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
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 7th, 2015
"There can be no murder in paradise."
That was the stand of the Soviet Union's ruling party during the Cold War. They believed that murder was a capitalist crime. So what happens when a serial killer is killing young boys up and down the railway? That's the premise of Lionsgate's Child 44. It's based on the Tom Rob Smith novel which is part of a trilogy based on the character Leo Demidov. The story itself was based on an actual Soviet Union serial killer named Andrei Chikatilo, who is suspected of killing over 50 children in the 1970's.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 5th, 2015
"This ain't no place for a hero."
Strike Back follows the exploits of an elite and secret British military team called Section 20. On paper they do not exist, but they've got all the best new high-tech toys, and they're going to need every one of them. They're going after the top terrorist threats. They combine the intelligence-gathering network of a CIA-type organization with the precision strike force impact of a top Navy Seals team.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 4th, 2015
I Love Lucy changed the fledgling television industry in the 1950’s. This was a time when network television was less than a decade old. Most folks had never heard of television just 15 years earlier. I Love Lucy defined the concept of a sitcom. The show was driven by the very strong personalities of the cast. Desi Arnaz was considered a charismatic Latin lover by American women. Lucy played the perfect foil and found a mountain of gold to mine in strong physical comedy. So many modern shows owe their roots to this classic that it would be impossible to mention them all here. Now CBS and Paramount are bringing the show back in brand-new high-definition restored image that will delight even the pickiest fans of the show.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 4th, 2015
"In New York City on a street in the East Forties there is an ordinary tailor shop. Or is it ordinary? We enter through the agents' entrance, and we are now in U.N.C.L.E. headquarters. U.N.C.L.E. is an international organization consisting of agents of all nationalities. It's involved in maintaining political and legal order anywhere in the world."
Say Uncle. That’s U.N.C.L.E., otherwise known as the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. Starting in 1964, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was one of a flurry of shows to take advantage of the new James Bond craze. It featured many of the same elements as the super-spy films.