The seventh season of Dr. Who finds the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) facing foes from within a magical winter landscape, and sees his loyal Ponds (Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill) throughtheir final voyage. Other challenges include rescuing a spaceship filled with dinosaurs, traversing the Wild West, escaping a Russian submarine, and much more.
"Dr. Who" has always struck me as being pretty corny, and this collection is no different. Looks decent in Blu-ray and could divert younger kids for a few hours. Re-play value: minimal.
This release from the mysterious series Supernatural includes every episode from the show's tenth season, following brothers Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki ) as they investigate paranormal events.
It's hard to believe "Supernatural" has logged in more than a decade and that the two leads haven't changed all that much in the process. This season looks great on Blu-ray and the network went out of their way with some nice extras. And who doesn't like those extra-special musical episodes that every long-running show succumbs to eventually. This one is a winner.
This set serves up all 23 episodes from the sixth season of the hit FOX series Bones, starring Emily Descanel as a forensic specialist and David Boreanaz as her FBI agent partner and possible love interest.
I'd watched this season some years ago on DVD, but the $9.99 price tag on the Blu-ray version convinced me to have another look. Glad I did, since I'd forgotten just how charming the cast is and how intricate some of the mysteries are. Blu-ray enhances the visual quality, but don't expect feature film perfection.
The fifth season of Bones finds forensic whiz Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Special Agent Booth (David Boreanaz) tackling more complex cases, and continuing to build the sexual tension between them. This set contains every episode from that season.
"Bones" is amazingly consistent and the fifth season was no exception. Really like the various interns and their unique personalities. I upgraded from DVD to Blu-ray and can see some visual improvement, if not an overwhelming one. Still, at under $10, no complaints.
The complete first season of the HBO period drama Vinyl starring Bobby Cannavale as Richie Finestra, a record label executive attempting to save his company amidst the musical turmoil of New York City in the 1970s, while balancing his hectic love life, substance abuse, and the pressure to find the next big hit. Co-created by Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, Rich Cohen, and Terence Winter, Vinyl co-stars Olivia Wilde as Richie's wife, Juno Temple, Ray Romano, and James Jagger.
It's too bad "Vinyl" didn't get a chance to expand on a fascinating story. Bobby Cannavale is perfect as the music-and-drug-obsessed record man, and production values are first rate. True, the drug thing does take over all too often, but the ambitious series holds up to multiple viewings. Looks good and grimy on Blu-ray. Sound is okay if not exceptional.
The complete first season of the breakthrough HBO crime drama series True Detective, which follows Louisiana State Police detectives Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) investigating a string of occult murders while dealing with their own personal demons over a two decade period. Created by Nic Pizzolatto, the eight-episode season garnered critical acclaim for its non-linear narrative style and impressive cinematography.
Moody and engrossing, the first season of "True Detective" looks great on Blu-ray and boasts nice features with the creative team. Harrelson's character is a bit trying, especially the dead-end story with his wife, but his Oscar-winning co-star more than makes up for the deficit. Weak ending, but it does leave open the possibility of a "chapter two."
I really liked this expansive take on the Tolstoy novel. The cast is fine and production values are first-rate. Much better than the limp TV version of a few years back, though less compelling than the classic Russian feature film of the late 60s. Use it as a springboard for tackling the massive novel at long last.
This release collects every episode from the fourth season of the Netflix series House of Cards, a drama about a ruthless congressman and his equally ambitious wife who navigate the corridors of power in Washington, D.C.
"House of Cards" ups the ante once again for an entertaining and sometimes scary look at professional politics. Looks good on DVD, though the dearth of extras is still a letdown after four seasons.
"Oklahoma" has its dull stretches, but it looks and sounds so good in the Blu-ray version that fans of the show will definitely be happy. MacRae and Jones are perfect in the leading roles, and Steiger makes you actually sympathize with Judd. Lots of extras and an extra copy of the film on DVD make this a no-brainer for the $10 I paid for it at Best Buy.
This version of "Macbeth" looks good, but weak acting by Michael Fassbender makes it kind of a slog. Cotillard is good, though. Too many cut lines also hinder the drama. Not bad, but nothing compared to Polanski's take on the classic.