Friday, June 9, 2017

Popcorn & Coffee: Enter The Warriors Gate Blu-ray Review


Lionsgate; PG-13; 105 minutes

Now available on Blu-ray + Digital HD from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the Chinese-French action-fantasy-adventure film Enter The Warriors Gate. Directed by Matthias Hoene the film stars Mark Chao, Ni Ni, Uriah Shelton, Dave Bautista, Francis Ng, Sienna Guillory, Ron Smorrenburg, and Dakota Daulby.

Enter The Warriors Gate (also known just as The Warriors Gate) centers on a bullied teen gamer Jack (played by Uriah Shelton), who's accidentally mistaken as a warrior when a Zhao (played by Mark Chao) travels to our world through a magical wooden chest. Believing Jack is a hero, Zhao assigns him the task of protecting Princess Su Lin. Not having any other choice, Jack agrees to protect (or more like babysitting) the princess.

After giving the princess a brief tour of our world, evil warriors travel through the chest and kidnaps the princess for their barbarian king, Arun the Cruel (played by Dave Bautista). Of course, young Jack chases the bad guys back through the chest and travels to an ancient empire. Jack teams up with Zaho and a weird wizard (played by Francis Ng) in the hopes or rescuing the princess before she is forced to marry Arun the Cruel.

Uriah Shelton ("Jack") and Su Lin ("Ni Ni") star in Lionsgate Home Entertainment's ENTER THE WARRIOR'S GATE.

Review - The Shack Blu-ray


Summit Entertainment; PG-13; 132 minutes

Now available on Blu-ray + DVD  + Digital HD combo pack from Summit Entertainment is the spiritual drama The Shack. Directed by Stuart Hazeldine, the film stars Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, and Tim McGraw.

Based on the novel of the same name by William P. Young, The Shack centers on Mackenzie "Mack" Phillips (played by Sam Worthington), a man who had lost faith in God after his young child, Missy, was kidnapped and murdered while they were on a camping trip.

Months go by, and Mack and his entire family are still grieving. While shoveling snow in his driveway, Mack finds a unstamped, typewritten note in his mailbox, telling him to go to the shack where Missy was murdered. The note is signed "Papa" (which is the name Missy called God).

Mack goes to shack carrying a gun, hoping to capture or kill Missy's murderer. However, Mack is shocked to find three strangers at the shack - Papa (played by Octavia Spencer), Jesus (played by Aviv Alush), and Sarayu (played by Sumire).

While it wasn't exactly a big blockbuster in theaters, the film managed to take in over $90 million  against a $20 million budget.

Special Features include:

Touched By God: A Writer's Journey
God's Heart For Humanity
"Heaven Knows": The Power Of Song With Hillsong United
Something Bigger Than Ourselves: The Making Of The Shack
Premiere Night: A Blessed Evening
Deleted Scene
Audio Commentary With Director Stuart Hazeldine



Thursday, June 8, 2017

URBAN WOLF Anthology: A Brief Interview With the Authors





Wolf in the City by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom 


 Linda, how do your characters meet in Wolf in the City?  

They meet on a dark back street in Los Angeles where even cops and gangs fear to tread, and are surprised as heck by seeing another "being" there.

Your characters actually come from different paranormal species. Explain! 

The wolf in this city (Jared ) is a sexy werewolf. The female he meets (Kit) is a feisty young vampire. As a most unlikely pairing, they might have to join forces and exchange some body fluids in order to see if bridging the "species" gap is in any way a viable option. Really though . . . who can better understand the problems an "Other" faces than someone who is also "Other"?

Is this a love at first sight love story or more of a slow burn? 

Weres and vamps have long been enemies . . . so the relationship that unfolds burns slowly, but fiercely.

Which do you prefer writing—antiheroes or straight up heroes? 

My characters, whether wolf or immortal, all have an innate sense of justice and are on a mission to help to right some of the supernatural world's wrongs. So though the main character Weres, vampires, and immortals in my books might be anti-heroes according to human society they try to blend in with, they are ultimately dangerous good guys.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Review - Disney's Bambi: Anniversary Edition Blu-ray


Disney; G; 70 minutes
Now available on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD combo pack is Disney's Bambi: Anniversary Edition. This marks the very first time the 1942 animated classic has been released on Digital HD. As an added bonus, the combo pack comes a 'free' Collectable Tyrus Wong Lithograph.

Directed by David Hand (supervisor for the other scene directors), the film was based on the book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Austrian author Felix Salten. The film received three Academy Award nominations: Best Sound, Best Song (for "Love Is a Song") and Original Music Score.

Bambi tells the story of the fawn Bambi, as he explores the wonders of the forest and befriends a rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower. While there are many beautiful things about the forest, there are also many dangers, including hunters.

Bambi learns about the harsh ways of the forest after a tragedy occurs, leaving him to be raised by his father, Great Prince of the Forest. Several years passes by and Bambi is now full-grown, which leads him to learn about romance after he stumbles upon a female deer named Faline.


The Blu-ray contains brand-new extras, as well as classic extras that have appeared on previous releases.

New Bonus Extras are:

  • THE BAMBI EFFECT – “Bambi” was full of innovations for its time. Let’s take a look at how those past innovations affected future Disney animated titles all the way up to today.
  • STUDIO STORIES: “BAMBI” – Recordings of Walt Disney. Listen in on intimate moments where he discusses the challenges, pitfalls and triumphs during the production of “Bambi.”
  • DELETED SCENE: BAMBI’S ICE AND SNOW – Bambi coaxes Thumper and his brothers and sisters to come play on the ice during the first snow.
  • DELETED SCENE: THE GRASSHOPPER – A grasshopper confronts Bambi and Thumper and finds himself in quite a predicament.
  • BAMBI FAWN FACTS – Think you know everything there is to know about Bambi and his forest companions? Well, it’s time to discover some fun real-life facts about the creatures that live in the forest he calls home.
  • OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT: “AFRICA BEFORE DARK” – Oswald Short.
  • CELEBRATING TYRUS WONG (DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE) – A heartfelt look at the man who played a key role in the success of “Bambi.” Much like Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle, Tyrus Wong had a unique signature style all to his own. The soft water-colored backgrounds and beautiful palettes in “Bambi” were inspired by Tyrus’ concept art paintings.

Review - Quilts, Barns & Buggies: Amish Quilts and Proverbs Coloring Book

 


Zondervan; $12.99; 96 pages; Amazon

Now available from Zondervan is Quilts, Barns & Buggies: Amish Quilts and Proverbs Coloring Book illustrated by Julianne St. Clair.

At 96 pages, the coloring book features 90 beautiful coloring designs of Amish quilts and scenery. Along with the coloring designs, there are 40 Amish sayings and biblical proverbs throughout the title.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Popcorn & Coffee: The Young Pope Blu-ray Review


HBO; TV-MA; 600 minutes

Available today on Blu-ray + Digital HD from HBO Home Entertainment is the critically acclaimed mini-series The Young Pope. Created by the Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, Paolo Sorrentino, the ten-episode series stars Jude Law, Diane Keaton, Scott Shepherd, James Cromwell, Ludivine Sagnier, Silvio Orlando, Cecile De France, Javier Camara, and Toni Bertorelli.

The Young Pope tells the fictional story of the first-ever American Pope, Lenny Belardo, a.k.a Pius XIII (played by Jude Law). The College of Cardinals elected Lenny, as they thought he would be easier to control than the older and more experienced clerics. However, the Cardinals and the entire world are in for a surprise, as Pius XIII plans on setting his own rules for the Vatican.

By Pius XIII's side is Sister Mary (played Diane Keaton), the nun who became his mother after his parents had abandoned him at a young age. Unlike previous Popes, Lenny refuses to be seen in public and doesn't allow himself to be photographed. He wastes no time announcing strict initiatives for the Vatican, which backfires with the world's followers.


Special Features on the Blu-ray are:

The Making of The Young Pope
An Invitation to the Set
Inside the Episodes


Guest Post by Amanda Jones, author of Broken Angel



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