Disc Reviews

I have a new opinion, newly formed, that Tyler Labine is underrated, because it goes without question that his performance was the crown jewel of Mountain Men, a story about two estranged brothers who find themselves without a vehicle, trapped in the winter wilderness, and must trek their way back to civilization. This movie features some of the quips and brotherly banter that I’ve seen all year. In fact, if it weren’t for the fact that the two look nothing alike, I would be inclined to be believe that they were actually related.

Toph (Labine) is part-time deejay, full-time weed dealer who has just been notified that his girlfriend (Britt Irvin) is pregnant. Cooper (Chace Crawford) is his more successful younger brother, who returns home after a long absence for their mother’s wedding.  Early on it is clear that the family is not very close, and much of that is explained to be in part due to the death of their father. Cooper hasn’t accepted their father’s death because his body was never found, partially due to the fact that their last conversation together was not a happy one. As a result, Cooper stalls signing the documents regarding their father’s estate. Toph, in need of that money due to his situation as well as to try and open up his own business, convinces Cooper to visit their father’s old camping lodge for some brotherly time. Everything that transpires after this is a hilarious adventure in adversity and self-discovery.

"When we strike that match, we like to think we can control the burn. We like to think we have any control at all. But fire is wildly difficult to contain. And just when you think you've extinguished the blaze... it reignites. It sucks in air, and it burns hotter and brighter than ever." 

Grey's Anatomy has continued to surprise fans and critics alike. As far back as the seventh season there was strong talk that the show was drawing to an inevitable close. Since that time we have seen the end of the spinoff series Private Practice, which I always considered to be a better show. Nothing's changed; as the show entered its 10th year there was the same talk both from outside and from within that the series was ending. Not only did it not end, but the show took some serious strides in ratings and storytelling. The 12th season sees another regular cast member gone with Patrick Dempsey leaving the series, but cast changes have been going on every year for this series. Last year it was Sandra Oh. Huge regulars have left or even been forced out. Over the years we saw huge names like Isaiah Washington, Kate Walsh, Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight, Eric Dane and Chyler Leigh. You likely won't miss him, and he still manages to dominate some of the stories this season.

If you come to this DVD set in the hopes of discovering something to do with Jason or even his machete-wielding mama, you will be very disappointed. There is no Camp Crystal Lake, and no one’s wearing a hockey mask. The fact is that this series, syndicated from Canada, had absolutely nothing to do with the film franchise. They have no characters in common. They have no connection to the stories in the film franchise. Basically the name is the only thing they share. CBS has finally put together the entire series in one release.

It all starts with antique dealer Uncle Lewis. He made a deal with the devil to help His Evilness to distribute cursed and evil objects through his store. Objects included Jack the Ripper’s scalpel. Finally Satan comes to collect Uncle Lewis and his tattered soul, leaving his niece Micki (Robey) to clean up the mess. She and cousin Ryan (Le May) have the unenviable task of tracking down these items and sealing them safely away so they can do no more harm. They were often assisted in their task by Jack (Wiggins), who knew something of the occult. The series ran from 1987 to 1990 and never made more than a ripple in the ratings.

"I mean the guy's abducted, like what, twice a year? I think that's a tad above the national average." 

After eight long seasons, the book on Richard Castle has finally come to a close. It started when Stana Katic decided that she was leaving the show after the eighth season. That did not spell doom for the show immediately, and honestly it shouldn't have. It was obvious in the first couple of episodes that the powers that be were experimenting with a new look to the show, and I thought it was actually a pretty good idea. More on the new look later. The Beckett character is not essential to the success of the show, and it never was. With all due respect to all of the trendy "ship" fans out there, this series was much more than the romantic relationship. And I believe the early season proves the point, if only someone in power was paying attention.

NCIS: LA differs in several ways from NCIS or JAG. While LA is still a military show, that angle is downplayed here. The atmosphere for the team is more civilian-looking all the way around. There are seldom folks walking around in uniforms. The operations utilize more of the standard surveillance and undercover work. There's a lot more street work to be found here. That means car chases and lots of shootouts. The cases often deal with terrorists, so these guys break a lot of the rules. They don't let any silly Constitution stand in their way. The show is about to enter its eighth year. In this seven-season release, the show reaches its 150^th episode landmark. The franchise has passed 500.

The role of head honcho is Linda Hunt as Hetty. You might remember her as one of the prominent judges from The Practice. She plays a character with a rich back story. She appears to have once been a Hollywood costume designer and has plenty of stories about the big celebrities she knew, and hints at having slept with. She's a strong mother hen for the group, both nurturing and demanding. The lead undercover officer is Callen, played by former Batman sidekick Robin, Chris O'Donnell. He doesn't know his first name, only that it starts with a G. He's a little bit Jason Bourne. He knows little of his own past but has those mad instincts and ability to think on his feet. He was orphaned and has some security issues. He's a natural undercover with great instincts that allow him to blend into any situation. His partner is Sam Hanna, played by rapper LL Cool J. He's a former Navy Seal with the brains to go with all of that bulk. The team also includes Kensi Bly, played by Daniela Ruah, who was born in the US but spent most of her acting career on Portuguese television shows. She's the prerequisite supermodel that it seems every cop show has to have. Fortunately, she also has solid acting chops. The character is the CSI-styled forensic expert on the team. She's the one who combs the crime scenes for those hidden clues. Her partner and now love interest is Marty Deeks, played by Eric Christian Olsen. The two have better chemistry than Kensi had with Nate. There's the expected sexual tension and a lot of banter that keeps the partnership interesting. Eric Beal, played by Barrett Foa, is the tech guy of the group. He does all of that computer hacking that every show does these days. He also has a partner of sorts. Nell Jones is played by Renee Felice Smith. She's a bright young rising star who has a lot of the same tech knowledge that Eric has. Hetty appears to be grooming her for bigger things. Another leader arrived a couple of seasons ago in Owen Granger, played by Miguel Ferrer, who has somewhat of a complicated history with Hetty. We're never sure if they were friends or enemies... likely both.

Things are really going to change over at Criminal Minds. Season 11 is going to be your last chance to see the team as it’s been for several years. I'd say it's in for the biggest change since Mandy left early in the show's run. Now two more of the show's original actors will be leaving. One of the changes was totally planned. After 11 years on the series, Shemar Moore decided it was time to try something else. Derek's exit is part of the show's finale, and there's room for him to return if he wishes. The second exit was not quite so planned. Thomas Gibson has had a history of violent outbursts on the series in the past. He's been known to push people around...literally. While filming an early episode for season 12, he kicked a writer during a disagreement. Apparently that was the last straw, and he has now been fired. Hotchner will be seen in the first couple of episodes, and then he'll be gone. I suspect this exit will not allow a possible return, and I expect to see Hotchner killed off. Whatever happens going forward, Season 11 will be a final look at this particular cast combination, so enjoy it.

Agent Rossi (Mantegna) is actually one of the unit’s founding fathers. Agent Hotchner (Gibson) is the often stoic agent in charge who defers to Rossi’s judgment most of the time. The team also includes still-young Dr. Reid (Gubler), who is a genius but lacks the necessary skills to have much of a social life. Agent Morgan (Moore) is the dynamic soul of the team, possessing an unending supply of energy to drive their investigations. JJ (Cook) is the public face of the team, handling liaison duties with local law enforcement and also the team’s press relations. In a command center that rivals the bridge of the Enterprise is Agent Garcia (Vangsness) who handles the computer research while the rest of the team is in the field.