Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts

Thursday, February 2, 2023

[Blu-ray Review]—"Star Trek: Prodigy: Season One, Volume One"


Paramount Home Entertainment recently released the first season of Star Trek: Prodigy on DVD and Blu-ray. Sort of. In reality, there are just the first ten episodes. Twenty episodes make up Season One, although the season got divided in half, with the last episodes winding down towards the end of 2022. The DVD and Blu-ray releases are also following this similar pattern. 

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

[Blu-ray Review]—"A Discovery of Witches: The Complete Trilogy"


I have far too many unread Kindle eBooks that I'd like to read one day, such as the historical-fantasy All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. Technically, it's not a trilogy because of "Time's Convert," the fourth novel that acts as both a prequel and a sequel. I tend to see the adaptations before reading the book; this was the case with the All Souls Trilogy since I had seen A Discovery of Witches on Sundance/AMC when it first aired. For the most part, I liked the series; though, since I haven't read the books, I can't give you my two cents on whether it's a good or bad adaptation.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

[Blu-ray Review} - That Dirty Black Bag: Season One


That Dirty Black Bag: Season 1 lands today on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of RLJ Entertainment. The series was created by Italian filmmaker Mauro Aragoni and aired on the streaming service AMC+ earlier this year. Mauro Aragoni wrote and directed the series alongside co-director BrianO’Malley (The Lodgers, Let us Prey). Additional writing came from Marcello Izzo (“Il cacciatore”), Silvia Ebreul (“Il cacciatore”), and Fabio Paladini (“Il cacciatore,” Border Queen). The first season stars Douglas Booth (The Dirt, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Dominic Cooper (“Preacher,” Captain America: The First Avenger), Niv Sultan (“Tehran”), Aidan Gillen (“Game of Thrones”), and Travis Fimmel(“Raised by Wolves, “Vikings”).

Friday, January 28, 2022

[Review] - Sons of Thunder: Redemption Episode 3 "Cowboys and Cowgirls"



Sons of Thunder: Redemption premiered on Pure Flix on January 13th. It's a spinoff of Sons of Thunder starring Randal Reeder as Simon, a former Devil's Hands biker gang member who goes on the road after finding a Bible. The spinoff follows a different character - Jacob Lewis. He's another ex-Devil's Hand member who's looking for redemption for his past wrongs after being released from prison.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Sons of Thunder's Spinoff "Redemption" Debuts on Pure Flix on January 13th



I spent the last 24 hours binge-watching the first season of Sons of Thunder. And, no, I'm not referring to the short-lived Walker, Texas Ranger spinoff from 1999. Instead, I'm referring to the Pure Flix drama that debuted in December 2019. The series centers on Simon (Randal Reeder), a combat vet and former biker gang member trying to outrun his deadly past after stumbling upon a Bible. He travels across the country on his motorcycle, working odd jobs and aiding strangers who need his help, all while trying to find redemption for his past sins.

Thursday, December 23, 2021

[DVD Review] - The Spanish Princess: Part 2


Philippa Gregory is one biggest names in the historical fiction game. She has written nearly fifty novels, including The White Queen and The White Princess. These two novels got adapted into STARZ miniseries in 2013 and 2017. STARZ adapted The Constant Princess and The King's Curse into the limited series The Spanish Princess. Part 1, consisting of eight episodes, aired in 2019, and Part 2, consisting of eight more episodes, aired in late 2020.  

Saturday, July 10, 2021

[DVD Review] - Ancient Aliens: Season 13

Have you ever channel surfed and come across the fictionalized documentary series Ancient Aliens on History?


I don't want to admit to this, but I have watched a few episodes of Ancient Aliens over the years. Some unique individuals believe in every alternate history conspiracy theory that these so-called Ancient Alien experts concocted. I, for one, don't believe 90% of what they consider is the truth. I only watched this fake documentary series out of my nostalgia for The X-Files and pure boredom.  

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Blu-ray Review - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: The Complete Series



While looking for something new to watch on Netflix, I came across Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and then I realized that I had the series on Blu-ray. Mill Creek Entertainment had sent me the 8-disc Blu-ray set earlier this year, which I had forgotten about. So, for the past week, I've been binge-watching all 51 episodes.

If you're not living under a rock, like me, then you were probably already aware of the series. I had no clue what it was about until I began watching the first season. It's a wacky comedy, just without a laugh-track.

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Blu-ray Review - Return of Ultraman

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.
Walmart * AMAZON * Best Buy

I've spent the past week binge-watching the 1971-1972 Japanese series Return of Ultraman, which was recently released to Blu-ray ($39.98; 21 hrs 39 mins) from Mill Creek Entertainment, featuring all 51 episodes on a 6-disc set. There are no special feature or bonus extras ,but it set does come with a 24-page episode guide booklet. The series is also available on a Blu-ray Steelbook!

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Blu-ray Review - Swamp Thing: The Complete Series (2019)

Available on Blu-ray and DVD!

Swamp Thing: The Complete Series will arriving on Blu-ray (+ Digital Code) and DVD today from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. There are no special features or bonus extras.

Based on the DC Comics series by Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, Swamp Thing was created by Gary Dauberman and Mark Verheiden for the DC Universe streaming service. Originally, the first season was given an order of 13 episodes but it was later cut down to 10 episodes. Just after the season premiere aired on May 31, 2019, the series was canceled. While there hasn't been an official reason announced for the cancellation, it most likely had to do with the fact that the promised $40 million tax incentive from North Carolina turned out to be only $14 million.

Set in Marais, Louisiana, the series centers around CDC doctor Abby Arcane (played by Crystal Reed) returning to her hometown to investigate a deadly virus, dubbed the "Green Flu," that has infected several locals, including a young girl, Susie Coyle (played by Elle Graham). Shortly after her arrival, she meets Alec Holland (played by Andy Bean), a disgraced biologist who was hired by her adopted father, Avery Sunderland (played by Will Patton), to study the marsh. After being attacked by Sutherland's hired hands, Alec is shot and left to die in the swamp. The swamp mutates Alec into a plant-like creature — Swamp Thing (played by Derek Mears)

The rest of the cast includes Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Beals, Kevin Durand, and Ian Ziering.


Final Thoughts

After binge-watching all 10 episodes of Swamp Thing over the weekend, I wish the series had continued with a second season. Sure, there are many problems with the story, which I'll get to in a minute, but overall I enjoyed watching it.

Derek Mears gives a great performance as Swamp Thing, who should have been the center character but instead was forced into the background while secondary characters took the spotlight. Crystal Reed does an alright job playing Dr. Abby Acrane but the writers spent too much time focusing on her story arc.

The big baddie, Dr. Anton Arcane, from the '80s Swamp Thing movies and the '90s television series doesn't appear in this adaptation. In his replacement is Avery Sunderland (played by Will Patton) and Dr. Jason Woodrue (played by Kevin Durand), which their characters were left in limbo thanks to the series cancellation.

The Blue Devil subplot was poorly written and felt pointless, especially when you add in Ian Ziering's bad acting.

The picture and sound qualities for all the episodes on the 2-disc set were topnotch. It would have been nice if there were a few special features.

Overall, despite some storytelling problems, Swamp Thing had the potential to improve if the series was allowed to continue. Here's hoping Swamp Thing: The Complete Series does well enough on Blu-ray and DVD so it won't be the last time we see the Swamp Thing on-screen.



Thursday, December 5, 2019

Holiday Gift Guide 2019: The Curse of Oak Island: The First Six Seasons


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


The Curse Of Oak Island: The First Six Seasons



Relive every discovery from the very beginning when the smash hit HISTORY® series The Curse of Oak Island: The First Six Seasons (Lionsgate; $59.98; 65 hrs 41 mins) arrives on DVD December 10th from Lionsgate. Uncover every mystery hidden on the historic island right alongside treasure hunters Rick and Marty Lagina as you gear up for the series’ seventh season. The Curse of Oak Island: The First Six Seasons 23-disc collection will be available for the suggested retail price of $59.98. 



Where To Purchase?




Wednesday, November 13, 2019

DVD Review: Pan Am: The Complete Series


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are my own!

Mill Creek Entertainment; AMAZON
Does anyone remember the television drama Pan Am airing on ABC in 2011?

Hopefully, I'm not the only person in the world that had never of this series. Well, that is until Mill Creek Entertainment released Pan Am: The Complete Series on DVD back in August, featuring all 14 episodes on a 2-dsic set.

Created by Jack Orman, the series is set in the 1963 and centers around around four stewardesses - Maggie, Laura, Colette, and Kate - who all work on international flights coming from New York City.

Maggie (played by Christina Ricci) returns to work as a"purser" after being suspended for not wearing a girdle. Kate and Laura are sisters. Kate (played by Kelli Garner) helped her sister become a stewardess after Laura (played by Margot Robbie) had left her fiance at the alter. Just prior to her first assignment, Laura is featured on the cover of of Life magazine wearing her Pan Am uniform, which instantly makes her a celebrity. Lastly, Colette (played by Karine Vanasse) became an orphan during the German occupation of France and now, as an adult, works as a stewardesses.


Final Thoughts

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Saturday Morning Nostalgia: Ultra Q & Ultraman Blu-ray Steelbooks


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

I bet many adults who grew up in the '90s believe the Power Rangers was the first Kaiju American television series, when in fact the Mighty Morphin team is based on the Japanese franchise Super Sentai that began in 1975, and, no, it wasn't the first series to feature giant monsters. Way back in 1966, there was a Japanese children series called Ultra Q that included monsters causing chaos in Japan.

Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
Produced by Tsuburaya Productions from special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya (co-creator of Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra for Toho Studios), Ultra Q was an X-Files-like 24-minute series about a group of supernatural investigators - Mainichi Shimpo photojournalist Yuriko Edogawa (played by Hiroko Sakurai), Hoshikawa Airlines pilot/SF writer Jun Manjome (Kenji Sahara) and his co-pilot Ippei Togawa (Yasuhiko Saijo) - who investigate mysterious events that occur in and near Japan.

Despite only 28 episodes being produced, Ultra Q was a big hit and spawned the Ultraman franchise.

Ultra Q: The Complete Series (Not Rated; 11hrs 56mins; $49.98) was released on a 4-Dsic Blu-ray SteelBook set on October 15 from Mill Creek Entertainment featuring a 24-page Information and Episode Guide booklet. A Digital Code comes with the set that can only redeemed on movieSPREE.com/redeem or on the movieSPREE app. There are no special features or bonus extras.

FYI: Ultra Q is also available to buy on a standard Blu-ray set.


Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
Ultraman: The Complete Series (Not Rated; 16hrs 28mins; $49.98) was also released on a Blu-ray Steelbook on October 15th from Mill Creek Entertainment featuring all 39 episodes on a 5-disc set as well as a 24-page Information and an Episode Guide booklet. It comes with a Digital Code that can only be redeemed on movieSPREE. There are no special features or bonus extras.

FYI: Ultraman is also available to buy on a standard Blu-ray set.

The series involves Ultraman, a giant alien from the Land of Light in Nebula M78, chasing a space monster into the Earth's atmosphere when he accidentally collides into a Jet VTOL piloted by Hayata, a member of the Science Special Search Party (SSSP), an international research and defense agency that protects Earth against aliens. To prevent Hayata from dying, Ultraman merges his life force with him, which means when the world is in danger from a giant monster, Hayata will become Ultraman to defend humankind.


Mill Creek Entertainment will be releasing more DVD and Blu-rays from the Ultraman franchise in near feature starting with Ultraman Orb: The Complete Series & Movie and Ultraman Geed: The Complete Series & Movie later this month. More releases will follow in the Spring and Summer of 2020.

Final Thoughts

Monday, September 23, 2019

Blu-ray Review: Damages: The Complete Series


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
I spent the last few weeks binge watching Damages: The Complete Series ($99.98; 46 hours 17 minutes) which was released to Blu-ray by Mill Creek Entertainment earlier this year. I believe it's also available on DVD.

Created by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman, the series starred Glenn Close and Rose Byrne. The series aired from 2007 to 2012 and won four Emmy awards. The first three seasons aired on FX and the last two seasons were on Direct TV's Audience Network.

The series centers around a fresh out of law school Ellen Parsons (played by Rose Byrne) who gets a job at the law firm "Hewes & Associates" which is owned by Patty Hewes (played by Glenn Close). During the first season, she's assigned to work on the Arthur Frobisher case. The only reason she was hired in the first place is because of her soon-to-be sister-in-law, who's connected to Frobisher (played by Ted Danson).

Each season centers around a different case with a slew of cast members and guest stars, including William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Timothy Olyphant, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin, John Goodman, Ryan Phillippe, Dylan Baker, Janet McTeer, Jenna Elfman, and John Hannah.


Final Thoughts

Friday, August 30, 2019

DVD Review: The Spanish Princess (Season One)


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

WALMART
Now available to own on DVD from STARZ and Lionsgate Home Entertainment is The Spanish Princess, featuring all 8 episodes from the limited series. It's also available to own Blu-ray and Digital. There are no special features or bonus extras on the 3-disc DVD set.

The Spanish Princess is a sequel to 2013's The White Queen and 2017's The White Princess, all of which are based on the historical novels by bestselling author Philippa Gregory. No, there isn't an actual novel titled The Spanish Princess. The limited series is adapted from two titles -  The Constant Princess and The King's Curse.

The series spans the year 1501 to 1509 and centers around Catherine of Aargon (played by Charlotte Hope), the young Princess of Spain who has been promised the English throne ever since she was a little girl. She is sent to London to marry the young Prince Arthur (played by Angus Imrie). Just as her dream of becoming queen is about to come true, the unexpected happens - Prince Arthur dies!

Almost everyone at the court wants Catherine to return to Spain as soon as possible, especially King Henry VII's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort (played by Harriet Walter) who has a twisted hatred for her. Despite being unwanted, she is determined to become queen and sets her eyes on marring her brother-in-law, Prince Harry (played by Ruairi O'Connor).

The Spanish Princess is returning for an 8-episode second (and final) season on STARZ in 2020.



Final Thoughts

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Midnight Horror Review: Forever Knight: The Complete Series


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
Does anyone actually remember there being a "Crimetime After Primetime" lineup airing on CBS during the 1992-1993 season late-at-night after the local news?

I was an eleven-year-old in 1992 and I have no memory of any television shows airing that late. Then again, I had a curfew in 1992 and wasn't allowed to stay up late on school nights." Weekends were a completely other story as I would stay up past midnight to watched the edited versions of Tales of the Crypt on Fox.

Anyway, the first season of the cult Canadian vampire series Forever Knight aired on CBS during their "Crimetime After Primetime." After the entire lineup was cancelled to make way for Late Show with David Letterman, the second season moved to syndication and the third & final season aired on the USA Network.

Mill Creek Entertainment recently released Forever Night: The Complete Series DVD set (TV-14; 52 hrs 43 mins; $64.98) featuring all 70 episodes! There are no special features or bonus extras. 

Forever Knight is a reworking of the television movie Nick Knight starring Rick Springfield that aired on CBS in 1989. For the series, Geraint Wyn Davies took over the role of Nick Knight, a vampire who works at as a nighttime detective for the Toronto police. He was born in A.D. 1200. As adult, he was forced to fight in the Crusades to avoid facing a murder trial which he was being accused of killing his love, Gwyneth. He returned to Europe after the Crusades where became a drunk. Eventually, he meets the vampire Janette DuCharme (played by Deborah Duchêne) and along with her master, Lucien LaCroix (played by Nigel Bennett), they seduce him into becoming an immortal. After many many years of killing innocent humans, Nick turns his back on being a vampire and goes on a quest to redeem himself.

As a cop, Nick Knight uses his supernatural abilities to protect the innocent and to capture the bad guys. The only human who knows of his "curse" is medical coroner Natalie Lambert (played by Catherine Disher). And of course his maker LaCroix knows all about Nick's past and will do anything to make sure he stays a vampire forever.


Final Thoughts

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Blu-ray Review: The Big C: The Complete Series


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
I'm mostly clueless when it comes to SHOWTIME as I don't have a subscription to the cable service. Besides from Shameless, Masters of Sex, and Penny Dreadful, I have no idea what programs on air on it. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that I'd never heard of the series The Big C until it was released on Blu-ray ($54.98; 20 hrs 36 mins) way back in April by Mill Creek Entertainment, featuring all 40 episodes.

Created by Darlene Hunt, The Big C stars Laura Linney as Cathy Jamison, a 42-year-old high school teacher who learns she has terminal (stage IV) melanoma. She's doesn't want to burden her childlike husband, Paul (played by Oliver Pratt), their teenage son, Adam (played by Gabriel Basso), or he unemployed and homeless brother, Sean (played by John Benjamin Hickey).

With little time to live, Cathy or more or less has a midlife crises and temporarily kicks Paul out their home because she's tired of taking care of him. She befriends her elderly widowed neighbor, Marlene (played by Phyllis Somerville), as well as her oncologist, Dr. Todd Mauer (played by Reid Scott) and an overweight student, Andrea (played by Gabourey Sidibe). Besides her doctor, Marlene is the only person who knows about her illness for most of the first season.

Despite knowing she's going to die soon, Cathy decides to live each day to fullest!


 Final Thoughts

Thursday, May 9, 2019

DVD Review: The Adventures of Robin Hood: The Complete Series


Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
Hopefully, I'm not the only one who's tired of the countless remakes and reboots of Robin Hood! Hollywood has milked the folk hero story to death!! And many of the recent takes on the character have been horrible.

Well, it's a good thing us fans can go back and watch the better versions (movies and television series) on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital. Mill Creek Entertainment will be releasing The Adventures of Robin Hood: The Complete Series DVD Set ($34.98; 59hrs 33mins) on May 14th; which features all 143 episodes from the classic British series on 11 discs. There are no special features or bonus extras; though it does come with a Digital code that can be redeemed and streamed on Mill Creek Entertainment's website.

The Adventure of Robin Hood aired on ITV in the UK and on CBS here in the United States from 1955 to 1959. The series started Richard Greene as Robin of Locksley, a Saxon nobleman who returns home to Nottingham from the Crusades and quickly becomes an outlaw. He teams with the other Sherwood Forest outlaws and eventually becomes their leader (a.k.a. Robin Hood) by the end of the second episode. Along with Little John (played by Archie Duncan), Friar Tuck (played by Alexander Gauge), and their merry men, Robin Hood robs from the rich and gives back to the poor, as well as outrunning the Sheriff Nottingham (played by Alan Wheatley).

Other cast members included Bernadette O'Farrell as Maid Marian in Seasons 1 & 2, Patricia Driscoll as Maid Marian in Seasons 3 & 4, and Ian Hunter as Sir Richard of the Lea.

FYI: Richard Greene reprised his role as Robin Hood for the 1960 Hammer Film Productions' feature film  Sword of Sherwood Forest. It was basically a retelling of how Robin Hood met Maid Marian. None of the other cast members from the series returned.


Final Thoughts

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Blu-ray Review: The Shield: The Complete Series



Mill Creek Entertainment; AMAZON

Now available on Blu-ray from Mill Creek Entertainment is The Shield: The Complete Series (TV-MA; $229.98; 70 hours 23 minutes). All 88 episodes have been remastered in 4K. The 18-disc set features all the special features that were included on the previously released DVD sets, as well as brand-new special features exclusively for this release.

Created by Shawn Ryan, The Shield aired on FX from 2002 to 2008. The series centered around Detective Vic Mackey (played by Michael Chiklis), a corrupt police officer who is the leader of a Strike Team in the fictional Farmington district (a.k.a. - "the Farm") of Los Angeles. His team includes Detective Shane Vendrell (played by Walton Goggins), Detective Curtis "Lem" Lemansky (played by Kenny Johnson), and Detective Ronnie Gardocki (played by David Rees Snell). There was a fifth member of the team, Detective Terry Crowley (played by Reed Diamond), but he was killed off at the very end of the pilot episode.

Mackey tries to have a normal life, but his marriage to Corrine (played by Cathy Cahlin Ryan) is very rocky at best. After learning that both their two younger children have autism, Mackey is more than determined to give them the best care for them, which leads to him breaking the law on multiple occasions.

At work, Mackey is constantly in trouble with his superiors, Captain David Segovia, Captain Monica Rawling, and Captain Claudette Wyms (played by Benito Martinez, Glenn Close, and CCH Pounder), as well as Detective Dutch Wagenbach (played by Jay Karnes), who all would like to expose Mackey for who he truly is - a corrupt cop!

Other cast members include Catherine Dent, Michael Jace, Paula Garcés, and David Marciano.

 
Brand-New Special Features are:
  • The Shield Reunion” – cast & crew reunion special to reminisce and reflect on being a part of this landmark series.
  • The Shield: A Retrospective” – a look back at the lasting impact the series has had on TV and how its themes are still relevant today.
  • Restoring The Shield” – a behind-the-scenes look at the technological processes involved in the High Definition upgrade.
  • The Critical Response to The Shield” – how critics initially received the series and if/how their opinions changed throughout the duration of the series’ run.
  • "The Shield Writers Room" Reunion from the ATX Festival Panel.

Older Special Features are:
  • Cast & Crew Commentaries
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Season 1 Epilogue
  • Wrap Day: Season 3 Teaser
  • "Breaking Episode #315" Making-of Documentary
  • "Under the Skin" Featurette
  • "Delivering the Baby" Featurette
  • Wins and Losses - Season 6 Prequel
  • Season 6 Featurettes
    • Saturn's Sons
    • Two Directors
    • Full Circles: Franka Potente
  • Nobody Expects to Lose, Nobody Expects to Die: The Shield's Final Season
  • Last Call: The Final Episode



Final Thoughts

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Blu-ray Review: The Awesomes: The Complete Series


Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon

If you're getting tired of the kid friendly superhero movies and television series, then look no further as The Awesomes: The Complete Series ($29.98; TV-14; 11 hours 8 minutes) is on available on to own Blu-ray, courtesy of Mill Creek Entertainment. A digital code is included which an only be redeemed at: www.millcreekent.com/redeem

Created by Seth Meyers and Mike Shoemaker, The Awesomes was animated superhero show for adults that aired on Hulu for three seasons (30 episodes). It featured the voice talents of current and past Saturday Night Live stars, including Ike Barinholtz, Bobby Lee, Taran Killam, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, Kenan Thompson, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, Kate McKinnon, and Andy Samberg.

The Aweseomes is set in a world where Mr. Awesome had lead a group of superheroes to protect the planet against all evils. However, things changed quickly when Mr. Awesome announces his retirement and leaves his son Prock in charge. The public, media, and the government have absolutely no faith in Prock. To make things worse, the other superheroes have all left the Awesomes.

With his best friend Muscleman and their only paid employee, Concierge, at his side, Prock recruits a new team of superheros - Frantic, Gadget Gal, Impresario, Sumo, and Hotwire. Despite the team's amateurish style, these not-so superheroes are determined to save the world against Dr. Giuseppe Malocchio and other supervillains.



Final Thoughts