Archive for the ‘A&E Home Video’ Category
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 30th, 2012
So you say Shipping Wars was not enough Waring for you? Are you back for more? Alright, let us dig through the review pile and get some more action for you reality show freaks. How about Hamster Wars? Okay, okay perhaps Paper Airplane Wars? Never mind, I can not stand paper cuts. Ah I have the perfect one here, a spinoff of one of the most popular reality shows out there. Its name is Storage Wars: Texas. Well yee-haw and get me my cowboy hat. This might be a hootenanny after all.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 27th, 2012
Is it just me or does every new reality show have to feature the word: Wars? We have Storage Wars, Property Wars, Parking Wars, and I believe I just heard the other day we have Weed and Whisker Wars. Apparently War is good for reality show business. Well, today we have yet another war to throw on the proverbial fire. Shipping Wars, sponsored by UShip.com and on A&E Television. I guess we need to go find out which trucker will come out on top in this season one package.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 20th, 2012
Just in time for the holidays A&E puts together three of their history documentaries and send them out to you in 3D. I’m talking about the History In 3D collection, of course. This is a 3-disc set with an episode on each disc. They come in a nice box with a holograph cover to get you in the 3D mood.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 20th, 2012
“In the beginning there was darkness. And then bang, giving birth to an endless expanding existence of time, space, and matter. Every day new discoveries are unlocking the mysterious, the mind-blowing, the deadly secrets of a place we call The Universe.”
The History series has lasted for six seasons to date. The show uses modern space photography, computer-generated images, and demonstrations along with respected scientists to explore the various aspects of our universe.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 27th, 2012
The presidential election is right around the corner. We have two candidates where either one could realistically win. We just hope that there is no funny business and that all of the voting is on the up and up. Regardless, the History Channel has produced many specials over the years that deal with different facets of the presidency. Let’s take a look at three of those specials in this 3-disc set.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on August 31st, 2012
I never really meant to have 3D TV in my home theater. But our Sony Blu-ray player was 3D-ready, and the receiver and monitor both needed warranty replacement about the same time. Bingo: All I needed were a couple pairs of glasses ($40 each at Amazon) and some 3D programming. Having seen almost every 3D big-screen release already, I was pretty sure the TV version would be an inferior format. I was wrong. The electronic-shutter glasses beat the heck out of those old red-and-green gimmicky glasses. They work as well as the polarized lenses at the multiplex.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on August 16th, 2012
The wife and I have spent quite a few weekends within the last year going to antique shops and malls, flea markets and basically any place where we might go through a pile of stuff to find that one special item for our collection. The search has produced many interesting items and it brings us joy to see all of the items that simply do not show up in a retail store. Today, we are reviewing American Pickers volume 4, a show that lives on the art of finding that next treasure by going through America’s backyards.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by John Ceballos on August 12th, 2012
Any compilation of the greatest moments in Chicago Cubs history has the potential to come off as a cruel joke. After all, we’re talking about a franchise that hasn’t been to the World Series since 1945. On top of that, Roosevelt was in office the last time they won it all…Teddy Roosevelt in 1908! As a result, The Essential Games of the Chicago Cubs obviously doesn’t feature any moments from the Fall Classic.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 10th, 2012
One of my favorite television pastimes is watching some Storage Wars episodes. Initially, it was the lure of finding that goldmine buried beneath a pile of trash in a storage locker. But as I got more into it, I realized that it was the people who kept me coming back episode after episode. Barry, Jarrod, Brandi (she is a cutie), Darrell and even occasionally Hester all intrigue me as I watch each episode. Here in my hands is Volume 3, let’s see if the viewing pleasure continues.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on June 13th, 2012
The wife and I have spent quite a few weekends within the last year going to antique shops and malls, flea markets and basically any place where we might go through a pile of stuff to find that one special item for our collection. The search has produced many interesting items and it brings us joy to see all of the items that simply do not show up in a retail store. Today, we are reviewing American Pickers volume 3, a show that lives on the art of finding that next treasure by going through America’s backyards.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 12th, 2012
“I’m Rick Harrison, and this is my pawn shop. I work here with my old man and my son, Big Hoss. Everything in here has a story … and a price. One thing I’ve learned after 21 years? You never know what is going to come through that door.”
Remember that PBS show where some old-stuff expert would come to your town and sift through a lot of junk that folks found in their basements or attics?
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 12th, 2012
“I’m Brad Meltzer. I’ve spent my life collecting stories. The best include signs, symbols, and coded messages that are hidden in plain sight. Some have become the basis for my novels. But I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s out there, and now History has given me the resources to investigate the rest. This is Decoded.”
What if I told you there was an author out there who was known for writing novels that include historical conspiracies, secret societies and buried treasures, and that this author has found a way to parlay his moderate writing success into a television series for History?
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 16th, 2012
“In the beginning there was darkness. And then bang, giving birth to an endless expanding existence of time, space, and matter. Every day new discoveries are unlocking the mysterious, the mind-blowing, the deadly secrets of a place we call The Universe.”
The History series has lasted for six seasons to date. The show uses modern space photography, computer-generated images, and demonstrations along with respected scientists to explore the various aspects of our universe.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on May 9th, 2012
The 2012 baseball season has started and this might be what we call a rough year. My team, the Phillies are 14-16 and 5 games out of first. What is worse is that going up and down the roster, I do not see too many familiar faces. Sure, there are injuries and sure there are over 130 games left, but I do not see it improving any time soon. But today is not about the Phillies, today is about a team that has been around for 50 years and is full of history. I present to you, the Houston Astros.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 1st, 2012
When I was a kid there was one summer when all of the radio stations were playing a song called Billy Don’t Be A Hero. Somehow I don’t think that Billy Bretherton was quite what they had in mind. Sure, Billy goes where most of us would be afraid to tread, but he’s also got to be the biggest crybaby sometimes. Hero or not, Billy and his brother Ricky have put in a fourth season of Billy The Exterminator, and it’s now available on DVD.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 26th, 2012
“Contestants are experienced marksmen operating on a closed course. Do not attempt this at home.”
So just in case you have access to all kinds of firearms and a few spare acres to set up a range, you might want to think twice before trying to reproduce the challenges you’ll find in History’s latest reality show Top Shot. It’s part Survivor and part Big Brother with the added dimension of marksmanship. And, honestly, it’s quite a bit more compelling than either of those shows.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 24th, 2012
“At the top of the world, there’s a job only a few would dare. The Ice Road Truckers are back..”
It was the peak of the 1970′s, and CW McCall was teaching ordinary people like us about Cabover Petes with reefers on and getting by those Smokeys. The man practically started a new genre of music with the hit song Convoy. The song was so popular that the backup band used their cut to start a little project of their own. They became Mannheim Steamroller and used the cash to cut their own music.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on April 18th, 2012
Egypt has always been known as paradise on earth to its people and the many visitors it gets each year. The land is often described as a strong, fertile land with an emphasis on history and rich tradition. Personally, I find myself in a general state of knowledge about the country but wished to know more. My curiosities peaked when I received a copy of “Planet Egypt” on DVD at my doorstep thanks to the History Channel. Let us see what rich history is held inside.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by John Ceballos on April 2nd, 2012
They came back to tie the game five different times. They were down by two runs in the bottom of the ninth and facing a closer who had been a perfect 6 for 6 in save situations during that postseason. They were down to the last strike of their entire season two different times. I guess what I’m trying to say is, at a certain point, it became obvious — painfully obvious, if you happen to be a fan of the Texas Rangers — that there was no effing way the St. Louis Cardinals were losing Game 6 of the 2011 World Series.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Paul O'Callaghan on February 27th, 2012
What takes 13.7 billion years.? The history of the world. This History Channel special takes two hours to cover everything. Of course, Earth is only 4.5 billion years old, so when we talk about the history of the world, we are really talking about the history of the universe and everything that led up to where we are now. Little things like a gigantic planetary collision which then shoots off molten debris which forms into our moon.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 19th, 2012
Make no bones about it, Storage Wars is one of my favorite television shows of all time. Most people would refer to it as a modern day treasure hunt, but when it comes down to it, the cast of characters is what keeps me watching. Of course, the “what is behind Storage Locker #1?” is going to lure me to the dance though. Needless to say I was pretty excited to see a second volume of Storage Wars hit my door. Let us see what the boys (and girl) find this time around.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 14th, 2012
“Millions of people around the world believe we have been visited in the past by extraterrestrial beings. What if it were true? Did ancient aliens really help to shape our history? And if so, what if there were clues left behind, something hiding in plain sight? What if we could find that evidence?”
Ever since Eric von Daniken released his speculative book and its subsequent 1970 film Chariots of the Gods, there has been an entire field of study created around something commonly called Ancient Astronaut Theory. The idea is that extraterrestrials have visited many of our ancient civilizations.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 24th, 2012
“The 2nd World War’s violent, disturbing images have been constantly replayed for decades. Sometimes it seems there is little we can see that we haven’t seen before. But buried in archives and tucked away in private collections an astonishing set of 3D films and photographs with the power to erase time and transcend space will now be seen for the first time in nearly 70 years.”
I know what you’re thinking. Like the above prologue says, it hardly seems like we can get anything new out of footage from World War II.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Paul O'Callaghan on January 18th, 2012
Frozen World is a four-part History Channel mini-series about the Ice Age. The History Channel tends to have a sensationalistic bent to a lot of its programming. That’s one way of saying that they like history to come alive. This series begins with the battle between Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal human cavemen 40,000 years ago in Clash of the Cavemen. It outlines the differences between these totally different kinds of humans. The Neanderthal is stronger. The Cro-Magnon is smarter
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in
Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 23rd, 2011
“This film documents the Vietnam War in the words of Americans who served there. It features home movies and rare archival footage collected during a worldwide search and now presented in HD. Many scenes are graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.”
A while back History brought us one of the best war documentaries I’ve seen for television. That was called WWII In HD and put you as close to the real battlefield as any American has come since the brave soldiers who fought there so many years ago. The images were stunning and the descriptions came from the words of several people who were actually there.
Read the rest of this entry »
