LOST
The Complete Second Season, Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Dominic Monaghan, Terry O’Quinn
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date: June 16, 2009

I didn’t start watching Lost until the second season was underway. All I knew about it before then was that everyone who watched the show was on the edge of their seats talking about numbers and hatches and “others.” All I saw was some people staring down a metal shaft with confused looks on their faces. Oh how little I knew back then.

Things really change in the second season. The survivors learn a lot more about the history of the island, the Dharma Initiative, and “The Others.” The writers also found a plausible way to introduce several new characters into the series as we see what happened to the people in the tail end of the plane (though off camera issues would result in many of the having short lived stints on the show.) We also get to meet Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick), the man whose fate is intricately tied to the island and who knows what caused the crash of Oceanic 815 in the first place. Then there’s ‘Henry Gale’ (Michael Emerson), possibly the best addition to a TV show’s cast… ever.

Season two also showed the first signs of weakness in the show’s writing. While entertaining, some episodes seem to drag on, rehashing the same plot over and over in an attempt to fill in the gaps between the first and last episodes [...]

LOST
The Complete First Season, Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Dominic Monaghan, Terry O’Quinn
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date: June 16, 2009

Remember when the average Lost episode had a plot about finding drinkable water, shelter, and learning which survivors could hunt and which could help build shelter? Those were the days, the days before the average plot revolved around time traveling, ageless strangers, ancient Egyptian statues, and electromagnetic anomalies.

There’s nothing wrong with the new seasons of Lost, but even the most dedicated fans must admit the show’s plot has become increasingly complex over the years. The first season is possibly the only season Lost writers could refer to as “simple.” After all, this is a season where an entire episode is dedicated to looking for Sun’s (Yunjin Kim) missing wedding ring. Lost was the first TV series to be released on Blu-Ray, but they started with Season 3. So now they’ve gone back and released the first two seasons.

You would be hard pressed to find a better TV show to have in high definition than Lost, too. The beautiful Hawaiian backgrounds stand out more in the earlier seasons when the island’s natural scenery was still important. The picture quality is, not surprisingly, incredible at 1080p [...]

Squidbillies
Vol. 2 DVD
Created by Dave Willis and Jim Fortier
Written by Dave Willis
Turner Home Entertainment
Release date: April 21, 2009

So Adult Swim has come up with some odd cartoons in their time, but I think Squidbillies takes the cake. Squidbillies, created by Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and Jim Fortier (Brak Show), follows the story of the Cuyler family, a clan of hillbilly squids that happen to live in a town in Georgia. The Culyers’ penchant for violence and racism are always getting them in trouble but their bacon is usually saved by the town sheriff, thanks to a previous federal law passed that makes them an endangered species.

If you are even a bit familiar with Willis and Fortier’s previous work, you should like this series. The episodes are short and concise, and always really have no continuity whatsoever. Characters from the cartoon are often shot, brunt to a crisp, and eaten in every episode, but show up unscathed later on, sometimes even in the same episode. The storylines are also outrageous and over the top. One of the episodes involves Grandma Cuyler getting into a botched tanning accident and rather than have plastic surgery, the Cuyler family kill various animals and sew the animal skins onto her. Though be warned: A lot of the comedy is broad, with jokes ending with the death or dismemberment of another character, and might not be for all viewers, even for yours truly who happens to like Aqua Teen and Brak [...]

Weeds
Season 4
Created by Jenji Kohan
Starring Mary Louise Parker, Justin Kirk, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 2, 2009

Last year at about this time, when I reviewed Season Three of Showtime’s Weeds for this very website, I complained about how the DVD case trotted out that it was made from 100% recycled materials. I wondered who they could possibly market that fact to. People who hadn’t seen the show who felt they HAD to buy it because, well, those seasons of Six Feet Under wouldn’t allow them to be better people by having ITS packaging made from recycled shit? People who like the show and were gonna buy it anyway, even if the packaging were made from poodle ass and baby seal hymen? The point eluded me then and it eludes me now. I’m not saying you can’t make your stuff out of other folks’ leftovers, but quit being a dick about it.

Sure enough, another year, another packaging issue. Not with the packaging itself, I don’t give a fuck about that anymore, and yet I am mystified by the pull-quote from The Miami Herald that they put on the back of the box:

“Smart… Smug… And habit-forming.”

“Smug?” That’s what you’re saying to pull folks in? They… They know what that word means, right? I’m not necessarily saying the show isn’t smug (as mentioned, the show actively markets that its DVD sets are recycled), but there’s some shit you just don’t share with the rest of the class [...]

Dexter
The Complete Second Season, Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Erik King, Lauren Velez
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: May 9, 2009

One of the most original and entertaining shows on TV returned for a second season with vigilante serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C Hall). After following Dexter’s journey of self-discovery in the first season, this time around viewers watch Dexter struggle with new, complicated emotions as he tries to evolve as a person and a killer.

The second season of the hit Showtime series has some serious strengths and weaknesses. First and foremost, the plot goes to the obvious logical step in exploring Dexter’s world by seeing what would happen if Dexter’s crimes were discovered. When a group of scuba divers discover the bodies of Dexter’s victims, he must struggle with keeping up appearances while trying to cover tracks he never thought would be uncovered.

All the while, Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), who was simply suspicious of Dexter in the first season, is now convinced Dexter is hiding something, and stalks him everywhere. This makes Dexter’s usual nighttime activities impossible. The stress of controlling his impulses, avoiding suspicion, and coming to terms with having killed his own brother, Dexter’s internal turmoil is increased ten-fold [...]

Reaper
Season 2
Starring Bret Harrison, Tyler Labine, Rick Gonzalez, Missy Peregrym, Ray Wise
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 9, 2009

The second season of Reaper had the unfortunate disposition of being seemingly cursed from the very start. After a highly-acclaimed first season gained it a large cult following, the show’s future was still in danger, and the writer’s strike did not help their cause. Eventually, when the dust settled a bit, it was decided that the show would get more of a second chance than a second season with a shortened 13-episode run. Sadly, this uphill battle ended like the finale of Glory, and at this moment Reaper has been canceled with only a few small chances at another network being it’s savior (Read: ‘Reaper’ Canceled: The CW Decides It Wants To Be Just Like Fox When It Grows Up). This of course isn’t the first time a great show was killed too early, and even in this depressing hole, Reaper still has plenty to offer those who have yet to see it. [...]

The zombie genre is one of the most over-done in movies today, but fortunately for us, when executed properly, zombie movies can be a great time. Movies like Shaun of the Dead and Slither have taken the general concept of mass human infection, and offered up new and funny, as well as unique ways to present them. Following in these footsteps, a new flick called Zombieland has been catching people’s attention lately, and today we get our first look at the trailer.

The movie stars Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee and Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus. Tallahassee is the guy who takes out zombies with ease…almost like it’s just a hobby and Columbus is the guy who’s really good at running away. Also in the movie is Emma Stone as Witchita; Abigail Breslin as Little Rock; and even Bill Murray apparently as a zombie.

Aside from hearing the title a few times (it’s not one you forget) and a couple of casting announcements, this is the first time that I’m seeing anything from this movie, and it looks like a great ride. [...]

UFC Classics, Volumes 11 & 12
Directed by Mark Lucas
Starring, Tank Abbott, Mark Coleman, Dan Severn, Jerry Bohlander, Vitor Belfort
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 10, 2009

For all of you hybrid geeks out there, such as myself, who love sports as much as they love movies and games — here’s some more good old fashioned Ultimate Fighting Championship action for you. This time we’re looking at the 11th and 12th volumes of UFC Classics.

The last time I reviewed UFC Classics, it was for volumes 5, 6, 7, and 8. When I did that review, there was oh, so much I could say about the UFC as a very passionate fan of mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that I would have the chance to do more of these reviews, which leaves me with much less to say. This becomes a problem, as it’s very difficult to actually review fights. You can read my previous review here to catch up: DVD Review: UFC Classics Collection Volumes 5-8

These classic events are still back when the UFC was still a no rules competition that was banned in many countries. Being a big fan of the sport, I can watch these and find entertainment, but if you’re not a super-fan, you may not be as impressed. [...]

The Burrowers
Starring Clancy Brown, Sean Patrick Thomas, William Mapother, Doug Hutchison, Karl Geary
Written and Directed by J.T. Perry
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 21, 2009

Sometimes when you have a seen a lot of movies, you tend to jump the gun on your opinion of the film before you watch it. When I looked at the cover for The Burrowers, I have to tell ya, I thought the movie was going to be terrible. It is not rare occurrence. When you review a lot of types of movies, they are not all gems. Some are just dreadful but sometimes, when the stars are aligned, a movie can really surprise you and this movie did just that.

The Burrowers is a movie mash up like once you have not seen. It is 1879 and when farmhand Coffey discovers his betrothed has been taken by Indians in the dead of night, he rounds up a few good men to find her and bring her back. What they find on this journey are freakish looking monsters called Burrowers that only come out at night and have a penchant for grabbing, paralyzing, and eating humans.

There are many things that I liked about this movie but above all else, I like it because it has everything stacked up against it to make it a terrible movie. The plot is borderline absurd, no one on the cast is a household name, and the concept in itself is hit or miss. I mean cowboys vs. monsters? It just sounds so silly but somehow the film works, and there a several reasons for this [...]

A Bug’s Life Blu-ray Edition
Directed by John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Dave Foley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Denis Leary, Madeline Kahn, Phyllis Diller, John Ratzenberger
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 19, 2009

On November 25, 1998, Walt Disney Pictures and the budding Pixar Animation Studio put out their second feature-length computer-animated motion picture after the classic Toy Story, and this movie was called A Bug’s Life. When it came out, the movie cost only $60 million to make, and pulled in over $350 million at the in box office, which was an amazing feat, seconded only by Toy Story’s $30 million budget and over $350 million box office take. Even with these impressive numbers, Pixar still fought through many troubled times before really taking off and never looking back.

Since then, eight more Pixar movies have been released, and as we all know, they have all been brilliant. Pixar is now majorly considered to be completely fail-proof — and all of this started with the first couple of Toy Story movies and A Bug’s Life.

A Bug’s Life tells the story of a colony of ants who have collected a pile of food in order to pay off a bigger, more-dangerous group of grasshoppers lead by Hopper (Kevin Spacey) who demand payment from the little ants [...]

My Name Is Bruce
Directed by Bruce Campbell
Starring Bruce Campbell, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi
Image Entertainment
Available now

When you’re having as bad a week as I am a good movie can be like comfort food. It warms you up and lifts your spirits. When the movie ends you’re full of joy from being entertained and are ready to pick yourself up and get on with your life. Back in February I went through a bad break-up with my girlfriend Suzette. Since then things have cooled and she and I remain on good terms, but at the time I was devastated. I had the unconditional love and support of all my friends but I still needed a little more cheering up. Who better to cheer me up than the greatest of all B-movie actors, an icon and a living legend who even when it came to starring in loathsome direct-to-video schlock always looked and acted like he was having the time of his life? He is the man, the myth, the chin….Bruce Motherfucking Campbell!

This god among men is one of the truest honest-to-L. Ron Hubbard movie stars we have working these days. From the original The Evil Dead to the wonderfully heartfelt comic fantasy Bubba Ho-Tep, Bruce Campbell has built up a unique filmography with more than a few solid gold cult classics, a few too many turgid D-grade sci-fi and horror flicks, a handful of short-lived television series (I miss Jack of All Trades), and the occasional small (and instantly forgotten) part in a major Hollywood movie to pay the bills [...]

My Bloody Valentine 3D
Directed by Patrick Lussier
Starring Jensen Ackles, Jaime King, Kerr Smith
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 19, 2009

Watching My Bloody Valentine 3-D on the big screen back in January was a watershed moment in my movie going life. Never before have I seen a movie break from its celluloid constraints and literally get in my face. Having been an admirer of the original 1981 My Bloody Valentine I was also interested in what a remake could do to top the first one’s story and gore/violence content, especially in the wake of the release of the uncut original on DVD. I’m pleased to say My Bloody Valentine 3-D takes everything that made the original a standout among the early 1980’s assault of turgid Dead Teenager flicks and amps it up to the Nth degree. Best of all, it’s in fucking 3-D! Grab your pickaxe and let’s have some fun.

The town of Harmony lives and dies based on the success of the Hanniger Mines. The owner of the mines employs his cocksure son Tom (Jensen Ackles) to the dismay of the working stiffs who don’t have it that easy. One night Tom is derelict in his duties and a methane explosion causes a cave-in sealing several men inside. A rescue crew finds only one survivor, Harry Warden (Rich Walters), in a coma. It turns out Harry managed to survive by driving a pickaxe into the heads of his fellow trapped miners in order to conserve air. After one year Harry comes out of his coma and goes on a gruesome killing spree climaxing at the mines where it all began. While the youth of Harmony are having a party in the mines, Harry returns in his miner’s uniform with mass murder on his mind [...]

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn
Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Bruce Campbell, Kassie DePaiva, Danny Hicks, Sarah Berry, Ted Raimi
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Available Now

Every once in a great while, a groundbreaking film comes along that redefines a genre and changes the way people think about film as a whole. Director Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II is the sequel to that film.

Generally considered to be the best out of the Evil Dead trilogy, Evil Dead II follows the chainsaw-wielding anti-hero Ash Williams Bruce Campbell as he fights his way through another nightmarish evening at that deadite-infested cabin in the woods. Filled with insane amounts of gore, self-mutilation, and laugh out loud humor, it has garnered a cult following that essentially overshadows most of Campbell’s other work. Campy and exaggerated, Evil Dead II originally proved that it is in fact possible to poke fun at a genre of film while still remaining in said genre. Sure it’s an acquired taste, but I have it, as evident by my signed and personalized picture of Campbell hanging next to my bed.

But the beauty of Evil Dead II on Blu-Ray is that none of the cheesy, low-budget effects lose their luster (or lack of). In fact, with the technology used to make this film look “better,” it succeeds in making it worse. But that’s the point. Raimi’s masterpiece isn’t meant to be perfect. It isn’t meant to be pristine. It’s meant to be a new type of horror/comedy that brings something new to the table. And in that area, it succeeds [...]

The Matrix
10th Anniversary Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Starring Keanu Reeves, Hugo Weaving, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne
Warner Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 31, 2009

Forget for a moment how you felt when you watched The Matrix Reloaded and then The Matrix Revolutions. Forget that those movies may have tainted your feeling on the original. Forget the pseudo-philosophical babble and the height of the story nearly causing the entire thing to collapse on top of itself. Forget that you ever knew the term “bullet time.” Forget all of that and try to remember how you felt back in 1999 when you sat in the movie theater and first saw a stranger new sci-fi action flick called The Matrix.

To call The Matrix a revolutionary film (even for the time) would be to completely miss the point. The Matrix wasn’t anything new — it was just a new way of bringing that style of story to audiences. Anyone that was fond of comics or anime was already familiar with the storytelling style of The Matrix. What it did was introduce that style to the masses. Remember, this was before ‘geek’ was considered cool, so being into comics or anime made you more of an outcast than trendy [...]

Bubba Ho-Tep
Limited Collector’s Edition
Directed by Don Coscarelli
Starring Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce, Heidi Marnhout, Bob Ivy
MGM Home Entertainment
Available Now

Before I get started, I have a confession to make… I did not grow up worshiping at the altar of Bruce Campbell. I’d heard the name, but I really had no idea who the guy was. And coming from a self-professed cinephile and pop-culture junkie, I know that this information is a big blow to my credibility… In my defense, I have since seen all of the man’s films, read both of his books, and worship at the altar of Bruce Campbell regularly.

But then I read an article in my local paper about a little movie called Bubba Ho-Tep that was going to be playing at our small, alternative cinema. I really couldn’t believe what I was reading as the article discussed the plot of the film. For those who don’t know, in a nutshell the film is about two residents of an old folks home — who may or may not be Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy — who have to team up to battle an ancient Mummy that is stalking the old folks living in the home.

Brilliant, right? But wait, it gets better!

Elvis is played by Bruce Campbell and JFK is played by… wait for it… Ossie Davis! Yes, African American screen legend and civil rights activist Ossie Davis! For those keeping score at home — JFK was about as Caucasian as it gets… Do you see the brilliance at work here? [...]

My Name Is Bruce
Directed by Bruce Campbell
Starring Bruce Campbell, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi
Image Entertainment
Available now

As if you didn’t know already, this is very much the Bruce Campbell show. At the beginning, after Clayton dares to say something bad about Bruce, Jeff says: ‘Get out of the car. You don’t like Bruce, you walk.’ I think this line sets the tone for the whole movie: you’re either in for the ride, or you’re out. I was in quicker than you can say ‘chainsaw for a hand.’

Jeff (Taylor Sharpe) and Clayton are driving, on their way to meet the Debbie’s ‘to get laid’ (where? in a cemetery. Duh.). Jeff and ‘big Debbie’ go for a walk to break stuff and as they do Jeff finds a mysterious amulet, which he pockets. Little did Jeff know he just opened a world of terror on his fellow townsfolk.

Guan-Di, the Chinese protector of the dead and bean curd (yes, bean curd), is awakened and starts his murderous rampage through the town. Terrified, the people of Gold Lick, Oregon, need help. They need back-up from someone who knows how to deal with evil monsters. They need Bruce Campbell [...]

Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 1
Blu-ray Edition
Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 28, 2009

The original Star Trek consisted of three seasons on television in the 1960s and starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as his first officer, Mr. Spock. Kirk and his crew of the USS Enterprise were the astronauts of our future, zipping around in a starship, exploring strange new worlds — and find them, they did. Back in the 1960s, whether you liked science fiction or not, every television viewer was drawn to the series by the simple fact that it was in color, a trait not too common at the time. While techicolor drew in audiences, it was the unique storylines and non-traditional methods that have kept the franchise alive for over 40 years.

This Blu-ray edition of Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 1 contains digitally remastered versions of all 29 episodes of first season of the original series, which not only cleans up a lot of scratches and scuffs from the original reels, but also looks amazing in high definition. Since the original special effects are outdated in comparison to what’s possible today — even though at the time they were innovative — the episodes have all been enhanced to include alternate, upgraded graphics and special effects. While the themes of Star Trek have transcended generations, this high definition release has an updated look which will attract modern-day audiences without compromising its nostalgia appeal for long-time viewers.

After Ted Turner tampered with all of the old black and white classics and George Lucas ruined the original Star Wars movies with excessive CGI additions, I was really skeptical about the enhanced graphics in this Star Trek Blu-ray package [...]

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Bueller…Bueller…Blu-ray Edition
Directed by John Hughes
Starring Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck
Release date: April 3, 2009

Back in the 1980’s, John Hughes was the king of teen comedies. Anything the writer/director created was basically a license to print money and mostly stood the test of time. One such movie is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which is released now for the first time on Blu-Ray.

Ferris Bueller follows an atypical day in the life high school senior and “righteous dude” Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick). Deciding early on that the day is too gorgeous to be trapped in school, he fakes a sickness and decides to play hooky. With his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloan (Mia Sara) by his side, he embarks on the single most exciting cut day ever. He’d better be quick on his toes though, as his sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey ) and the Dean of Students are on to him and would like nothing but to catch him red-handed.

Now 23-years-old, Ferris Bueller is still the gold-standard when it comes to movies on Senior cut day. I have not seen any made since this movie and there is a reason why. The writing by Hughes is pretty great and while not timeless, is entertaining and realistic to that time period. The movie is quite tame compared to the teen movies that are out in the market now, but I think that is part of its charm. Hughes never insert anything shocking into the script for a laugh but rather write scenes that are funny with dialogue that is funny, a novel concept now in teen movies. The movie also has such a likable lead in Broderick [...]

Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus
Directed by Jack Perez
Starring Deborah Gibson, Lorenzo Lamas, Vic Chao, Sean Lawlor, Stephen Blackehart
Asylum Home Entertainment
Release date: May 26, 2009

A few weeks ago, an absolutely insane movie trailer was unleashed upon the world. A trailer that, among other things, featured a GIANT shark eating a passenger plane and a GIANT octopus doing some other crazy shit that no one could even comprehend. The film in question? The Asylum’s Mega Shark VS. Giant Octopus.

With over two million views on YouTube and MTV’s website combined, MSVGO is the Asylum’s most anticipated release to date. Coming from a company that has released such knock-offs as Transmorphers and The Da Vinci Treasure, this mockbuster-making group of “filmmakers” has clearly begun to take pride in their reputation as the go-to guys when you want a movie that is “so bad it’s good.”

But is the film worth all of the hype? Is the relatively small internet buzz behind this like a mini Snakes on a Plane? Yes and no. Let me break it down [...]

Kuzui Enterprises and Vertigo Entertainment are officially working on a possible relaunch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The relaunch wouldn’t likely involve Buffy-master Joss Whedon, as it would be a new take for a new generation. The original 1992 Whedon-penned script was discovered by Fran Rubel Kuzui, who also directed the movie which starred Kristy Swanson, Luke Perry, and Paul Reubens. Fran and her husband Kaz Kuzui, along with Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo are currently exploring options and hearing ideas from writers.

Kuzi explained that they receive inquiries all the time about new sequels, video games, stage shows, and even foreign remakes, but it was Lee’s call and their respect for what he does and Vertigo Entertainment that caught her attention and got things moving forward.

The plan of making a new Buffy for a new generation follows in the footsteps of Star Trek and their many incarnations. While unlikely, there is still a chance that Whedon may become involved in one way or another, but they haven’t contacted him about it yet; and with Dollhouse getting a new season, it’s pretty doubtful aside from maybe a producer role. [...]