New Episode of DC ALL ACCESS Now Online!

In today's all new episode, host Tiffany Smith discusses some of the recent DC Entertainment news, including the first image of Zack Snyder's Batmobile, the Batman: Arkham Knight release date and Dwayne Johnson's malevolent new role in theShazam movie. After that, the camera turns over to Gotham's Camren Bicondova (Selina Kyle) for a special greeting before wrapping things up with an exclusive discussing between Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee about the future of Superman, Green Arrow and the rest of your favorite DC Comics characters.

Link:

http://youtu.be/5sVYb36ch6k

The Dead 2 Blu-ray Disc Review

The Dead 2 AKA The Dead 2: India is the new zombie horror film by The Ford Brothers, who impressed horror fans globally with their hit debut film, The Dead, which was set in and shot on location in West Africa using local talent and West African citizens as extras. This installment is kind of a prequel and certainly could take place concurrent to the events of the first film at least partially. The reason why I state this is because in the first film, it is pretty clear even from the flashback beginning of the story that a zombie apocalypse is in full swing and the lead characters enter already knowing what they are dealing with.

The new film, set in India, begins with a boat returning to Mumbai from Somalia where essentially patient zero for the subsequent outbreak in India peacefully returns to his home clutching his arm where he was bitten while working in Africa. Since the outbreak has only started in Africa and still somewhat unconfirmed, no one is expecting the horror that is about to unfold and as a result within one night, the streets of Mumbai are filled with citizens in panic, shot guns firing, zombies attacking and huge military helicopters flying over the city. A lone young Indian woman calls her secret American boyfriend to tell him she is pregnant with his child and her parents don't know. The American (Joseph Millson), a turbine engineer contracted by the military, is completing a wind-farm when he gets her call, which is shortly followed by a call to his partner, who informs him that he must abandon the assignment and return to Mumbai by the night to get the last plane out to the States. With his partner refusing to risk his life by picking up his girlfriend, the engineer battles his way across 300 miles of zombie infested wilderness. During his journey he rescues an orphan (Anand Goyal), who becomes his guide in return for protection from the undead.

Basically The Dead 2 does not cover much new ground with the main characters this time being an American Engineer and an Indian boy instead of an American and African soldier as seen in the first film. While there are some great fight sequences, a few legitimate scares, and moments of Hindu spirituality trying to explain why the zombie apocalypse has begun, there just is not enough for a grown man and a little boy to do in a zombie horror flick while in the first film, there were more sequences and encounters with varied adult characters and the two leads made for a more relatable team. Young Anand Goyal is a very likable child actor, but he is still a child and thus there is only so much that can be shared between the two lead characters. Ultimately the action parallels the action of the first film very closely with just some cosmetic changes that distinguish it from the first. Essentially The Dead 2 is more of a fable than the first film. It telegraphs what is to come with little subtlety, but while I liked the first film better, The Dead 2 is still a better than average zombie horror film. I hope if The Ford Brothers make a third installment, they will aim for a different kind of story that takes everything forward and in a new direction rather than what feels like a loose retread of the original that seems more like a prequel than a sequel. The character reactions are not consistent to what was shown in The Dead. Here it feels like it is just beginning while the other film clearly gives the impression that everyone is well aware of the problem and trying to deal with it.

Anchor Bay Entertainment's Blu-ray Disc edition presents The Dead 2 in a beautifully sharp high definition 1080p/24fps (1.78:1) widescreen aspect ratio that is quite colorful at times and uses the on location scenes shot in Rajasthan, Delhi, and Mumbai to create one of most visually impressive zombie horror films ever made. There was a scene in the film where the dialogue spoken between main characters sounded kind of hollow or had a kind of echo quality to it that I am unsure is due to bad ADR looping or some glitch in the disc itself. Outside of that, the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround Soundtrack is just fine and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired as well as Spanish Language Subtitles encoded onto the Blu-ray Disc as options. 

Extra value features include an interview with the filmmakers from Frightfest TV (29:12), two deleted scenes (2:21) and trailers for The Dead (2:18) and Battle of the Damned (2:18), which precede the main menu. 

The Dead 2 will debut on Blu-ray Disc on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at retailers on and offline courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.

(C) Copyright 2014 By Mark Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

Z Nation tries to be both dramatic and shlock and fails at both.

The saying "One cannot serve two masters" is as true for storytelling as it is for anything else. The Asylum, the production company that brought viewers Sharknado are back with an attempt to take on the zombie apocalypse horror sub genre with Z Nation. I saw a screener before it premiered, but wanted to hold off judgment on the show until I saw the final broadcast version just in case there were any last minute changes.

Having checked it twice now I feel I can safely state objectively what I think of Z Nation. While it may seem unfair to compare it to The Walking Dead, I do not think so. Both are primetime basic cable TV series. Both are inspired by other works that came before it and both are trying to get rabid zombie fan viewers. The differences are obvious, The Walking Dead from the start was a superior drama with genuine characters that made us care. Of course the talent involved with The Walking Dead from the very beginning is truthfully better than what the Asylum is offering. Yet I do not fault The Asylum for not having the same caliber of talent in front of and behind the camera because they are up against comparison with KNB Effects, one of the best makeup effects providers in the business. Plus the zombies look okay for the most part. The dialogue and acting on the other hand is serviceable at best even with Harold Perrineau in a guest starring role. Outside of that the only other cast members of note are Tom Everett Scott and DJ Qualls. The rest of the cast appears to be largely unknown, which is fine.

What doesn't work in Z Nation is that the show does not know whether it is to be taken seriously as drama or simply enjoyed as shlock. That is where the Two Masters problem comes into play. You can have a comedy with moments of great drama like MASH and you can have a drama with moments of light comedy like Ally McBeal. However you have to define exactly what one is going for here and as far as I can tell, The Asylum wants Z Nation to be both a drama and shlock at the same time and as a result it fails at both. 

There is nothing new to see here. Cast members look out of place at times as though they don't know how to play off the material. Right from the first episode, the series seems to ignore the basic rules it sets up for cheap nonsense. As a result I neither liked or disliked Z Nation because Z Nation doesn't even inspire enough interest to make me care. It is neither fun or gripping. It just feels limp and aimless. You can't be Zombieland (the movie) and World War Z at the same time. You have to choose an approach and stick with it or else you risk alienating audiences for both.

Z Nation is unfocused and if it doesn't decide what it is fast then I think viewers should show "mercy" to quote a term used on the show and skip watching it. 

(C) Copyright 2014 By Mark Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

Mike Tyson Mysteries Premieres October 27th on Adult Swim.

Mike Tyson Mysteries Comes Out Swinging On Adult Swim

New Animated Series Premieres On October 27th

 

Adult Swim announced today that their new animated adult comedy series, Mike Tyson Mysteries, will premiere on Monday, October 27^th at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. The original series from Warner Bros. Animation stars Mike Tyson himself and as the network builds on its big summer ratings, the show is poised to knock out the Monday night competition.

In Mike Tyson Mysteries, Mike Tyson is taking the fight from the boxing ring to the streets … by solving mysteries!  Aided by the Mike Tyson Mystery Team — the Ghost of the Marquess of Queensberry, Mike's adopted Korean daughter Yung Hee, and a pigeon who was once a man — Mike Tyson will answer any plea sent to him.  If you have a problem that needs solving, Iron Mike is in your corner.  The gloves come off in this quarter-hour series as the former heavyweight champ and his team gears up for weekly adventures as they put unsolved mysteries down for the count.

Mike Tyson Mysteries stars Mike Tyson, Norm Macdonald (Saturday Night Live), Rachel Ramras (MAD) and Oscar® winner Jim Rash (The Way Way Back, Community), and is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!, MAD, The Looney Tunes Show) serves as executive producer with Hugh Davidson (MAD, The Looney Tunes Show, Robot Chicken) as producer.

Across the summer (June – August 2014), Adult Swim stood alone as basic cable’s dominant #1 network for both primetime and total day delivery of all young adult and young male demos.  The network claimed the #1 ranking in primetime among adults 18-24 & 18-34 and men 18-24 & 18-34, while its total day performance ranked #1 across the board—adults/men 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49.

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON ON BLU-RAYTM COMBO AND DVDSEPTEMBER 16, 2014

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES

THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON

ON BLU-RAY^TM COMBO AND DVDSEPTEMBER 16, 2014

Includes All 24 Episodes from the Seventh Season Plus All New Bonus Extras

BURBANK, CA (September 8, 2014) – The most-watched comedy and #1 entertainment series among Adults 18–49 on broadcast TV and called “…one of television’s smartest shows” by the New York Daily News, The Big Bang Theorycontinues to capture the hearts of viewers and critics alike, averaging nearly 20 million Total Viewers per week during the 2013-2014 season, a +5% increase from the previous season!  Now fans can relive all of the laughs of one of the best seasons to date of this comic mainstay when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Seventh Season on DVD and Blu-ray Combo September 16, 2014.  Season Seven is also available to purchase on Digital HD. The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Seventh Season – which is available to own for $44.98 / $54.97 SRP – includes all 24 episodes plus all-new extras including six featurettes and a hysterical gag reel!

  

The Big Bang Theory—which was renewed for three more seasons—revolves around Leonard and Sheldon, two roommates who are brilliant physicists – geniuses in the laboratory, but socially challenged outside of it.  Enter beautiful, street-smart neighbor, Penny, who aims to teach them a thing or two about life.  Despite their on-again, off-again relationship in the past, Leonard believes he’s found true love with Penny.  Even Sheldon has found a female companion – entering into a “Relationship Agreement” with neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler.  In their free time, Leonard and Sheldon continue to enjoy frequent trips to the comic book store and fantasy role-playing games with their ever-expanding universe of friends, including fellow scientists Raj and Howard, and Howard's adorable microbiologist wife, Bernadette.  Season Seven features unexpected story arcs, captivating all-star celebrity guest appearances from the worlds of science and science fiction, and, of course, sidesplitting moments of laughter.        

“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is thrilled to bring all the laughs of The Big Bang Theory to Blu-ray Combo and DVD with the release of The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Seventh Season,” said Rosemary Markson, WBHE Senior Vice President, TV and Special Interest Marketing. “The Big Bang Theory continues to be the #1 comedy on television and a best-seller in home entertainment. Now fans can add all the delightful moments of this memorable season to their collections.

With Blu-ray’s unsurpassed picture and sound, The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray^TMrelease will include 1080p Full HD Video with DTS-HD Master Audio for English 5.1. The 5-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (2 Blu-ray^TM discs, 3 DVD discs) will feature a high-definition Blu-ray^TM, standard definition DVD and a Digital HD copy of all 24 episodes from Season Seven.

 

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Seventh Season on Blu-ray^TM Combo and DVD includes 24 half-hour episodes:

1. The Hofstadter Insufficiency
2. The Deception Verification
3. The Scavenger Vortex
4. The Raiders Minimization
5. The Workplace Proximity
6. The Romance Resonance
7. The Proton Displacement
8. The Itchy Brain Simulation
9. The Thanksgiving Decoupling
10. The Discovery Dissipation
11. The Cooper Extraction
12. The Hesitation Ramification
13. The Occupation Recalibration
14. The Convention Conundrum
15. The Locomotive Manipulation
16. The Table Polarization
17. The Friendship Turbulence
18. The Mommy Observation
19. The Indecision Amalgamation
20. The Relationship Diremption
21. The Anything Can Happen Recurrence
22. The Proton Transmogrification
23. The Gorilla Dissolution
24. The Status Quo Combustion

 

DVD Standard Features: *

• 3 DVD-9s
• DVD Audio – English (5.1), Portuguese (2.0)
• DVD Subtitles – ESDH, Chinese, Portuguese, Latin Spanish, French, Thai, Korean
• Presented in 16x9 widescreen format

 

Blu-ray^TM Combo Pack Features: *

• 5-Disc Elite (2 BD-50s, 3 DVD-9s)
• DVD Audio - English (5.1), Portuguese (2.0)
• DVD Subtitles – ESDH, Chinese, Portuguese, Latin Spanish, French, Thai, Korean
• BD Audio:  DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 – English, Portuguese 2.0, Spanish 2.0
• BD Subtitles - ESDH, French, Castilian Spanish, Latin Spanish, Korean, Portuguese
• BD and DVD:  Presented in 16x9 widescreen format

 

Packed with Special Features: *     

§  String Theory Serenade - Comedy folk duo Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome) lend their unique brand of songwriting to help Wolowitz serenade his quarantined bride Bernadette

§  James Earl Jones: The Un-Conventional Guest Star - When silver screen titan James Earl Jones makes a guest appearance on The Big Bang Theory, everyone knew it was going to be a blast, but no one suspected the man behind Darth Vader's voice would be laughing hardest!

§  BBTea Time - What happens when Kaley, Mayim, and Melissa encounter a precocious trio who bear a striking resemblance to their younger selves? Cute overload!

• The Big Bang Theory's May the 4^th -In honor of Star Wars Day, The Big Bang Theory enlists the help of legendary special effects studio, Industrial Light and Magic to imbue Professor Proton (Bob Newhart) with the powers of a Jedi master.
• The Convention Conundrum  Johnny Galecki Crashes the BBT Writers Panel

§  The Big Cendrowski : Backstage with the Coolest Director and Cast in the Universe - Series director Mark Cendrowski takes the audience on a guided tour of the non-stop action he and the cast endure every week while filming The Big Bang Theory.

§  2013 Comic-Con Panel

• Gag Reel

 

The Walking Dead Countdown Continues!

My second in a four part weekly series covering the first four seasons of The Walking Dead and leading up to the Fifth Season premiere is now available at Halloween Forever.com. Please click on the link below and visit. Thank you.

http://www.halloweenforevermore.com/scary-movies/movie-reviews/tv-review-the-walking-dead-complete-second-season-bluray/

That Snail Is FAST ... New Episodes of Turbo FAST Premiere This Week!

This week DreamWorks Animation is premieringfive all-new episodes of Turbo FAST!  These new episodes debutTHIS FRIDAY, Sept. 12, only on Netflix, and each 22-minute episode is made up of two fast-paced 11-minute stories.  This time around, they’ve got hilariously varied plots.

There’s Gills!, in which Whiplash is convinced he’s seen a giant man-eating goldfish (and Turbo gets to utter the classic “we’re gonna need a bigger boat” line) … there’s Beware the Chickipede, which finds Turbo and his friends stumbling onto a maniacal madman’s plot to create a hybrid chicken and centipede (100 chicken legs on every bird!) … there’sPrank’d, which features an outlandishly complicated Rube Goldberg-like device.

With this new set of five episodes,Turbo FAST now has a perfectly “bingeable” 20 episodes available on Netflix, and the zany, pop-culture-driven humor is great for kids and “grown-ups” to share together. Turbo FAST has quickly become a Netflix must-see, and I really hope you’ll check out the series to find out why!