Transformers Prime: Darkness Rising DVD review
The five-part miniseries that preceded the “Transformers Prime” computer-animated series is edited together and collected on the DVD “Transformers Prime: Darkness Rising.” Less clanky than the feature films but more mature than the original 1980s cartoons, “Darkness Rising” is a hybrid that should appeal to both younger and older, nostalgic fans.
“Doctor Who: The Complete Sixth Series” Blu-ray review
Matt Smith and Steven Moffat each settle in more comfortably in their second seasons on “Doctor Who,” the science fictional BBC production about a time-traveling benevolent alien. He traverses time and space in the TARDIS, a ship that’s bigger on the inside than the outside, and that looks from the outside like a 1950s police call box.
Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) are the Doctor’s main companions for this series. He also frequently crosses paths with River Song (Alex Kingston), who has a connection to all of the principals, and whose meetings with the Doctor occur in jumbled chronological order.
Moffat took over as executive producer from the much-acclaimed Russell T. Davies. His main push seems to have been giving the seasons more of an arc, which is in full effect this season. The Doctor, played by Smith, is faced with his upcoming death in the season’s first episode, and while the season has its detours, clues and movements key to the overall arc are seen throughout.
DVD review: Captain America/Captain America II: Death Too Soon
Long-suffering “Captain America” fans finally got an A-list, top-notch film version of their favorite character when “Captain America: The First Avenger” came out earlier this year. But some disappointed Redbox patrons may instead find they’ve rented the TV movies “Captain America” and “Captain America II: Death Too Soon,” both originally shown on TV in 1979, and now out on DVD.
The movie takes a ton of liberties from the comics story. Reb Brown stars in both TV films as Steve Rogers. Dr. Simon Mills (Len Birman) wants Steve to take the FLAG formula, a sort of “super-steroid” that was developed by Rogers’ late father. Because his father experimented using his own DNA, the formula is only likely to work on someone in his family. Rogers refuses, but when he’s nearly killed investigating the death of a friend, Mills decides to use the FLAG formula on him without his permission, giving him peak human strength and other abilities. Unfortunately, all this origin means it’s over an hour into the film before Steve gets into Captain America gear, and when he does, he looks more like Evel Knievel than Captain America. His motorcycle, judging by the screen time it gets, is also a very important part of the film.
The first film must have been successful enough, despite making not too much sense, as most of the cast returned later that year for “Death Too Soon.” Connie Selleca (“The Greatest American Hero”) replaced Heather Menzies (“Piranha”) as Dr. Wendy Day.
The terrorist Miguel (Christopher Lee, slumming it) has stolen a rapid aging formula that he will use on a major American city if his demands are not met. (Thus causing — “Death Too Soon.”)
Steve tracks Miguel down to a small town, where he falls in love with a local woman, tussles with local roughnecks, and eventually tracks down the bad guys. Compared to the first film, this one’s semi-watchable, and Lee chews up the scenery with vigor. Hungarian-born Heidi Fleiss ex-boyfriend Ivan Nagy directs, and Captain America’s costume is closer to something that looks like the comics’ Captain America. It’s still pretty much a mess, but, prior to this year, “Death too Soon” was arguably the live-action Captain America to watch.
The Shout Factory Double Feature of “Captain America” and “Captain America II” has no special features to speak of, unfortunately. I’d love to have heard commentary from the directors or star about how these films were made.
— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
DVD review – Batman: Year One (Two-disc Special Edition)
Batman: Year One Two-Disc Special Edition DVD
Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s “Batman: Year One” is a comic-book classic, recounting the early adventures of Batman and police Lt. James Gordon in a corrupt, crime-infested Gotham City. The story was originally serialized in issues 404 through 407 of DC Comics’ “Batman” title in 1987.
“Year One” has been influential in nearly all the Batman adaptations in other media since, including “Mask of the Phantasm” and Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” Miller’s darker takes on Batman in “Year One” and the earlier “Dark Knight Returns” were influential on the 1989 “Batman” film as well.
With so much history hanging on this story, there’s a lot for the direct-to-video animated adaptation to hold up. The extremely faithful adaptation, produced by Bruce Timm and co-directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu, succeeds as the best direct-to-video DC Comics movie to date.
The cast includes Ben McKenzie as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Bryan Cranston as James Gordon, Eliza Dushku as Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Katee Sackhoff as Sarah Essen. Cranston, whom many know from “Breaking Bad,” is a fantastic Gordon. “Year One” is Gordon’s story as much as it is Batman’s, and Cranston hits every emotion needed to pull off the complex character. Gordon’s a good man and a good cop; but Gotham City will put both of those characterizations to the test, as corruption and double-dealing test his faith and resolve.
Extras include a “Catwoman” short, written by Paul Dini; two Catwoman-centric episodes of previous “Batman” animated series; and a documentary on the importance of Miller and the “Year One” story to the Batman mythos.
— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
DVD review: “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Vol. 3”
Marvel Comics’ top-tier team of superheroes stars in “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” which features Thor, Iron Man and Captain America, among others.
With “The Avengers” set to come to theaters in 2012, it’s a nice bit of multimedia synergy — but it’s a well-done animated series, as well, culling bits from both the classic and “Ultimate” lines of Marvel Comics, as well as the cinematic universe, to create a hybrid that takes the best of all worlds.
Bert the Conqueror Season One DVD review
Stand-up comedian Bert Kreischer crisscrosses the country for his Travel Channel series “Bert the Conqueror,” in which he tries out challenges from roller coasters to mud diving to catfish “grabblin.”
Forensics: You Decide DVD review
Forensics: You Decide
A selection of five episodes from the Investigation Discovery program “Forensics: You Decide” has been released on DVD by Discovery Communications and Gaiam Inc.
The program presents real-life cases in which forensic evidence can potentially be interpreted two different ways.
Each episode examines a case and questions experts on both sides. The show reveals the jury’s decision in each case but also asks viewers to make up their own mind on the interpretation of the evidence.
Thor: Tales of Asgard DVD/Blu-ray review
Thor: Tales of Asgard
A young Thor stars in “Thor: Tales of Asgard,” a direct to DVD and Blu-ray Marvel animated film that explores the youth of the god of thunder. Before the days when he wields the powerful hammer Mjolnir, this young Thor (“Matthew Wolf”) is a brash young prince who bristles against control and craves praise.
DVD review: Scarecrow and Mrs. King season two
Scarecrow and Mrs. King season 2
Once and future “Tron” Bruce Boxleitner was a TV staple in the 1980s, playing charming spy Lee Stetson in “Scarecrow and Mrs. King,” the second season of which is now out on DVD. Stetson, code-named “Scarecrow,” is partnered with suburban housewife Amanda King (Kate Jackson, “Charlie’s Angels”), used by the agency as a civilian asset.
“Firebreather” features teen issues, larger-than-life family problems in fantasy adventure
A lot of teenage boys have issues with their fathers. Duncan Rosenblatt’s issues go a little farther.
Duncan’s a half-human, half-dragon hybrid, and if being the new kid in school is tough with a bad complexion, imagine how hard it is when you have Duncan’s craggy half-dragon exterior.
