Rubicon (Season One)
Amazon (HD) | Amazon (Standard)
Created by Jason Horwitch
Produced by Henry Bromell
Directed by Brad Anderson, Ed Bianchi, Allen Coulter, Guy Ferland, Nick Gomez, Keith Gordon, Jeremy Podeswa, Sieth Mann, Alik Sakharov, Michael Slovis, Alan Taylor
Starring James Badge Dale, Jessica Collins, Lauren Hodges, Dallas Roberts, Christopher Evan Welch, Arliss Howard, Miranda Richardson, Michael Cristofer, Peter Gerety
AMC
Originally Released: June 13, 2010

In a post-9/11 world, things are often viewed with a corrupted perspective, forced upon the populace by a fear-mongering media driven by corporate interests and partisan biases. Since that moment in history, we’ve seen a lot of television shows and movies released taking the patriotic side of the government, a world in which the show 24 echoes sentiments parodied in the morning by Team America: World Police. But in 2010, a series with a different perspective on world events postulated a refreshing, and perhaps frightening yet accurate, view”¦ enter Rubicon.

Rubicon is an espionage drama. Aired in 2010, it focuses on connections and conspiracies. No more are the days of The X-Files and how "the truth is out there" about bogative government controlled plots and agendas; with Rubicon we have a startling drama that zeros in on menaces and conspiracies of a more realistic nature – those driven by the greed and profits of corporations.

Neon Alley
24/7 Streaming Anime Network
Available on Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Launch Date: October 2, 2012
Viz Media
Price: $6.99 Monthly Membership

They say it takes a month to really get to know someone (okay, no one really says that, I just needed to set up this review, okay?). After a month, with any luck, all the quirks and vices that drive us to love or hate someone have began to bubble to the surface. It’s from there that we decide whether to keep the relationship going or not.

Streaming anime network Neon Alley and I have been courting for the past month, and I have got to tell you: things are looking good.

Neon Alley works like no other streaming anime service out right now. Unlike Crunchyroll or Hulu, Neon Alley runs exactly like any cable network with a full slot of programmed shows airing with episode one. It’s a novel idea that harkens back to the days of Cartoon Network’s Toonami.

Okay, a television network that plays all anime, not that special, right? Wrong, dead wrong [says while pointing an accusatory finger].

Audition
Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Vudu
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Takashi Miike
Starring Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Renji Ishibashi
Vitagraph Films
Originally Released: October 06, 1999

I love talking about movies with people, and so a matter that recently came up in discussion was a brainstorm/list of some of the most fucked up movies we’ve ever seen. While many suggested were ones I had seen, one stood out to me as one of those I’d always anticipated to see, but had never gotten around to it: Audition. So, taking the advice of a gypsy goddess, I dove back into my healthy obsession for horror and gore and challenging movies, and queued it up for my streaming review.

Audition is, in essence, a very deceiving movie. While it’s marketed and classified in the horror genre, the very cringe-inducing moments come much later in the film, though this does not diminish its impact. The story focuses on Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower, who after many years of raising his son Shigehiko Aoyama (Tetsu Sawaki) on his own decides that it is time to begin dating again.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Netflix | Amazon | Epix | Google Play | iTunes | Redbox Instant | SEN | Vudu | Xbox | YouTube
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Peter Cullen, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugo Weaving, Tyrese Gibson, Leonard Nimoy, Josh Duhamel, John Malkovich, Frank Welker, Alan Tudyk, Glenn Morshower, Buzz Aldrin, Bill O’Reilly
Paramount Pictures
Originally Released: June 23, 2011

Dark of the Moon, the third installment of the Transformers motion picture series, is full of attention-grabbing action, with magnificent special effects that show major improvements on the previous two films. And despite a plot with logic gaps and other wanting elements, the consequence is a fun romp. Hey, it’s a popcorn movie after all!

Dark of the Moon picks up where Revenge of the Fallen left off. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) has moved on in life – now graduated from university, he lives with new girlfriend Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) while looking for his first major job. Despite the progress forward, he suffers an inner turmoil after having been central to the trials of the battles between the Autobots and Decepticons, feeling that his future is substandard and matters less than his efforts fighting the good fight with allies Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and Bumblebee.

Timecrimes
Netflix | Amazon
DVD
Directed by Nacho Vigalondo
Starring Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernandez, Barbara Goenaga, Nacho Vigalondo, Juan Inciarte
Karbo Vantas Entertainment
Originally Released: September 20, 2007

Time travel movies have a soft spot for me. I’ve always loved Sci-Fi in general, but I think that crazy Doctor in the big blue box rubbed the concept of time travel into my cerebral cortex so deep that I am attracted to many films that focus on the topic. Timecrimes is not just a time travel movie, but a damn good one that zones in on the concept of time loops, and how things connect.

But it’s a convoluted plot, so pay attention!

Made and set in Spain, the story follows the tale of a fellow named Héctor (Karra Elejalde), who is generally a simple and curious man who has moved into a new-ish home with his wife (Candela Fernández) that they are fixing up and renovating, located in a sparse forestry area away from the city. While examining his new surroundings outside the perimeter of his property with his handy binoculars, he sees some strange things: a strange complex with some kind of antennae/tower; and a young lady disrobing until completely nude.