DVD Review: Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series
1850s Samurai culture meets 1995 New York Hip Hop culture. Well, almost. This unique series brought a typical story line and made it into a slick contemporary production. This period piece is placed near the end of the Edo Period when Japan was ruled by the Tokugama shogunate. This period is also seen as the beginning of the modern era for Japan. The world began to open to them with the arrival of the Black Ships and the influx of the western culture. Samurai Champloo takes the blending of these two cultures literal at times, but the blending is also from different time periods. The raw approach that was taken by Shinichhiro Watanabe, the creator and director, is gratifying in its beauty and also unnerving in it's raw punch at times.
DVD Review: Johnny Got His Gun
Every once in a while a movie comes along that‘s almost perfect and Johnny Got His Gun is one of those. Based on Dalton Trumbo’s (screenwriter Spartacus, Exodus, Roman Holiday) 1939 novel and screenplay, and directed by Dalton Trumbo, this anti-war movie is a work of beauty.
DVD Review: Reaper Season 2
When it seemed like things couldn't get any worse for Sam, his father is killed by a gang of demons out for blood. Now, Sam must deal with his father's death and the revelation that his REAL father might be the one person he despises more than anyone: THE DEVIL! Sam, Sock, Ben, Andi and the Devil are all back for more action and comedy in newly released Season Two of Reaper! This season Sam had a lot to deal with: trying to get his job back at the Workbench, escaping from his deal with the devil, watching his friends date demons, fixing his relationship with his girlfriend Andy, and watching his father come back to life as a demon.
Reaper was given a second season pickup of 13 episodes. Highlights include:
DVD Review: One Piece Season 2 First Voyage
When you ask most people about One Piece, they will probably shudder and ask about something else. Well this isn't the One Piece we try to forget about. The dubbing in this one is good, and the edits are minimal. The story is the same in this one as well as the prior english version: Some time before the start of the story a pirate with the name of Gold Roger acquired much wealth and infamy that he was called the Pirate King, upon his execution he mentions that all his treasure is being kept in "one piece" in a dangerous part of the ocean called the Grand Line. A golden age of piracy emerges and a young boy named Monkey D. Luffy is encouraged to become the Pirate King. To achieve his goal he brings along Zoro: a swordsman, Nami: a navigator, Usopp: a sniper, and Sanji: a cook. Each of them has their own goals.
Highlights
Blu-ray Review: Burn Notice: Season Two
Burn Notice is one of those shows that creeps up on you and eventually sends you scrambling to get the prior seasons so you can watch more. It's not because you need to have watched season one and two to enjoy any given episode, really all you need to know is given in each show's opener. Sure, there are some plot arcs that cover two episodes or even the whole season or series, but really, it's not that complicated. To me when I first watched it, I thought that it was yet another Stu Segall (Renegade, Silk Stalkings, Veronica Mars) production, as it very much has that same feel, but while this very much echoes other USA Network past offerings, this is from Fox.
DVD Review: Prison Break Season 4
Michael, Linc, and the Gang are back for one last season of action, adventure, surprises and breaking out of prisons in Season 4 of Prison Break. Following the end of Season 3 in which Michael escapes from prison in Panama, the old gang is rounded up by the US Government and given a new opportunity for freedom. Now, they must work with Agent Don Self to stop the mysterious "Company" that framed Linc in the first season. We know that Michael can break out of prisons, but can he break IN to a secure facility to gain all of the secrets of the Company? Well you can find out by watching all 22 episodes of the newly released Season 4 on DVD!
Season 4 of Prison break really was different than the prior seasons. Without giving away everything, the season itself can really be split into 3 acts:
Saving Grace Season Two DVD Review
TNT has started to become a real name in television, due to its rising strength in original television such as The Closer, Raising the Bar, and Saving Grace. It's the latter that I got a chance to check out, and while the only disc offered was the fourth one with the special features, I know the show itself to give you a good view of Saving Grace Season Two, which is now out for DVD.
DVD Review Friday The 13th 4, 5, 6
Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter has Jason returning one again from supposed death and wrecking havoc among the youth of Crystal Lake. The surprise is the way Jason is defeated this time. Enter a young Corey Feldman as Tommy.
Special Features
DVD Review: Taken
When I think of Liam Neeson, I usually think of the gentle voice of Aslan, or criminal mastermind Ra's Al Ghul, or the tragic widower in Love Actually. I could name fantastic roles of his for hours, stretching everywhere from the Star Wars prequels through to the Oscar-winning Schindler's List. This is an actor who gets around in every aspect of the industry, and every genre as well. So when I tell you that he's barely recognizable in Taken, I mean it. He looks the exact same; same graying hair and soft eyes, same calm power and control, but he's something more. He's the guy you never want to cross, the man who will torture and kill whoever he needs to, and man is watching it both painful and riveting. Action looks good on you, Mr. Neeson.
DVD Review: Family Guy Volume 7
Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Brian and Stewie are back for more! Family Guy Volume 7 is now available and once again the show has taken the comedy to the next level! This 3 disc collection features 13 episodes from the hit series along with some new special features (including a special featurette from Comic-Con 2008).
Episode List
Back to the Woods– James Woods returns and commits identity fraud in order to seek revenge against Peter. Peter comes to the realization that if James Woods can become Peter Griffin, then Peter Grifin can become JAMES WOODS! Dun Dun Dun.
Play it again Brian– Brian might finally get to be with Lois when Peter might have crossed the line in his marriage.
DVD Review: Darker Than Black Volume 5
FUNimation releases the fifth volume of Darker Than Black for America!
Fanboys DVD Review
By now the anticipation behind the Star Wars prequel series has long since passed, with a huge mixture of reactions from fans and non-fans alike. Love them or hate them, the original feeling before Episode 1 came out was that of eager, excited anticipation. The Star Wars fanboys were counting down the seconds, getting ready to camp out for the tickets, and it renewed tired arguments about Boba Fett and the Skywalkers.