Jarhead 2: Field Of Fire
Director: Don Michael Paul
Starring: Cole Hauser, Josh Kelly, Danielle Savre, Bokeem Woodbine, Ronny Jhutti, Cassie Layton, Jesse Garcia, Jason Wong, Esai Morales, Stephen Lang
Studio: Universal Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Retail: $29.98
ASIN: B00JRB01RK
Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Rating: R
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on August 19th is the action-packed Jarhead 2: Field of Fire. The film is directed by Don Michael Paul (Lake Placid: The Final Chapter) and stars Cole Hauser, Josh Kelly, Danielle Savre, Bokeem Woodbine, Ronny Jhutti, Cassie Layton, Jesse Garcia, Jason Wong, Esai Morales and Stephen Lang. Both the Blu-ray and DVD feature the unrated version and the rated version. The only special feature on the Blu-ray are deleted scenes.

The original Jarhead was released to theaters back in 2005. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics, the film didn't exactly light up the box-office. Now nine-years later the sequel is arriving straight-to-video this coming Tuesday; minus the original cast and any connection to the first film.

Set in the beginning of the Afghanistan War, the sequel centers on Corporal Chris Merrimette (played by Josh Kelly), who is leading a team of Marines (Cpl Danny Kettner, Lance Corporal Danielle 'Danni' Allen, Private Rafael Soto and Private Justin Li) on a mission to resupply an outpost near the Taliban-controlled territory. They are aided by an Afghan National Army personnel, Private Khalid Hassan abu Faisal.

I'm not a big reader of the WWII genre, as I prefer my fictional reading to be set in the 1800s, but from time to time I do find myself reading a book or two set in this era. The Wings of Nightingale series is written by Sarah Sundin. I recall reading the first book, With Every Letter, but for some reason I don't remember reading the second installment, On Distant Shore. 

In Perfect Time centers on the Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson, a character that also appeared in With Every Letter as a minor character and I presume she also appeared in the second book as well. Her romantic interests in the book is C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper, another minor character from book one. I'm not going to go into detail about the plot here, as I don't want to spoil it for everyone else.

The author, Sarah Sundin, obviously loves the genre and did a lot of research, as she crafted detailed descriptions of the era throughout the novel; making the reader feel like they are actually in 1940s right there with the characters; dropping supplies to soldiers and helping the wounded. The romance never felt forced upon the characters, Kay and Roger, making me to believe that they actually loved each other.

Home Is Where The Heart Is 
Director: Rajeev Dassani
Starring: Bailee Madison, Laura Bell Bundy, John C. McGinley, Conrad Goode, Jonathan Banks
Studio: ARC Entertainment
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Retail: $20.99
ASIN: B00KITEHI4
Running Time: 116 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on DVD on Tuesday August 19th, 2014 from ARC  Entertainment is the drama Home Is Where The Heart Is, starring country singer and actress Laura Bell Bundy (FX's Anger Management), Bailee Madison (Wizards of Waverly Place), John C. McGinley (Scrubs), Conrad Goode (Con Air) and Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad). The film is directed by Rajeev Dassani. There are no bonus features or extras featured on the DVD, but there is a VUDU Digital Copy.

Filmed in 2012 under the original title "Watercolor Postcards," Home Is Where The Heart Is centers on the prodigal daughter, Sunny (played by Laura Bell Bundy), returning home to visit her dying mother in Bent Arrow, Texas, but she arrives too late. Her mother leaves her custody of her 10-year-old sister Cotton (played by Bailee Madision), while the house is left to Cotton.

Sunny had no intention of ever returning to her small hometown after failing in California; she has no other choice, but to stay and raise her sister. She quickly befriends their ex-football player neighbor, Butch (played by Conrad Goode, who also wrote the screenplay), whom tries to make a living hand-painting postcards.

These last few days have been dreadful. It isn't even fall yet and I have already gotten strep throat, which I'm just now starting to recover from it. Of course being sick didn't stop me from writing several reviews over the weekend. Actually, I didn't have much a choice, as I needed to get those reviews written and posted before Tuesday. I still have several reviews that I did to get written in the next few days. Yes, blogging can be stressful at times, but it can also be a bit a fun too.

I did have time over the weekend to makes some homemade ice cream, which tasted cold on my sore throat. My grandmother had bought one of those self-freezing ice cream makers a few weeks ago, but after she bought it she noticed the freezing container wouldn't fit into her freezer, so she give it to me, which I made her a batch of ice cream for her birthday last week

Actually, I know my way around kitchen, as some of my blog readers already know. Just last week I made pizzas from scratch (one hamburger and barbeque chicken). The pizzas were personal pan sizes. I don't have pans that small, so I used cake pans instead. One of these days I need to purchase actually pizza pans at a Pizza Shop Supplies.

Bewitched in Oz
By Laura Burns
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Pub. Date: August 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1623701291
Pages: 256
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

I believe almost everyone has seen the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz, but only a handful have probably ever read the original 14 novels by L. Frank Baum, let alone the 21 sequels that were written by Ruth Plumly Thompson that were published after his death. Of course, there are other authors that have taken their turn writing about the world of Oz over the years. Now author Laura Burns is putting her writing talents to franchise with this summer's release of Bewitched in Oz.

In this new tale, all magic has been banned from Oz. Only Princess Ozma, Glinda and the Great Oz himself are allowed to use magic, but this doesn't stop a few teens from practicing their magic skills. The story centers around the teenager Zerie and her pals Vashti and Tabitha. (No, this isn't Samantha's daughter from Bewitched.) They sneak out into the woods and practice their talents. Xerie is super fast, Vashti can levitate any object and Tabitha can vanish into thin air. The girls later recruit Brink into their coven, as he can cast illusions.

Despite the fact that anyone who gets caught using magic will be submerged in the Water of Oblivion, the girls continue to practice in secret that is until the Winged Monkeys apprehend Tabitha, dragging her to Ozama!

The Boleyn Reckoning
by Laura Anderson
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pub. Date: July 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-0345534132
Pages: 416
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Now available in bookstores is the final chapter in the Boleyn Trilogy that started with The Boleyn King and The Boleyn Deceit from author Laura Andersen.

I've never read the first two books in the series before I reviewed The Boleyn Reckoning last week. Actually, I didn't even know about the previous books when I agreed to review this one from the publisher. Though the third installment does continue (I'm guessing here) the storylines from first two books, it didn't bother me a bit, as I jumped right into reading this and easily figured out who was who and what was going on. I don't really read very many books set in the regency era, but as I have worked on my family's genealogy over the years, I have a newfound interest and respect for the era and genre.

I wouldn't call this a "historical fiction" novel, as there are plenty of fictional character throughout the novel, so it is more like an alternative timeline featuring the Tudor family. There is a lot of drama gong on with love triangles, backstabbing and several twists & turns behind every curtain; so basically it is a soap opera set in the 1500s.

Disneynature Bears
Directors: Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey
Narrator: John C. Reilly
Studio: Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 12, 2014
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00GPWERCO
Running Time: 78 minutes
Rating: G
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving Tuesday August 12, 2014 is the documentary Disneynature Bears from directors Alastair Fothergill (Earth, African Cats, Chimpanzee) and Keith Scholey (African Cats). The film is narrated by John C. Reilly. Bonus Features on the Blu-ray are Welcome to Alaska, The Future For Bears, A Guide To Living With Bears and How Did They Film That?. The DVD features the "Carry On" Music Video by Olivia Holt.

The documentary centers on a female grizzly bear (Sky) and her two cubs (Amber and Scout) in the Katmai National Park in Alaska, as the family leaves their den on a mountain scope in search for food. Leaving a mountainside is not an easy task for a bear, as there can be an avalanches at any second.

As the trio head into the valley, they encounter other bears, which some have tempers and can attack the cubs at any minute, especially the bear Magnus. Sky always has her eye on her cubs, especially when the grey wolf, Tikaani, is near them.

Muppets Most Wanted
Director: James Bobin
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey
Studio: Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 12, 2014
ASIN: B00HNX28TI
Running Time: 113 minutes (original theatrical), 120 minutes (extended version)
Rating: PG
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray on August 12, 2014 is the international crime caper Muppets Most Wanted, featuring the Original Theatrical, The Unnecessarily Extended Edition and the Statler & Waldorf Cut. The film is directed by James Bobin (The Muppets) and stars Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey. Bonus Features include The Longer Longest Blooper Real in Muppets History, Rizzo's Biggest Fan and "I'll Get You Want you Want" Music Video.

Picking up exactly where the 2011 The Muppets left off, Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang are approached by Dominic "The Lemur" Badguy (played by Ricky Gervais), who claims that he is the CEO of a talent agency, when in fact he is the world's 2nd best criminal. He talks the Muppets into going on a world comedy tour, which gives Kermit an excuse to avoid Miss Piggy's wedding plans to him.



Shortly after arriving in Berlin, Kermit is attacked by his look-alike Constantine, who slaps a fake mole on him. Constantine takes Kermit's place on the Muppets tour. Kermit is mistaken for Constantine and is sent to prison at Gulag 38B. Despite not sounding or acting like Kermit, Constantine is able to convince the Muppets that he is Kermit, well, all except Animal. Constantine is the world's #1 criminal and along with his partner, Dominic, they plan on stealing the crown jewels in Dublin, but they must somehow avoid Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon (played by Ty Burrell) and CIA Agent Sam Eagle, whom are tracking them.