew up in the 80s.  If you were a kid in the 80s and you felt even remotely outcast the Goonies were your jam!   The fantasy epic was a mantra for me as a kid.  I can’t say enough good things about this film and I enjoy sharing it with my own kids to this day.

The Goonies follows a group of misfits that live in a seaside town.  Their homes are being forclosed on by an evil banker and they’re going to be split-up as their parents move away to find work.  They find a treasure map from an old pirate named “One-Eyed Willy” and they embark on a journey to find his pirate ship that only leads to trouble.  Along the way they stumble upon some escaped criminal mother and son pair and a second mutated brother who ends up stealing the show with some of the best tag lines from the film.  “Hey You Guuuuys!”.


You should do the truffle shuffle all the way to the store on this one.  It’s a great set and includes a ton of commemorative goodies.  Not to mention the wicked tin slipcase it all comes in.  This one is a home run and would make a GREAT xmas gift.

The special features of this DVD set include: Cast commentary with director and all seven actors, The Making of the Goonies documentary, Cyndi Lauper music video "The Goonies 'R Good Enough", Outtakes, Includes new board game, original movie storyboard reproductions, 1985 souvenir magazine reprint, and reprint of 2009 Empire Magazine article with cast photos and updates.

Links: www.TheGooniesMovie.com

Interest Range: 80s classics

Synopsis: They arrive. Earth’s first alien encounter begins when huge motherships appear over 29 major cities. The visitors – the Vs – are human-like beings who know our languages and bring awesome gifts of healing and technology. People everywhere welcome them as saviors. But a fledgling resistance is on the rise, determined to reveal the shocking truth. Among the underground cadre: an FBI Counter Terrorism Agent who uncovers a terror cell no one ever expected…and finds that her teenage son is drawn to the beauty and promise of the Vs. Get in the know with the amazing first season of the series that combines sci-fi thrills with the uncertainties of the post-9/11 world. Here. Now. Adventure begins.

Review: When I heard that they were going to remake the 1980s mini-series V I thought it was an absurd idea.  I mean, back in the day it was rather ground-breaking, but since then its become a shallow parody of itself.  An absolute campy joke.  So, could they possibly re-do the show and make it worth watching now?  The answer certainly made me eat my words.

The new V is definitely a step above the old version.  The basic concept is still there, but the build-up is almost better, while the special effects are, of course, lightyears ahead the acting quality and the almost cinematic feel make this show more like a weekly movie than an episode.  In high-definition the show looks its best with every special effect and great looking cast member shining.

The blu-ray special features include: The Actor's Journey from Human to V featurette: Featuring the principal cast of V discussing the techniques, challenges and rewards they faced in terms of bringing V alive for a new generation, An Alien in Human Skin: The Makeup FX of V featurette: Contemporary techniques of special effects makeup application and execution are revealed, Breaking Story: The World of V featurette: An in-depth look into how the producers were able to create a fresh perspective on the V mythology, The Visual FX of V featurette: A primer on the visual effects used to help enhance V, featuring a guided tour through ZOIC studios, the visual FX powerhouse responsible for the amazing CGI, Commentary by executive producers Scott Rosenbaum and Steve Pearlman, Bloopers and Deleted scenes

Links: www.vtvondvd.com

Interest Range: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Classic TV Remakes

Synopsis: Alex (Heather Graham, The Hangover) finds herself in a court ordered rage-therapy group after a bad breakup with her boyfriend. There she meets Stella (Jennifer Coolidge, American Pie), the owner of an extermination business who might be killing more than bugs, and Nikki (Amber Heard, Zombieland), a dental technician with the face of an angel and the mind of a sociopath. Together these women form their own ‘silent revolution,’ wreaking havoc on the men of Texas with their own brand of girl justice. Boasting a star-packed cast including Joey Lauren Adams (The Break-Up) and Matthew Settle (TV’s Gossip Girl), this dark comedy will make you giggle and cheer as the bad boys go down!

Review: We’re in the business of watching movies here at the Legion and every so often an indie gem comes along.  The Exterminators is one such gem.  Best placed in the genre of dark comedy, The Exterminators follows the journey of two women, scorned and fed up, that go on a voyage to brutally murder their ex-boyfriends.  Heather Graham is absolutely adorable and a fantastic actress, as usual, and Jennifer Coolidge does what she does best....crazy!

The film is definitely dark at times, but overally its very funny, quite whitty and definitely a good time.  Its great on blu-ray, as all things are.  Its hard to go back to DVD!  If you want a great watch with friends or a spouse, this one should keep you entertained.

Interest Range: Dark Comedy

Synopsis: Dive into the heart of Van Gogh s paintings. For the first time, discover in IMAX the fantastic colors and passionate brushwork of a great genius as they take on a new life before our eyes. Relive Vincent s life journey through his letters, see the places that inspired him, and the paintings. The film retraces the artist s footsteps, leading us through the painter s subject matter and sources of inspiration. From the Netherlands, to Arles, to Saint Rémy and Auvers-sur-Oise, we rediscover the places and landscapes that have inspired some of the most essential works in art history. From the dazzling yellow of the cornfields to the deep blue of the sky, the entire palette of one of our most flamboyant painters explodes to light up the screen.

Review: We love documentaries here at the Legion.  We’re also big art fans.  I’m a freelance and exhibiting artist myself and one of my favorite classic painters is Van Gogh, so I was excited to check out this IMAX documentary.

I didn’t realize that it was going to be SO in-depth.  From the locations Van Gogh painted and existed in to the very detail of his brush strokes, this documentary goes above and beyond to give you a glimpse into the past and the world of this enigmatic artist.  It’s a phenomenal documentary and we highly, highly recommend it.

Synopsis: THE TRIAL follows small-town attorney Kent “Mac” McClain (Matthew Modine; Full Metal Jacket, Any Given Sunday), who is left devastated and purposeless by the horrific death of his wife and two sons in a tragic accident. After concluding that suicide is his only escape, McClain agrees to take on one final case. Defending accused murderer Peter Thomason (Randy Wayne; To Save a Life) against capital punishment, McClain begins the trial that transforms his life and the lives of those around him forever.

Review: You know, for some reason here at the Legion we’re addicted to mysteries and courtroom drama.  I don’t know why, because it usually ends up the same, but then films like Runaway Jury really get me going.  That is why I popped in the Trial to begin with.  A tortured lawyer loses his family and in his grief wants to end his own life, but agrees to do one last trial.  This trial, of course, changes everything.

I found this film to be a great time.  Sure, there are predictable moments and outcomes at times, but the mystery is great and the courtroom drama is fantastic.  It’s a great life affirming film and most definitely is one to watch.

You can win a copy of this title from DVD Legion!  Click HERE for details!

Synopsis: Inspired by an incredible true story... As proprietors of Nevada's first legalized brothel, Grace (Helen Mirren) and Charlie Bontempo (Joe Pesci) aren't your typical married couple. When Grace falls for Bruza (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), a heavyweight boxer contracted to Charlie, passions erupt, leading to murderous consequences.

Review:Love Ranch really took me by surprise.  I was expecting something tawdry and what I got instead was a complete shock.  The first half of the film is slow, a bit dull and almost vapid.  Its a lot of build up and backround on the life of these couple that runs a legal brothel in Nevada.  The brothel owners (played by Pesci and Mirren) are complete mooks that have no class.  Then, towards the middle of the film Mirren finds out she is dying from terminal cancer and the entire movie switches gears.  It is this gear switch that causes me to feature this film and to recommend it to you.  Stick with this one, its worth it.  This turns out to be a very touching and emotional life drama.

The special features on this DVD include Audio commentary with Director Taylor Hackford, Introduction by Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford and Deleted scenes with optional commentary.

Interest Range: Drama

Synopsis: Experience the world's most beloved family film as never before with this 3-disc 45th Anniversary Edition of Rodgers & Hammerstein's® The Sound of Music, Winner of five 1965 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture! 

In this true-life story, Julie Andrews lights up the screen as Maria, a spirited young woman who leaves the convent to bring love and music to the home of Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children.

Review: The Sound of Music is a classic musical feature that has been enjoyed for nearly half a century.  This tale of an Austrian family living during World War II, is struggling to survive with their workaholic widowed father and his new girlfriend.  Meanwhile, Julie Andrews comes along and becomes their new nanny/mother and gives them joy again.  The backdrop of this film is the nazi-era takeover and eventually the action takes over, but for a good long while you are mistakenly caught up in their light-hearted family drama.

This film is an absolute classic.  I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid.  Now, we get it transferred into blu-ray high definition and it looks amazing!  The colors and backrounds really pop and there is a complete lack of any grain.  Its most definitely worth the upgrade!

The special features include:

Disc 1 Blu-ray:
·  Feature Film Remastered in 1080p Hi-Def with 7.1 DTS-HD Sound
·  Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration — All-New Immersive Viewing Experience with Behind-the-Scenes Images, On-Screen Lyrics, Trivia Track and Location Quiz
·  Music Machine Sing-Along
·  Audio Commentaries with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Director Robert Wise
·  BD-LIVE: Live Lookup™ Powered by IMDb®

Disc 2 Blu-ray:
·  Musical Stages: Creating The Sound of Music — All-New Interactive “Backlot Tour” with In-Depth Featurettes on the Songs, the Stage Show & Movie, the Film and Sound Restoration and the Real-Life von Trapp Family
·  A City of Song — Virtual Map of Filming Locations in Salzburg, Austria
·  Vintage Rodgers & Hammerstein and The Sound of Music Programs
·  Screen Tests, Rare Treasures, Interviews, Photo Galleries & More!

Disc 3 DVD:
·  Feature Film In Standard Definition
·  Newly Remastered Picture and Sound
·  Optional Sing-Along Track
·  Music Machine Sing-Along
·  The Sound of Music Tour – A Living Story

Interest Range: Drama, Musical

Synopsis: Includes 3 LeapFrog DVDs teaching reading and math skills, plus a Learning Songs Music CD featuring 13 songs, teaching ABCs, days of the week, counting, and more!

Math Adventure to the Moon™: Join Tad and Lily as they blast off on an exciting educational adventure! Tad and Lily need the perfect collection of things to take to school for their math assignment. When they finally decide on moon rocks, there’s just one problem — how will they get them? With some magical help from their firefly friend, Edison, they board a rocket ship to start their quest. Soon the twins learn that math is everywhere, even in outer space! Watch as they use their skills in counting, sorting, skip counting and recognizing patterns to overcome obstacles, find new friends and make the trip back to Earth! (Ages 3-6)

Word Caper™: A wild word-building adventure! When Mr. Websley is accidentally silenced by the Silent E Machine, Leap, Lily and Tad must journey through the Complex Word Complex to build the words needed to return his voice. Guided only by the "Absent Professor Device," the kids learn how to solve the code and save the day. Humorous songs add to the fun and help teach the rules for advanced word-building. This title was previously released as Talking Words Factory 2™: Code Word Caper. (Ages 3-6)

Math Circus™: Step right up to the Math Circus! Watch the Quidget Family and the Subtractobats perform high-flying feats of mathematics! In this astounding story, Leap, Lily, Tad and wacky Professor Quigley train numbers to count, add and subtract in a series of amazing circus acts. Numbers and Quidgets fly from trampolines, trapezes and cannons as they teach early mathematical concepts. As with all LeapFrog DVDs, humorous songs add to the fun and help reinforce educational concepts. (Ages 3-6)

Learning Songs Music CD: Sing, dance, and learn with these 13 delightful songs from the LeapFrog DVDs available for the first time on a music CD! Track listing includes: "The Learning Path," "ABC," "Days of the Week," "Count to 20!," "Animal Families," "The Sorting Game," " Math Is Everywhere," "Skip Counting," "Tell Me the Number," "The Shark Tooth Song," "Crab Counting," "Let’s Rhyme!," "Big Letters, Small Letters." 

Review: This new box set from Leap Frog collects three of their informative and educational DVDs for kids.  The target audience for these is between ages 2-5.  I put these on for my five year old and she just loved it.  Anytime a parent can find something that makes learning fun and interesting to your child, its definately something to latch onto!  Not only is it interesting to them, but its entertaining too.  Instead of putting on mindless drivel like Sponge Bob, try LeapFrog!

The special features in this DVD set include:

Math Adventure to the Moon:
o The sorting game
o 4 sing-along songs
o “Alphabet Song” from Let’s Go To School

• Word Caper:
o Learning Game

• Math Circus:
o Learning Game

Interest Range: Classic Kids Movies, Fantasy

Synopsis: The Pacific is an epic 10-part miniseries that delivers a realistic portrait of WWII's Pacific Theatre as seen through the intertwined odysseys of three U.S. Marines - Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge. The extraordinary experiences of these men and their fellow Marines take them from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the impenetrable rain firests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted coral strongholds of Peleliu, up the black sand terraces of Iwo Jima, through the killing fields of Okinawa, to the triumphant, yet uneasy, return home after V-J Day. The viewer will be immersed in combat through the intimate perspective of this diverse, relatable group of men pushed to the limit in battle both physically and psychologically against a relentless enemy unlike any encountered before.

Review: The stories of Leckie and Basilone are interesting, but hands-down Sledge was my favorite character.   The intensity and sometimes vulnerability in these men as they face dangers and an epic scale of the world that they otherwise never would have seen in their era is astounding.  Really Tom Hanks and Spielberg went all out on this one.  Its basically the same quality as Band of Brothers, which was amazing, but its on the Pacific stage instead of Europe.  These boys are blasting their way through Japan to defend their homeland and this is maybe the most well-produced grouping of epics about WWII battle ever created.

The Pacific looks absolutely amazing in blu-ray high-definition.  The detailed and inherently violent daytime battle scenes are dynamic and crisp, while the solid black tone of the night battles really requires high-def to be properly experienced.

The blu-ray special features on this set are Two Blu-ray-exclusive interactive companion features across all 10 parts: Enhanced Viewing, Field Guide, Profiles of The Pacific: Delve into the lives of the real Marines featured in The Pacific, Making The Pacific: Go behind the scenes and take an inside look at the making of the miniseries, Anatomy of the Pacific War: Explore the historical influences and cultural perceptions that led to the merciless brutality in the Pacific theater of World War II

Interest Range: War, WWII, Action/Adventure, Drama

THE GREEN SLIME has been unleashed!  After years in captivity this Sci-Fi cult favorite comes to DVD for the first time only through the WarnerArchive.com: http://bit.ly/WAC_GreenSlim

Synopsis:  After a perilous mission to a huge asteroid, a crew returns to its space station, unaware a bit of ooze from the asteroid clings to a crewman’s uniform. The green goop grows – into murderous, tentacled monsters. And as station members fight to live, gunk from the monsters’ wounds turns into more monsters! That’s the story. Now enjoy as our heroes fight to preserve Earth and, unintentionally, our own senses of humor with a movie that Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called “one of the funniest made-in-Japan sci-fi monster movies ever.” Kinji Fukasaku, whose later work was championed by Quentin Tarantino, directs. The world would be a far more bleak and joyless place without marvels like The Green Slime.

Review: The Warner Archive has been infamously providing fans of sci-fi with campy classics that were before hard to obtain.  The latest edition to this library is the classic 1968 flick “The Green Slime”.   This American funded MGM feature was shot in Japan and utilized master special effects for the time.

The film was co-written by the late, great Bill Finger, who was a largely uncredited creator of Batman.  He’s the man that gave Batman all of the qualities we know today.   The Green Slime, as its now known, is a great film about an asteroid headed to earth.   A group of astronauts destroy the asteroid, but bring slime back to their space station that turns into one-eyed monsters.  These monsters feed off of energy, so their laser weapons are useless!

The Green Slime is a great sci-fi classic.  Its campy, sure, but it’s a great example of 1960s sci-fi and a genre that Is largely now dominated by a post Star Wars way of thinking. 

Interest Range: Sci-Fi, Cult Classics

Synopsis: In the far northern reaches of the planet a rare breed of extreme Fishermen still ply the Bering Sea. Adventure is their call, crab is their prey, and a one hundred million dollar plunder is their reward.. Five skippers and their crews will endure boat killing storms and mind numbing working conditions -risking it all on the hunt for crab. In the end, they will all come to the realization that the most violent storms come from within.

This year, there's a fracture in the Bering Sea brotherhood. Old allies become mortal enemies when fishing turns personal. While some skippers rage against each other - another skipper fights a lone battle to stay alive. The Bering Sea has a way of turning young boys into hardened men. Before this season is through, terrible tragedy will alter two young lives forever. Last season, eight men lost their lives to the Bering Sea. This year, catastrophe strikes at the heart of one of our featured boats

Review: The Deadliest Catch is one of those shows that I wouldn’t have pegged as being even remotely interesting at first glance.  I couldn’t care less about fishermen, I don’t even eat meat, and honestly it just seems dull.  What I didn’t realize until I gave this show a chance was how dangerous and dramatic their lives really are.

Season Six of the show was very somber, as we lost the life of Captain Phil.  In episode #11 he has a stroke and the cameras follow him even into the hospital.  We see the emotional outpouring from not only his two sons but other fishermen.  These are men’s men and you just don’t expect to see them crying, so the episode and the specials included are rather moving.  Overall, it’s a season FULL of drama and another great addition to a great show.

The DVD special features include: Behind the Scenes: Captain Phil Remembered, Deleted scenes, Catching the Catch (webisodes) and Captain interviews

Interest Range: Fishermen, Discovery Channel

Synopsis: Watch as history and science, earth and space collide in this epic collection of episodes from the premiere seasons of two landmark HISTORY series: The Universe and How the Earth Was Made.

A groundbreaking miniseries, The Universe employs cutting-edge CGI and stunning NASA footage to take viewers on an exhilarating voyage through the cosmos. From the farthest reaches of distant galaxies back to the familiar face of our moon, the mysteries of the heavens are brought down to earth.

How the Earth Was Made travels the globe to reveal the physical processes that have shaped some of the most familiar locations and geological phenomena in the world. From the Great Lakes to Iceland, the San Andreas Fault to Krakatoa, this stunning series demonstrates how immensely powerful, and at times violent, forces of geology have formed our planet.

EARTH AND SPACE contains all 26 episodes from the first seasons of both The Universe and How the Earth Was Made on 6 discs.

HOW THE EARTH WAS MADE (13 episodes): San Andreas Fault, The Deepest Place on Earth, Krakatoa, Loch Ness, New York, Driest Place On Earth, Great Lakes, Yellowstone, Tsunami, Asteroids, Iceland, Hawaii, The Alps

THE UNIVERSE (13 episodes + bonus): Secrets of the Sun, Mars: The Red Planet, The End of the Earth: Deep Space Threats To Our Planet, Jupiter: The Giant Planet, The Moon, Spaceship Earth, The Inner Planets: Mercury & Venus, Saturn: Lord of the Rings, Alien Galaxies, Life and Death of a Star, The Outer Planets, The Most Dangerous Place in the Universe, Search for ET

BONUS FEATURE: Feature-length Documentary Beyond the Big Bang

Review:  The History Channel has released a fantastic compilation blu-ray set that includes the complete first season of both The Universe and How the Earth was made!

The Universe: The Universe series is one of the best out there.    Here, the History Channel does what they do best, making great and informative documentary television!  I learned SO much about the solar system that I didn't know before. 

The Universe series mixes historical footage and documentation with modern CGI graphics and theory.  Its without a doubt the most in-depth look at space that I've ever seen.  The high-definition graphics just blew me away!

This blu-ray would be ideal for anyone interested in space, but furthermore to homeschoolers and classrooms

How the Earth was Made: The History Channel never disappoints with their television series.   This documentary series is great for anyone interested in the earth's history.  It also works great for your kids, as it will actually keep them interested in the topics.  If you homeschool, this DVD is definately for you!  

This set would make a fantastic holiday gift for anyone on your list!

Interest Range: Science, History Channel, Documentary

Synopsis: Watch the most popular hunts, led by the worlds most famous bounty hunter, in this special collection of heart-pounding and heartfelt episodes of A&Es hit real-life series. DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER: THE WILD RIDE COLLECTION features 45 top-rated episodes from Dog and his posses long history on A&E, all on eight DVDs.

Also included are Dog The Bounty Hunter: The Wedding, which sees Dog and his common-law wife Beth off to Hawaii for, despite unforeseen tragedy, a wedding like no other; and Dog The Bounty Hunter: The Arrest, an intimate glimpse into the recent misadventures and incarceration of the toughest man on television.

BONUS FEATURES:
*Additional Footage
*Full-Length Special: Year of the Dog
*Featurettes: The Drama of Dogs Wedding Ring, Dance Lessons, Shopping with Beth, The Bow Wow Vow, A Tribute to Dog and Beth
*Catch Em If You Can Episode From A&Es Take This Job... Series Starring Duane Dog Chapman
*On-Air Promos
*Cast Biographies
*Dog s Bounty Hunting Pop Quiz
*Photo Gallery

Review: If you watch Dog: The Bounty Hunter, then you know he’s the toughest dude on television.  To watch these guys in action is absolutely hilarious and fun.  Dog looks like a complete idiot in his mullet and his get-up, but you can’t deny that he gets the job done!  Dog is one of the funnest reality shows out there, because it does provide you with a COPS like atmosphere at times and one as ridiculous as the Jersey Shore at others.

This new DVD Megaset offers 45 of the best episodes from the show.  It also includes Dog’s wedding and arrest, both of which provide some of the best reality moments on television to date!  If you’re a fan of this show, the Megaset is definitely something you’ll dig.  If you aren’t familiar with the show, this is a great and affordable way to delve right in!  This one also makes a great Xmas gift!

Interest Range: Reality TV, Bounty Hunting, A&E

Synopsis: 100 award-winning and classic children’s stories are faithfully adapted and brought to rich life in THE SCHOLASTIC TREASURY OF 100 STORYBOOK CLASSICS #2, a comprehensive 17-DVD collection, the follow-up to the original best-selling treasury.

From “Goodnight Moon” and the beloved adventures of Corduroy to Red Riding Hood, this colossal set features nearly 20 hours of quality entertainment which together have won more than 115 awards including the prestigious Caldecott Medal and Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children’s Video.  Packed with celebrity narration from stars such as Zach Braff, Abigail Breslin, Stockard Channing, Mia Farrow, Cyndi Lauper, John Lithgow and many others, this must-have gift set also features Scholastic’s innovative read-along function that highlights words as they are read, supporting early literacy skills.  Along with additional fun and mind-stimulating activities, interviews with authors and illustrators and 9 stories in Spanish, THE SCHOLASTIC TREASURY OF 1000 STORYBOOK CLASSICS #2 should be on everyone’s holiday list in 2010!

Review: The new boxed set of Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics on DVD from Scholastic is without a doubt one of the most exciting kids releases of the year.  This set literally includes 100 stories that are fun, full of good lessons and are appropriate for all ages.

The boxed set is packaged in DVD slim cases, so its large, but not too big.  The stories are all fun and many well known, such as Good Night, Gorilla and Wheels on the Bus.

This DVD set would make the ideal Xmas gift and we definitely recommend that you pick it up for a little one in your life! 

Synopsis: Tired of being tormented by his boss, Joe, a disgruntled fast food employee, finally snaps and plans revenge. But after he’s rejected by a beautiful stranger, he decides to kidnap her instead. Starring DJ Qualls and Nikki Reed.

Review: Vlad Yudin's debut film, the Last Day of Summer, is one of our favorite films of the year.  This is under a lot of radars, but rather prolific actor DJ Qualls masterfully portrays a man at the end of his rope.  He works fast food, his boss and coworkers are hard on him and his life is a mess.  He is about to exact his revenge when a smile from a girl stops him cold.  Needless to say drama ensues as he kidnaps her instead of killing his coworkers.  We won’t spoil this one, because you need to watch it for yourself.  If you love indie film and you want something different to watch, The Last Day of Summer is for you!

Interest Range: Drama, Dark Comedy

Synopsis: TWO STRANGERS INDULGE IN WILD IMPULSES & BECOME ENTANGLED IN AN UNEXPECTED RELATIONSHIP.

Review: Wild Grass is a rather epic tale of romance from France's Alain Resnais.  He is infamous for wowing audience with his dynamic filmmaking.  Wild Grass is no exception.  The very foreign film Is a tale with various twists and turns, but it ends up centering on the age-old question of indifelity and aging and how one can be a coorelation to the other.  It’s a great film and definitely worth a watch

Interest Range: Drama

Synopsis: Angel of mercy… or murderous “Doctor Death”? Jack Kervorkian is one of the most polarizing figures in modern American history, a man whose passionate belief that people have the right to die has brought him both praise and vilification. Oscar®- and Emmy®-winning actor Al Pacino brings “Dr. Death” to life in an all-new HBO Films presentation: You Don’t Know Jack, directed by Oscar®-winner Barry Levinson.

Review: HBO has been famous for bringing fantastic television shows, movies and specials to us over the years.  Often what they bring is controvertial and original.  Enter: You Don’t Know Jack.  You Don’t Know Jack is based on the life of one of the most controvertial figures of the 20th century…Dr. Jack Kevorkian, known to some as “Doctor Death” and to others and Angel of Mercy.

The Life of Jack Kevorkian is a fascinating one.  He got more publicity in his day, primarily negative, than anyone of the era.  His struggle to assist the dying and to let them die in peace with dignity was based on the struggles of his own mother and sister, as he explains in the opening of the film.  Al Pacino does a magnificent job of portraying Jack in this rather sympathetic take on his life.  

This film is a magnificent watch.  I highly recommend it to anyone.

 You can own this DVD today

Synopsis: Get ready for a living, feeding nightmare when a swarm of gigantic crocodiles terrorizes a secluded country lake. When local wildlife is brutally mauled and campers are reduced to carcasses, biologist Nathan Bickerman (Colin Ferguson) knows a voracious predator is on the loose. So does a feisty female hunting guide (Yancy Butler) out for her next trophy. As the body count rises, the local sheriff tries to keep things quiet and keep the tourists coming. But when the horrifying, hulking truth emerges, can anyone stop these cold-blooded killers before they claim their next victim? Lake Placid 3 is pulse-pounding, adrenaline-pumping, pure horror film fun.

Review: The Lake Placid films have become somewhat of a franchise these days.  We’re all for good thrillers and Placid always delivers.  The cast changes and the special effects quality differs from the first one to the sequels, but overall they keep a similar tone and feel to the films and they are a lot of fun.  Is it the best movie ever?  No, but it is a good time.

Synopsis: This hilarious Christmas film tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity.

Review: Will Farrell is one of those comedic actors that has really hit a cord with the public.  The first film in which he really gained major fanfare was Elf.   An early directing effort from now famous Jon Favreau (Iron Man 2), Elf is the tale of a young orphan raised as an Elf that comes back to the real world to find his true roots.  The naïve and sometimes crazy Buddy the Elf gets in situation after situation that guarantee laughs.

The special features on this set include: Audio Commentary: 2 commentaries with Will Ferrell & Director, Featurette: Film school for kids, Tag along with Will Ferrell, How they made the North Pole, Widescreen version on Disc 1 and Fullscreen version on Disc 2, Spanish Language Track, Elf Karaoke, Read-Along, Buddy's Adventure Game and an Elf Decoder Card
 

Ultimate Collector's Edition includes:
5x7" magnetic Elf picture frame with 4x6" Elf magnet
15 Elf gift tags
Five-track Elf soundtrack sampler featuring holiday classics
14" Elf plush holiday stocking
Collectible tin box

Links: www.warnerblu.com

Synopsis: The creative minds behind Disney Pixar's groundbreaking animated blockbusters invites you back inside the Toys' delightful world for a heartwarming and hilarious Hi-Definition movie experience you'll never forget. All the original voice talent returns (including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) plus new talent including Michael Keaton as Ken and Ned Beatty as Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear. It's the biggest, best, most exciting Toy Story of them all, raves Access Hollywood.

As Andy gets ready to leave for college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang wonder if this is the end of the line. But, when a mix up lands them in the Sunnyside Day Care Center where they meet 14 new toys, they soon discover that a wild new adventure is just beginning! Take an amazing journey with some of the most beloved characters in movie history and discover what being a friend is truly all about.
It's everything a movie should be: hilarious, touching, exciting and clever, says USA Today. Buzzing with hours of exclusive bonus features, including an interactive trivia game and the Pixar short film Day and Night, Toy Story 3 goes to infinity and beyond on Blu-ray Hi-Def!

Review: Toy Story is the franchise that saved Disney.  Hands down Pixar and Toy Story brought Disney out of the depths and into the modern age.  The last Toy Story film was back in 1999.  Toy Story 2 was a huge phenomenon that helped to sustain the franchise for the next 11 years until 2010 when we got the fun, emotional and touching epic Toy Story 3!

Toy Story 3 is most certainly not just a kids movie.  Kids love it, that’s to be sure, but any adult can also enjoy this film.  It has so many dimensions that it keeps your interest and there are even scenes that may make you tear up a bit.  This is without a doubt the best animated feature I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing.

The combo pack includes a blu-ray and a DVD.  The DVD is perfect to let your kids abscond with, while you can keep the blu-ray nice for the family.  The film looks outstanding in high-definition and that’s most certainly the best way to view it.  The release is loaded with tons of commentary, interviews and extras that will keep you entertained for hours.

We cannot recommend this release enough.  If you guy one blu-ray this year, Toy Story 3 needs to be it!

Synopsis: Brace yourself for a whole new breed of Blu-ray: Four powerful films...eight thrilling versions...in dazzling, terrifying, high-def clarity with the purest digital sound on the planet. Two bonus dics and over 65 hours of archival and never-before-seen content, including the totally immersive MU-TH-UR mode feature, makes this definitive Alien collection! 

Review: The Alien movies are one of the top science fiction franchises out there!  The original Ridley Scott film was slower moving, but ground breaking in the realm of serious and creepy space drama.  The follow-up Aliens was an early James Cameron action epic.  Alien 3 was the first filmmaking attempt from the great David Fincher.  Then, we got the ill-recieved Alien: Resurrection back in the late 1990s.

We finally get all four films in an ultimate edition on blu-ray.  To see the Alien films in high-definition is absolutely stunning.  I've become somewhat of a high-def snob over the past few years with pathetic transfer after pathetic transfer and I can tell you that all four of these films look amazing.    They are primarily shot in darks, but man when you get a good shot of a queen alien in high-definition, it all pays off!  We’re talking NO grain.  None whatsoever!

This huge and very nicely packaged boxed set includes over 60 hours of bonus features.  Yeah...60 hours!  This boxed set collects all of the bonus features offered in the various editions over the years, plus more!   I haven’t made my way through all of if yet, but I’ve seen a lot of it previously.  Without a doubt this is the ultimate collected set for any Alien fan.

Here is the full rundown of whats include in this amazing boxed set:

Disc 1: ALIEN

**1979 Theatrical Version
**2003 Director’s Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction
**Audio Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Dan O’Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
**Audio Commentary (for Theatrical Cut only) by Ridley Scott
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
**Composer’s Original Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc 2: ALIENS

**1986 Theatrical Version
**1991 Special Edition with James Cameron Introduction
**Audio Commentary by Director James Cameron, Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Alien Effects Creator Stan Winston, Visual Effects Supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, Miniature Effects Supervisor Pat McClung, Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by James Horner
**Composer’s Original Isolated Score by James Horner
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc 3: ALIEN 3

**1992 Theatrical Version
**2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
**Audio Commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., Editor Terry Rawlings, Alien Effects Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., Actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Elliot Goldenthal
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc 4: ALIEN Resurrection

**1997 Theatrical Version
**2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet Introduction
**Audio Commentary by Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Editor Hervé Schneid, A.C.E., Alien Effects Creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Pitof, Conceptual Artist Sylvain Despretz, Actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
**Final Theatrical Isolated Score by John Frizzell
**Deleted and Extended Scenes
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream


Disc 5: Making the Anthology

The Beast Within: Making ALIEN

**Star Beast: Developing the Story
**The Visualists: Direction and Design
**Truckers in Space: Casting
**Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
**The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
**The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
**Future Tense: Editing and Music
**Outward Bound: Visual Effects
**A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

Superior Firepower: Making ALIENS

**57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
**Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
**Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
**This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
**The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
**Bug Hunt: Creature Design
**Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
**Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
**The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
**The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
**Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

Wreckage and Rage: Making ALIEN3

**Development Hell: Concluding the Story
**Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
**Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
**Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
**The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
**Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
**The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
**Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
**Optical Fury: Visual Effects
**Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
**Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

One Step Beyond: Making ALIEN RESURRECTION

**From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
**French Twist: Direction and Design
**Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
**Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
**In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
**Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
**Genetic Composition: Music
**Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
**A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
**Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods

**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

Disc 6: The Anthology Archives

ALIEN

Pre-Production

**First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
**Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
**Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
**Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

**The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
**Video Graphics Gallery
**Production Image Galleries
**Continuity Polaroids
**The Sets of Alien
**H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Additional Deleted Scenes
**Image & Poster Galleries
**Experience in Terror
**Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
**The Alien Legacy
**American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
**Trailers & TV Spots

ALIENS

Pre-Production

**Original Treatment by James Cameron
**Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
**Cast Portrait Gallery

Production

**Production Image Galleries
**Continuity Polaroids
**Weapons and Vehicles
**Stan Winston’s Workshop
**Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
**Video Graphics Gallery
**Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
**Deleted Scene Montage
**Image Galleries
**Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
**Main Title Exploration
**Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
**Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN 3

Pre-Production

**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Arceon
**The Art of Fiorina

Production

**Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
**EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
**Production Image Galleries
**A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Visual Effects Gallery
**Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
**Alien 3 Advance Featurette
**The Making of Alien 3 Promotional Featurette
**Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN RESURRECTION

Pre-Production

**First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
**Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
**Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
**Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
**Storyboard Archive
**The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
**The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries

Production

**Production Image Galleries
**A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath

**Visual Effects Gallery
**Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
**HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
**Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
**Trailers & TV Spots

ANTHOLOGY

**Two Versions of Alien Evolution
**The Alien Saga
**Patches and Logos Gallery
**Aliens3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
**Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
**Parodies
**Dark Horse Cover Gallery
**Patches and Logos Gallery
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience

Interest Range: Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure