Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: The 5,000 Fingers Of Dr. T


G; 89 minutes; $14.98; Mill Creek Ent.; Amazon

Everybody knows the Dr. Seuss, one of the greatest children's book authors of all time, but many of you (including me) probably didn't know that he also wrote the screenplay (under his real name, Theodor Seuss Geise) for the 1953 musical-fantasy film The 5,000 Fingers Of Dr. T.

For the first time ever, the film will be arriving on Blu-ray today from Mill Creek Entertainment. Directed by  Roy Rowland, the film starred Tommy Rettig, Mary Healy, Hans Conried and Peter Lind Hayes. There are no special features or extras on the single-disc.

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T centers on a young boy named Bart Collins (played by Tommy Rettig) who hates getting piano lessons from his stranger teacher, Dr. Terwilliker (played by Hans Conried). Despite his complaints to his mother, Heloise (played by Mary Healy), he is forced to put up with Dr. T.

While practicing the piano, Bart falls asleep and dreams of being tapped inside the Terwilliker Institute, which is operated by the evil dictator, Dr. T, who has built a large piano that will take 500 boys (5,000 fingers) to play it. Bart's mother has been hypnotized into becoming Dr. Terwiliker's personal assistant and future bride.

Bart must some how save his mother, but first he must try to outrun Dr. T's guards. His only hope lies in the plumber August Zabladowski (played by Peter Lind Hayes) to help rescue his mother and stop Dr. T's mad plan.

Despite receiving negative reviews from critics, as well as flopping at the box-office, it did receive a earned a 1953 Academy Award nomination for "Best Scoring of a Musical Picture" for the score by Frederick Hollander with lyrics by Dr. Seuss.

Blu-ray Review - Jarhead 3: The Siege


R/Unrated; 89 minutes;


Arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment today is the action-flick Jarhead 3: The Siege, featuring both the unrated and rated versions. Directed by Will Kaufman (The Hit List), the film stars Charlie Weber, William Kaufman (24) and Scott Adkins (The Bourne Ultimatum).

The film centers on Marine Corporal Evan Albright being assigned to a security team at an U.S. embassy in the Middle East. To him it's a boring job, but he tries to do his job as best as he can.

Out of nowhere, a militant group attacks the embassy and kills most of the soldiers. Albright and few of the remaining soldiers must retrieve and protect a bag full of evidence that is locked in a safe that is located in the embassy. Then they must try to survive.

There is only one featurette:

  • Making of Jarhead 3: The Siege - Go behind the scenes of Jarhead: The Siege for an inside look at the making of the film. Hear from the cast as they discuss why they were interested in joining this enthralling franchise, what it was like to shoot the battle scenes, and how the filmmakers’ vision and collaboration brought this impactful war film to life. We’ll also hear from the actors on what it was like working with one another while playing soldiers who have to overcome differences and come together for the greater good.


Monday, June 6, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: Sofia the First: The Secret Library



TV-Y; 97 minutes; $19.99; Amazon
Arriving tomorrow on DVD from Disney Home Entertainment is Sofia the First: The Secret Library, featuring four episodes from the hit Disney Junior series with special appearances by Merida from Disney/Pixar's Brave and Olaf from Disney's Frozen. While there are no special features or extras, the DVD does come with a FREE Sparkling Sofia Necklace.

Sofia the First debuted in 2012 with the pilot episode airing on the Disney Channel, followed by the rest of the series airing on Disney Junior. Currently the series is in its third season, and a fourth season has already been ordered.

The series centers on Sofia (voiced by Ariel Winters) becoming a princess after her mother married King Roland II. She has a hard time adjusting to living in the kingdom, especially when her sometimes mean stepsister Amber (voiced by Darcy Rose Byrnes) is around. Later, Sofia is given the Amulet of Avalor, which gives her the ability to talk to animals and summon other Disney Princesses.

The episodes on this release are:

Princess Adventure Club - A new student, Princess Zooey, arrives at the Royal Preparatory Academy. She starts her very own club called the Princess Adventure Club, but she doesn't allow Amber to join.

The Secret Library - After receiving a special book by Aunt Tilly (voiced by Bonnie Hunt), Sofia stumbles upon a magical library that is hidden below the kingdom. Aunt Tilly is giving her a very special job as the new "Story Keeper." Sofia's role is to help give a happy ending to the unfinished books that are in the library.


Merida Lends a Hand


Summer Reads: I Love You Just Because


Thomas Nelson; 20 pages; $9.99; Amazon
Arriving on my doorsteps this afternoon was a package containing the children board book, titled I Love You Just Because written by Donna Kieth with illustrations by Allison Edgson. Published by Thomas Nelson, the book will be released to bookstores tomorrow.

The first two "I Love You" books (I Love You All the Same and I Love You Even When) have sold over 75,000 copies.

I Love You Just Because You Are centers on a bear couple who have three different bear cubs - Brown Bear, Polar and Miss Panda.

The three young cubs are learning that even though they are siblings, they all have their own tastes and likes. Brown Bear and Polar likes to eat fish, but Miss Panda likes to eat bamboo. They quickly learn that while they aren't all the same size and look alike, they are all loved by their parents and by God.

Blu-ray Review - Zootopia


PG; 108 minutes; $39.99; Amazon

Arriving on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD from Disney Home Entertainment this week is the mega-hit Zootopia. Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore, the film has grossed over one-billion dollars at the box-office.

Set in a world full of anthropomorphic mammals, Zootopia centers on a Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), a rabbit who has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. Despite her small size, she is accepted into the police academy and later graduates at the top of her class. She says goodbye to her home in Bunnyburrow and heads to the big city of Zootopia to work as the police department there.

Sadly, the chief and none of the officers takes her very seriously. Instead of getting assigned to one of the missing animal cases, she is assigned to parking duty. This is where she first runs across the con artist Nicholas P. "Nick" Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman).

Eventually, Judy is assigned to find out what happened to Mr. Otterton, who had vanished into thin air. She persuades (well, more like blackmail) Nick into helping her solve the case.


The Blu-ray Bonus extras includes:
  • Zoology: The Roundtables - Ginnifer Goodwin hosts an in-depth look at the movie’s characters, animation, environments and more. The artists at Disney Animation give a rare and in-depth look at the complexities of bringing an all-animal world to life from the ground-breaking technology behind the characters’ fur and clothing to the varied and vast environments of Tundratown, Sahara Square and the Rainforest District as well as the deep thought and research given to bringing 64 unique animal species to life through animation.
  • The Origin of an Animal TaleFollow the story’s development from its origins to a big story shift that turned the film upside down. In this feature-length documentary, filmmakers give a candid look into the difficulties of creating the story of Zootopia and the bold decision to switch the main character late in the production process, putting one resolute rabbit center stage. 
  •  Research: A True-Life AdventureThe filmmakers traveled the globe to find inspiration for the diverse characters and amazing city of Zootopia. They reflect on the importance of research and how a deep dive into animal behavior at Disney Animal Kingdom theme park and a deep immersion into animal society on the African savanna shaped and inspired the characters of Zootopia and changed the filmmakers’ lives forever. 

Summer Reads: From This Day Forward by Lauren Layne


S&S; Nook; Kindle; BAM; IBookstore; Google Play
Available today from Pocket Star EBooks is From This Day Forward ($1.99) by USA Today Bestselling Author Lauren Layne. It's a 99-page prequel to The Wedding Belles series - To Have and to Hold (POCKET Books paperback; July 26, 2016; $5.99), For Better or Worse (POCKET Books paperback; August 30, 2016; $5.99), and To Love and to Cherish (POCKET Books paperback; October 18, 2016; $5.99).

From This Day Forward centers on Leah McHale, a young wedding photographer in New York. She mostly gets her jobs through the Wedding Belles, an elite wedding planning agency. She is more than excited when she is asked to fill in for another photographer at the last moment for a huge wedding event.

Who's getting married?

Well, the bride-to-be is a former First Daughter!

Remember, this is a love story, so of course there is romantic interest for Leah - Jason Rhodes, the other photographer that was hired for the wedding. They have a past together, which left Leah heartbroken, Jason thinks he might just have a second chance with her.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond The Known Universe


Not Rated; 267 minutes; $19.99; Amazon
As I'm writing this, it looks the Michael Bay produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows will have a decent opening weekend at the box-office. The sequel is coming out while the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles computer-animated series is on hiatus. In the meantime, TMNT fans can enjoy watching the recent Nickelodeon DVD release - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond The Known The Universe, featuring the first 12 episodes of the fourth season. The 2-disc set has one special feature, TMNT: Kicking Shell and Taking Names.

At the end of the third season, an alien race called the Triceratons activated the a black hole device that destroyed Earth. Seconds before the destruction of the planet, Fugitoid, an android, arrives in his spaceship in the nick of time to save Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, April O'Neil and Casey Jones. The android needs their help to travel back in time six months earlier to stop the Triceratons from creating the black hole generator.

Season four picks up exactly where it left off, with the turtles and their human friends traveling across the universe to retrieve the parts to the black hole generator, so they can change history. Sadly, upon their first visit to another planet, the turtles accidentally run across a new enemy, Lord Dregg. Later, they also encounter a cyborg bounty hunter shark, Utroms, Salamanders and other aliens on their journey.

The episodes on the 2-disc set are:

Disc1
Beyond the Known Universe
The Moons of Thalos 3
The Weird World of Wyrm
The Outlaw Armaggon
Riddle of the Ancient Aeons
Journey to the Center of Mickey's Mind
The Arena of Carnage
Disc 2
The War for Dimension X
The Cosmic Ocean
Trans-Dimensional Turtles
Revenge of the Triceratons
The Evil of Dregg