Ruby-Spears SUPERMAN

Written by Pirata Hermosa

In 1988 Ruby-Spears productions in combination with Warner Brothers released a Saturday morning cartoon to correspond with the 50th anniversary of DC Comics’ Superman character. The major difference in the series in regards to previous offerings is Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor, is no longer just a mad scientist, but instead a corrupt billionaire who held great power and influence.

The show lasted only thirteen episodes on CBS. Each episode is twenty minutes long and contains a five-minute short from the “Superman Family Album” showing small clips from Clark Kent’s life starting at his arrival on Earth to the moment he finally becomes Superman.

After viewing, it’s pretty obvious why the series only lasted for one season. It was 1988 and it felt like it was done in the ‘70s at the same time as the Super Friends. A lot of the sound effects sounded the same and they even used the same narrator.

Even the voice casting seemed particularly poor. Superman’s (Beau Weaver), voice was a little too thin but at least it was tolerable, Lois Lane (Ginny McSwain) was a little whiney, Jimmy Olsen (Mark L. Taylor) was overly childish as was his behavior throughout, and Lex Luthor (Michael Bell) was just a sniveling wimp. In the first episode “Destroy the Defendroids,” the combination of all those voices at once made it nearly unwatchable. Thankfully, the voices of Lois and Jimmy improve once the series gets going.

The good thing about the show is that the storylines are fairly decent. Granted there are a few ridiculous moments like when Lois and Jimmy are trapped in an open-air cage on a giant robot that flies up into space, yet they can breathe the entire time and somehow manage to survive re-entry as the cage becomes red hot.

It’s pretty obvious that the plots have become a little more involved than in previous incarnations, but unfortunately the “Superman Family Album” at the end of each episode really sets any progress backwards. These stories are snapshots of Clark’s past up until he becomes Superman. When they start he has just arrived and is a baby. Even then he has super powers: can fly, use heat vision and has incredible strength. You can imagine how difficult a regular baby can be, but one with super-human abilities is even worse as Clark flies around getting into all sorts of trouble at the orphanage, the grocery store, on his first day of school, and with his new baby sitter. As he grows up he learns to use his powers less and less and while still somewhat corny, they aren’t nearly as bad as when they started.

The DVD includes the original thirteen episodes and corresponding “Superman Family Album” shorts.

The lone Special Feature is “Corporation of the Corrupt: The Rise of Lexcorp,” a discussion about the new re-launch of the Superman story by John Byrne in 1986 and how Lex Luthor is now a businessman instead of a scientist because money and business became the true power in the world during the 1980s.

If you’re a huge Superman fan, you might feel like picking this up for your collection, but it most people probably won’t find it necessary.

Monty Python - Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

Forty years ago five highly educated Brits and an American lampoon artist came together to form one of the world’s funniest comedy troops. And to commemorate that union, a three-DVD set was released containing a six-part documentary ranging from their meager beginnings through their height of popularity up until present day.

Monty Python is such a huge name in comedy that everybody has already formed an opinion on their comedy. They either get it, or they don’t. If you’re one of those who get it, then you will enjoy this piece of Python history.

Being that it’s six hours worth of material, you really get a sense of what it was like behind the scenes. With all of the silliness going on, it’s a true learning experience as you discover that they are all college educated and honed their comedic skills at places such as Oxford.

There are also many pieces of interesting trivia that would satisfy and Python fan. John Cleese was embarrassed by his celebrity. Graham Chapman was an alcoholic who could barely remember his lines and nobody realized it. And some huge names in rock ‘n' roll (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, George Harrison) helped finance The Holy Grail and The Life of Brian.

The documentary is very interesting, but at the same time it comes across very sterile. Each person is interviewed against a black background and by themselves. There is never a moment when they are all together, which leaves a huge nagging question in the back of your mind. Why aren’t they together? They talk fondly of one another but not being in the same room makes you wonder if there are some issues keeping them apart.

Even so, there is enough sketch material scattered throughout the interviews that it keeps your attention and breaks up what could have developed into monotony. There is also a smattering of celebrity commentary throughout as such people like Seth Green, Bruce Dickinson, Dan Aykroyd, Simon Pegg, and several others comment on how important and influential their comedy was.

Disc 1 is divided into three parts.

1. “The Not-So-Interesting Beginnings” which explores how they started off as young men in college, started working for the BBC, and eventually managed to start Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
2. “The Much Funnier Second Episode” discusses the first season and brings in other current comedians to discuss the impact the show had on them and society as a whole.
3. “And Now, The Personal Sordid Bits” shows how their success also brought down upon them the intervention of the BBC censors and how after their second season John Cleese wanted to leave.

Disc 2 is also divided into three parts

1. “The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode” is a complete overview of how they wrote, directed and funded the film
2. “Lust For Glory!” was the original name for the film that became The Life of Brian, and in this segment you see how the film was made.
3. “Finally! The Last Episode (Ever) (for Now…)” as Monty Python gets ready to film The Meaning of Life, they are splintering apart and going their separate ways. The final segment also deals with the loss of Graham Chapman and his death from cancer at the age of 48.

Disc 3 contains a number of their classic sketches: “The Dead Parrot,” “The Spanish Inquisition,” “Fish Slapping Dance,” “Ministry of Silly Walks,” “The Lumberjack Song,” “The Cheese Shop,” and “SPAM.” It also includes extended interviews from the five surviving members and all the extras that were cut out of the documentary.

GENESIS II

Written by Pirata Hermosa

In 1973 writer/producer Gene Roddenberry with the help of director John Llewellyn Moxey introduced another view of the future to the public in the shape of a made-for-TV movie. In 2009, Warner Brothers has made it available as part of their Archive Collection, and as common with the collection there are no special features.

People familiar with Roddenberry through his famous creation Star Trek know that he has a very optimistic look into the future of mankind. In Genesis II you can see sparks of that hope for the future, but it’s quite a bit darker.

The year is 1979 and NASA scientist, Dylan Hunt (Alex Cord), has come across a major breakthrough. Long-distance space travel has always been a hurdle for astronauts. In order for them to explore the vast expanse of space they needed a way to keep from dying of old age before they reached their destination. But Dylan has found the answer and has been able to successfully place lab rats in suspended animation for 10 years while the rats age only one day.

Once a discovery has been thoroughly tested, the next step is to test it on a human subject. That volunteer is none other than Dylan himself. Just moments after entering suspended animation, an earthquake strikes the underground facility in Carlsbad Canyon, burying the entire facility and leaving him trapped inside the pressure chamber.

Expecting to only be asleep for a few days, Dylan awakens in the year 2133 when a group of people called the PAX discover the hidden chamber and revive him from his long sleep. While he slowly recovers from the effects of his 154-year slumber, Dylan learns that there have been a lot of changes to the world. The planet has been devastated by nuclear war and only a handful of human settlements remain.

In order to help with his rehabilitation and teach him about the ways of the new world, the PAX make a huge mistake by assigning Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley) to be his caretaker. She may have voluntarily joined the PAX, but she is actually a spy sent by the Tyranians, a group of mutated humans that live near the ancient city of Phoenix.

After poisoning Dylan’s mind against the PAX, Lyra-a takes him to meet her people. At first the Tyranian society seems to be one of culture, comfort and luxury, but it doesn’t take long for Dylan to see that they rule with an iron fist and have subjugated regular humans to work as slaves. And when he finds out that the true reason he was brought there is to fix their failing nuclear reactor he organizes a slave rebellion.

The premise of the story is an interesting concept, but it really fails due to the limited format of a 74-minute TV movie. There is not nearly enough time for the audience to become acquainted with the new world and connect with all of the different characters to form any type of attachment. The most obvious example of the rushed plotline comes at the end when Dylan stays behind to save his friends from capture, but then manages to escape, return to the PAX, and destroy the reactor in about a minute. Even a strategically placed commercial break wouldn’t be able to slow down the pacing. It feels like an entire chapter is missing.

For Roddenberry fans it’s a nice addition to your collection. Not only does it give you a glimpse into other concepts the creator of Star Trek had, but there are a number of interesting production techniques they both share. The font used on the cover and in the credits is exactly the same, automatic doors make a familiar whooshing sound, the Tyranian stim weapons sound like a phaser on overload, and the background music has that same futuristic tone that leaves you feeling like Captain Kirk could stroll in at any moment.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

With the crumbling economy, millions of people out of work, rampant looting and martial law instated in every city across the nation, the citizens of the United States do the unthinkable. They vote in Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) as President.

While the country makes a remarkable recovery under his watch and superheroes who once fought against him are lining up to work for him, there’s still a couple who just aren’t buying his new-and-improved image. And when Lex’s biggest rival, Superman (Tim Daly), won’t bow down to him and take orders, he frames the Man of Steel for the murder of Metallo (John C. McGinley) and places a $1 billion bounty on his head.

Even though Superman has every superhero and every super-villain chasing him in order to collect the reward, he still has the Dark Knight (Kevin Conroy) watching his back. Together the two must fight to stay alive and prove that Lex was behind the murder. But while the heroes are being hunted, Lex has to deal with a giant meteorite made of Kryptonite that is threatening to destroy the entire planet.

The plot seems to really be stretching for a reason to put Batman and Superman together and also to fulfill every comic book fan’s wet dreams. Not only do they get to see them work as a team, but then they get to watch them take on anyone and everyone. That includes the Justice League and the Legion of Doom.

While the storyline is certainly more adult than you might expect, the death of Metallo is somewhat jarring and has some unexpected results. When the death of an actual super being occurs, the question of how much power does everyone really have starts to wander into the viewer’s mind. The murderer easily kills Metallo, yet Superman couldn’t even dent him. Then when that same murderer confronts Superman, Superman isn’t really hurt. Once the mind starts wandering like that, the entire illusion begins to fall apart. How many times can Batman, who is a normal human, be beat up, thrown around, and have his ass kicked and still be able to walk away without a scratch? And why does a small amount of Kryptonite affect Superman so much from afar, but yet a Kryptonite bullet next to his heart doesn’t seem to be that much more difficult for him to withstand. Granted it is a comic book, and you’re always going to need that willing suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy it.

The first DVD includes the 67-minute long film, and several features for upcoming and previously released DC Universe films: Wonder Woman - The Amazon Princess, Justice League - The New Frontier, and Green Lantern - First Flight. The disc also includes a look at the latest DC Comics’ event, “Blackest Night.”

The second DVD is entirely filled with features.

“A Test of Minds” – A critical look into the psyches of Superman and Batman and how their pasts have made them so different from one another but has made them both into heroes.

“Dinner with DC Universe and Special Guest Kevin Conroy” – Executive producer Bruce Timm, voice/casting director Andrea Romano, SVP of Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck, and long-time voice of Batman Kevin Conroy sit around a dining table and discuss how they came about creating the films and television shows that they’ve each been associated with.

First Look at Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths – The next movie in the DC Universe scheduled for release will pit the Justice League against their evil counterparts from a parallel universe, known as the Syndicate.

Bruce Timm’s picks from Superman: The Animated Series – “The Demon Reborn,” and “Knight Time.”

Overall, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is a fun film to watch. Not only is it cool to watch the duo stand up to just about everyone, but it’s also just as enjoyable to see them work as a team and how they truly are friends.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - The Complete Second Season

Written by Pirata Hermosa

The second and also the last season of the television show based on the Terminator films is out on DVD and Blu-ray. While season one consisted of only nine episodes, season two is a full 22 episodes.

Set between the second and third Terminator films, this series focuses on Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and her son, John (Thomas Dekker). The two are on the run from the terminators that have been sent back to stop John from becoming the leader of the revolution he will one day command.

But thinking ahead once again, John sent back in time another terminator to protect his younger self. This time it’s a beautiful young girl named, Cameron (Summer Glau). And along with the machine, his uncle Derek (Brian Austin Green) has also come from the future to keep an eye on him.

Under the leadership or Sarah, the four turn their attentions to more than just simple survival. They are going to try and stop the future from occurring. They are going to find The Turk, which will one day evolve into the super-genius A.I. that tries to destroy all the humans: Skynet.

At the end of the first season they managed to find The Turk, but the owners want it back and booby trap their jeep. When Cameron gets in to start it, the jeep explodes and the men go after Sarah and John. Since Cameron is virtually indestructible, she escapes the burning wreckage and rushes to John. At this point, her programming has been damaged and she reverts to her old mission of terminating John Conner.

While there are a couple of self-contained episodes, the series is mostly serialized and it’s important to follow in sequential order. There are also a lot of different plot elements with plenty of twists and turns, but unfortunately a lot of unanswered questions by the end of the season. What is John and Cameron’s relationship in the future? Catherine Weaver (Shirley Manson) is a T-1000, but is she good or bad? Will Sarah ever get cancer or has she found a way to avoid it? Finally, how is John going to get back home? With the cancellation of the series they will probably never be answered.

There are a lot of extra features on the Blu-ray and are all shot in High Definition.

Exclusive on Blu-ray: “Collision with the Future: Deconstructing the Hunter Killer Attack” - From production to final product the viewer can change viewpoints between four different perspectives during an action scene in the season finale. While watching one, the other three are also on the screen set in small boxes that allow you to switch between them by either highlighting the box or pushes the multi-colored buttons on your remote. If the switches were done smoothly it would be worthwhile, but there’s a couple seconds hesitation between them, and since the commentary over the top is also different, it can get quite confusing when switching around a lot.

Commentaries on four key episodes by executive producer Josh Friedman and Cast/Crew: “Samson and Delilah” “Allison From Palmdale” “Adam Raised a Cain” and “Born to Run.”

“The Continuing Chronicles” - This is one giant documentary on how the season was shot, broken into eight different categories. Each one is interesting, but they run a little too long.

“Terminated Scenes: Unaired Moments” – were cut from the televised episodes and are scattered throughout the five-disc set.

“The Storyboard Process: Cameron Goes Bad Illustrates How Key Sequences are Mapped” – Using a scene from the first episode of the season, you get an in-depth look at how John stops Cameron from killing him and manages to overwrite her programming.

“Cameron VS. Rosie Fight Rehearsal” – This feature shows everything from storyboard to rehearsals to final cut showing you all the steps in the creation of this scene.

Gag Reel - Standard gag reel filled with lots of interruptions such as overhead planes and props failing to function properly.

The Blu-ray offers 1080p High Definition 16x9 with a 1.78:1 ratio and Dolby Digital 5.1. The quality of the picture is crystal clear and looks more like feature film quality as opposed to the often grainy and washed appearance that you get on standard network television. The sound quality is better as well from the gun shots that come from every direction, to the eerie sounds of the machines and the background music that helps set the mood.

It’s a shame that the show was cancelled after this season. The stories are well written and there is plenty of action and excitement in every episode. The characters are fully fleshed out and the acting is superb.

While the last two Terminator films have been a disappointment, the television series is as good as the first two and makes a great addition to the overall mythology and to any fan’s collection.

Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana

Written by Pirata Hermosa

While the name leads you to expect a massive crossover between three popular Disney Channel shows, The Wizards of Waverly Place, The Suite Life on Deck, and Hannah Montana, it’s actually an episode of all three shows shot aboard the S.S. Tipton and glued together using the cast of The Suite Life.

Any of the three segments could be watched as a stand-alone episode, but it’s a little disappointing that there’s not more cohesion. There are no cast members from Hannah Montana in the first segment and no cast members from Wizards in the last. And even during the middle part you never get all three casts on the screen at the same time.

“Castaway (To Another Show)” – Justin (David Henrie) wins an essay-writing contest and as his prize all family members under 18 receive passage on the “S.S. Tipton Teen Cruise to Hawaii” and a photo-op with debutante London Tipton (Brenda Song). While Justin tries to impress London by pretending he’s a doctor, his siblings have their own agendas. Younger brother Max (Jake T. Austin) is trying to beat Zack (Dylan Sprouse) at every contest imaginable to prove who can be the biggest troublemaker. Alex (Selena Gomez), who only got on board because she promised her parents that she would do summer school on the ship, magically teleports her best friend Harper (Jennifer Stone) on board to take her science classes for her while she parties.

“Double Crossed” – After Cody (Cole Sprouse) tells Bailey (Debby Ryan) he personally knows Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus), she says that if he can get tickets to the concert she will love him forever. That leaves Cody scrambling to get tickets and sends him off trying to win the cruise’s scavenger hunt, which is offering two tickets to the concert for the winner. Hannah and her best friend Lilly (Emily Osment) find themselves trapped in their cabins as throngs of adoring fans block their exit and enjoyment of the cruise. Meanwhile, Alex pulls a prank on her older brother by putting blue dye in the hot tub, and both Justin and cruise director Mr. Moseby (Phill Lewis) try to prove whether the prankster is Alex or Zack.

“Super(Stitious) Girl” – When Hannah loses her mother’s lucky anklet, the young pop star is suddenly struck with a streak of bad luck. She completely tanks her rehearsal, she loses her blonde Hannah wig, and she ends up dying her hair green. While Lilly helps her tear the ship apart looking for the anklet, her father Robbie (Billy Ray Cyrus) is seasick and in bed, and her brother, Jackson (Jason Earles) and friend Oliver (Mitchel Musso) are living it up big back home since they have the entire place to themselves.

There are not very many bonus features on the DVD and the two that are, are rather short.

“Justin’s Award-Winning Essay” – Justin Russo gives a how-to demonstration on writing an essay using his siblings as examples of what not to do.

“Backstage Disney: It’s A Suite Life Having Fun with Hannah and The Wizards” – The actors discuss what it’s like to work with one another and be out of their element on a new set. It’s interspersed with the shows bloopers and blunders.

If you enjoy these three shows, then you’ll probably like the DVD as they stay pretty close to their individual formulas, but it’s interesting to see how some of the characters interact in a new setting and especially entertaining is when Alex gets stuck in Zack’s bedroom while Mr. Moseby questions him about the blue dye he found outside his room. The only thing missing is a little more interaction between the different casts. The writers also missed a big opportunity by not having Hannah and Alex meet, since Hannah’s pop rival, Mikayla, is also played by Selena Gomez.

JONAS, Volume 1 - Rockin' the House

Written by Pirata Hermosa

This is the newest show to come to the Disney’s Sunday night lineup starring the Jonas brothers: Kevin, Nick, and Jo. Not only are they high school students, but they are also members of the world’s biggest pop band, JONAS. Trying to give them as normal a life as possible, their parents send them to private school where the kids are used to their celebrity. Well, everyone except Macy Misa (Nicole Anderson) who is not only the president of the JONAS fan club, but ends up turning to mush every time she interacts with any of them.

Stella (Chelsea Staub) is Macy’s best friend, and has known the brothers all of her life. She is not only their fashion advisor, but is Jo’s best friend and the two have a not-so-well-hidden affection for one another. An affection that neither one is willing to act upon in case it should end up destroying their friendship.

Their Father (John Ducey) is their manager and is always looking for the newest JONAS product for the boys to endorse, while their eight-year-old brother Frankie (Frankie Jonas) is always trying to find some way to be part of the band and get some attention of his own.

The DVD contains five episodes from the first season, plus bonus features.

“Groovy Movies” – After finding out that they forgot their mother’s birthday, the boys decide to record all the family’s home videos onto DVDs. Everything that can go wrong does, and they end up destroying the tapes. Knowing that they can’t fix the problem, they decide to reenact and record all the old memories in a new way.

“Wrong Song” – When Nick falls too hard and too fast over a girl at school, he does what every young rock star does: he writes a song for her. Unfortunately, she thinks he wrote it for her to perform and dedicates the song to her boyfriend. Stella and Macy work on developing breakaway clothing (Stellcro) for the band so that when fans tear at the clothes the entire outfit isn’t ruined.

“Pizza Girl” – Picarillo’s is the worst pizza in town, but they have the prettiest pizza delivery girl. After spending $500 on pizzas, dad is forced to put down the law, forcing the brothers to go against the “Sacred Book of Jonas Law,” and compete against one another for her affections.

“Band’s Best Friend” – Jo’s best friend from elementary school comes for a visit, but he’s not the same person they remember. He’s gone rock-star crazy and needs to be shown what the rock-star lifestyle is really like. At the same time, Stella and Macy fight over a $50 potato chip Macy bought because it looked like Jo. The problem is that she paid for it using the money that she borrowed from her friend.

“Chasing the Dream” – Just before the president of the record company comes over to hear some of the new tracks the boys have been working on, they find out that their background singer is sick. So without thinking and not knowing she sounds like a wounded manatee Kevin invites Macy to sing on their songs. Now they have to find a way to hide her voice, while at the same time not hurt her feelings.

Bonus Features - Two previously unreleased episodes:

“Beauty and the Beat” - The three brothers accept an invitation to be the celebrity judges at the “Miss Most Amazing Teen Competition.” While Stella looks down on the pageant as a bunch of bumbling airheads on parade, she finds herself joining the contest after the guys say that they don’t think she’s pageant material.

“Cold Shoulder” - While on a world tour, Kevin falls for the Scandinavian fan club president. When she transfers to his school he is ecstatic that finally he has someone to share his unique perspective on life. But when she finds herself not fitting in and the other students laughing at her, she gets Stella to help her become a typical American girl.

“You’ve Just Been Jo Bro’d!: Surprising Chelsea Staub” - The Jonas brothers play a prank on co-star Chelsea Staub. While preparing for a photo shoot, the boys have another actor come in to harass Chelsea and pretend to be the prop master. The entire setup takes too long and unfortunately, he really doesn’t do anything that funny or interesting.

There’s also a Jonas trading card that could possibly be autographed by Nick.

Whether you are a fan of their music or anything else they’ve done up to this point, JONAS is the most entertaining of the Disney channel shows. The closest thing that it can be compared to is The Monkees television show, which aired from1966 to 1968. There’s plenty of slapstick, and running gags throughout each episode. They might speak directly to the camera, random props can appear in their hands, or they could break into the middle of a music video. You never know just what to expect next. It’s nice to see a television show that can be really funny and still remain family friendly.

Book of Jonas:

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Second Season

Written by Pirata Hermosa

The second season of the critically acclaimed comedy created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady about four nerdy geniuses and the beautiful girl next door has been released to DVD just days before season three premieres.

From the very first episode you can see that this season contains a lot more character development and interaction as Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) go out on their very first and last date. During the first season, a lot of emphasis was put on the possible romance between them, so it was a little strange that they threw the two together so quickly just to rip them apart in the very next episode. Even stranger is that the show is much better off with them separated but continues to have awkward moments when they make references about the time they were dating yet it was only one date.

While Johnny and Penny were the main two characters during season one, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) completely steals the show. The more you get to know about his idiosyncrasies and phobias the more the show begins to revolve around him. In order for the rest of his friends to function, Sheldon must first be appeased. In many shows this could make for an annoying character, but while he may be annoying to his friends, the audience finds him incredibly likeable and entertaining. He approaches everything with such sincere innocence and with complete honesty that you can’t help but like him.

More time is also spent on the characters of Howard (Simon Helberg) and Rajesh (Kunal Nayyar). We meet their parents and see that they actually have homes and don’t just sit around Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment all day. Rajesh finally gets some recognition by People magazine and we get to see how much he can talk and hit on women when he’s drunk. Even Howard becomes a little less sleazy (for a moment) and can actually have his feelings hurt, which was an unknown possibility up until now.

Every episode is filled with some of the best comedy writing currently on television, so choosing the best ones out of the season is pretty tough. Three episodes that particularly standout are:

“The Barbarian Sublimation”: Penny is feeling depressed after a bad breakup. Her life isn’t what she thought it would be, so she channels all her energy into The Age of Conan, an MMORPG that takes over her life. A kind of role reversal, as the four guys have to talk her out of doing something that they usually do.

“The Lizard-Spock Expansion”: Sheldon comes up with a new way to play "Rock, Paper, Scissors" by adding two more possibilities, lizard and Spock. But the fun and games are halted when Howard calls for help. It seems that he has managed to get the Mars rover stuck in a ditch.

“The Terminator Coupling”: While on the way to a symposium by train, the four men find that actress Summer Glau is aboard. Three of them compete for her affections, while Sheldon tries to get Penny to find a flash drive with a research paper that he forgot back at the apartment so he can present it to Dr. George Smoot who is a Nobel Laureate for his work on the actual Big Bang Theory.

The DVD contains three special features.

The Big Bang Theory: Physicist to the Stars – UCLA Professor David Saltzberg, who is the creative consultant on the show, explains how he got involved and what he does to add real physics into the storyline. The cast and creators also weigh in on his contributions.

Testing the Infinite Hilarity Hypothesis in Relation to the Big Bang Theory – This is really well done and gives you not only an overview of the characters and how they have grown, but also gives a nice recap of the season.

Gag Reel - The gag reel is a little longer than on most DVDs. It starts off fairly bland and is pretty much the same thing that’s been done before, but about halfway through it starts to pick up the pace and by the end will have you laughing out loud.

WHITEOUT (2009)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

Based on a 1998 comic book by Greg Rucka, Whiteout stars Kate Beckinsale as Marshal Carrie Stetko. She’s the lone law-enforcement officer assigned to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, which is filled with scientists and from the looks of it a fraternity house.

But never fear, Marshall Stetko is here to remove a dozen or so layers of clothes, walk around in her bra and panties, and bend over nicely so the cameraman can get a good close-up of her butt. Not that I am complaining about that part or the long steamy shower she takes afterward, but it made me laugh that this was the first impression they want you to have of her. And of course, for the rest of the film she is dressed up in a giant parka with a big Russian fur hat.

While waiting for the plane to arrive, Stetko receives notice that Delfy (Columbus Short), one of the local pilots, saw what appeared to be a body lying out in the middle of nowhere. When Stetko examines the body, it sets off a flashback to her last case she worked on before coming to the station. Throughout the film she has many flashbacks that help to explain why she requested to be assigned to the world’s most desolate outpost. Along with her own personal flashbacks, the film uses a similar technique to the CSI television shows where they flashback so you can see how somebody was killed.

After finding the victim’s head caved in, a giant gash in his leg, and a pick axe wound to the chest, it’s determined that not only was it murder, but the body had been thrown out of a plane. Bringing the body back to base camp, Doc (Tom Skerritt) examines the body and they are able to identify it as one of the geologists who was working out at one of the old Russian stations. When they try to contact the station, they receive no answer and finally another of the missing geologists contacts the Marshal and asks her for help.

Once again, Delfy flies Stetko out into the cold expanse, but now it’s -65 Celsius (-85 Fahrenheit). Expecting the worse, they enter the Russian camp cautiously and find that all of the geologists have been murdered. Nobody there has been left alive, except for the ski-mask-wearing murderer who chases Stetko around the camp.

In order to get from building to building there are ropes run between them to keep travelers from getting lost or blown away during storms. To ensure their safety even more, they use carabiners clipped onto the rope when they move. It makes for a less than exciting chase scene as Stetko must stop and clip herself on while her attacker swings an axe at her. Of course, at one point she can’t unclip herself and is almost caught, but fortunately the axe wielder finds his clip stuck as well.

Barely escaping with her life, Delfy finds her unconscious and brings her to safety. Shortly after she awakens a mysterious stranger, Robert Pryce (Gabriel Macht), shows up claiming to be an investigator for the United Nations. Not knowing whether or not this new person can be trusted, the three of them search the site where the geologists had last been excavating.

When they pretty much have everything figured out, they head back to camp to find the killer. Soon after they return, Delfy is stabbed and Stetko is attacked. Fortunately, the murderer is overpowered and they discover his identity. If the killer hadn’t acted, they may not have figured out who it was because they didn’t have any real suspects.

Pryce and Stetko leave the captive locked up in a room, which he manages to escape from. This leads to several more confrontations, a surprise co-conspirator, and another outdoor chase scene using ropes and carabiners.

I must admit that I went into the movie with an over-critical eye, mostly because I’ve spent a good portion of my life living in a climate where it would get as cold as -65 Fahrenheit in the winter, and I tend to be picky of Hollywood’s portrayal of cold weather. But they did an okay job of it. Whenever they were outside you could see their breath, even though it was obviously CGI. When Stetko grabs a metal door handle without gloves, her hand sticks and she ends up getting frostbite.

They also missed a few things. When it’s that cold, if you are in a vehicle or a small airplane, it’s going to be just about as cold inside as it is outside. The wind always seemed to blow directly into their face no matter what direction they turned. Stetko went from one building to another and back and the wind was blowing against her both ways. And finally, even though they were tied to the ropes the wind wasn’t blowing them over, but as soon as they were unclipped it would fling them 20 feet in the air.

I didn’t hate the film, but thought it was just okay. The characters were never really developed and I just didn’t care what happened to them. The only reason I was rooting for Steko was because she was Kate Beckinsale, and that’s not the reason you should have during any film.

The flashbacks didn’t add anything to the film and were more of a distraction. A much better movie could have been made, but it failed more through execution than because of the storyline.

The Girl Next Door - Unrated Version (2009) (Blu-ray )

Written by Pirata Hermosa

What’s a nerdy high school senior who is class president, yearbook editor, and trying to win a scholarship based on moral fiber supposed to do when a beautiful blonde moves in next door? He spies on her as she undresses, gets busted, and ends up having his entire life turned upside down.

And that’s exactly what happens to Matthew (Emile Hirsch). But you can’t blame him; she really is hot. Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) immediately takes a liking to him and instead of ratting him out to his parents for being a peeping tom, she decides to get a little revenge on him by taking him for a ride, forcing him to strip in the street, and then making him walk home.

The two are immediately attracted to one another as she pushes him to his limits and gets him to do things he normally wouldn’t, like skinny-dipping in the principal’s pool. She also takes him and his friends Eli (Chris Marquette) and Klitz (Paul Dano) to crash a party, which helps to increase Matthew’s popularity.

But everything falls apart when Eli, and his ever pornographic mind, finds a videotape and shows it to Matthew. It seems Danielle also goes by the name Athena and is an up-and-coming porn star. Not knowing what to do, Matthew takes Eli’s poor advice and ends up embarrassing himself and Danielle in a sleazy motel room.

Danielle had moved there to get away from her former job, but after the argument with Matthew, she ends up calling her old producer Kelly (Timothy Olyphant) and leaves with him for a porn convention in Las Vegas.

Realizing how stupid he was, Matthew convinces his two friends to drive to Vegas to stop her. But not only does he have to try and regain Danielle’s trust, but he has to circumnavigate Kelly, who refuses to let his biggest moneymaker leave the profession.

The special features on the Blu-ray are basically the same as the DVD, although the DVD has a photo gallery and a trivia feature that the Blu-ray does not. They are:

Full-Length Audio Commentary by director Luke Greenfield

Scene Specific Commentary by Emile Hirsch and one by Elisha Cuthbert – I found Elisha’s particularly funny just because she talks about standing up to the directors and refusing to do nudity. She was willing to go further than she had before, but didn’t think it was appropriate for her character to be seen naked. (Not like her character was a porn star or anything like that.)

The Eli Experience Featurette – Chris Marquette goes to the AVN Awards convention pretending to be his character Eli, and an adult film director. He brings along fellow cast mate and wrestler Matt Horshu Wiese. Together they pull pranks on convention-goers seeing if they can get them to do auditions (sex scenes) with the giant wrestler. It’s actually pretty entertaining, but might have been better if they were a little subtler in some of the pranks they try and do.

A Look Next Door Making-of Featurette – It discusses the characters, their motivations, and the overall themes of the film. The part I liked best is when they discuss how Elisha almost didn’t get the part because the studio execs weren’t sure she would be sexy enough to be believable as a porn star. I had to wonder if they had actually ever seen Elisha before? Hello?

Gag Reel – A pretty typical bloopers reel, but at least it had strippers in it.

Deleted and Extended Scenes Including the Original Ending - Every deleted scene was cut for good reason. If some of the scenes had been left in, it would have given away too much information and the big surprise of what’s on the videotape would have been ruined. However, I did enjoy seeing those clips after the fact. The original ending is only an extra 5-10 seconds added on to the film where they show Matthew at the White House smoking a cigar and musing about how he got there.

The film was shot in Widescreen 1.85:1 with 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Digital Dolby. The video is much clearer and brighter than the original DVD release, but has a surprising amount of grain for a recent release. The audio didn’t really impress me much, which could be the reason I overlooked it. The film doesn’t really have a big soundtrack. It’s mostly dialogue, and even when there is music in the film, it's lightly in the background setting the mood.

I actually really enjoyed The Girl Next Door. It reminded me of a film that would have been shot in the ‘80s. It had a good story and didn’t throw in the gratuitous gross-out scene like many of today’s films do. It reminded me of Risky Business. In this film there was a porn star, instead of a hooker. There was a $25,000 bank account instead of the crystal egg that had to be replaced, along with some badass hoods trying to stop him. Even the voiceover by the main character and the character’s evolution from a kid with no experience to a young adult with a unique experience on life was almost the same in the two films. There are a number of twists and turns in the film and the characters are really fleshed out. Kelly is the most interesting character as he is both the big brother and the scary bad guy but still manages to be likable in the end.

The most disappointing thing is the Blu-ray disc itself. It seems like they just made it just so they could push it out on the newer format. There’s no inserts in the box, the features on the Blu-ray are fewer than what’s on the original DVD, and when you load it up, it just goes to a screen showing a picture of the cover. The DVD actually has a background scene going on which changes as you move through the different selections. All and all, it just felt really cheap.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season

Written by Pirata Hermosa

When Supernatural first started, it was about two estranged brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester. Sam was going to college and trying to forget about the death of their mother, while Dean was busy following their father and trying to hunt down the demon that killed her. But everything changed when their father went missing and the demon that killed Mrs. Winchester killed Sam’s girlfriend. Vowing to track down the demon and find their father, the two set off for an adventure that would bring them face to face with monsters, demons, and creatures of ancient lore.

While the first two seasons served up storylines more along the monster-of-the-week mindset, seasons three and four made a more dramatic turn bringing the Winchester back-story to the forefront. Dean had a year to live as he traded his soul in order to save his brother’s life. Most of season three covered their attempts to find the demon that owned the contract to his soul and how they might find a way out of the deal. In the season finale, they failed to find an answer and Dean was dragged to hell by the demon Lilith.

Season four starts off four months later. Dean has been in Hell for what has seemed to him like forty years, and suddenly finds himself back on Earth. He remembers every moment of the torment that he suffered, but has no memory of how he managed to escape. Having a hard time dealing with the loss of his brother, Sam turns to the demon Ruby (Genevieve Cortese), who Sam believes is trying to help them. Not only does he become romantically entangled with her, but he is consuming her blood to give himself powers. While Dean is occupied on finding out how and why he escaped from Hell, Sam is finding it harder and harder to keep his newfound powers under control and hidden from his brother.

But what is the one thing that can save a man from Hell? It’s not another demon or blind luck that saved him. The angel Castiel (Misha Collins) was sent down to pluck him from unending torture. Dean has a destiny to fulfill. He is the only person who can stop Lilith from breaking the seals that bind Lucifer to Hell and stop the oncoming apocalypse.

It may seem like the cavalry has arrived to help the brothers combat the forces of evil, but the angels aren’t those written in fairy tales with fluffy white wings overflowing with love and good thoughts. No, these angels are Old Testament, feel-the-wrath-of-God, smite-your-enemies-by-wiping-out-the-entire-city angels. They have their own hidden agenda and they don’t mess around. And when they learn of Sam playing around with dark forces and demon blood, it’s all Dean can do to protect his brother.

Even though season four has a pretty heavy feel to it with the main overall thread, there are still a number of independent episodes that break up the tension rather nicely.

Some of my favorites were:

“Wishful Thinking” is about a town with a real wishing well. Wishes are coming true, but they aren’t exactly what the wisher asked for and are slightly perverted. You’ll never look at your stuffed animals the same way again after watching this one.

“Monster Movie” takes place in a small town during Oktoberfest. It’s filmed in black and white, which fits in perfectly with the fact that Hollywood’s most classic film monsters are prowling the streets.

“After School Special” brings the Winchesters back to one of their former high schools. It contains a number of flashbacks to their childhood and gives you an inside look of how they grew up to be the men they are now.

The Special Features on the DVD are:

1. The Mythologies of Supernatural: From Heaven to Hell is the most interesting extra feature on the DVD. It’s divided into three sections: Paradise, Purgatorio and Inferno. Each section has several small documentaries on how the writers came up with their storylines, and also involves scholars, and authors on Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism. It discusses issues about free will, angels, miracles, the war between good and evil, and the origin of Lilith.

2. Creator Commentary on “In The Beginning,” “When The Levee Breaks,” “Lucifer Rising.”

3. Extended Unaired Scenes from “Lazarus Rising,” “In The Beginning,” “Heaven And Hell,” “On The Head of a Pin,” “The Monster At The End of This Book,” “The Rapture,” and “Lucifer Rising.”

4. The Gag Reel is a rather long set of clips from the show. There are a couple of practical jokes, a lot of farting, and then a lot of random laughing during the middle of takes.

Supernatural is one of the better shows currently on the air. It’s a well-written show that does an excellent job of balancing its darker moments with just the right amount of levity and inside jokes. It reminds me of a Joss Whedon show, slightly more serious and just a little cooler. Some of the episodes are as good as or better than any horror film you might see in the theatres.

I don’t want to spoil the cliffhanger for anyone, but I can’t wait for Season Five to start because Lucifer and the Apocalypse are coming.

Sonny with a Chance - Sonny's Big Break: Volume 1

Written by Pirata Hermosa

This latest release from the Disney Channel is from their Sunday night lineup that also features The Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana, and Jonas and is mainly geared for a teen audience.

The show’s main character is Sonny Munroe, played by Demi Lovato, who most people remember from the Disney movie, Camp Rock, which also featured the Jonas Brothers. Sonny is about to live every person’s dream, and is leaving her small hometown in Wisconsin for the bright lights of Hollywood. Her Internet broadcasts have caught the eye of television network executives looking to replace a cast member from their hit comedy sketch show, So Random!

The DVD contains four of the episodes from the first season.

“Sketchy Beginnings”: It’s Sonny’s first day on the show and it’s time for her to meet her fellow cast members. Nico (Brandon Smith) and Grady (Doug Brochu) are the typical guys. They like monster trucks, greasy food, and are best friends. Zora (Allisyn Arm) is the strange little girl with the nasally voice, who enjoys hanging out in the sarcophagus or in the air ducts. And finally the last member of the show is, Tawni Hart (Tiffany Thornton), who is the spoiled prom queen and says that she is both the “funny one and the pretty one.” While Sonny is welcomed by most of the cast, Tawni wants nothing to do with the new girl. But Sonny is the nice girl from Wisconsin who wants to get along with everyone, so she tries anything she can think of to win over the pampered princess. Unfortunately, everything she does has the opposite effect. She ends up ruining one of Tawni’s sketches, ripping her favorite cape, shredding her favorite stuffed animal, and knocking her out at the end of the first live TV show.

“West Coast Story”: In this episode Sonny runs into Chad Dylan Cooper (Sterling Knight). He’s the biggest teen heartthrob on the number-one TV show Mackenzie Falls that is filmed in the sound studio next door to So Random! At first this seems like a good thing, but as Sonny quickly learns the two casts hate one another. They’ve had a long standing rivalry for years. Sonny tries to get the two groups together to make peace once and for all, but ends up caught up in the feud. While Chad is the nicest guy on TV, in real life he is the biggest self-centered, egotistical jerk who will do or say anything to get what he wants. In order to teach him a lesson, Sonny challenges him to a contest of the one thing that the cast of So Random! is really good at, musical chairs.

“Cheater Girls”: After a lot of sucking up and ego stroking, Sonny and Tawni have become a little closer and with the new characters that they created called the Check-it-out Girls they have visions of action figures, lunch boxes and feature films dancing in their heads. With things going so well, what could go wrong? Sonny is failing her math classes and her mother (Nancy McKeon) is coming down hard on her. If she doesn’t ace her next math test then she’s no longer going to be on the show. That means the Check-it-out Girls are going to be played by Grady and Nico. Unable to concentrate on her studies, Sonny realizes that she’s not going to pass the test and lets Tawni talk her into cheating. Before the test begins Sonny begins to panic and confesses, resulting in her being taken off the show. As Tawni and Sonny sit around feeling sorry for themselves Sonny suddenly discovers that the answers she wrote on her arm have actually stuck in her brain and the two rush off to take the test before their sketch goes on the air.

“Sonny at the Falls”: Still trying to get revenge from being beaten at musical chairs and to make sure his show remains number one, Chad sees an opportunity to drive a wedge between the cast of So Random! after Sonny pitches an idea for a sketch that is rejected by everyone. Pretending to be on her side, Chad invites Sonny to participate in all the benefits that the Mackenzie Falls cast receives, steak and lobster dinners, pedicures, manicures, massages and they even have their own meditation room. Chad’s plan begins to work as they have a falling out, but shortly afterwards they learn how much they need each other.

The DVD contains three Special Features:

“Mackenzie Falls Season Finale Cliffhanger Short” – Mackenzie Falls isn’t just a faux show on Sonny With A Chance; it has actually been made into webisodes that you can watch on your computer. They have actually turned the finale to a DVD exclusive. Like the webisodes, the acting is really bad and overdramatic. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Mackenzie Falls is supposed to be a spoof on other teen shows like Dawson’s Creek, Gossip Girl, and One Tree Hill.

“Sonny in the Middle” – This is a never-before-released episode. Nico and Grady are the best of friends, such good friends that they even share the same birthday. Knowing how solid their relationship is, and because Tawni won’t help kick in for the present, Sonny buys them the most hi-tech gaming chair on the market and expects them to share it. Of course, her plan completely backfires as the two squabble over the chair resulting in them breaking off their friendship. To make matters worse, the two end up turning to Sonny for companionship and start driving her crazy with their juvenile jokes and by constantly embarrassing her in public. Sonny is forced to come up with one of her crazy plans to bring the two back together and restore their broken friendship.

“Demi’s Big Break” - A brief audition clip for the role of Sonny Munroe interspersed with some scenes from the show. I watched it, and I still don’t understand how a casting director can make a decision based on audition clips. They always seem very odd, and this one is no exception.

Sonny With A Chance is a typical Disney show that is family friendly and contains some good messages. It’s also not just for kids; adults can enjoy it as well even though it has its silly moments. Some of the best aspects of the show are the comments made by Tawni who believes anything can be resolved by how pretty she is and the interaction between Sonny and Chad as they try to one-up the other while dancing around some underlying feelings they have for one another. Those three characters are what make the show interesting, but Sonny truly is the star. She’s a little over the top and a little geeky, but it makes her more relatable to the viewers.

I’ve also noticed that Disney likes to release its shows in volumes instead of seasons. It’s kind of annoying to get a DVD that only has four episodes and not an entire season. I’m not sure if they think it’s more affordable for it to be broken down, but if you end up having to buy five or six volumes I could see the overall price tag being dramatically higher than what you’d buy for one regular season set.

Greek: Chapter Three

Written by Pirata Hermosa

For those of you who haven’t watched Greek before, it’s a television show that airs Monday night on the ABC Family Network. You’re probably thinking that it’s just another kids’ show. That’s kind of what I was thinking, but I was surprised to find out it’s a very adult show. It didn’t seem very family-friendly to me. The show is about a bunch of young adults in college and their experiences in Greek fraternity/sorority life. This includes everything from drunken parties, sleeping around, and just general debauchery.

The story focuses on two siblings. Rusty Cartwright (Jacob Zachar) is a geeky freshman who excels in science and engineering. He’s finally made it to college and has decided that he wants to experience more than simple academics. He wants to be a member of a fraternity. And the one he becomes a member of is the KTs, the biggest party house on campus. His sister, Casey (Spencer Grammer), is the president of the university’s most popular sorority the ZBZs. She’s a junior and everything she does is always prim and proper, that is until her younger brother shows up. As soon as Rusty arrives everything starts to crash in Casey’s life. He catches her rich boyfriend, Evan Chambers (Jake McDorman) sleeping with the Senator’s daughter and future ZBZ pledge, Rebecca Logan (Dilshad Vadsaria). So immediately there’s an instant love triangle and a lot of animosity right from the beginning.

To add to the drama they also throw in:

Cappie (Scott Michael Foster), president of the KT house, former best friends with Evan, and ex-boyfriend of Casey whom he is still in love with.

Dale (Clark Duke), Rusty’s roommate, who hangs the confederate flag and talks of abstinence and purity pledges.

Calvin (Paul James), who becomes fast friends with Rusty but ends up in the rival fraternity as Evan’s frat brother. He is also the one gay character in the show and has to learn to deal with his own identity issues as well as the reactions of others.

Frannie (Tiffany Dupont), who was the ZBZ president until she was kicked out of the sorority. She is desperately trying to get back in and run again for president.

Ashleigh (Amber Stevens), Casey’s always-positive sidekick.

You can see just with all these character types and conflicting interests that the storylines can get rather involved, much like a soap opera.

The Chapter Three DVD is the first ten episodes of the new season and starts where season one ended. The gang is back from Spring Break and has to deal with the consequences of what happened. Rebecca found out her father had an affair, so she is on a rampage and entered a wet T-shirt contest. Of course someone with a cell phone has posted it on the Internet. Cappie and Casey kissed. Rusty and Calvin have patched up their friendship, which was on the verge of crumbling, and Evan has given in to the pressure from his parents and decided to join forces with Frannie.

In the first season the story seemed to be more about Rusty and his fitting in, but now it’s more about Casey who struggles for power with Frannie as they both try to win the presidency of the sorority. It also follows Casey’s love life as a new man enters into the picture, Max (Michael Rady). He’s Rusty’s R.A. and almost as geeky. The over-focusing on Casey’s life has dragged the show to a slow crawl in this chapter.

It also doesn’t help that Evan and Rebecca are no longer such villains. It’s somewhat a catch-22. You need that friction between characters to keep things exciting, but at the same time they are so well written and fully developed that you really like them. You want them to come to their senses and be friends with the others.

I’m hoping they’ll introduce a new character in season three, which premieres August 31, one we can all hate who will breathe some new life into the show.

The Special Features on the DVD include:

20 Questions with the Cast of Greek – the questions are loosely based on the show and episodes: Are you anything like your character? Have you ever been on a pity date? Which character would you like to be friends with in real life? Those are just some of the questions. It’s a little awkwardly done with the cast split up in different rooms and the responses aren’t terribly exciting.

Blooper Reel – A very basic blooper reel mostly filled with flubbing lines or laughing in the middle of a scene. The bloopers are edited so quickly that it loses all context and comes across very flat.

There is also cast and creator commentary on the episodes: “Brothers and Sisters,” “The Popular Vote,” and “Hell Week.”

12 MONKEYS (Blu-ray)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

It’s the year 2035 and humanity has been reduced to living underground because of a virus that ravaged the planet and killed off most of the world’s population. The future is bleak and the inhabitants of the underworld are looking for a way to return to the surface. The only way to battle the disease is for them to send “Volunteers” out into the world and into the past to collect specimens.

James Cole (Bruce Willis) is the latest prison inmate to get volunteered into the program. He does such a good job, that he is chosen to go after the source of the virus. The scientists aren’t sure what the source is, but they do know that it first appears in Philadelphia and that a group called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys may be involved somehow.

On his first mission into the past, James is sent to the wrong time. It seems that time travel isn’t an exact science. Instead of 1996, James finds himself in 1990 disoriented and wearing nothing but see-through plastic. He is mistakenly picked up by the police and is taken to a mental institute.

While in the hospital, James meets Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe), who is the psychiatrist assigned to his case. He also befriends Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt), a total psychopath that actually belongs in the loony bin.

After a failed escape attempt, James is returned to 2035 where he has to explain why his mission failed. Giving him another chance, the scientists try to send him to the year 1996. Once again they fail to deliver him to the correct time and he ends up in the middle of World War I.

Eventually, they get him to the right time and place and James is surprised to find that his crazy friend Jeffrey has a connection with the Army of the 12 Monkeys. His father is the director of a biological laboratory.

In order to find out the truth, James kidnaps Kathryn to help him on his journey. At first she is reluctant, but as things begin to unravel and James’ stories start coming true she slowly becomes a believer. While Kathryn starts to believe, James becomes more and more confused. The stress of the constant time traveling mixed with the strange dreams from his past and his desire to live a normal life causes him to think that he really is crazy.

I won’t give away the ending, because there are a few plot twists, but it’s really difficult to review a film that was originally released 14 years ago. In 1995 the film was new and fresh and had a gritty appeal to it. In 2009 it’s a film with a very familiar storyline and outdated special effects. It’s really difficult to make a film stand the test of time because in this era whenever there’s a good movie idea, everyone tries to capitalize on it and ends up beating it into the ground. And the theory of time travel has been worked to death in the last few years.

Even so, it’s a film worth watching if you haven’t seen it before. It was directed by Terry Gilliam, who always gives a unique and interesting perspective to all of his films, and both Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt give excellent performances.

The film is presented in 1080p High-Definition Widescreen format with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Normally, while watching a film I don't really even notice the quality. I just take it for granted because there's no real comparison, but this time I threw in my Collector's Edition DVD and compared the two. I was actually surprised at the difference. The Blu-Ray is a much crisper version and everything on the screen seems to really pop out at you. The same can be said for the Blu-Ray audio which uses a DTS-HD Master Audio 5. The sounds are much richer and deeper than the regular DVD.

There are three special features on the Blu-Ray disc:

Commentary with Director Terry Gilliam and Producer Charles Rowen

The Hamster Factor & Other Tales of 12 Monkeys- a 90-minute documentary on the making of the film. It’s actually quite interesting as it takes you behind the scenes and deals with some of the issues such as budget matters, getting funding for a film, set creation, amd Gilliam’s dislike for the Hollywood process. It’s not just your typical actors just goofing around behind the camera.

12 Monkeys Archives- Consists of concept art and drawings for the film.

All of these features are the same as what has already been released on DVD. The latter two are done in 480 i/p Standard Definition and are more the quality of something you would get off television and not from a feature film. I already had the Special Edition on DVD and it’s exactly the same, so if you already own the DVD I don’t think it would be necessary to purchase the Blu-Ray as well.

MISS MARCH

Written by Pirata Hermosa

With guest appearances by Hugh Hefner, several Playboy Playmates, and a foul-mouthed rapper with an even cruder name, how could this movie be bad? It’s not terrible, but it sure could have been a lot better than it was.

The film was written by, directed by and starred two members of the sketch-comedy group, The Whitest Kids You Know. I say that like everyone knows who they are, but I had never heard of them until now.

Tucker Cleigh (Trevor Moore) and Eugene Bell (Zach Cregger) have been best friends since they were little kids. Eugene is the conservative one, concerned about rules and being a good person, while Tucker is a sex-obsessed pervert who follows his own bible, Playboy magazine.

After giving an abstinence seminar with his girlfriend, Cindi (Raquel Alessi), she gives him an ultimatum. The two of them are going to have sex on Prom night. After a lot of arm-twisting, Eugene agrees. But he is so nervous that he drinks himself into a stupor, falls down the basement stairs, and ends up in a coma.

Four years later, Tucker finally figures out how to bring his friend out of the coma: a quick hard smack to the nose with a baseball bat. Upon awakening, Eugene finds that not only has Cindi abandoned him, but she is also the newest Playboy centerfold. Seeing this as a sign, Tucker kidnaps Eugene from the hospital and the two begin a cross-country trip to the Playboy mansion to find her.

Not really much of a plotline at this point, so they have to throw in the fact that they are being hunted by every fireman in the country. Why every fireman? Because Tucker’s psychotic epileptic girlfriend, Candace (Molly Stanton), is pissed off at him and has her fireman brother, Rick (Geoff Meed), tracking them down.

The biggest issue with the film is that we’ve seen it all before and usually done a lot better. It’s a typical boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. The character of Tucker comes across as a really bad Jim Carrey impersonation. Even the fireman chasing the two brings back memories of the newspaper delivery boys in Better off Dead.

Of course there are some good parts as well starting with Hugh Hefner and Playboy bunnies. That automatically makes it worth seeing for us guys. I’ve also never seen a woman French kiss a keyhole and open a lock with her tongue. And finally, the stereotypical rapper known as Horsedick.MPEG (Craig Robinson) is one of the best aspects of the film. The first five or six times when people only call him Horsedick and he has to remind them that it’s Horsedick.MPEG is funny, but after that it just becomes annoying.

The DVD has both the theatrical version of the film as well as the unrated version. I choose to watch the unrated version. I really don’t understand what the point of “Unrated Versions” of films is. There’s nothing in the unrated version that couldn’t have been shown in theatres. It seems to be just a marketing gimmick. One day I would really like to see an unrated version that just blows my mind.

The DVD I received also said that it was a Widescreen Version, but it wasn’t. It was just the regular television format.

There were only three special features:

Timmy’s Audition: It was short and moderately entertaining. Timmy is another member of The Whitest Kids You Know and is there auditioning for a part with no speaking lines.

Darren’s Audition: Another group member auditioning for a part in the film, but this time as Eugene’s girlfriend. It was funnier than the first audition but also short.

Down & Dirty with Horsedick.MPEG (Censored Version): I have no idea why this version is censored. I just sat through the film where the F-word was frequently used and had listened to Horsedick.MPEG’s songs “I’m gonna F*** a White Girl,” and “Suck My D*** While I F*** That Ass,” but I guess for a fake mockumentary, I have to have every other word beeped for my protection.

Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods (Final Cut)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

The original pilot episode of the long-running television show has just been re-released on DVD. But it is a new version that’s been re-cut, re-mastered, and has new special effects.

Since I hadn’t seen the pilot episode for quite some time, I had to pull out my original copy from the Season 1 box set and compare it to the new version. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a drastic difference or if it was just going to be a marketing gimmick with just a few minor changes to the original.

I noticed the differences immediately in the credits. They began as they would in a feature-length film, and gone was the traditional opening credit scene against the backdrop of the Stargate. But there were a lot more changes than just the credits. The special effects were redone, a lot of the dialogue had been shortened up, and the story had some significant changes.

In the original, Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) has a very gutsy introduction as a woman who can handle her own with the men and even makes a comment about just because her reproductive organs are on the inside doesn’t make her any less of a soldier. It is a little out of character for the Sam we will get to know throughout the series, but I really missed it in the new version.

There’s an awkward conversation between Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and his close friend, Charles Kawalsky (Jay Acovone), where Jack explains about his son’s death that was cut out of the episode. It was an obvious attempt at filling in the audience, but really wasn’t needed and is something a good friend would have already known. In fact, the entire relationship between the two soldiers is much tighter in the new version. There are constant smirks and knowing nods between the two, and at one point they even make the same comment at the exact same time.

Another good change is the fact that the entire plot thread about how the team must return in 24 hours or else be locked out is completely removed. There is some talk of a second nuke going through the gate, but the artificial timetable in the original was just a terrible idea that didn’t work.

The renegade Jaffa, Teal’c (Christopher Judge), who defies his Goa’uld masters to help the SG-1 team, has an overhaul as well. The scenes where he actually picks the slaves to be implanted with symbiotes or killed has been removed, which helps to make his betrayal more believable. There’s also a scene at the end where his voice has been completely redubbed and he gives a much lengthier speech on his reasons for changing sides and how he himself carries a symbiote in larval form.

One of the most obvious changes in the pilot is the fact that there is no nudity. Originally, the show premiered on Showtime for a few seasons before switching to the Sci-Fi channel. The change makes it fit in better with the series as a whole, but the nudity isn’t just gratuitous. It gives the scene a slightly creepier feel as the symbiote looking for a new host crawls all over Sha’re (Vaitiare Bandera)

The changes are not just with story and dialogue, but the music score and special effects have been redone. The rippling of the water-like pool that opens when the Stargate has been activated is standardized throughout every scene. The wormhole effect when someone travels between gates is completely different. The most significant special effects addition is during the ending battle scene where more ships are digitally added to the fray. It really does make the scene fuller and more exciting. However, there’s a little too much added to the scene that it takes away from Kawalsky’s last-second heroics.

While most of the changes aren’t necessary to enjoy the episode, the last change that is made in the very last scene makes it a much more satisfying story. Originally, as the Stargate teams flee back through the gate to Earth, a symbiote leaps out of its dying Jaffa carrier and burrows into Kawalsky’s head. The last scene is the Goa’uld exerting its dominance over him and his eyes glowing yellow. After all that has happened in the pilot it ends on this really sour note. In the new version the entire incident is removed and gives the film a completely different outlook.

The DVD contains a commentary by executive producer Brad Wright and Richard Dean Anderson. There is also one short featurette, “Back to the Beginning” where Wright discusses some of the changes and his reasoning for them.

Overall, I would have to say that the new release of Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods is a better version than the original. Mostly this is for hardcore SG-1 fans, but I would probably suggest this version to friends and family who are just starting to watch the series.

Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fifth Season

Written by Pirata Hermosa

While the final season of Stargate Atlantis may have come to a conclusion, the final story has not been written for the crew of Earth’s most famous and mythical city, Atlantis. Having reached the all-important fifth season where the show can reach its full syndication potential, it can now be spun off into films released on DVD as to take advantage of a fanbase now forced to pay for something that they once received for free.

The Sci-Fi Channel, which originally aired the series, has always been known for cutting shows too soon, but after watching the final season, they may have done it just at the right time. The show may have survived a change in command from Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Michelle Morgan) to Colonel Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping), and the loss of Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion) and his replacement by Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewell Staite), but season five starts with a change in command once again.

Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo), who was once a major opponent of the Stargate project, has now taken over for the Colonel after only one year of command. It is surprising that a show can withstand so many character changes, but it’s a sign that the other various behind-the-scenes issues might be affecting the show.

Two other indications that the show may have run its course show up in the episodes “Inquisition” and “Remnants.” “Inquisition” is nothing more than a typical clip show. The Atlantis team is abducted by a council that puts them on trial for everything that they have done during their five-year stay in the Pegasus galaxy. Not only is this type of episode incredibly boring, but it’s been done many times before. “Remnants” is almost as bad as a clip show, but without the clips. This is the equally boring performance-review episode where Woolsey must justify all of his command decisions to some appointed overseer who will evaluate him and decide whether or not he is fit to command. It is somewhat ironic, since Woolsey is the one who evaluated the original Stargate team, SG-1, in the previous TV series. Thankfully, there is a secondary storyline that is more interesting than the main plot.

Even with a few weak episodes mixed in with the regular season, the episodes still work. After seeing a group of characters evolve over five seasons, they become familiar. The characters grow and just their basic interactions with one another are fascinating and entertaining. It’s good that the cast and crew knew that this was going to be the final season. Unlike many other cancelled shows, Atlantis was given plenty of time to tie up a lot of storylines.

The love triangle between Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), Dr. Jennifer Keller, and Ronon Dax (Jason Momoa) is resolved in “Brainstorm,” an episode where the two doctors return to Earth for a conference on global warming presented by Rodney’s rival Malcolm Tunney (Dave Foley). Of course, things go horribly wrong, bringing the two closer and resulting in Jennifer making a last-minute confession of her feelings.

In “Prodigal,” Michael Kenmore (Connor Trinneer) invades the city of Atlantis in his final attempt at capturing Teyla Emmagan’s (Rachel Luttrell) son in order to use his human/wraith hybrid blood to change the evolution of the wraith. While originally a single-episode character, Michael transformed into a reoccurring villain that Teyla deals with in a very conclusive way.

In the series finale, “Enemy at the Gate,” the biggest loose thread is tied up. Todd the Wraith (Christopher Heyerdahl), who has had a strange parasitic relationship with the Atlantis crew over the last couple of seasons, appears with a new proposition and request for assistance. Originally, the plan is to stop his mutinous crew from increasing their power using stolen Z.P.M.s, but it quickly turns into a race for the survival of Earth as its location is revealed and a newly modified wraith hive ship races to destroy it.

Most of the threads have been tied up by the end of the series, but Todd is still alive, Lieutenant Aiden Ford (Rainbow Francks) is still on the loose and hooked on the wraith enzyme, and somebody has to make a decision on what to do with Atlantis. There are plenty of options for the story to continue in future feature films, but for a new Stargate TV series you only need to wait until the fall when Stargate Universe is expected to premiere.

The DVD has 20 episodes on five discs and contains the following Special Features:

Audio Commentary by Directors, Producers, and Stars - It’s always nice to learn about the creative artistry that goes into filming an episode.

Mission Directive Featurettes - There are many of these for season five, but my favorite one is “The Life and Death of Michael Kenmore.” It’s an overview on the character of Michael from his birth to his final moments, discussing his character evolution and why he is likeable even though he ultimately becomes a villain. I also enjoyed the featurette on “Brainstorm,” because the very entertaining Martin Gero hosts it. He also wrote and directed the episode.

Deleted Scenes - I’m not a big fan of deleted scenes because they are generally pretty dry, and not completely finished. On this DVD set they are all clumped together on a couple of the discs and it’s difficult to remember where they actually fit into the episodes. I’d rather they put them after the ending credits of each individual episode so you’d at least remember what context they were originally created for.

Photo & Design Galleries - Lots of still photos from episodes and general designs used in the series.

DEFIANCE (2008)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

The first thing that jumped to mind after seeing Defiance was that it was not at all what I expected. Instead of an action-packed film about a man who ran an underground railroad during World War II, it ended up being more of a wilderness survival movie.

Four brothers find themselves on the run from the war when Germany invades their country and begins slaughtering the Jews. Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig) and his brother Zus (Live Schrieber) return to the family home to check on their parents and siblings. When they arrive, they find that everyone has been slaughtered with the exception of their two younger brothers Asael (Jamie Bell), and Aron (George MacKay).

Having nowhere else to go, the four head into the nearby forest where they have spent many hours over the years. But they aren’t the only ones who seek refuge in the forest. As more and more Jews flee persecution, they come to the Bielskis for safety. Slowly their group, or Otriad as it is called, begins to grow.

Tuvia finds that he cannot turn anyone away, while Zus wants to turn them all away. Not only is there not enough food for everyone, but Zus is more interested in taking out his revenge on the Germans and the Russians who sold out their family.

There are a few really good action scenes in the film, like when Tuvia goes to the home of the officer who killed his parents and returns the favor, and the ending battle with a tank.

Unfortunately, the action is few and far between. The rest of the film is mostly about building shelters, rationing food, and surviving illnesses. There are a few entertaining discussions between intellectual types as the Ortriad struggles to become a community. A few romances begin to develop, but they are based more on the need for survival than they are love. It is interesting to see how these people managed to survive several years and cope with adversity, but it plays out pretty dry. Even the lead character, Tuvia, is a little dull.

The one character that brings life and some measure of excitement to the film is Zus. He is bold, full of bravado, and steals every scene he is in. This same brashness causes some conflict between the two brothers and results in Zus leaving to join the Russian army. The Russian army is a ragtag group of fighters themselves, who will take anyone with a gun. They welcome Zus and the handful of men he brought with him, but end up treating them like second-class citizens because they are Jewish.

The overall feel and look of the film is excellent. Everything appears authentic, and the special effects are not overdone as they are in a lot of films. It has a gritty earthiness and is worth seeing because of its historical significance and the simple fact that the Bielskis manage to save 1,200 people. While this might make for a good television program on the History Channel, it just doesn’t quite have enough energy to make for a successful motion picture.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

1. Directory Commentary by Edward Zwick.
2. "Return to the Forest: The Making of Defiance" features behind-the-scenes interviews with cast and crew.
3. "Children of the Otriad" -Tuvia and Zus’ children and grandchildren speak about the stories they heard and talk about what kind of men the Bielski brothers truly were. It’s nice to see what the real Bielskis looked like and what became of them after the war. The stories that the children tell are a nice addition to the DVD, and make their adventures seem even more important knowing that the 1,200 people they helped to survive now have 19,000 descendants.
4. "Bielski Partisan Survivors" - a short black-and-white montage of recent photographs of the surviving members of the Bielski Otriad, taken in November of 2008