Holiday Gift Guide – Spotlight: Star Trek The Next Generation: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Holiday Gift Guides by Gino Sassani on December 13th, 2012
“Space… The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission, to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Nearly 20 years after the original Star Trek left the network airwaves, Gene Roddenberry set out to discover if he could catch lightning in a bottle once again. Some say he did an even better job with Star Trek: The Next Generation. There are times I tend to agree. Great shows get better with time. The Next Generation was a great show. As you watch the episodes of the first seasons you begin to realize just how much better the series had become by the time the 7th season had ended.
With the help of an infusion of cash from Netflix to be the exclusive stream supplier of Star Trek television, Paramount decided to give the series a high-definition facelift. It’s an ambitious schedule and one that we’ll talk about in greater detail later with the full review of the series. For now all that you need to know is that the series continues its high-definition voyage and should end up high on any sci-fi fan’s Christmas list.
The set includes all of the episodes along with some bonus footage. There are wonderful high-definition extras that make this a cut above the DVD sets you likely currently own. Everything from the DVD is back in this set along with some great excusive features. You get LaVar Burton’s Reading Rainbow PSAs. There’s a new high-definition Gag Reel, New Audio Commentaries, and almost four hours of brand new high-definition features. One of the features is an hour-long reunion of the cast, and it’s filled with wonderful moments as they enjoy each other’s company and share fond memories.
Check out the full review in the weeks to come. In the meantime consider it a “can’t miss” Christmas gift for the fan on your list.
Creep Van
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on December 13th, 2012
Who doesn’t get a little creeped out any time they see an old van cruising slowly through their neighborhood? Now, I’m not talking about the soccer mom mini-van you see plenty of, but I’m talking about those vans from the 80s and beyond that seemed to be the vehicle of choice in films where kidnapping is involved. Creep Van takes the idea of the sleazy van and uses it to its fullest, transforming this white metal beast into the ultimate death trap on wheels. Unfortunately the van and the gore are pretty much all the film has going for it.
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Dick Tracy (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on December 13th, 2012
At the turn of the millennium, we seemed to collectively decide that we wanted our heroes to be dark and gritty. The X-Men traded in their yellow spandex for black leather in their first big-screen adventure. Batman went from exchanging quips and painful puns with Mr. Freeze to brooding magnificently for director Christopher Nolan. And Hollywood almost completely stopped making candy-colored spectacles like Dick Tracy.
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Red Dog
Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on December 13th, 2012
A small mining community in Western Australia get visited by a vagabond dog. This Red Dog (named after the fact that the red dust of that desert region stained his fur that colour) has a deeply significant effect on every worker’s life yet not one of them can truly claim to own him until an American bus driver begins working there. Red Dog was a big fan of hitchhiking across the country and seems to be attracted to riding great distances on a bus with his new best (human) friend.
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Gunsmoke – The Seventh Season Volume One
Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on December 11th, 2012
I’ll say this about a program that has remained consistent in quality for twenty seasons…it makes for challenging reviews. Talking about each season of Gunsmoke is difficult in that you either write briefly to try to avoid redundancies, but might seem too hasty, or you have to labour over each episode, in which case, you’re only going to have hardcore fans paying attention. Since this website has touched on previous seasons: ( http://upcomingdiscs.com/?s=gunsmoke ) I shall opt for the former option, and hope y’all out there catch that I’m not being hasty…but respect a show that warrants no fresh complaints after 7 years a-runnin’ thus far.
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Backstage at Budz House
Posted in No Huddle by J C on December 11th, 2012
Even if you managed to catch the little-seen Budz House when it was released on DVD earlier this year, chances are you weren’t exactly begging for more. (At least not if you’re one of my esteemed colleagues.) The cast of the wannabe cult stoner comedy featured a handful of comedians, some of whom have reunited for this hybrid talk show/stand-up special. Although too many of the jokes rely on tired clichés, these live performers seemed infinitely more comfortable in their natural habitat.
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Finding Nemo (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 11th, 2012
“When you said you wanted an ocean view, you didn’t think you’d get the whole ocean, did you?”
When Finding Nemo was released in May of 2003 there were a ton of skeptics. It was certainly a divergence from the tried and true Pixar formula, and even the people involved with the project were concerned that it would become Pixar’s first flop. They needn’t have worried. The film was far from a flop. It took in over $70 million in just its first weekend. The final total would be just shy of a billion dollars. The animated feature took the Oscar for best animated feature that year.
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Simpsons: Season 15
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on December 11th, 2012
The longest running show in prime time doesn’t feature cops, doctors, or lawyers. It’s hard to believe that The Simpsons have existed as long as the Fox network. While the series didn’t really begin until Fox’s second year, the characters were part of The Tracey Ullman Show, which did start the first year of Fox. Who could have guessed that an animated short from an otherwise horrible and doomed variety show would explode into such a phenomenon? The Simpsons have not only dominated the pop culture; they have placed everything else into context with their show.
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Duck Dynasty: Season 1
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on December 11th, 2012
“Meet the Robertsons clan. They turned duck calls into a multi-million dollar empire. But running a family business is tough when the family just wants to run wild.”
I have to admit when I got handed this to review my expectations were not just low, but part of me just wasn’t looking forward to this. I’m just not a fan of reality television with the exception of every ghost hunting show out there. I have no shame in admitting I want to believe. So a show about good ol’ boys that are millionaires for making duck calls, it simply sounded painful.
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Kaijudo – Rise of the Duel Masters: Creatures Unleashed
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on December 9th, 2012
One of the traps as a kid I never really got into was the art of the Magic card game. Sure, the cards were pretty to look at but the actual game behind it or the similar pretenders never seemed to interest me. Of course, these card games never quite stay card games, they become toys and often cartoon series. Today, I get one of those so called card games which have spawned a series. Its name is Kaijudo and the review is next on the Hub.
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Lady Antebellum: Own the Night World Tour (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on December 9th, 2012
Coming off the staggering crossover success of the world’s loveliest and catchiest booty call song — “It’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk/ And I need you now” — Lady Antebellum were the kings (and queen) of the country pop world. (Non-Taylor Swift division, of course.) That means the pressure was on for their follow-up third album. Though Own the Night brought the band a more modest truckload of critical and commercial kudos than Need You Now, it also inspired the raucous world tour captured on this Blu-ray, a must-have for any Lady A fan.
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Hitchcock
Posted in The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on December 7th, 2012
“They just want the same thing over and over again. They put me in a coffin…and now they’re nailing it shut.”
He has been regarded as “the master of suspense”, “the greatest British filmmaker”. He is Alfred Hitchcock; well, in this case, Anthony Hopkins portraying the infamous director. Set during the time of Hitchcock’s most notable and influential film, Psycho, the film walks you the through the entire process of the making of said movie without that boring documentary vibe typically found.
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Playing for Keeps
Posted in The Reel World by J C on December 7th, 2012
If you’ve been to a multiplex over the last few months, there’s a decent chance you’ve seen the one-sheet promoting Playing for Keeps accompanied by the tagline, “This Holiday Season, What Do You Really Want?” Let’s pretend we know absolutely nothing about this film, shall we? Gerard Butler occupies the biggest rectangle, so he’s clearly the star. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine as to what this movie is actually about.
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Contest: Win Ancient Aliens Season 4 On DVD From A&E/History
Posted in Contests, Expired Contests by Gino Sassani on December 6th, 2012
Our friends over at A&E /History have one simple question for you. Do you believe? For all of you Fox Mulders out there A&E has a DVD collection for you. Enter to win Ancient Aliens Season 4 on DVD today. Have Ancient Aliens visited this planet? Did they shape our evolution? Check it out.
To win just follow these instructions.
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – How do you think Aliens might have shaped human history?
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead – Tell us why you’re thankful for your Mom on this Thanksgiving Day.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Mr. Phil
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
The Dark Knight Rises (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on December 6th, 2012
“You think this can last? There’s a storm coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you’re all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.”
In the spirit of full disclosure, let me state that my favorite comic book hero is Batman. As a child, even before the sixties TV show premiered, I loved the tale of Batman. It is a story of a child who overcomes the fear and destruction of his childhood and becomes stronger because of it.
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Eastbound & Down: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 6th, 2012
“I’m back. You’re welcome.”
I didn’t see the series during either of its first two seasons on HBO. When the second season arrived to be reviewed I was more than a little nervous about jumping in without knowing what had come before. Certainly, I checked out the buzz on the show and got an idea of what it was about. But nothing could have prepared me for what I finally encountered when I popped that first disc in my Blu-ray player. It’s safe to say that you can join this show for the third season without having seen the first two.
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Exclusive Interview With David Barrett – Director Of Fire With Fire
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on December 4th, 2012
We recently reviewed a pretty good direct-to-video film with Bruce Willis called Fire With Fire. Jeremy Butler provided the review. The two of us had the great honor to chat with the director David Barrett. Barrett has directed some of the best television shows running. He’s worked on hits like Blue Bloods, Castle, The Mentalist and Once Upon A Time. He’s even been a part of the new Arrow series over at the CW. His father was the first to break the sound barrier on land. This was certainly one of our most interesting conversations at Upcomingdiscs. Bang it here to listen to us chat with David Barrett
The Definitive Document Of The Dead
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on December 4th, 2012
It’s hard to imagine where horror would be right now if George A. Romero never directed Night of the Living Dead. Just look at the past decade and the slew of zombie releases…if not for Night of the Living Dead none of those movies would have ever been made. For those of you who can’t miss a single episode of The Walking Dead, yet another thing that never would have been if not for Romero. It’s not that he created the zombie; he simply created the zombie that we know and relate to today. He’s the man who set the rules for the zombie and paved the way for the onslaught of gore-filled colloid that splashed across the screen.
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Heaven’s Door
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on December 4th, 2012
If it was within your power to heal others’ sickness and injuries, would you? Most people’s answer to that question would undoubtedly be yes, but what if the price of healing someone else was to take their sickness on yourself? What would your answer be then? In Heaven’s Door, twelve-year-old Riley Taylor’s life is in shambles. After her mother suffered a miscarriage, her mother lost her faith and has filed for divorce from her father. Her little brother has been diagnosed with asthma, and she witness her grandfather suffer a heart attack and die before her very eyes (wow, that’s a lot to take; I’d crawl up in the fetal position).
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The Game – The Fifth Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on December 4th, 2012
Stemming from a backdoor pilot episode within the series Girlfriends, The Game is a comedy series about a woman (played by Tia Mowry Hardict) who gave up her career as a doctor in light of the success of her boyfriend’s being a star athlete (this is the first pang of misogyny, with more to come). This is the show’s fifth season, which is its second after being canceled by CW and revived by BET.
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Help Out Upcomingdiscs With Your Amazon Purchases
Posted in News and Opinions by Gino Sassani on December 4th, 2012
Go ahead… Make our day!
You can shop at Amazon.Com and help to keep all of the contests and reviews flowing here at Upcomingdiscs simply by thinking of us before you order from Amazon. If you order through our links, you’ll be helping us to continue providing the best home video reviews/contests/and release news. It doesn’t cost you a cent more. Just follow any of our cover art links (like the one to the right of this post) to Amazon. While you’re there browse the items you want and help us out in the process. You do not have to buy the item you clicked on to get there. Once there, get whatever it is you want. It’s that simple
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Hope Springs
Posted in No Huddle by J C on December 4th, 2012
Help me out here. I know the traditional gift for a couple’s 25th wedding anniversary is silver and that gold is supposed to mark 50 years. But what do you get a spouse to commemorate your considerably less ceremonial 31-year wedding anniversary? I’m not sure what the answer is, but I don’t think one week of intensive marriage counseling is the conventional way to go.
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Transformers Prime: Season Two (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on December 3rd, 2012
There was some real enjoyment when I took on the reviewing reigns for the first season of Transformers Prime. It was the best thing since the infamous Generation 1 cartoons and showed great sound, dazzling video and fantastic character development. Now, we enter season two and if we watched the teasers, we learned that Optimus Prime was branded with the Decepticon logo possibly meaning the impossible. How could this be? Well tune in true believers, we shall find out all this and more.
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An Evening With Peter Frampton
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jonathan Foster on December 3rd, 2012
Jimi Hendrix. Carlos Santana. Jimmy Paige. Eddie Van Halen. Slash. These are arguably some of the greatest guitar gods to ever rock the stage. Yet somehow this pantheon feels incomplete. I humbly submit Peter Frampton’s name for inclusion with these mighty warriors of rock. In 1976, the singer released his most successful album — Frampton Comes Alive! — and, according to this Blu-ray’s box, “the best-selling live album in the world.” In 2011-2012, Frampton went on tour in celebration of its 35th anniversary.
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Patti Smith: Live at Montreux (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jonathan Foster on December 3rd, 2012
In 1975, Gerald Ford was President of the United States, Wheel of Fortune made its debut, disco was groovy, and Patti Smith burst onto the music scene with her debut album, Horses. She would go on to become known as the “Godmother of Punk” and greatly influence the New Wave genre of music. I admit, before watching this concert, I had only heard one of Smith’s songs — her #1 single, “Because the Night” — so I was curious to hear more of her material. The fact that my aunt says she still owns an LP of Horses she bought as a teenager intrigued me more.
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