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Doctor Who – Series Six (Part Two)

  • Title: Doctor Who – Series Six (Part Two)
  • tv.com: link

doctor-who-series-six-part-twoBy Silencio Lake, on the plane of Sighs, an impossible astronaut will rise from the deep and strike the Time Lord dead. The two-disc set collects the final six episodes of Series Six including The Doctor (Matt Smith) facing his death at the hands of River Song (Arthur Darvill).

Although the collection doesn’t include a great stand-out episode there are several good episodes including “Let’s Kill Hitler” and “The Wedding of River Song” which wraps up River Song’s story arc and gives us the conclusion of the series cliffhanger. Craig (James Corden) returns for “Closing Time” and Rory (Arthur Darvill) is forced to make an impossible decision in “The Girl Who Waited.” We also get a spooky hotel, and the somewhat less spooky insides of of terrified child’s cupboard.

Even if the extras include only a couple of Monster Files, Part Two a good wrap-up to Series Six and a nice compliment to Part One. Aside from the upcoming Christmas episode it’s the only Doctor Who we’re going to get for awhile.

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Cars 2 on Blu-ray

  • Title: Cars 2
  • IMDB: link

cars-2-blu-rayAlthough far different in tone and story than the first film (which I love to no end) Cars 2 moves from themes of small town life to take its characters overseas for the World Grand Prix. And the most unlikely one of the bunch will find himself in the middle of a spy adventure. For more on the film check my the original review.

The movie works as well on DVD and Blu-ray as it did in the theaters. The look of the World Grand Prix is terrific and the spy story (even if it does center around one of my least favorite characters) provides some great moments.

The two-disc set includes Blu-ray and DVD copies of the film, commentary by director John Lasseter, and a pair of animated shorts, “Hawaiian Vacation” and “Air Mater.” The five-disc set also includes a 3D disc, digital download, and a few extra features including deleted scenes, documentaries, and a world tour exploring the various cities used in the film.

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Captain America: The First Avenger on Blu-ray

  • Title: Captain America: The First Avenger
  • IMDB: link

captain-america-first-avenger-blu-rayMarvel’s first big budget Captain America film gives us the origin of  Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) through he days in WWII and even his reappearance in present time. Evans is terrific in the role and Captain America: The First Avenger provides just the right mix of action, earnestness, and cheesy sentiment. For more the film itself check out my original review.

The film worked slightly better for me on Blu-ray. The CGI effect of skinny Steve Rogers was more believable and a couple of the sequences I had slight problems with felt more natural the second time around. I still have a few issues with the film including the awkward slow motion jumps Cap makes in front of explosions, the lack of Nazis, the clumsy sequence where our hero gets captured by the Red Skull‘s (Hugo Weaving) men, and the costume still has far too many unnecessary straps.

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Batman: Year One

  • Title: Batman: Year One
  • IMDB: link

batman-year-one-dvdThe latest straight-to-DVD animated release from DC Comics and Warner Premiere is extremely faithful adaptation of Frank Miller‘s retelling of Batman’s origin and the early days in the careers of Batman (Ben McKenzie) and Jim Gordon (Bryan Cranston).

Batman: Year One is a good, not great, entry into the DC Animated universe. It isn’t a success in terms of Batman: Under the Red Hood or Justice League: The New Frontier. However, it works better than the Superman/Batman animated films or Wonder Woman. In terms of a mixed success I’d compare it to Green Lantern: First Flight, and Green Lantern: Emerald Knights.

The film does a good job and capturing the look of David Mazzucchelli‘s art from Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One, although it does have a decided Japanese animated look and feel. With a couple of exceptions, including the opening shot of Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham and Gordon unburdening himself to Essen in the diner, the film follows the comic nearly as closely as Sin City.

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Bad Movie

  • Title: Bad Teacher
  • IMDB: link

bad-teacher-dvdI like Cameron Diaz. I enjoyed Bad Santa. Hell, I even like Summer School. However, I don’t like all those ingredients thrown into a blender with the barest attempt at originality and the lack of any real laughs.

If you take Billy Bob Thornton‘s character from Bad Santa and put him into Mark Harmon‘s role from Summer School, then make him an aging blonde hottie obsessed with getting a boob job and tricking some rich dullard into marriage you have the script for Bad Teacher, not just the premise mind you, the entire script.

Writers Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg (the comedic geniuses who are responsible for Year One) waste another talented cast by phoning in yet another suprisingly unfunny comedy. If you know how these guys continue to get work please let me know. (I’m guessing that must have some incriminating pictures of several studio heads.)

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