Star Trek: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Review

Love it or hate it, there is no denying that J.J. Abrams revitalized Star Trek for a new generation and broke the odd/even number belief that seemed to be that the even number films fair better than the odd number ones. As it is, the opposite may now be true depending how well Star Trek Beyond goes over with audiences. However outside of the two films directed by Nicholas Meyer, Star Trek is arguably one of the best in the continuing feature film series. 

Basically it reboots the franchise without invalidating all that came before by creating an alternative timeline for the new film adventures to take place in. With the arrival of a Romulan mining ship retrofitted with Borg Technology into the past, it creates a new timeline by destroying the first ship it encounters, the USS Kelvin with Kirk's father serving as acting commander. The story then continues to show how in this timeline Kirk is recruited into Starfleet and how old and new characters meet and unthinkable things occur as the crew of the Enterprise with the help of an Elder Spock save the world from the Romulan threat. 

Released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray for the first time, this release basically repackeds the two-disc Special Edition Blu-ray with the new 4K Disc.

The new UHD/HDR 2160p disc doesn't disappoint with a vivid picture quality and an aggressive soundtrack to boot.  One can really appreciate the textures and fine details with this new transfer. 

Star Trek also features  an excellent Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core) track that adds overhead channels to the traditional configuration. 

The other discs contain the same material previously released as detailed below in the 1080p Blu-ray edition discs. 

Disc One: 

• Audio Commentary: Director J.J. Abrams, Producers Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof, and Writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.
• BD-Live

Disc Two: 

• To Boldly Go
• Casting
• A New Vision
• Starships
• Aliens
• Planets
• Props and Costumes
• Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek
• Score
• Gene Roddenberry's Vision
• Deleted Scenes
• Starfleet Vessel Simulator
• Gag Reel
• Trailers

Star Trek is available now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Parount Home Entertainment.

(C) Copyright 2016 By Mark A. Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

Just Some DCEU Silliness.

Please support the Clarion Write-A-Thon. I am volunteering my time for this to enable scholarship funds for next year's class of students. This is not for me. It is next year's students. You can pledge or donate through my page below or choose a different Writer. My point is to please donate or pledge for the next group of aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers to produce the literature of the second renaissance. Thank you.

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Just Announced: The American Masters Digital Archive

In Their Own Words:
The American Masters Digital Archive

The American Masters website is now presenting previously unreleased interviews filmed for the series' documentaries: 2,156 tapes, approximately 1,388 digitized hours, 800-plus interviews and counting. Watch short-form videos showcasing interviews with David Bowie, Gloria Steinem, Herbie Hancock, Bernadette Peters, Mike Nichols, and other luminaries discussing America’s most enduring artistic and cultural giants. Listen to long-form interviews from the archive on the American Masters Podcast, hosted by series executive producer Michael Kantor. 

Delve into the archives.

Cell Theatrical Review

Stephen King's take on the zombie apocalypse subgenre should have been made into a TV miniseries, because with a few notable exceptions, I find Stephen King's work translates better on television than it does on the big screen. Particularly the miniseries format works best with both versions of Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand, Desperation,  Rose Red, and Storm Of The Century being among his best. Even as was the case with Rose Red and Storm Of The Century, when Stephen King writes a teleplay based on an original idea for the screen it usually turns out better than many of his feature film adaptations.

Stephen King was co-screenwriter for this big screen version of his book, Cell, which stars John Cusak and Samuek L. Jackson, but this film wrapped years ago and evidently Cusak tweeted both he and King were cut out of the creative loop at some point and he did not know anything else. Well whoever cut King out, should have had more respect for the man's source material because while it may not be his best book, it was far more enjoyable than this film.

Oddly, Stephen King changed the ending from what happens in the book to a new ending that is frustratingly awful and robs any meaning of Cusak's character's quest. The movie is more lifeless than the infected of this film, which is not so much reanimated corpses, but rather people who have had their brain wiped and reprogrammed presumably into rage filled killers sort of like the ones in 28 Days Later, but not nearly as well executed. If you want to see a better film that deals with similar material, check out The Signal (2007). Cell is playing in limited theatrical release in Manhattan and presumably elsewhere. 

(C) Copyright 2016 By Mark A. Rivera.

All Rights Reserved.

TBS's CONAN to return to Comic-Con International with all new Pop! Vinyl figures from TBS and Funko

Conan O'Brien Returns to Comic-Con® International

With All New Pop! Vinyl Figures from TBS and Funko

Figures Commemorate O'Brien's Return to San Diego for Shows at Spreckels Theatre, To Be Taped Wednesday, July 20 – Saturday, July 23

CONAN to Increase Presence at Mega-Event at TBS Comic-Con® Booth

Watch the Announcement from Last Night's Show: http://teamcoco.com/video/conan-pop-vinyl-figures

Conan O'Brien will once again be immortalized with a set of four Pop! Vinyl figures to be available this July, when TBS's late-night series CONANreturns to San Diego for Comic-Con®International. Created by Funko for TBS, a division of Turner, this year's collectible figure designs include"Superman™ Conan," "Stormtrooper™ Conan," "Ghostbuster™ Conan" and "The Joker™ Conan." In addition, the world of CONAN will be put on full display through a virtual reality experience at the TBS Comic-Con® booth on the convention floor.

During the week of Comic-Con® International, CONAN will be taped at San Diego's historic Spreckels Theatre on Wednesday, July 20 – Saturday, July 23, including two rare weekend shows. Episodes will air that Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on all TBS platforms and will be available across TBS and Team Coco's digital, mobile and VOD platforms the day after airing.

Last year, CONAN became the first late-night show to tape a week of shows in San Diego during Comic-Con®, a milestone celebrated with the creation of the first-ever Conan Pop! Vinyl figures – "Conan O'Brien," "Batman™ Conan," "Zombie Conan" and "Conan's Monster" – which were handed out to thousands of fans attending the show's tapings. During this year's Comic-Con® International, new 2016 Conan Pop! Vinyl figures will be given away to audience members following each San Diego show, as well as directly to Comic-Con® attendees each morning. Supplies are limited, and details will be posted on the Comic-Con® website.

In addition to show tapings and giveaways, CONAN will be the focus of a unique virtual reality experience located at TBS's Comic-Con® booth on the convention floor. The experience will give attendees an exclusive peek into Conan O'Brien's world, both on and offstage, as seen through the eyes of a Conan Pop! Vinyl figure.

To promote CONAN's expanding Comic-Con® presence, TBS will feature Conan Pop! Vinyl figures extensively in on-air spots and within various off-channel media, including a banner on the Marriott South wall, wrapped trolleys and bus shelters. In addition, TBS will take over San Diego International Airport with messaging featuring the Pop! Vinyl figures throughout the entire footprint, including baggage claims, pedestrian sky bridges and escalators.

Additional information about CONAN's Comic-Con® shows can be found at www.teamcoco.com/ComicCon.

The heart-pounding thriller Viral will be released on DVD August 2, 2016

ON DVD AND ON DEMAND AUGUST 2, 2016

ON DIGITAL HD JULY 29, 2016

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – (June 21, 2016)– Spread the word that an epidemic is coming. The heart-pounding thriller Viral will be released on DVD August 2, 2016from Anchor Bay Entertainment, Radius-TWC and Dimension Films and on Digital HD July 29, 2016 and On Demand August 2, 2016 from Starz Digital. The film starsSofia Black-D'Elia (Project Almanac, “The Messengers”), Analeigh Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love, Lucy), Travis Tope(Independence Day: Resurgence), and Michael Kelly (“House of Cards,” Now You See Me, The Adjustment Bureau). Viral is an IM Global and Blumhouse International/Busted Shark Production, with producers Jason Blum, Sherryl Clark, and Matt Kaplan, is directed by the dynamic duo Henry Joost (Nerve, Paranormal Activity 3 & 4) and Ariel Schulman (Nerve, Paranormal Activity 3 & 4), and was written by Barbara Marshall and Christopher Landon.

Teenaged sisters Emma (Sofia Black-D’Elia) and Stacey (Analeigh Tipton) live a normal life, until their small suburban neighborhood is stricken with a mysterious parasitic virus. As the disease rapidly spreads throughout the town, the two band together to barricade themselves from infection. But it may already be too late – when the virus enters their home, the sisters are faced with an impossible choice: protect each other, or survive the virus.

Viral will be available on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment on August 2 for the suggested retail price of $19.98.