Brent Lorentson

Ever since I’ve had a little girl in my life, the amount of kids’ programming I’ve gotten to review has mushroomed.  This is by no means a complaint; if anything it has helped me bond with her.  Granted, at times all the kids’ shows can quickly grow to be as grating as nails to a chalkboard, but when shows like Dragons and The Amazing World of Gumball come along I’m not sure who gets more excited, her or myself. When I reviewed The Mystery DVD I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but quickly I found myself pleasantly obsessed with Gumball Watterson and the trouble he would get himself into.
Read More

The moment I see the words “inspired by true events”, I simply accept the fact that most likely everything that follows should be taken with a grain of salt.  I understand films are not meant to be reference materials to be seen as fact, but simply as a tool to entertain and hopefully motivate you to learn more about the subject matter.  When it comes to Emperor, I know going in this isn’t going to be a history lesson, so I could allow myself to simply enjoy the show.
Read More

The quack pack returns for season three of the A&E reality series smash hit, Duck Dynasty.  After season 1 I was thinking perhaps this would be a show that would be amusing but quickly lose steam with the season that would follow.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  The Robertson family is quickly becoming the most recognizable family on TV considering they are flooding the stores with their books, DVD’s, and many other products you can find at Wal-Mart.  I can’t help but think this is a family that is doing everything right, and good for them for the success they’ve managed.
Read More

For over 40 years Aerosmith has been rocking the airwaves, and with over a 100 million albums sold, it is safe to say they are one of America’s greatest rock bands.  It had been seven years before that the band previously performed in Japan, and after the devastation the country endured during the earthquake and tsunami in early 2011, the band was inspired to return to Japan and perform.  Rock For The Rising Sun is more than simply a documentary of a concert in Japan; instead it is the documentation of the band’s journey that follows them along their stops throughout their tour and their interaction with the fans.
Read More

At some point or another as kids we’ve experienced either the fear of the dark, what lurks in the closet, or perhaps the dread of what awaits under the bed.  As adults most view these fears we had as children as impractical, but for those of us who remember these fears, the possibility of what terrors awaited us come nightfall was something very real.  Sure, mom or dad would check the room to assure us there was nothing there, but we knew better.  We knew the moment the parents left the room the dreaded terrors would crawl out from there dark hideouts and come for us in our sleep.  It’s this childhood terror that director Steven C. Miller (director of the Silent Night remake) attempts to bring to the screen.
Read More

The cartoons I’m most fond of from my childhood are all cell-animated, simply because I grew up in a time before computer generation effects and animation had been fully realized.  Now when you flip on the TV it’s hard to find any true animation; everything has moved on and evolved to CGI.  When the studios have the time and money, they can release some breathtaking features like Finding Nemo and The Croods. But when it comes to television the CGI never seemed to match the quality of the features.  That is until Dreamworks released Dragons: Riders of Berk.
Read More

The Cinemax anthology series continues to be my guilty pleasure that when it’s over I simply want just a little bit more.  The show takes sleaze and debauchery to a whole new level, and I mean that in the best way possible.  At first glance and even if catching an episode out of context, for some the show may resemble some B-grade skin flick, but for those who sit back and give it a chance, you’ll discover it is so much more.  But for those who may find beautiful women randomly discarding their clothes mixed with random acts of violence offensive, well, here is your chance to run away and never look back, because this show takes pleasure in pushing the limits of decency and good taste.  And that is what makes it fun.
Read More

When describing Greg Sommer, at first one would believe you are describing what most would consider a man-child.  You know, the 30-something male who still lives at home with mom and on the weekends dresses up in elaborate cardboard costumes and takes part in epic backyard battles.  But in this case that would only be a superficial look at a man that seems to have found the secret to happiness and has the tenacity to pursue his dreams unlike anyone I’ve ever met.  Skull World is a documentary that follows Greg over the course of three years, and what he manages to accomplish in that time, man-child or not, is still impressive.
Read More

Without my girlfriend’s six-year-old daughter to help me out, I had the opportunity to tackle this 10-episode compilation DVD of the hit Cartoon Network series.  I can’t blame Makayla for her lack of interest in the show; after all, with the title character being a sixteen year old boy who fights robots and aliens, well, I don’t believe she fits the target audience.  On the other hand, as I started watching I began to see that anyone who enjoys aliens and robots is sure to enjoy the show at least to some degree.
Read More

After having two successful films, Kung Fu Panda made its way onto the small screen as an animated show for Nickelodeon.  Though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the films, I could still appreciate the charm and allure of Po, the Dragon warrior who just so happens to be a Panda.  In the films Jack Black voiced the character of Po, and it’s his goofiness that seemed to make Po so likeable.  But on the small screen, the studios can throw down the healthy chunk of money that the A list actors take in when doing the voice work for the full-length films.  As luck would have it Mike Wingert would take over the voice work of the title character, and he does a remarkable job filling in.
Read More

Imagine being arrested, not even finished with high school, and you are tried and convicted of the rape and murder of your high school sweetheart.  Try to imagine being locked away for 19 years in a cell, alone, awaiting your execution by lethal injection.  But then one day, DNA evidence emerges that seems to exonerate you for your crimes, and suddenly you are given your freedom back.  How do you go on?  This is question creator and executive producer Ray Mckinnon explores in the new series Rectify that airs on the Sundance channel.
Read More

What’s a girl to do when her bills pile up, her hours at work get cut, and though she’s a promising medical student, life seems to be getting in the way of her studies?  Well, the “easy” answer seems to be, hit the closest strip club and put your natural assets to work. At least that is the direction Mary Mason (Katharine Isabelle) decides to take.  Though luckily as fate would have it, during her “audition” process an emergency occurs, allowing Mary to put her surgical skills to the test and make a quick five grand. 
Read More

“Are we in the meth business or the money business?”

With the final episodes about to air in August, this doesn’t only end the run of a great TV show, but it also ends the run of a series that has been a staple in this golden age of television we are in.  I don’t believe you’ll find anyone that could argue against the impact Breaking Bad has made to the television landscape since its premiere in 2008. 
Read More

I wasn’t all too familiar with Al Madrigal’s work before receiving his album to review.  After looking up his web site I had realized it was The Daily Show with Jon Stewart that I had recognized him from, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say I was a fan.  With comedians, though, going into their act knowing very little about them, most often the experience seems to be more enjoyable; after all, with no expectations it’s hard to come away disappointed.
Read More

I was starting to think the only comedians that get hour long specials any more were the ones with obscenity-soaked acts that were sprinkled with sexual humor (or riddled with just as much).  But then Pete Holmes came along.  Throughout his hour long special that was recorded in Austin, Texas sure, there are a few obscenities and a little sexual humor, but he never uses it as a crutch to carry his performance along.  From the moment he stepped out onto the stage he reminded me of that friend from high school who was that all around good guy that always knew how to make you laugh. 
Read More

Usually when a kickboxing film comes along you pretty much know what to expect: a bunch of fighting with a paper-thin plot to string all the fights together.  When I got Bunonhan I thought I knew what I was getting into, and really I was just ready to sit back and watch some cool fight sequences.  Instead what I got was a complex story about families and betrayal where the fighting in the ring is just as deadly as the criminals that are willing to betray and kill anyone for money and land.
Read More

Ever flip through the pages of a magazine, or perhaps some electronic device where you read your daily world news, and wonder how they got that picture?  Maybe on CNN or Fox News you caught a report from behind enemy lines or in some hellish city where Anderson Cooper or Bill O’Reilly would never be caught without an armored escort.  Instead the stations rely on a group of brave (or insane) individuals to cover the stories and deliver the video and images needed to hit the audience with shock and awe.
Read More