Live-action adaptations of animated films and series have succeeded in Japan, but few have overcome the transition to Hollywood. For every Alita Battle Angel there is Ghost in the Shell, Dragon Ball Evolution, and Death Note. The cultural barrier aside, there has never been the right balance between ambition and execution. Sony’s Knights of the Zodiac is a valiant attempt to bring the Saint Seiya animation to life with a modest budget and recognizable actors just below the A-list. The result is a visually impressive movie with some franchise potential that ends up being squandered by a bland screenplay that barely scratches the surface of the vast mythology from the long-running Saint Seiya manga and animation series.

While the original manga consisted of 28 volumes published over four years, the Saint Seiya animated franchise is comprised of 315 episodes across seven series along with six feature films released from 1986 through 2022. Knights of the Zodiac is the first live-action take on the series in any language which means this film is highly anticipated internationally. Filmed entirely in English with an international cast from across the globe, Knights of the Zodiac streamlines the vast storylines from the animated and manga into an origin story that attempts to simplify the concept into a digestible scale. In Knights of the Zodiac, Seiya is played by Mackenyu (the son of the legendary Sonny Chiba). Seiya makes ends meet as a low level fighter for Cassios (Nick Stahl) when he is pulled away by Alman Kiddo (Sean Bean), a scientist who explains about the impending reincarnation of the goddess Athena. Currently dormant in the body of Sienna (Madison Iseman), Athena must be protected by powerful knights and Kiddo belieces Seiya is the Pegasus Knight. Kiddo needs Seiya to protect Sienna from the evil Guraad (Famke Janssen) who wants her dead. Reluctantly, Seiya agrees and begins to unlock his gifts and abilities.

Within minutes, Knights of the Zodiac defines its tone with tedious dialogue that does not match the abilities or presence of the actors delivering it. In their first sequence together, Nich Stahl and Mackenyu give steely-eyed stares at each other and engage in a solid fight sequence choreographed by Andy Cheng. Cheng gives the numerous fight scenes a balance of ethereal power reminiscent of wuxia movies along with the expected tracers, shadows, and glowing energy from animated fare. The combination makes for action that varies from living cartoon to cartoonish and silly. When Knights of the Zodiac is heavy in martial arts and battles, it looks great. When it slows down to a crawl with exposition-heavy moments, the film drags and cannot overcome the weakness of the dialogue. With references to Greek dieties and the film’s silly name for powers (“Cosmos”), Knights of the Zodiac cannot quite reach the suspension of disbelief we offer Marvel and DC adaptations.

Of the cast, everyone is bought into the silliness of the material, but some carry it better than others. Mackenyu makes for a decent leading man, but his line delivery is often wooden and dull. Similarly, Madison Iseman makes for a more energetic performance as Sienna/Athena, but she is mired in scenes of her sitting around convulsing or wearing one of multiple over-the-top wigs. Nick Stahl does his best as a secondary villain with wasted screen time while Diego Tinoco is meant to be the primary antagonist but his delivery is often laughable. Of the veteran performers, Sean Bean has the least to do and is included more for exposition than anything. Mark Dacascos is underused as well but his placement hints at more should sequels get made. Caitlin Hutson delivers a solid, masked performance as Marin the Eagle Knight. Famke Janssen (whom I personally have a slight crush on) is the best aspect of this adaptation as Guraad, the villain and one of the sole characters of the cast to get a complete arc through the movie.

Director Tomek Baginski, whose credits are primarily on animated shorts and video game intros, does his best with what he is given, but much of this film looks like a cutscene from any number of Playstation video games. The green screen is obvious through the entire final act which is supposed to be the set-piece this movie is built around. While the training scenes and dream sequences benefit from the special effect work, the finale is mired in so many computer generated effects that it undermines the action itself. The cinematography by Tomasz Naumiuk replicates the slow motion and sharp angles of anime films but falls prey to overuse as the film plods through its two hour run time. Even the music by Yoshihiro Ike, which at times is quite stirring, feels out of place and drowns out some dialogue and ruins the rhythym. There is so much set up in this film that is designed to support further sequels that they didn’t manage to give this movie a heart of its own.

Knights of the Zodiac ultimately does not leverage the vast potential of the Saint Seiya source material despite a willing cast and a serviceable budget. While the actions sequences are well choreographed and special effects start out strong, the movie fails to capture enough energy or charisma from the main characters. When your villain has more presence than your hero, your story is in trouble. Had this movie invested in being an animated epic come to life, like the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer, it may have worked. Otherwise, it should have gone as gritty as Robert Rodriguez did with Alita Battle Angel. As it stands, Knights of the Zodiac looks and feels like a compromise designed to kickstart a franchise that seems unlikely to happen.

Finally let’s discuss the video performance, which is very good. Blu Ray picture is bright and sharp. There are plenty of visual effects to show off the strength of Blu Ray. Sound is amazing as the disc encompasses at Dolby 5.1 mix with plenty of LFE (subwoofer) activity. I’d be interested in checking out a 4K copy (not really sure if it really exists). In short, Knights of the Zodiac will give your system a great workout. 

Starring Russel Crowe, “The Pope’s Exorcist” casts out tone and horror surprises. Instead of jump scares and body distortion, this film relies on psychological horror keeping things grounded rather than providing action beats every few minutes. The result is something special with a fantastic performance from Crowe. This 1080p HD transfer looks stunning in the darkness and the DTS-HD 5.1 audio mis sounds even better. So, wait until night and turn off all the lights because this horror film is a stunner. 

The number of demonic possession films is staggering these days. Ever since “The Exorcist” was released in theaters in 1973, many filmmakers have tried to capitalize on both the financial and critical success it conjured up fifty years ago. Some have stood the test of time and others haven’t. One thing is for sure though, the recent possession movies were more related to showcasing jump scares and strange body movements for cheap audience reactions. While some of those work, most are immediately forgotten with a laugh and an eye roll. This is not the case with “The Pope’s Exorcist,” which takes its cues from the original “Exorcist” film in terms of its tone and grounded character work. Like “The Exorcist,” this particular movie draws from real experiences, particularly a real-life Catholic priest named Father Gabriele Amorth who was the Chief Exorcist of the Vatican. Russell Crowe plays the role of Amorth with such class and vigor during those climactic moments that it proves that Crowe has not lost one step in his perfected craft over the years. This priest is a charismatic man who must save a young boy who is possessed and is being hidden from the church to prevent mass hysteria. Again,  “The Pope’s Exorcist” doesn’t mess about with a possessed person climbing the walls like an insect or contorting their bodies into unnatural positions. This focuses more on the back and forth between the human and the demon, while each sits down and verbally fights trying to outsmart the other. Being a demon though, allows for certain hidden truths to appear within Amorth and the boy’s family, which ultimately try and tear a banded team of God from completing the exorcism – something that was shown in the original Exorcist. These scenes are terrifyingly brutal and breathtaking all at the same time. For horror fans though,  “The Pope’s Exorcist” is a breath of fresh air where jump scares and those usual suspected elements don’t creep up to bring the film to a downgraded action romp. This is character driven with some elements of horror to keep things on pace. Crowe is delightful and the psychological horror of his relationship to this demon and to the church is poignant and relates to how the church might act today if something of this caliber were to go down. It’s a horrifying story, one that is true that the filmmakers kept their class telling it correctly without all the hoopla of a modern-day action horror flick. It’s grounded and scary and should satisfy those horror buffs out there. 

In closing, “The Pope’s Exorcist” is a surprisingly great and  grounded horror film which relies on character development and the psychological horror of the narrative rather than jump scares. The 1080p HD image looks great in its low light filters and the DTS-HD 5.1 audio sounds amazing

“Insidious” haunts the home video space once again after a long absence with a brand new 4K image with Dolby Vision/HDR and a new fantastic-sounding Dolby Atmos track. All of this is located in a sleek new Steelbook with new artwork and a Digital Code. Truly a must for fans! A film that was released over 12 years ago, “Insidious” is a horror movie that created a worldwide phenomenon in horror. It spawned a franchise and movie universe in the horror realm that is still very much alive today and could be said to have reignited those ghastly and terrifying moments of joy for horror. Still after all these years, Insidious is a fun and scary movie with great performances and spooky visuals that can’t be unseen. It’s held up strong and should continue to do so. 

Here we have a middle-class family being upset by a ghastly presence. At first, the family seems to think that it’s the house that’s haunted. But after relocating, it is revealed that it’s it isn’t the house that’s haunted but one of the family members! And hence, the dark underworld has formed an insidious plot to do its ghastly deeds. 

Granted, this particular film isn’t all that different from the neo-horror films, depending heavily on standard spooky devices like the random, unexplained sounds around the house, or the sudden, disturbingly-loud increase in the musical score. But director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell, who also partnered to kick-start the ‘Saw’ franchise, balance those scenes with plenty of visual creepiness. When the screeching cries of the house alarm goes off, dad (Patrick Wilson) runs downstairs to find the front door inexplicably wide open, as if someone ran out quickly (or ran in). Mom (Rose Byrne) sees faces standing over the baby’s crib and the figures of people walking around the house. There are no fake scares here. Filmmakers construct a thick air of alarm and go straight for the throat in order to startle and horrify. But before we even arrive at that point, Wan establishes a frightful, disconcerting atmosphere very early on. The instant the movie’s already ominous title occupies the entire screen like demonic vertical scratches, the room is saturated with piercing music which warns that something sinister this way comes. It feels like a clever combination of ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘The Omen’ with a subtle pinch of Hitchcockian suspense. Things really only start getting weird, however, after Dalton’s (Ty Simpkins) harmless accident in the attic strangely leads to a mysterious coma. The family’s torment grows progressively worse until we eventually find ourselves in an exceedingly fun haunted house thrill ride, which reminded me greatly of Knott’s Halloween Haunt back in their heyday. ‘Insidious’ also comes with an equally fun throwback feel to some classic paranormal flicks of decades ago, as if possessed by them but in a way that still feels original and terrifying. Tobe Hooper’s ‘Poltergeist’ is most obvious when Lin Shaye’s clairvoyant medium, Elise Reiner, shows up and gives proper explanation to the strange occurrences surrounding the family. Shaye is quite good in her portrayal, but the role and the things the character can do somehow seem limited so as to create a convenient excuse for dad saving the day. The movie also seems to sidestep ‘The Amityville Horror’ and goes for more of the classic scare stylings akin to ‘Legend of Hell House’ and ‘The Shining.’ And it’s all the better for it, because it delivers on what it promises – a frightfully atmospheric good time. I imagine there will be some serious nitpicks, namely the second half not quite living up to the first, but frankly, without some of that discussion on astral projection, the visually cool trip through “The Further” would not be possible. Besides, the old woman in the black wedding dress more than makes up for any shortcomings. The lipstick-face demon not so much, but he’s still sort of cool to look at. In the end, ‘Insidious’ is a slow-burning tension builder overflowing with hair-raising, spine-tingling atmosphere which can proudly sit alongside such paranormal horror classics as ‘The Innocents’ and ‘The Sentinel.’ 

Bottom line, if you don’t own the Blu Ray of “Insidious,” then the 4K UHD is a great addition to your collection (providing you’re a horror fan). Even if you have the Blu Ray, the 4K upgrade is well worth it. This film is dark most of the time and there are some imagery that can be seen clearly only with 4K Blu Ray. Such as the visitor in Dalton’s room, where he is more pronounced on 4K. “Insidious” is a great horror film. 

The pandemic hit everyone differently.  For the women of the Book Club, it meant having their conversations virtually.  Now that things are back to “normal,” the ladies decide to meet again.  In Italy!

Oscar^® winners Diane Keaton (Father of the Bride, Something’s Gotta Give), Jane Fonda (80 for Brady, “Grace and Frankie”) and Mary Steenburgen (The Proposal, Parenthood), and Oscar^® nominee Candice Bergen.  
 
“An irresistible crowd pleaser” (Deadline), BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER showcases an all-star supporting cast alongside the four esteemed leading ladies including Oscar^® nominees Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven, The Godfather Part III) and Giancarlo Giannini (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale), Primetime Emmy Award^® winner Craig T. Nelson (“Parenthood,” “Coach”), and Primetime Emmy Award^® nominee Don Johnson (Knives Out, “Miami Vice”).
 
The highly anticipated sequel follows our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.

The cast bring a familiarity to the film, as if they truly are old friends, and play wrll off each other.  The Italian landscape is beautifully shot and well transferred and jumps off the screen while the sound, in DTS-HD MA 5.1 is crystal clear.

Bonus material is scarce and includes:

Book Club: Back In Session (6:05) – Standard EPK that takes a look at the filming while highlighting moments from the first film.

Still Stylish (5:19) – You can’t have a film with four stylish actresses and not talk about their wardrobe!

The Women In Italy (5:29) – A look at how the filmmakers chose Italy as a location as well as the adventures the cast and crew had there.

Starring: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Ray Liotta
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Rated: R
Running time: 95 minutes
Universal

Normally when a film is advertised as “based/inspired by a true story,” you think to yourself, cool. However, when I first heard this comment used about “Cocaine Bear” I had to chuckle. Really? A beat that goes on a cocaine bender? Yeah, right. Then I spoke with a friend of mine who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. She knew all about the story BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!

It’s sometime in the 1980s. America is in the middle of a huge drug epidemic. “Just say no,” is the message related by everyone from Nancy Reagan to Pee Wee Herman. Sadly there are no television in the woods.

A plane flies overhead in the darkness. Aboard is a man packaging up bundles of cocaine to drop into the woods below for his associates to recover and put on the street. An onboard mishap causes the plane to crash, with the wreckage (and drugs’) strewn all over. Anyone could come along and find the illicit cargo. Hikers. Kids. A bear.

A film that mixes dark humor and horror perfectly is indeed a rarity, but “Cocaine Bear” pulls this mixture off almost seamlessly. Director Banks and screenwriter Jimmy Warden have woven together a film that is both funny and terrifying.

The cast is full of colorful characters, ranging from Russell’s frantic mom searching for her daughter to Jackson’s almost too responsible drug runner to Margo Martindale as a park ranger with romance on her mind. Throw in recent Tony award winner Jesse Tyler Ferguson as a local wildlife expert and the late Ray Liotta in one of his final performances and you have a group of actors who, instead of going for camp, play the situations straight. And don’t forget the bear, who shows an amazing range of emotions. Add a soundtrack consisting of some of the era’s greatest hits and you have the formula for an entertaining night at the movies.

It is now available to own on digital, Blu-ray and DVD.
The ‘MAXIMUM RAMPAGE EDITION’ has the following features:
Alternate Ending
Deleted & Extended Scenes
Gag Reel
All Roads Lead to Cokey: The Making of COCAINE BEAR – Meet the hilarious ensemble brought together to bring the movie of what is soon to be the world’s most famous bear to life.
UnBEARable Bloodbath: Dissecting the Kills – From rigging to special effects makeup, to some of the actors doing their own stunts, we’ll get a bears-eye view into some of COCAINE BEAR’s hilarious and gory kill scenes.
Doing Lines – Cast and filmmakers read lines from the script to COCAINE BEAR, which was a work of art unto itself.
Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Elizabeth Banks and Producer Max Handelman

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from 2012 to 2017. It is the first time that the TMNT were created in CGI for an animated series after the movie (TMNT from 2007). It is the third animated series in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, based on the characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The series is also know as Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for its fifth and final season. This release features all 124 episodes of the 5-season series in one box set for the first time ever! The show was previously released on DVD in over 14 volumes. If you are a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, then I would highly recommend picking up this set and it is very affordable for what you are getting!

Let’s do a quick role call of who played the turtles…Leonardo was voiced by Jason Biggs (American Pie), for seasons 1-2 and then Seth Green (Austin Powers, Robot Chicken) took over the role for seasons 3-5. Donatello is voiced by Rob Paulsen, who, fun fact, also previously voiced Raphael in the 1987 series. Raphael is voiced by Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and last but not least (and my personal favorite turtle) Michelangelo is voiced by Greg Cipes (Teen Titans Go!).

Official Synopsis: Mutants Rule! Emerging from their hidden lair in the sewers, teenage bros Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael face off against the most dangerous baddies and the most delicious pizza in New York City! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are martial arts masters-in-training on a mission to defeat all enemies, protect the innocent, and make it home in time to chill. With the help of powerful pals like April O’Neil, Casey Jones, and Ice Cream Kitty – plus the expert teachings of Sensei Splinter – it’s bros vs. foes when the heroes in a half shell take on Shredder, the Kraang, and the Foot Clan – one awesome attack at a time!

Alright, these 124 episodes are spread out on 20 discs, which run over 47 hrs of content. They are presented in widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. Personally, it would have been nice to seen some special features included here besides just the episodes for us hardcore fans. For example, I would have liked to have seen the 2D animated special, Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past included here as well as the series of short films that were released during the course of the series, including: Turtles in Time, Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles, TMNT Team Up: The Short Series. Just an idea to have made this release more complete but if you are just looking for the core seasons, it will not leave you disappointed.

Based on the true events of the Agojie, an African legion of female warriors who protected their families and land from the ruthless slavers of the surrounding areas, “The Woman King” brings to life these powerful women to the big screen with some wonderful action sequences and an exquisite narrative on empowerment, family, and standing up to oppression no matter what the cost is. With a stellar cast and crew, “The Woman King” is a sweet and ferocious film that should not be overlooked.

This film allows director Gina Prince-Blythewood (her “Love and Basketball” has the honor of being released by the Criterion Collection) to showcase both sides of her creative endeavors. Her extraordinary ability to tell a soft and tender side of human nature and love while also revealing the true horrors of humanity with some gritty and well-executed action sequences that are all built around amazing performances from her cast including Viola Davis, John Boyega (Star Wars), Lashana Lynch, and Thuso Mbedu. The screenplay from Dana Stevens and her writing partner and actress Maria Bello gives ample time across its two-hour run time to explore each character with their struggles to survive and empower their families.

The Agojie were a real faction of strong, powerful women that protected their land and families, similar to the Dora Milaje from Black Panther or even the Amazons in Wonder Woman. Inside the African Kingdom of Dahomey, the leader named Ghezo (Boyega) has taken over where he must face two groups of people who have allied with European slavers in the 1800s. His army is the Agojie who is led by General Nanisca (Davis) who will do anything to protect their people and home. As a giant battle is brewing, Nanisca is training the new generation of warriors, one of which holds a secret about her past that might form a connection between the two of them.

Blythewood perfectly balances the action and chaos with scenes of tenderness and love between Nanisca’s tribe. The hierarchy of her world with their traditions are given areas to breathe that educate on what life was like back then in this part of the world. Attention to detail in the costumes and what happened in history make the moving parts of this story really shine since Maria Bello came up with the story when she traveled to this part of the world and toured the actual place where the Agojie set up shop.

“The Woman King” truly breaks the mold though with its incredible performances from Davis, Boyega, and everyone else involved. Not only do their physical performances turn into greatness, but their quieter moments of dialogue and true determination in empowering the new generation of fighters come across on screen flawlessly. It’s a great underdog story full of heart and emotion along with some exquisite action beats, all of which have that emotional heft with stakes that make the characters worth caring for. The Woman King is one hell of a great time that is full of inspiring moments and wonderful performances. I happen to enjoy it more at home than at the theater. No doubt I was tired. Very surprised it wasn’t nominated for Best Picture. Very Highly Recommended! Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Over the years there have been films/shows about talking animals but a singing crocodile? Would that really work?  Well…why not? First, make the large, green creature timid and sweet, give him a fantastic voice, and finally, throw in some original songs by one of the best music writing teams in the last decade.  That is the formula for a great movie and the idea behind this year’s Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.  With a terrific cast, upbeat, pop tunes, excellent visual effects, and a teen idol, pop star (Shawn Mendes) to be the “voice” of Lyle, the movie was bound to be successful.  And when I learned that Javier Bardem was in this film, I knew then it would be special.

Discovered in a cage in the back of an exotic pet store, the singing crocodile was given the name, Lyle,  by his new owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem; No Country For Old Men).  A showman by trade, Hector sees Lyle as an opportunity for fame and fortune.  However, after training and practicing for their big audition, Lyle suddenly has a case of stage fright and can’t perform.  Having put his house up as collateral, Hector is forced to leave Lyle alone in the attic while he tries to make some money.  While Hector is gone, a new family movies into the house with no idea that there is a giant, singing crocodile living upstairs.

Bardem offers audiences an opportunity to see a whole other side of himself.  As a dramatic actor, he can move an audience but as a singing and dancing comedic actor, he surprises viewers with how good he can be.  Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians) also reinvents herself showcasing her theater background by dancing and singing right alongside a crocodile.  Winslow Fegley (Come Play), the young brother of August and Oakes, is excellent as the young boy who discovers Lyle in the attic and befriends him.

Unlike many CGI characters, Lyle looks outstanding in 1080p resolution.  It is obvious the time and care was taken to create him was worth all the effort as his CGI presence doesn’t appear to distract the view in any way, shape, or form.  The color palette is bright and abundant enticing younger audiences to want to watch it over and over again.

While the visuals are excellent, the DtS-HD Master Audio 5.1 doesn’t fare quite as well.  Mendes has a distinct vocal sound and quality and most of the time that shines through, but there are one or two songs that sound muffled.  Otherwise, the dialogue and music are of decent quality offering much of what one would expect from this level of film.

There is a small amount of supplemental material and some are with watching, others could be watched once and be done with them.  Extras include: Sing-Along Songs, Storytime with Shawn Mendes & Javier Bardem, Deleted Scene, Croc, and Roll Take a Look at Us Now -The Cast, and Music Videos.

Based on a children’s book, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile was a solid choice to adapt to film, and today’s technology allows for creating something entertaining without looking cheap.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the current ‘it’ musical team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman) pen some original songs for the film.  They are known for more upbeat, pop-sounding fare, and the songs in this movie are more of the same.  And when you have Shawn Mendes lending his vocal talent to that mix, you end up with a winning soundtrack that audiences could sing along with.

If you have young children at home, this is a no-brainer – go out and buy it today! Fun for the entire family. I thought the film was great! Three stars out of five. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

A Discovery of Witches is based on the “All Souls” trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I personally was not aware of the author and her body of work but after finding this show, I am definitely finding myself as a fan! This is the first time that all three seasons are available together in one Blu-ray set, A Discovery of Witches The Complete Trilogy, includes all 25 episodes, as well as over 80 minutes of bonus features on 6 discs and a collectible bookmark. If you were a fan of this series, this set delivers a nice collection of content as well as some decent bonus features to boot.

The series stars Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies, Hacksaw Ridge), Matthew Goode (“Downton Abbey”), Alex Kingston (“Doctor Who”), Trevor Eve (“The Politician’s Wife”), Lindsay Duncan (“Sherlock”), Owen Teale (“Game of Thrones”), Gregg Chillingirian (“Da Vinci’s Demons”), Aiysha Hart (“Line of Duty”), and Edward Bluemel (“Killing Eve”).

Official Premise: Adapted from Deborah Harkness’ best-selling trilogy of novels, A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is a bold and romantic thriller that uncovers a secret underworld of vampires, witches and daemons hiding in plain sight for fear of persecution by humans. Brilliant historian Diana Bishop is a witch denying her own heritage. But when she unexpectedly calls up an ancient, bewitched manuscript, Ashmole 782, she finds herself thrown into the heart of a dangerous mystery – and into the path of the enigmatic geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont.

Season Summaries: Across three distinctive and gripping seasons, Diana and Matthew’s quest to solve the mystery of the book and their own long-prophesied connection to it throws them into the path of dangerous enemies. Season 2 takes them back to the 16th century, crossing paths with historical figures Diana thought she could only dream of meeting, as she comes into her own incredible power. In season 3, Diana and Matthew must try to make scientific breakthroughs into a terrible disease that affects their own family, deal with huge loss, new beginnings, and old foes, as their journey takes them towards a thrilling and incendiary conclusion.

Although this set is void of a digital copy, which is a bummer these days. At least they packed in some decent special features on the Blu-ray. There are a few featurettes including focus on the characters, the story and a set tour. As well as “Creating the Worlds” dives into the shooting locations and topping it all off with “Mythology, TV Magic, The Story of The Discovery of Witches”, which dives deeper into the show with cast/crew! Worth checking out for sure.

Ride or die! Heh-heh!  “Bullet Train” is basically John Wick on a train with a crazy cast of characters and falls into the more cartoony way of movies. There’s plenty of violence to go around, an awesome amount of gore, and some extremely funny lines and characters. It reminds me of “John Wick 3” in particular with similar production notes such as the abundance of colors and the well-choreographed fighting scenes. The Blu Ray picture and sound is nothing short of astounding! Bright neon colors are present from the start as intense purples, greens, blues, yellows, reds, and even pinks strike-through to make each train car look excellent. Flashback sequences go from a warm, orange-tinted look to a remarkable and blue-ish streak. Wardrobe colors, the big city lights at night, and the LED lighting of the train car interiors all look bold and full of life. It was truly a joy to behold.

This Blu Ray has an excellent Dolby Digital track! The sound effects are boisterous, robust, and continuously loud. These noises are nuanced and well-balanced in each speaker which flows smoothly in transitional sounds. Gun blasts, the fast traveling train herself, fight choreography, and glass bottles being broken all sound wonderful Explosions pack a loud punch as well. The low end of bass is booming with a smooth yet intense rumble that never has a rocky feel. The score and song cues are pitch-perfect that keep the film centered in its fun and entertaining atmosphere. The dialogue is always clean, clear, and easy to follow with no problems. The height speaker brings those sound effects from overhead, whether it be bullets flying by, rain, debris and body parts falling from above, and more. I really enjoyed watching this film! The Blu Ray is very well produced. 

Director David Leitch co-directed the original John Wick (which clearly shows) film which led to him making “Atomic Blonde,”  :Hobbs and Shaw” and “Deadpool 2” (which I enjoyed more than the 1st film!). Leitch even was a heavy-handed producer on “Nobody” as well. If those movies were all mixed together and blended into a high-octane cocktail, the result would be “Bullet Train.”  An intricate world of assassins, a deadly mission, brutal fight choreography, and a comedic and cartoony take on the action all make up this film. And the great thing is, that all these elements have congealed together to make this a blast of a viewing experience. The performances are energetic with wry humor and witty dialog. You’ll almost have to view it twice to appreciate the wry humor. It may strike the novice viewer as strange on the first viewing. 

“Bullet Train” is set on a high-speed modern train where a group of assassins is all tasked with retrieving a briefcase that belongs to an infamous yakuza boss. Nobody realizes other assassins are on the train at first, but as soon as eye contact is made, the violence ensues in bar cars, passenger cars, and even on the outside of the train. With a cast list that stars Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. “Bullet Train” could easily get lost in the star power. But this script allows some unique personalities to collide, all made accessible through the psychology and personality traits of Thomas the Tank Engine. Yes. that’s right! It’s easy to see where films like “Snatch,” “Kill Bill” and even animated shows heavily influenced the style of the movie with their “in-your-face” camera swoops and pans, along with graphics that display character names on the screen. A trademark of Michael Bay as well. Not only that, the breaking-the-fourth wall that is so popular in “Deadpool”  also peaks its head out from time to time. “Bullet Train” can feel a little tiresome in parts when the film often cuts back to tell a story from the past. It disrupts the film’s flow here and there, but when the action is once again centered on the train, the pace instantly picks back up. In its meta way, the characters make it all self-aware of these flashbacks and how boring they can be.

Finally, everyone here is performing at the top of their game and having the time of their lives cutting it all up on set. Pitt is believable as a violent assassin when he needs to be and quickly turns on the comedic charm every chance he gets. Johnson and Henry are the true stars of the film though with their budding relationship and volatile personalities. And of course, Joey King is always a joy to watch on screen as she changes her chameleon-like emotions with whoever she shares the screen with. Leitch has conjured up a super-fun time at the movies with an A-List cast. “Bullet Train” is enthusiastic, crazy, and a surprisingly amazing time. It’s violent, comedic, and an all-around great time. Let’s all hope there are sequels. Highly Recommended!

Sharing the same Universe as the recent “Venom” films, “Morbius” (known to Marvel Comics fans as Morbius: The Living Vampire) didn’t exactly light the world on fire commercially when it was released in early 2022. Criticized for its screenplay, performances, visual effects, and everything in between, it managed to eke out a tiny profit, but was nowhere near as successful as properties produced entirely by Marvel Studios. The film is meant to possibly set up a possible Sinister Six films (as evidenced by the awkward mid-credit scenes), but also lead into the world of Blade, with the possible inclusion of Spider-Man at some point. Nevertheless, Sony seems to have gotten off to an unfortunate start, releasing a series of films (Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage included) that don’t exactly match the quality of their Disney-owned counterparts. Even so, it’s good to see a franchise expand into different factions, much like the original comics, which went into a myriad of directions with multiple characters from varying storylines and universes. But at this juncture, Morbius is the least-accepted among the Sony-produced Marvel films.

Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) is a brilliant doctor and scientist afflicted with a blood illness that leaves him weak and unable to walk without assistance. He grows up in a hospital environment under the care of Dr. Nicholas (Jared Harris) alongside his friend and surrogate brother Milo (Matt Smith), who is also afflicted with the same disorder. He spends his life searching for a cure, revolutionizing medicine with the invention of synthetic blood, but it’s not enough. He eventually begins conducting secret, illegal experiments with vampire bats, making himself a guinea pig for testing. His experiments are a success, but the results transform him into a living vampire, equipped with superhuman abilities and a thirst for blood. Martine (Adria Arjona), a fellow scientist and close friend, discovers what Michael is doing and attempts to help him, but not before someone else steps in and helps themselves to the cure, performing the same feats and killing people in their wake. Hot on the trail are a pair of FBI agents, Rodriguez (Al Madrigal) and Stroud (Tyrese Gibson), and Michael must now focus all of his energies on undoing the effects of the cure while stopping whomever is framing him for murder.

The question at hand: Is “Morbius” as bad as the internet would lead one to believe? Of course not. It’s not the worst thing ever, but it’s not a home run either. It’s mediocre to poor for most of its running time, though it has some interesting ideas. But was this a case of a studio tinkering with their product to the point of nearly killing it prior to its release? Maybe. Judging by the multiple rounds of reshoots before it hit theaters, something certainly seems to have been amiss. It’s also not clear how much Sony knew about the outcome of Spider-Man: No Way Home since Morbius was originally meant to take place in the same universe. As evidenced by the end result, it doesn’t. Spider-Man is only mentioned once and Adrian Toomes’ character apparently had more interaction with Michael Morbius in the film’s first trailer. So was Marvel Studios up front with their Sony partners about the direction that the Spider-Man series would take? You be the judge.

In any case, “Morbius”is a terrible film for many people, so much so that internet trolls have inadvertently given the film a new life as a possible cult item. But whether it will reach the same plateau as the recent Cats film—similarly released, re-released, and adjusted by the studio before being laughed off of movie screens—remains to be seen. I personally found sections of the film to be mildly entertaining and others not so much, but it’s definitely not up to par.

“Morbius” was captured digitally in a variety of formats by cinematographer Oliver Wood (Die Hard 2, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, The Bourne Identity)  The film was finished as a native 4K Digital Intermediate at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio (which means it’s a digital film). The Blu Ray release isn’t quite as robust as its 4K Ultra HD counterpart, but it’s still strong. Because the film was shot in such high quality, the same excellent depth is on display. The CGI mostly blends with the live action elements, although a few sequences certainly stood out, including the opening moments of Michael standing outside of a cave filled with bats. Blu Ray detail is lessened in comparison to its 4K counterpart, but it’s still a great high definition presentation of the film.

The main audio option is English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The Dolby Atmos track included on the 4K Ultra HD release is a knockout and more powerful than this standard DTS-HD option, but it’s still a muscular track in its own right. Dialogue exchanges are clear and precise while the surrounding speakers are given plenty to work with, from quiet ambient moments to LFE-powered explosions and gun fire. Sound effects whiz by all around the sound stage while the score is offered an abundance of aural authority. In short, both soundtracks will give your system a great workout.

My conclusion, MORBIUS may be a good outing for die hard fans only, but for anyone else, it’s a sub-par film that truly has plenty of potential but fails to explore it. 

 Michael Bay is a name you either love or hate. And many times, whether you love him or hate him depends on what movie of his you’re watching at the time. I personally love Bay. Back in the 90s and early 2000s he was the KING of “stupid”action movies. The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys, Bad Boys II: the list goes on and on and on. Heck, even the Transformers movies of his were mega blockbusters and good dumb fun until they got so repetitive that even this reviewer started to get weary of them. Well, after Transformers: The Last Knight in 2017 Michael Bay pretty much went radio silent as a director (outside of doing that Netflix exclusive 6 Underground back in 2020) and I thought he had pretty much run his course. Then I started hearing rumors this year of Bay coming back to what he does best, dumb comedy, and I was intrigued. At this point I was just a BIT worn out from his last several Transformers movies, but then I started hearing reports of how Ambulance was actually a fun movie, a huge hit, AND a return to form the master of explosions himself.

Now, I’m not exactly one to shy away from dumb action. I love Jake Gyllenhaal, I love explosions, and the trailer looked like a lot of fun, so when the disc came to review from my friend, I strapped in and just let the joyride begin. Our story starts out with a hardened EMT named Cam Thompson. She’s become jaded after having spent years saving people’s lives and letting them off at the hospital, but today she’s about to learn just why she does what she does. Segue over to our other main hero, Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an ex-Marine who is up to his eyeballs in debt and no way to save his wife from dying of cancer without a big influx of cash. Luckily (or not so luckily maybe) for him, his adopted brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a prolific bank robber who Will has been staying away from for quite some time. Well, Danny boy has a job for Will and it’s enough to net them MILLIONS. It’s a simple bank robbery where they go in, get out, and get filthy stinking rich. Danny just needs a driver for his crew, and this is Will’s lucky day. Yeah, we already know that things don’t exactly go as planned. A teach of special SIS agents from the L.A.P.D. SWAT department have been keeping tabs of Danny’s crew for weeks, and upon exiting the building Danny’s men are mowed down in a hail of gunfire. However, Danny and Will make their escape by hopping on Cam Thompson’s Ambulance and using it to make a daring escape with $16 million worth of cash, lots of guns, and a wounded cop on board. The best way to describe Ambulance is that it’s part Bad Boys, part heist movie, and 3 parts Speed. 90% of the movie takes place withing the Ambulance as Will and Danny outrun cops, blow things sky high, and figure out a way to get the heck out of dodge and away with their money.

On the surface the movie is ridiculously dump and simple. It’s Speed with an Ambulance. Except there’s no Dennis Hopper maniacally keeping everyone on track, and Jake Gyllenhaal is absolutely hamming it up to level 11 as the loveable/hateable/psychotic/brilliant Danny Sharp. But Michael Bay is a skilled surgeon when it comes to doing pure action, and he’s right at home in his element here. Things blow up with such reckless abandon that I was laughing myself silly with this huge grin over my face the entire time. And Jake Gyllenhaal is such an insane villain/hero that you want him to die, but you want him to actually get away at the same time.

The charm is just delicious, with Michael Bay winking and nodding at his own films (they actually make jokes about The Rock and Bad Boys throughout the runtime) and while Danny is main attractant, Garret Dillahunnt almost matches Jake blow for blow with his over the top commando routine.

I’m gonna come out and say it. This is Michael Bay doing what Michael Bay does best. When they asked him “what kind of movie do you want Michael? Do you want to do Bad Boys? Do you want to do Speed? And how many explosions do you want”, his response had to have been “yes, all of it”. The movie is stupid, the movie is shallow, but it’s kept alive with sheer adrenaline and the charisma of everyone involved. I’m not wild about Yahya Abdul-Mateen the II, but he does well as Will, but it’s really Jake and Garret who just eat the scenery up like only Peter Stormaire can do in a Michael Bay film. Yeah, it’s not perfect, it gets a little hokey near the end, but Bay keeps the adrenaline pumping so hard and so fast that you don’t have time to slow down and analyze things to death. This is Bayhem with Baysplosions everywhere, and if you’ve seen his previous big name works, you know what the man is capable of. So buckle in and prepare for unlimited ammo, unlimited wise cracks, and a LOT of explosions.

Video:

Using a variety of RED cameras and finished in a native 4K master, Ambulance ROCKS onto 2160p with a stellar encode that blows the already great 1080p Blu-ray straight out of the water. The disc is just about perfect, with razor sharp details, incredible background shots, and nonstop kinetic movement that never gets blurry or artifacts. Quite literally this is one of the best looking encodes that I’ve seen in a long time, with only minor elements of softness when in Papi’s lair, or some of the CGI looking a little bit wonky in 4K. I didn’t notice banding or other major elements at play with the encode. HDR is silky deep, as the color tones tend to be cool blue or slightly amber, and bright red blood just splashes everywhere. The green of the spray paint over the vehicle stands out sharply and with deep saturation, and as I said, except for some mild haziness inside Papi’s lair, this is just about PERFECT.

Sound:

Did I mention this was a Michael Bay movie? It goes without saying that this is a reference level Atmos mix that just tears the walls down with abject fury. The score pulsates with deep bass energy from the first few moments of the movie, and the sound stage is just awash with chaos, Bayhem and carnage from every angle. Bullets bounce off the car at the rear, ricochet to the front of the sound stage, all the while tires screech, the score throbs, and cars blow up upon impact at just about every facet of the run time. Yeah, this is pure Bay awesome sauce, and if you like them big, like them loud, and like the bass to just punish you brutally, then this is the mix for you.

Conclusion:

Ambulance is silly, but it’s silly fun. I love it! High octane energy with Jake Gyllenhaal absolutely LOVING every second of his hammy role. It’s dumb fun, and dumb fun in a way that I haven’t seen for YEARS in cinema. Action movies have become so stale recently, that I really feel like this and Top Gun:Maverick pretty much saved cinemas. The 4K UHD disc is also nothing short of superb, with good extras, a killer video encode and a Michael Bay approved audio mix that will tear the walls down. Recommended as good sloppy Michael Bay fun. The Blu-ray is no slouch either, which tends to shine brighter than 4K but obviously less defined. Sound is great on Blu-ray but you only get the Atmos track on the 4K disc. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️