Baby here. I'm the German Shepherd/Chow who handles security here at Upcomingdiscs. You know what puts the scowl in my growl? I'll bet you guys all had a lot of fun over the Christmas holidays. There were probably a lot of parties to go to. We had one here at Upcomingdiscs, but don't ask me how it was. That's because they locked me upstairs in a bedroom the whole time. That's right, the chief of security was locked up. Apparently I can't be trusted when people are walking around with a lot of food. They trust me to guard thousands of dollars worth of home video equipment. I keep those Fed Ex/UPS guys in check every day. But  a meatball or a potato chip? I don't quite make the grade. At least they seem to trust me enough to continue to review the dog films that make it past those delivery guys. If I can lay enough guilt on these guys, I might even get to go see Star Wars. OK, I made that last part up, but a dog can dream, can't she?

The first thing you need to know is that this movie has nothing to do with next year's animated film Robo-Dog with Ron Perlman. The name is just the same. You humans call a lot of stuff the same thing, don't you? That movie will come out soon, and I hope I get to see it. This film is a direct-to-video title that doesn't quite make the grade.

I previously reviewed season 4 of The Nanny, and now it’s time to review season 5. If you are interested in the overview on everything about The Nanny and season 4 in particular, then you will have to go back and look for that review. This all about season 5, which I might suggest is the climax of the 6-season series, for whatever that’s worth. The relationship between Fran Fine and Maxwell Sheffield had been on a slow burn for four seasons, but the time was coming for a reckoning. Will Fran’s persistence and patience pay off?  I don’t want to make this too dramatic, since The Nanny is probably one of the silliest sitcoms ever made, and that’s taking into consideration that there are hundreds and hundreds of silly sitcoms. But The Nanny also had a heart, hidden, frequently, under a garish exterior. When I say garish exterior, I am describing some of the most startling and colorful outfits ever worn this side of a circus. These outfits were frequently explosions of color. Fran Fine, or actress Fran Drescher, was always very attractive, despite crazy hairdos and a signature foghorn voice. The show was supposed to be about a clash of cultures, with Mr. Sheffield depicting the height of sophistication and Fran representing the brash lower class.

The whole thrust of the entire series was that Fran saw the opportunity to marry up into the upper class. As a nanny, Fran was a surrogate mother figure for Mr. Sheffield’s three children. At one point in season 5, we see the late Mrs. Sheffield (Bess Armstrong) come back to talk to Maxwell about his desire to marry again. She gives her approval, because she wants his happiness. When I say there was a heart to the show, Fran was always a well-intentioned person ultimately, and a positive influence on the children. When the time came to be honest and truthful, she ultimately always was. Like Lucille Ball before her, Fran could be ditzy and somewhat deceptive, but she always showed a good nature and positive character. I say that this season was climactic, and that should already be known to fans of the show. The whole point of this staggered DVD release is for those fans who are nostalgic for the show and want to add it to their collection.

There is so much to enjoy when it comes to Mercury Plains. It is the first time I have seen Scott Eastwood in a starring role, Nick Chinlund provides a brilliant performance as the philosophical Captain, and each of the characters are engaging. To be clear, Scott Eastwood is the main character of the film, but his comrades have very interesting character arcs that make them unique. In fact, I think that is what I enjoyed the most from this film: the details that are not spoken directly to the audience. There are so many instances where the details in the character arcs (even Eastwood’s) are so minute, you could very well miss them.

Mercury Plains tells the story of Mitch (Eastwood), a young man who has just been released from a prison in southern Texas. Rather than begin working for his family, he finds himself confronted with a lucrative “opportunity” after a night spent drinking across the border in Mexico. A man known as the Captain (Chinlund) is prepared to offer Mitch five thousand dollars to join his crew of mercenaries, taking out the drug cartels before police have a chance to. Soon, Mitch realizes this crew is comprised of troubled teenagers, housed in a military-like camp. As the Captain begins to send the young men on new missions, Mitch realizes his objectives are becoming more dangerous, and more criminal.

Scott Adkins is one of those actors that I’m surprised hasn’t quite hit the mainstream success he deserves.  In the late 80’s and 90’s this is a guy who would have been an action superstar who would have crushed such icons as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren.  It seems that somehow Adkins has been lost amongst the glut of superhero films; he’s one of the true great tough guys who even does most of his own stunts, which is surprising, since some actors these days can’t function on set without their own personal chef and have stand-ins when their face is not on screen.  Close Range is the new release for Adkins that once again shows off his martial arts skills while leaving a high body count in his wake.

Close Range kicks things off in high-action fashion as Colton Macready (Adkins) goes on a one-man rescue mission to save his niece from the clutches of some Mexican drug dealers.  In the process of rescuing Hailey (Madison Lawlor), Colton accidently pockets a flash drive that contains some highly sensitive information for the drug cartel.  The theft of this drive causes the head drug lord Fernando Garcia (Tony Perez) to send out all his top men to retrieve the drive by any means necessary.

Over the years it’s become a bit of a trend to read headlines discussing a pit-bull attack. Sure, it’s been known to be an aggressive breed, but I tend to be in the camp that believes it’s the owner who truly reflects a dog’s behavior.  Another unsettling trend that has been in the news lately is the abuse inflicted upon these animals, whether it is to “toughen” the dog up for fighting or simply that the dog was an unfortunate object that a person decided to unleash their cruelty upon.  I note this not to attempt to make any social commentary, but instead to set up this film that tackles both sides of the coin when it comes to pit bulls, and it just so happens to be based upon a true story. 

Donna (Emmanuelle Vaugier) and Roy (Burgess Jenkins) Lawrence are a happy married couple with a newborn on the way.  Life couldn’t get better for the Lawrence family as they are preparing the bedroom for what is expected to be their first child.  In the neighborhood there is a dog that is barking, so Donna and her neighbor go to investigate; they find a pit bull that has been tied to a tree with no food and water and owners that are unaccounted for.  In an act of kindness, Donna goes to feed the dog the next day and is viciously attacked.   Not only does she lose the baby, but complications make it impossible for Donna to ever have children again.  The recovery alone is enough drama to fill a movie as Donna struggles with depression and Roy is overcome with anger issues of his own.

"Let's be careful out there!"

The final season of Hill Street Blues arrives from Shout Factory. I think it's likely you already have the full series collection. If not, this isn't really the place to start. Over the course of seven years you really get a chance to get to know these characters. You see them evolve both as actors and characters. Yes, it all comes together with one of the better season finale episodes in television history. You just can't deny yourself a chance to see it all. Last year I took that journey once again and binged the entire seven seasons, and I'm up for it again. In case you missed what there was to say about the show...read on.