Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2010
Our friends at Fox Home Entertainment have graciously given us a copy of Dollhouse: The Complete 2nd Season on High Definition Blu-ray to give away.
To enter to win a copy of this Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku series finale, just follow these steps...
Contest is now closed Winner is Bethany Duprey
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2010
"The flamingo is said to be the inspiration for the crimson-winged Phoenix, the ancient symbol of transformation and rebirth. At the end of its life, the Phoenix is consumed by fire. It is then reborn from the ashes."
In one of the more specific full-length documentary features that I've seen in a long time comes Disney Nature's The Crimson Wing. Here the focus is on one species of bird. This is your all-flamingos all-the-time station. Have you ever thought to yourself, "You know, I just can't get enough flamingos"? Look no farther.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2010
"A boy comes running up, and he asks: 'what exactly is the ocean?' 'What is the sea?' You could hit him with a lot of statistics and Latin names. But the answer isn't something you'll find in a book. To really know what the ocean is, you have to see it for yourself. You have to hear it. And taste it. You have to feel its power. To really know the ocean, you have to live it."
And live it you will with Disney Nature's latest entry into their award-winning series of natural documentaries. Walt Disney Studios is no stranger to the world of nature. While the brand is more quickly identified for its animation and other family fare, the tradition of nature specials goes back to the very roots of the company itself. For decades Disney provided some of the most exotic television documentaries on its many outlets that included The Wonderful World Of Disney. The studio was one of the first to take experienced camera crews and equipment out into some of the most remote places on Earth. And, while Disney had appeared to fall behind in the field for some decades, that all turned around with their groundbreaking Earth series. Suddenly Disney Nature was back in the forefront of frontier footage. The tradition is honored here with one of the latest entries in the family: Oceans.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2010
A&E and History have combined for some of the best educational as well as entertaining programs over the years. Many of those shows have taken close looks at the various civilizations and empires throughout world history. Most of these shows take a look at these civilizations from the inside outward. We're not talking the litany of facts and accomplishments that we've seen on hundreds of documentaries as well as our old high school textbooks. These programs look at the day-to-day life of these cultures and peoples. The accomplishments here are the ones that affected everyday life within these empires. These are the kinds of things we tend to take for granted in our modern lives. Things like sanitation, architecture, and basic metro services didn't just appear out of nowhere. These shows give us a rare look into the evolution of the things that have identified human evolution over the millennia. It's said that we are separated from animals by our ability to shape and change our environment. With this massive 14 disc set, you can explore the ways that we have shaped our planet in our quest for civilization.
The disc includes the following series and episodes:
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2010
The Ghost Whisperer has just released its 5th and final season on DVD. I had a chance to talk with Ian Sander, part of Sander/Moses Productions. Together with his wife Kim Moses, Ian help to guide the successful series from its conception through 106 episodes and 5 years. It was a wonderful chat. Bang it here to listen in on my conversation with Ian Moses
Check out Ian Sander and Kim Moses at Sander/Moses
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2010
Many of you might have noticed that our review of the comedy film Alien Autopsy brought with it a lively conversation in the comments. We heard from a couple of guys who have been dealing with the 1995 hoax since that time. Needless to say, they have some pretty strong opinions. Here at Upcomingdiscs, we welcome this kind of dialog. So, I invited Mark Center to talk about his feelings about all things Alien Autopsy. It was a great conversation. Now you can listen in. Bang it here to listen to my conversation with Mark Center
You can also follow Mark and his Mulder-like search for the truth at: Beyond Roswell
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2010
“Mentalist: Someone who uses mental acuity, hypnosis, and/or suggestion. A master manipulator of thoughts and behavior.”
I remember fondly Simon Baker’s last television series, The Guardian. It wasn’t exactly a great or groundbreaking show, but it chugged on somewhat quietly for five seasons. It didn’t seem like anyone was really noticing this quality show. So as much as I like this new series, I think what pleases me most is that The Guardian has made it to DVD. I’m not sure it would have happened if The Mentalist hadn’t broken out as the number one new series last year. And as much as I’d love to tell you more about that earlier series, I’m going to get that chance next month, so stay tuned.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2010
Perry Mason did it for lawyers. Marcus Welby did it for doctors. From 1969 to 1976 and beyond, Robert Young was the face of the television doctor. The actor was so identified with his part that he dealt with fans and their medical questions his entire life following his portrayal of Marcus Welby. In those days there wasn't a medical doctor on the planet, real or fictional, who was more recognizable than Welby. The show pretty much wrote the book on the television medical drama. It doesn't matter if your a fan of House, ER, Grey's Anatomy, or any of a hundred other medical dramas that have come and gone since that time, each of those shows owes more than a little of its existence to Marcus Welby, MD.
In the 1950's Robert Young was that model parent in Father Knows Best. It's likely that audiences first fell in love with his wise and caring style. There was something about both the character and in the man himself that just caused America to trust him. It was no surprise that when the Marcus Welby creators were looking for a doctor that could, above all, exhibit those same qualities that Robert Young would get the call. And it didn't matter that Young considered himself retired from show business for the last 6 years. Marcus Welby was a role he just couldn't turn down. It was another gentle character with wisdom and common sense beyond his years. The Doc was a general practitioner in California. To him his patients were people. He would treat the individual as well as whatever ailment was proving to be the problem. He took the tough cases, often seeing some slight symptom that others would miss. That's because he paid attention to his patients, and they couldn't help but trust him with their lives. More times than not, that trust was rewarded with a full recovery. But, even when Welby couldn't beat a disease or injury, he always added something to the patient’s life. It might be helping them to come to terms with their own mortality. He might heal a family rift. Sometimes he just offered a kind word at just the right time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 21st, 2010
Bo Burnham is one of those very young up-and-coming comedians that will either turn you completely off or make you very happy that you made his acquaintance. I think I'm one of those rare folks who finds himself in the middle after watching this hour-long performance.
There is no question at all that Burnham processes incredible talent. He is one of the most clever comedians I've seen in ages. He has an understanding of the English language that we haven't seen since the likes of George Carlin. There is a sophisticated intelligence at work here that is, unfortunately, easy to miss, if you don't pay particular attention. Burnham is manic in his delivery. He changes subjects and speeds with a suddenness that is liable to leave you with whiplash. Before you can really think about what he's said, he's already three subjects down the road flipping you the finger for not keeping up. And while I appreciate comics who push the limits of political correctness, there are moments that Burnham pushes the taboos much farther than he should. His 9/11 joke fell flat for the live audience. He uses Hitler and the holocaust a bit too much. It's almost as if he's hoping you'll tire of the routine. And then there's his age. Some of the more risqué sexual stuff just seems wrong from a guy who looks like he's a freshman in high school. He does a routine about Charlie Brown being molested. Way too far, dude.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2010
"Born with a steering wheel in his hand and lead in his foot, he is the Nightrider, cruising at the speed of fright! This is the Nightrider, and we ain't never coming back. I'm a fuel-injected suicide machine..."
Long before Mel Gibson's troubles involved real-life police officers and a bad case of "foot-in-mouth disease” that has made him his own worst enemy, Mel had more dramatic enemies to deal with. The unknown Australian actor was only 22 years old when he starred in the Outback production that would put both Mel Gibson and his native Australia on the filmmaking map. The movie was originally a very low-budget film. It was made in an attempt to show the world that America wasn't the only place you could make a non-stop action film. When American audiences got their first glimpse of the unique post-apocalyptic showcase, they still didn't get a real dose of Mel Gibson. All of the Australian actors, including Gibson, had been dubbed to lose the accents. If you saw Mad Max in the cinema in 1979 or 1980, you heard someone else's voice coming out of Mel's mouth. Too bad he didn't have that option a few years back when he was stopped for a DUI and proceeded to offer up a rendition of History of the World according to Mel, only it wasn't Mel Brooks. The anti-Jewish rant and belligerence has thrust the once-superstar into a decade where he hasn't had a real starring role.
![Dollhouse: Season 2 [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/dollhouse-season-2-blu-ray-large.jpg)
