Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 19th, 2015
CBS has finally decided to release the number-one-rated show in the world on high-definition Blu-ray. It's a milestone event for the network and for fans of the show, and it only took 12 years to get it done. To be fair, Blu-ray hasn't quite been around for 12 years, but many networks have gotten us caught up with popular shows in high definition by this time. It's remarkable that it did take this long to get a season of NCIS on Blu-ray. Let's hope the numbers warrant that future seasons be given the same treatment and that we'll then be able to get the previous 11. It's an experiment CBS has tried with both CSI and NCIS: LA. Unfortunately, numbers must not have supported that move.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 19th, 2015
“I am William Castle, the director of the motion picture you are about to see. I feel obligated to warn you that some of the sensations, some of the physical reactions which the actors on the screen will feel, will also be experienced for the first time in motion picture history, by certain members of this audience. I say certain members, because some people are more sensitive than others. These unfortunate sensitive people will, at times, feel a strange tingling sensation. Others will feel it less strongly…”
Horror fans feel very strongly about William Castle.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 19th, 2015
"It's 1945 and World War II is over. Hitler is defeated. But over eight million Nazis remain. Now Allies must conduct interrogations to identify Nazi offenders, from war criminals to the girl next door. What emerges is a startling history of the rise and fall of the Third Reich from a unique perspective: the Nazis themselves. What you are about to see and hear is based on their real interrogations. This is what they told us."
It's always been true that history is written by the victors.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 17th, 2015
"Welcome to The Knick."
The Knick is the fictional Knickerbocker hotel in 1900 New York. It's a hospital that was once part of an affluent neighborhood but now finds itself in an area falling to poverty. Still it's a place where innovations are being made on a daily basis, thanks to an inspired group of doctors led by Dr. J.M. Christiansen (Frewer) and his relentless search to find ways to decrease the mortality rate in surgery patients.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 17th, 2015
"We are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I designed the machine to detect acts of terror, but it sees everything. Violent crimes involving ordinary people. The government considers these people irrelevant. We don't. Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret. You'll never find us. But victim or perpetrator, if your number is up, we'll find you."
The premise of Person Of Interest was turned on its head in season 3. If you are new to the show, don't even think about starting here.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 13th, 2015
Phil Silvers was aptly named. If anyone in show business had a silver tongue, it was Phil. He started, like most comedians of the era, in Burlesque and Vaudeville. There he honed the natural talent that would make him one of the first true television stars in the industry. With The Phil Silvers Show he introduced us to the character of Sergeant Bilko. From 1955 to 1959 Silvers and his Bilko character would take the television landscape by storm. In 1956 the show became the very first series in television history to win three Emmy Awards in a single year. That year the wins came in the Best Comedy Series, Best Actor (Silvers) and Best Director. The last honor went to the show's creator, Nat Hiken.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 13th, 2015
"Who are the Mythbusters?"
You know who the Mythbusters are, don't you? They've been a staple on the Discovery Channel for over 12 years now. We're now looking at Collection #13 on DVD. If you really don't know who the Mythbusters are by now, I can't think of a better way to get acquainted than to pick up these collections.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 11th, 2015
"Milk will be spilled."
That's for sure, and you can expect more than a little crying over it all. The saddest news, however, is the coming fifth season will be the show's final year. You really should not even think about joining the series from this point. I suspect it will still be quite entertaining, but for the full experience you do have to start from the beginning. The evolution of the Cullen character from Civil War veteran out for vengeance to the man who we see in the fourth season is a rather nice journey to witness. So saddle up for the first three. You can find the reviews for other seasons here.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on August 11th, 2015
Our buddies over at RLJ Entertainment have a moving story coming to DVD. It's called Catching Faith and it's sure to touch a few lives. A young football player finds himself making mistakes in his life that the community is willing to ignore in the cause of victories. The young man must learn a lesson about taking responsibility. Check out any sports column today and you'll agree it's a lesson some pros might need to learn. 2 of our lucky readers will score a victory of their own when they win a copy of Catching Faith.
To win a copy, just follow these simple instructions.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on August 10th, 2015
Anchor Bay is raiding video stores this week with Northmen: A Viking Saga on DVD. The film sports a special cameo by metal rocker Johan Hegg. It was his first film and he's seems pretty excited about it all. I had the opportunity to talk with him about the film. Fans of his band Amon Amarth know he relishes Vikings history. One of the band's songs is even included in the end credits. It's a perfect match. You can hear it all here. Just bang it here to listen to my chat with Johan Hegg
