Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: The Complete Series

 

Bates Motel is partly a prequel to, and mostly a reboot of, the Psycho franchise, which began with the iconic 1960s Horror film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins. The series ran for five seasons on A&E from 2013 to 2017, producing 50 episodes. The main cast throughout the series includes Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell, with Nicola Peltz appearing as a regular early in the show and Kenny Johnson being brought back as a series regular in later seasons. The supporting and recurring cast across the seasons is large, featuring Mike Vogel, Keegan Connor Tracy, Jere Burns, Michael O'Neill, Michael Eklund, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Michael Vartan, Kathleen Robertson, Kevin Rahm, Joshua Leonard, Ryan Hurst, Wilson Bethel, Tracy Spiridakos, Damon Gupton, Marshall Allman, Isabelle McNally, Austin Nichols, and pop star Rihanna. 

The series tells the story of a young Norman Bates, who moves with his mother, Norma, from Arizona to White Pine Bay, Oregon, where she has purchased a property with a house and hotel out of bankruptcy after the death of Norman's father. Throughout the series, we learn more about Norma and Norman's past, Norman's escalating mental health issues and his descent into the character from the movies, and that the town and its residents have many secrets.

The 10-episode seasons work well for this show because they let the writers tell a specific portion of the story without things getting stale, leaving viewers wanting more by the end of each season. The early seasons introduce and develop the characters and largely revolve around the town's massive drug operation. As the series moves along, the focus turns to Norman's dissociative identity disorder being discovered by people outside the family, and his time being treated at the Pineview institution. The final stretch definitely incorporates elements from the original film and pays homage to it, but the writers put their own distinct spin on the established lore. For example, the final season introduces Marion Crane but significantly expands her backstory, and the ending will likely surprise many people who expected the series to conclude exactly where the 1960 film begins.

The Blu-ray set is a 10-disc set that packages the five individual season releases into a decorative outer box. Each season is a two-disc set packaged in its own individual keep case inside the box, so the content of the discs is exactly the same as the single-season releases, and you do not get anything different if you already own those. The A/V quality is excellent and remains very good across all fifty episodes, ensuring the show looks and sounds great in HD on a home setup. The bonus features are on the discs for each respective season, though they do get a bit lighter in the middle seasons. There are deleted scenes included on the discs for every single season, a 45-minute cast and creator interview from season one, the "Bates Motel After Hours" episodes for season two, a featurette on Norman's psychotic break for season three, and a gag reel alongside retrospective featurettes looking back at the show's legacy on the final season discs.

Overall, the series is well-written and very well-acted from the first season to the last. Because it is set in the modern day rather than being a pure prequel, the writers have more creative license to tell their own story, drawing inspiration from atmospheric shows like Twin Peaks and The Killing. While Freddie Highmore's Norman Bates has elements of Perkins' Norman Bates, he doesn't try to copy him, and he does a lot of heavy lifting as the show goes on. Vera Farmiga is the absolute standout, playing Norma as a mix of concerned, overprotective, and creepy, and doing a fantastic job transitioning into "Mother," the internalized version of Norma that Norman interacts with as his alternate identity. The other actors do a wonderful job with their characters, and the writers balance the ensemble well, giving actors like Thieriot, Cooke, Carbonell, and Johnson great material to work with. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the Psycho franchise or serial dramas that include many different elements, the series is absolutely worth watching, and this set makes a perfect conclusion to your physical media collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: The Complete Original Series

 

The 264-episode sitcom Frasier aired for 11 seasons from 1993 to 2004. It is the most successful series directly spun off from Cheers, following the short-lived 1987 spin-off The Tortellis and preceding the shared-universe series Wings. The central premise follows Dr. Frasier Crane after his attempted reconciliation with Lilith fails. He moves back to his hometown of Seattle and begins hosting a call-in radio show, which serves as the anchor for the workplace segments of the series. Outside the radio station, most of the scenes occur either in Frasier's apartment or in the local coffee shop near the radio station. The main ensemble cast includes Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, and Peri Gilpin.

The core comedy of the series relies on the specific dynamics and friction between these central characters. Peri Gilpin plays Roz Doyle, the producer of Frasier's radio show, while David Hyde Pierce plays his brother, Niles Crane, an even more fastidious psychiatrist who is married to a wealthy, eccentric woman named Maris who remains entirely unseen throughout the series. John Mahoney plays Frasier's father, Martin Crane, a retired police officer who has to move into Frasier's apartment along with his dog, Eddie, after a hip injury leaves him disabled. Jane Leeves rounds out the household as Daphne Moon, Martin's live-in physical therapist and the object of Niles's long-term obsession. The interplay between the upper-class sensibilities of the brothers and Martin's down-to-earth perspective forms the foundation of the household conflict.

Beyond the core cast, the show established a reliable roster of recurring characters and guest appearances. Dan Butler plays the sports show host Bulldog, who was eventually promoted to a series regular for a period, while Edward Hibbert appears regularly as food critic Gil Chesterson, and Harriet Sansom Harris plays Frasier's aggressive agent, Bebe Glazer. The series maintained ties to Cheers through guest appearances by Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith, Ted Danson as Sam Malone, and Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd. A larger reunion occurs when the characters travel to Boston and end up at Cliff's retirement party, in an episode featuring John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, and Rhea Perlman reprising their roles. Additionally, the daily radio show setup allowed a continuous stream of celebrity voice cameos as troubled callers, including athletes, actors, and musicians.

Structurally, the series blends a story-of-the-week procedural format with multi-season serial narrative arcs. Major ongoing storylines involve the prolonged relationship hurdles between Niles and Daphne, Niles's eventual divorce from Maris, and Martin finding a new romantic partner later in life. The writers also integrated real-world production factors into the narrative, such as writing around Jane Leeves's real-life pregnancy by constructing a weight-gain subplot, and handling a serious mid-series heart surgery arc for Niles. The first episode of the ninth season, airing shortly after the September 11th attacks, was dedicated to series co-creator David Angell and his wife, who were passengers on American Flight 11.

The physical Blu-ray set is a 33-disc collection that serves as the only high-definition release of the series, as individual seasons are not sold separately on the format. Each season is in its own keep case with three discs, and these cases are housed in a decorative outer box. The video and audio quality represent a noticeable upgrade, though the earlier seasons show occasional limitations based on the condition of the original source material. Because the final seasons were produced later in the show's original broadcast run, they show fewer technical flaws and offer a cleaner visual presentation.

The bonus features on this set consist entirely of legacy content carried over from the older individual season releases. These features include creator commentary tracks on select episodes, short featurettes focused on specific characters like Roz, Maris, and Eddie, a tour of Frasier's apartment, and various retrospective cast and crew interviews. No new supplemental material was created specifically for this Blu-ray release. The set also omits certain broadcast extras, such as the 200th-episode retrospective special hosted by Bob Costas.

Overall, the show is a very good to great sitcom. Some elements of the writing and specific references have dated since the episodes originally aired. Certain jokes would likely be reworked or left out entirely if the show were produced today. Even so, the show mostly holds up well even years later. The writers balanced the storylines effectively so that each main character received focused material throughout the eleven-year run. Ultimately, if you were a fan of the series and/or a fan of Cheers, this set provides a substantial technical upgrade over the DVDs and is a worthwhile addition to a physical media collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 5

 

The 10-episode fifth and final season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2017. All of the main cast members returned for the final stretch, including Vera Farmiga, despite her character, Norma, dying at the end of the previous season. The guest and recurring cast includes Kenny Johnson and Ryan Hurst, who reprise their roles as Caleb and Chick, respectively. New additions to the cast include Isabelle McNally, Austin Nichols, and pop star Rihanna, who guest-starred after the series creators discovered she was a massive fan of the show. Series creator Carlton Cuse also makes a brief cameo appearance in one of the episodes.

Most of the season focuses on wrapping up the overall story, though it does so in a much different way than many viewers might expect. The narrative definitely incorporates elements from the original film and pays homage to it, but the writers put their own distinct spin on the established lore. For example, the season introduces iconic character Marion Crane but significantly expands her backstory beyond what was seen in the movie. The ending will likely surprise many people, especially those who expected the series to conclude exactly where the 1960 film begins.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete series release. The discs are packaged in their own keep case. The A/V quality continues to be extremely good, ensuring the episodes look and sound great in HD. The bonus features are a bit more robust for the final season, including deleted scenes for every episode and a gag reel spanning the entire five-season run of the series. There are also a couple of featurettes that serve as series retrospectives, featuring interviews with cast members and creators looking back on the show's legacy, fandom, and more.

The series continues to be very well written and very well acted in its final year. Everyone does a great job in their respective roles, but Vera Farmiga is the absolute standout of the season. She does a great job transitioning from playing the living Norma Bates to playing "Mother," the internalized version of Norma that Norman interacts with as his alternate identity. Freddie Highmore does a lot of heavy lifting as well. Several scenes transition between Highmore and Farmiga acting as "Mother," so they had to coordinate their performances to look seamless (which you see a bit of in the bonus material). The writers do a fantastic job of keeping the suspense high while delivering a satisfying conclusion to this modern-day reimagining. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the series, you absolutely have to watch the final season to see how it all ends, and it makes a perfect conclusion to your physical media collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 11

 

The 24-episode 11th and final season of Frasier aired during the 2003/2004 TV season. All the primary cast members returned for the final season, and several recurring cast members from throughout the series' run also returned, including Dan Butler, Harriet Sansom, and Anthony LaPaglia. Felicity Huffman continued in her recurring role early in the season, and later in the season, Laura Linney and Wendie Malick had major recurring roles that carried through to the end of the series. The series brought in several recognizable guest stars this season, including Patrick Stewart, Julia Sweeney, Penny Johnson Jerald, Sarah Silverman, Laurie Metcalf, Jennifer Tilly, Krista Allen, Rosie Perez, Stephen Root, Aaron Eckhart, Jason Biggs, and Jennifer Beals. This season also featured Bebe Neuwirth making her final appearance as Lilith in a funny and touching episode. The celebrity voice cameos for the guest callers this season included Benjamin Bratt, Stanley Tucci, Penny Marshall, Hillary Duff, and Helen Mirren.

The show continued to blend story-of-the-week procedural storylines with longer story arcs. There is a multi-episode arc in the middle of the season involving Maris (who we still do not see), which wraps up her storyline in the series. The large arcs this season involve Niles and Daphne becoming parents and Martin finding love. The season itself was mainly good, but I think the writers dropped the ball with a potential major storyline for Roz, which was set up in the season 10 finale. Despite that, the writers do an excellent job of wrapping up the story arcs for several characters; however, not everything is tied up in a neat bow, and while it does not end on a total cliffhanger (in the conventional sense), viewers are left to wonder how things play out. There are some absolutely funny moments, including a great joke that breaks the fourth wall about playing the same character for 20 years, and there are some touching moments, especially at the end.

As of this writing, the individual seasons remain available only on DVD as a four-disc set. The Blu-rays are only included in the complete series box set, with the 11th-season episodes spread over three discs that are held in their own keep case. There are a couple of bonus features on the final Blu-ray disc that serve as series retrospectives and include interviews with cast, writers, and producers. The A/V quality of the Blu-rays is very good, and because this season was produced later in the show's original run, there are fewer flaws in the video quality than there were in the earlier seasons.

While the series was at the end of its historic run and was beginning to get a bit stale by the 11th season, it remained a very well-written and well-acted sitcom. All of the actors did a great job in their various roles. Ultimately, it is absolutely worth watching to see how the series is wrapped up.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 4

 

The 10-episode fourth season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2016. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell all returned as series regulars. The big additions to the cast in recurring roles this season were Damon Gupton, who plays a psychiatrist who starts treating Norman, and Marshall Allman as Julian, another patient at the Pineview institution where Norman is being treated.

Most of the season focuses on Norman coming closer to the person he is in the original film. His dissociative identity disorder is discovered (to those outside of the family), but it is still not widely known, and the series gives a backstory for why he developed it in the first place. The most consequential death in the series so far occurs this season, setting up different threads for how exactly the final season could play out. Obviously, we know what the ultimate outcome will be, which also hints at the fates of at least some of the characters, but we do not know how the writers will get there.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete series release. The discs are packaged in their own keep case. The A/V quality remains very good, and the episodes look and sound great in HD. The bonus features are lighter this season, with the only extras being deleted scenes included on each disc. There are about 15 minutes of deleted scenes on disc one and a little over 17 minutes on disc two.

The series continues to be well-written and very well acted, with all of the actors doing a great job in their roles. Obviously, however, as the series gets closer to where the movie would pick up, Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore have to do most of the heavy lifting. Nestor Carbonell's role continues to increase this season, and he is great in the role. The writers do a great job of keeping the material engaging and balanced for the cast members. Ultimately, it is a wonderful season that is absolutely worth watching and makes a great addition to your collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 10

 

The 24-episode 10th season of Frasier aired during the 2002/2003 TV season. All of the primary cast members returned for the tenth season, and Dan Butler also returned to make a couple of guest appearances as Bulldog. The series brought in several recognizable guest stars this season, including Bob Hoskins, Elvis Costello, Ana Gasteyer, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Alan Cumming, John Hannah, Mike Judge, Alex Borstein, Sarah Shahi, Luis Guzman, and David Ogden Stiers. This season also marked one of the earliest TV roles for Zooey Deschanel, and Felicity Huffman joined the cast in a recurring role that got larger as the season went along. The celebrity voice cameos for the guest callers this season included Billy Bean, Leelee Sobieski, Bradley Whitford, John Turturro, Laura Linney, and Bill Paxton.

The show continued to blend story-of-the-week procedural storylines with longer story arcs and callbacks to previous years. The season picks up right after the events of the prior season finale, with Niles and Daphne having eloped in Reno, which forces them to hold a couple of fake wedding ceremonies back home to make their respective families happy. Mid-season, there is a serious three-episode arc in which Niles has to undergo and then recover from heart surgery. These are probably the best episodes of the season, and some of the best in the entire series, perfectly mixing humor and drama. The writers do a great job balancing the material for the large ensemble cast, and the season ends with a major storyline for Roz that carries directly into the show's final season.

As of this writing, the individual seasons remain available only on DVD as a four-disc set. The Blu-rays are only included in the complete series box set, with the 10th season episodes spread over three discs that are held in their own keep case. There are no bonus features included on the tenth season discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The A/V quality of the Blu-rays is very good, and because this season was produced later in the show's original run, there are fewer flaws in the video quality than there were in the earlier seasons. 

While the series was getting close to the end of its historic run, it remained a very well-written and well-acted sitcom. The series remained very good in season 10, even though some storylines feel a bit recycled. All of the actors did a great job in their various roles, and each got at least one episode centered on their character. Ultimately, it was a good season that sets up the show's final season well, and if you have been a fan of the series up to this point, it is worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 3

 

The 10-episode third season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2015. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell all returned as series regulars. Kenny Johnson, who plays Norma's brother, Caleb, was also brought back and promoted to a series regular this season. Kevin Rahm was added as a recurring character, serving as the main villain of the season. Joshua Leonard and Ryan Hurst were also brought on as recurring characters, and both Nicola Peltz and Keegan Connor Tracy made appearances reprising their roles as Bradley Martin and Miss Watson, respectively. Wilson Bethel and Tracy Spiridakos also had guest roles in the season.

This was another strong season for the series, and it brought the character of Norman much closer to who he was in the original movie. That progression required excellent performances by both Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga, and both delivered completely. The individual story arcs throughout the season are very well handled. The storylines involving Caleb and Dylan's relationship, Caleb trying to reconcile with and apologize to Norma, and Norman and Emma's relationship were all strong. The main storyline involving Norma, Alex Romero, and Kevin Rahm's character, Bob Paris, was also very good. The 10-episode seasons work very well for this show because they allow the writers to tell a specific portion of the story without things ever getting stale, leaving viewers wanting more by the end of the season.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete series release. The discs are packaged in their own keep case. The A/V quality remains very good, ensuring the show looks and sounds great on a home setup. The bonus features are a bit lighter this season than in previous years. There are deleted scenes included on each disc, with at least one deleted scene available for each episode of the season. There is also a featurette that focuses on Norman's psychotic break and essentially being taken over by a version of Norma.

The writers do a great job giving the entire cast good material to work with, and the series continues to be well-written and very well acted. All the actors step up to the material, and the writers do a great job of leaving viewers wondering how the fates of the various characters will play out to the point where the events of the original film pick up. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first two seasons of the show, this one is absolutely worth watching and makes a great addition to your collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 9

 

The 24-episode 9th season of Frasier aired during the 2001/2002 TV season. All of the series regulars returned for the 9th season. The show continues to primarily be a story-of-the-week procedural, with longer story arcs here and there, as well as callbacks to events in prior episodes. This season sees Niles and Daphne's relationship evolving, Frasier still trying to find someone, and Martin starting a new job. This season also includes the 200th episode, and the largest Cheers reunion to date, with the group going to Boston and inadvertently attending Cliff's retirement party (at a hotel instead of Cheers). John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Rhea Pearlman, and Paul Wilson all reprise their roles during the episode. The guest stars this season include Bill Gates, Adam Arkin, Larry Gelbart, Allison Janney, Jennifer Jason Lee, Kristen Chenoweth, Brian Cox, Robert Picardo, Anthony LaPaglia, Millicent Martin, Wolfgang Puck, Bridgette Wilson, and Michael Keaton. Keaton plays Lillith's half-brother in a hilarious role. The guest callers this season include Scott Hamilton, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Keith Carradine, Naomi Judd, Freddie Prinze Jr., Andy Garcia, Pat Boone, Cherry Jones, and Anthony Edwards. The first episode, which aired two weeks after the 9/11 attacks, was dedicated to series creator David Angell and his wife, who were passengers on  Flight 11.

As of this writing, the blu-rays are only included in the complete series set. In that set, the episodes are spread over three discs, which are held in a keep case. The individual season DVD release is a four-disc set. There are no extras with this season's discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The A/V quality of the Blu-rays is good and is a definite upgrade from the DVDs. The only drawback is that the 200th episode special that was hosted by Bob Costas, in which he interviewed the cast and showed outtakes from throughout the series, was not included. 

While the series was getting a bit long in the tooth by season 9, the writers did a good job of mostly keeping it from getting stale. David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves continued to be the comedy standouts, but all of the cast members do a great job in their respective roles. There are still not as many scenes in the radio station as there were in the first few seasons, but they are mixed in here and there. Episode 21 was titled Cheerful Goodbyes, and was probably the best of the season (for those who were also fans of Cheers). It would have been nice if they could have set the episode at Cheers and been able to get Ted Danson and/or Woody Harrileson to appear as well, but Ratzenberger, Wendt, and Pearlman all stepped back into their characters wonderfully. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the series, this season, while not as great as the first few seasons, is worth checking out. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Desperately Seeking Susan

 

Desperately Seeking Susan is a 1985 comedy starring Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, and Mark Blum in the lead roles, and John Turturro, Laurie Metcalf, Robert Joy, Will Patton, and Steven Wright in supporting roles. Giancarlo Esposito also had a very minor speaking role. It was directed by Susan Seidelman and was filmed in New York and New Jersey. In it, Arquette plays an unfulfilled upper-middle-class housewife named Roberta who reads the personal ads and becomes fascinated by communications between Susan (played by Madonna) and her boyfriend, Jim (played by Joy) that often begin with the line Desperately Seeking Susan. When one of the ads proposes they meet in Battery Park, Roberta goes to spy on the meeting and becomes fascinated by Susan's freewheeling lifestyle. Roberta ends up getting hit on the head, losing her memory, and believes herself to be Susan, and finds herself in danger when she is mistaken for Susan.

This is a single-disc release. It has a decent, but not great, A/V transfer. For the audio-nerds out there, the audio tracks are 2.0 digital tracks, which may not easily play on a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system without messing with the audio settings on your blu-ray player. The bonus content includes the film's trailer and alternate/extended ending. There is also a commentary track on the film by the director and the two main producers. The most interesting part of the commentary was hearing about the decision to cast Madonna, how her mega-stardom really hit as the movie was filming, and how they had to hire more security toward the end of filming because she was getting mobbed every time she was in public. When she was originally cast, she was still mostly popular in the NY dance club scene where she would perform. However, she released the Like a Virgin album while the movie was filming, and that, along with the release of this film really moved her from a star that had a couple of songs with radio play and videos on MTV into the superstar she became. One funny item from the commentary was one of the producers saying Madonna wanted to get into acting because she did not think she would be able to do the kind of performances she did in the clubs when she was 40, but she would be able to act. Of course, she was playing stadium shows well into her 50s and has only been in a handful of movies after making this one. 

The movie is a good comedy, but it is a bit dated. It very much has the feel of a 1980s romantic comedy, but it had a good enough script that it is enjoyable even years later. It is rated PG-13, but it could have easily earned an R-rating. Rosanna Arquette is topless in a couple of scenes, but in shadow and obscured so you do not see much; Madonna is in a see-through bra in a couple of scenes, and there is a lot of swearing and smoking. It is also interesting to see Laurie Metcalf, John Turturro, and Giancarlo Esposito early in their careers. Madonna was okay, despite never having acted before. But she was almost playing a fictionalized version of herself, so she did not have to do a lot. Arquette did most of the heavy acting work, even though she became overshadowed by Madonna's growing popularity. Ultimately, while it is not the best comedy of the 1980s, it is still worth checking out.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Excalibur

 

Excalibur is a 1981 film telling a variation of the legend of King Arthur, co-written, co-produced, and directed by John Boorman. It stars Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson (in his first film role), Patrick Stewart (in one of his early film roles), Cherie Lunghi, Robert Addie, and Nicholas Clay. The supporting cast includes, Gabriel Byrne, Boorman's children, Katrine and Charles, and Clive Swift. Over the years, there have been many variations of the Arthurian legend. This is definitely one of the darker ones. Merlin (played by Williamson) was not the noble, wise wizard that he is in other variations, and this version of Arthur (played by Terry) grew up as a commoner only to discover who he was when he pulled Excalibur from the stone. It is very violent and there is some sexual content and nudity in the film. 

The blu-ray release is very substandard. It did not receive a good HD transfer at all, and as a result, the A/V quality is quite bad. The video quality is barely better than a DVD, and the audio is out of sync at times. Also, the menu pages are very hard to navigate and barely respond when you push buttons on the remote. I initially thought the batteries in my remote were dying, but I confirmed they were fine, and the issue was with the disc itself. As a result, depending on what blu-ray player you have, it may be hard to turn on captions or change the audio setting. The only bonus feature is a director's commentary by Boorman. It is also hard to access, given the issue with the menu pages, but once you do, Boorman provides a lot of good information about the film and behind-the-scenes information. 

The movie is okay, but not great. It is actually better to watch it while listening to Boorman's commentary track, because you get a better idea of what he was going for. Without that context, it just seems like the movie never really figures out how it wants to tell the story and does not present a cohesive one. There are time jumps in the movie that make it hard to follow at times. But they had to be used because Boorman wanted to tell the entire story of Arthur's life in a two-hour-and-twenty-minute film. The dialogue was not particularly well written, so despite featuring many great actors, they did not have much good material to work with. It is interesting to see Liam Neeson in his first film, Patrick Stewart early in his film career, and Helen Mirren relatively early in hers. However, there are many other versions of the story that are much better than this one out there. Ultimately, you are not missing much if you skip this, but if you are a big fan of any of the actors or are really into the story of King Arthur, then it is worth checking out.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 2

 

The 10-episode second season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2014. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell all returned as series regulars. Nicola Peltz did appear in the first few episodes but was absent thereafter. The recurring cast in the second season included Michael O'Neill, Michael Eklund, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Michael Vartan, Kenny Johnson, and Kathleen Robertson. 

The season begins with the fallout of Blaire Watson's murder, and ambiguity over whether Norman committed it or not. We also learn more about Norma's backstory when her brother (played by Kenny Johnson) shows up. We also learn more about the drug operation that is the backbone of the town's economy, which has reverberations throughout the season. And, of course, Norman gets ever closer to the character from the movies. 

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V quality continues to be outstanding. There are extras on both discs, including deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes material, and the "Bates Motel After Hours" episodes that aired on A&E after the season premiere and finale, featuring interviews with cast members and the showrunners. 

The show continues to be well written and very well acted. While it stays true to the overall story established in the original movie, it is very much its own show, and only Norman and Norma's fates are known, so it can still be suspenseful and surprising. All of the cast members do a wonderful job in their respective roles, and the writers balance the ensemble cast well. Ultimately, if you liked the first season, this one is absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Everly

 

Everly is a 2014 genre-mixing film that combines action, drama, horror, and suspense.  It was directed by Joe Lynch and adapted from a story that Lynch wrote with the screenwriter, Yale Hannon. It stars Salma Hayek, Akie Kotabe, Laura Cepeda, Jennifer Blanc, Hiroyuki Wanatabe, Togo Igawa, Gabriella Wright, Masashi Fujimoto, and Aisha Ayamah. In it, Hayek's character, Everly, who has been forced into working as a prostitute for a Yakuza overlord named Taiko (played by Wanatabe), is attacked in the high-end apartment where she is kept prisoner in a building owned by Taiko, when Taiko discovers that she has been working with the police to take him down. Everly manages to kill her attackers with a gun she had hidden, and resolves to try to get to her mother and daughter to get them the money she has stolen from Taiko so they can disappear. She discovers she is trapped in the building as more people come to try to collect a bounty on her head.

The blu-ray is a single-disc release. The movie looks and sounds good in HD, but since it was a low-budget film, it did not get an extremely high-quality transfer. The bonus content includes two commentary tracks. The first is a feature commentary by Lynch, producer Brett Hedblom, and editor Evan Schiff. The second is a technical commentary featuring Lynch and the cinematographer, Steve Gainer. Also included is a music video for the version of Silent Night by Raya Yarborough and Bear McCreary featured in the film. 

The first thing to note is that the film is extremely violent (in a very over-the-top way), with a lot of blood and guts. So if that is not your thing, you should absolutely skip it. There is also a lot of swearing and very brief nudity.  There are easy comparisons to films like Kill Bill and Die Hard, but it is not nearly as good as either of those movies. Hayek does a good job in the role. She is the only person in the movie with any real name recognition, and she absolutely carries it. If you listen to the commentary, you will discover that Kate Hudson originally signed on to play Everly but eventually had to drop out and was replaced by Hayek. It would have been interesting to see what she would have done with the role, as her performance would probably have been quite different from Hayek's. 

Ultimately, it is not a film that will appeal to everyone. The movie is a bit unique in that it is an action film set almost exclusively in a single location, Everly's apartment. Nothing in the film is remotely realistic, so you definitely have to suspend your disbelief and just go with it. If you can do that, it is worth watching, but it is not a must-see.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Eurotrip

 

Eurotrip is a 2004 teen comedy written by Jeff Schaffer (who also directed), Alec Berg, and David Mandel, starring Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jessica Boehrs, and Travis Webster. The supporting cast includes Vinnie Jones and Nial Iskhakov. The film also features cameo appearances by Lucy Lawless, Fred Armisen, Kristen Kreuk, Jeffrey Tambor, Diedrich Bader, and Matt Damon. All of the actors making cameos were great, but Lawless and Damon's cameos were particularly notable. 

The basic story is that a guy named Scott (played by Mechlowicz) gets dumped at his high school graduation by his girlfriend (played by Kreuk), and finds out she has been cheating on him constantly. He confides in his German pen pal, Mike (Mieke; played by Boehrs), whom he believes to be a guy. When Mieke suggests that she come visit him, Scott writes an angry email and gets blocked, only to hilariously find out Mieke is a hot girl. He is then convinced by his friend, Cooper (played by Pitts), to go to Berlin to find Mieke. In Europe, they meet up with their friends, twins Jenny and Jamie (played by Trachtenberg and Webster). While there, typical teen comedy hijinks ensue.

The blu-ray is a single-disc release containing the unrated version of the film. It does not include the theatrical version. The A/V quality is good, but it did not get what I would describe as a reference-quality HD transfer. But for an early-2000s comedy, it looks and sounds perfectly fine. There are several extras, including deleted scenes, a hilarious bit about who would get the directing credit since Schaffer, Berg, and Mendel could not share directing credit, a featurette on the nude beach scene, and outtakes. There are two different commentary tracks on the film, each featuring Schaffer, Berg, and Mendel. In the first, they provide a pretty typical director commentary talking about the casting process, the shooting locations, etc. In the second, they basically drink through the entire film, drinking whenever anyone swears, there is nudity, or there is underage drinking shown (and take shots when someone screams). 

The movie is a pretty typical early-2000s raunchy teen comedy. There is a lot of nudity and sex, several drug references, and swearing. There are definitely parts that some people will find offensive, so it is definitely not family-friendly or for those who are easily offended. Ultimately, I would say this is a middle-of-the-road early 2000s comedy. It was not the best of the comedies released at the time, but it was not the worst. It is a movie better known for its cameo appearances than its main storyline, but the main story was still enjoyable. If you are a fan of raunchy comedy, this is worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 8

 

The 24-episode 8th season of Frasier aired during the 2000/2001 TV season. All the main cast members returned. The only notable omission from the cast was Dan Butler, who had been moved from a series regular to a recurring character and did not appear at all this season. The guest and recurring stars this season included Saul Rubinek, Jean Smart, Anthony LaPaglia, Alan Tudyk, Teri Polo, Victor Garber, Gary Cole, Kim Coles, Rene Auberjonois, Fisher Stevens, John Glenn, John Michael Higgins, and Jennifer Coolidge. Bebe Neuwirth also reprised her role as Lilith. The show did have some celebrity voice cameos this season, including Stephen King, Wolfgang Puck, Melissa Etheridge, and Bernadette Peters.

The season picks up right where season 7 left off, with Niles and Daphne driving away from her wedding. We discover they only reach the end of the driveway before deciding to go back and face everyone. The first handful of episodes involve the repercussions of ending their respective relationships and provide a way for the writers to present hurdles to them being together. Jane Leeves also took time off due to her real-life pregnancy (which was not written into the show, although her weight gain was), and missed four episodes about 2/3 of the way through the season. As with prior seasons, the show remains primarily a story-of-the-week procedural, with longer arcs and callbacks to earlier episodes mixed in. The big arc this season is Niles and Daphne's relationship. Both David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves are hilarious at points this season, and continue to be the highlights of the show. 

As of this writing, the individual seasons are not available on Blu-Ray, only as part of a complete series set. In that set, season 8 is on three discs that are in their own keep case. There are no bonus features included in the season 8 discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The individual seasons are available on DVD as a four-disc set. The A/V quality of the blu-rays remained good, though at times the picture quality is not as good, likely due to the condition of the source material (presumably film).

While the show was getting a bit long in the tooth by season 8, it remained good and had very funny moments. The writers did a good job keeping the storylines interesting, especially the main relationship between Niles and Daphne. There were probably not as many laugh-out-loud moments as in the earlier seasons, but it remained well-written and acted. Ultimately, if you have been a fan of the series up to this point, this one is worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 1

 

Bates Motel is partially a prequel to and partially a reboot of the Psycho franchise, which started with the iconic 1960s Horror film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins. The series ran for five seasons on A&E from 2013 to 2017, with the 10-episode first season airing in the spring of 2013. The main cast members in season 1 include Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nicola Peltz. The recurring and supporting cast includes Nestor Carbonell, Mike Vogel, Keegan Connor Tracy, and Jere Burns. The series tells the story of a young Norman Bates (played by Highmore), who moves with his mother, Norma (played by Farmiga), from Arizona to White Pine Bay, Oregon, where she has purchased a property with a house and hotel out of Bankruptcy after the death of Norman's father. Throughout the season, we learn more about Norma and Norman's past, Norman's mental health issues (which, if you have seen the movie and any of the sequels, you already know about), and that the town and its residents have many secrets.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V quality is excellent, and the episodes look and sound great in HD. The bonus content includes deleted scenes on both discs (about 20 minutes on the first disc and a little under 10 minutes on the second) and a 45-minute interview/Q&A session with some cast members and two of the series' creators. 

The first season is very good. Because it is set in the modern day rather than being a pure prequel to the original film, the writers and cast members have more creative license to tell their own story. While there are certainly elements of Perkins' Norman Bates in Freddie Highmore's performance, he does not try to copy Perkins. Farmiga is outstanding as Norma, playing her as a mix of concerned, overprotected, and creepy when it comes to her relationship with Norman, and combative with almost everyone else. Thieriot is wonderful in his role, which is a bit of a spoiler, so I will not reveal it here, as is Cooke, who plays a friend and classmate of Norman's at his new school and works for Norma at the hotel. Ultimately, it is a great first season that is well-written and very well-acted. The writers do a great job not revealing too much about the various storylines, yet still revealing enough to satisfy the viewers. The series draws inspiration from shows like Twin Peaks and The Killing, so if you were a fan of either of those shows, and/or a fan of any of the films, this is absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 7

 

The 24-episode seventh season of Frasier aired during the 1999/2000 TV season. All of the main cast members returned for this season. The character of Bulldog was once again made a recurring character, so Dan Butler made fewer appearances this season than in the past couple of seasons. The guest cast this season includes Rita Wilson, Jane Adams, Marg Helgenberger, Jean Smart, Robert Loggia, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Anthony LaPaglia. There were fewer guest callers this season, as the show's focus was mostly outside the radio station. Gloria Estefan was the most recognizable caller this season. Bebe Neuwirth and Trevor Einhorn also reprised their roles as Lilith and Frederick in a great Thanksgiving episode. 

As of this writing, the Blu-Rays are only available in a complete series set. In the set, each season is packaged in its own keep case, and the seventh season has three discs. There are no bonus features on the seventh-season discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The individual seasons are available on DVD, and season 7 is a four-disc set with no bonus material.

The show remains very funny in season seven, with many laugh-out-loud moments. It continues to mix story-of-the-week procedural storylines with longer serial arcs. This season, the main serial arc involves Daphne's impending wedding to Simon, and the ongoing teasing of Niles and Daphne getting together. The writers keep finding ways to keep the characters apart; however, the season-ending scene takes a huge leap forward in advancing their storyline. David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves continue to be outstanding in their roles as Niles and Daphne, but all the characters are given great material this season, and all of the primary characters get at least one episode centered around them. Ultimately, if you have enjoyed the series up to this point, season 7 is well worth watching.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Emily the Criminal

 

Emily the Criminal is a 2022 crime drama written and directed by John Patton Ford. It stars Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi. The supporting cast includes Megalyn Echikunwoke, Jonathan Avigdori, Bernardo Badillo, and Gina Gershon. In it, Plaza plays a woman named Emily who works as an independent contractor delivering food for a catering company, while barely making ends meet. Her coworker connects her with a "dummy shopper" service that runs a fraudulent credit card ring, promising $200 for an hour of work. After making a purchase without getting busted, she is offered the chance to return the next day to make a riskier purchase and earn $2000. She ends up getting sucked in deeper with the group, while falling for one of the leaders (played by Rossi), and soon finds herself in over her head.

The blu-ray release is very bare-bones. There are no bonus features, just the movie itself. The A/V quality is good, but since this is a lower-budget independent film, it did not get the type of transfer that a massive summer blockbuster does. That said, A/V quality is fine for a film that does not rely on CGI effects. 

The movie is good. It is well-acted and mostly well-written, although parts of the movie are a bit predictable. Plaza definitely shows her acting range with this part. Of course, she is most well-known for playing a very dry comedic role on Parks and Recreation, but she absolutely has dramatic acting chops and uses them well in this role. Ultimately, if you are a fan of independent dramas and/or are a fan of Aubrey Plaza, this is absolutely worth checking out. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bewitched: The Complete Series – 60th Anniversary Special Edition

 

Bewitched is a sitcom that aired for eight seasons beginning in 1964 and running until 1972. It was created by Sol Saks and produced by Harry Ackerman (and, in effect, by William Asher (who also directed several episodes) and his wife and series star, Elizabeth Montgomery). Along with Montgomery, the main cast included Dick York (for the first five seasons), Dick Sargent (for the final three seasons), Agnes Moorehead, David White, and Erin Murphy (from season three onward). The supporting cast included George Tobias, Alice Pierce, Sandra Gould, Irene Vernon, Kasey Rodgers, Marion Lorne, Maurice Evans, Mabel Albertson, Paul Lynde, Bernard Fox, and Alice Ghostley. It also featured several guest stars, some of whom would go on to larger roles on other shows, such as Adam West and James Doohan, and others who would appear in several different roles on the show, such as Parley Baer, Bernie Koppel, and Dick Wilson. Willie Mays, Tommy Boyce, and Bobby Hart also played themselves in guest-starring roles. 

In the series, Montgomery plays a witch named Samantha who falls in love with a mortal man named Darrin Stephens (initially played by York, then by Sargent after York left the series due to a back injury). Darrin wants to live a normal, middle-class life and objects to Samantha's use of magic. Samantha's relatives object to her marriage to a mortal and constantly interfere in their lives, using various spells on Darrin (especially Samantha's mother, Endora, played by Moorehead). The series is mostly a story-of-the-week procedural, with a handful of longer story arcs every so often. Most episodes involve Darrin making a snarky comment to one of Samantha's relatives, who then casts a spell on him, making his day miserable and making him look foolish until he apologizes. 

This is a complete series released in 2025 to commemorate the series' 60th Anniversary. It is a 22-disc set. The packaging is not great. The discs are packaged in a large keep case (which requires the discs to be stacked on top of each other) that can be held in a decorative outer slip box. As of this writing, the individual seasons are only available on DVD. There are multi-season bundles on Blu-Ray, and this complete series set. The bonus features are exclusive to this release. The A/V quality is good, but some episodes definitely look better than others. The first two seasons are in black-and-white (as they aired), and the rest are in color. The bonus content is mostly audio commentaries on select episodes. Each commentary features historian (and Elizabeth Montgomery biographer) Herbie J. Pilato and a surviving cast member (usually one of the guest-starring children) or a surviving crew member.  Dick York's son appears on some of the commentary tracks to offer perspective on what he remembers about his father's time on the series. On the final disc, there is a half-hour documentary about the series, hosted by Pilato, featuring interviews with some of the people who appeared on the commentary tracks. Finally, there is a booklet written by Pilato that provides information about the series, the people who starred in or appeared in it, and an episode guide. Unfortunately, Murphy, who is the only living main cast member, does not appear on any of the commentary tracks or in the documentary.   

The series is good but dated. Some of the things that occurred on the show (like the roles of men and women, casual smoking, etc.) would never be included in a series (especially a sitcom) made today. Other things about the series were very progressive for its time. The show used the witch-mortal relationship as a metaphor for real-world social issues of the time, such as civil rights and women's rights. The series also featured several black guest stars and extras and had an episode that directly tackled racism. People who are big on continuity in a TV series will probably get frustrated while binge-watching it, as the writers often recycled storylines and used many of the same guest stars in different roles. Ultimately, while it is not without its flaws, the series is good and will definitely be a blast from the past for those old enough to have watched it when it originally aired or in reruns. Some of the humor in the show is very different from what you see on modern sitcoms, but even so, there are some very funny moments, even if the show may not have younger audiences laughing out loud regularly. So, if you are a fan of older TV series, this is absolutely worth picking up. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bewitched: Season 8

 

The 26-episode 8th and final season of Bewitched aired during the 1971/1972 TV season. All the main cast members, including Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent, Agnes Moorehead, and David White, returned for the final season. Erin Murphy appeared in most episodes as Tabitha, and the combination of twins David and Greg Lawrence played Adam, the Stephens' son. Some of the "regular" recurring cast members who have appeared throughout the series (Alice Ghostley, Bernard Fox, and Maurice Evans) do appear during the season; however, characters like Abner, Gladys Kravitz, and Uncle Arthur do not. The guest stars this season include Julie Newmar (in a role that is a funny nod to her Catwoman character in the Batman TV series), Peter Lawford, and Al Molinaro, and actors such as Bernie Koppel, Parley Baer, and Charles Lane (who have all appeared in various roles throughout the series) make appearances. 

As with season 7, the episodes at the beginning of the season are set on location, this time in Europe. The show retains the story-of-the-week format with the usual hijinks (sometimes characters going into the past, sometimes bringing a historical figure into the present, etc.) occurring. The writers definitely recycle storylines this season, and it seems the show's budget was reduced, as the effects are not as good as in past years.

As of this writing, the Blu-Rays are only available as a complete series release or bundled seasons. The individual seasons are only available on DVD. The 8th season episodes are on the final two discs. There are episode commentaries on three of the season's episodes, each featuring Bewitched historian and Elizabeth Montgomery biographer Hebie J. Pilato and usually one of the cast members who appeared in the particular episode (which was usually one of the younger guest cast members). On the final disc, there is a half-hour documentary entitled Behind the Magic, which features Pilato, Dick York's son, one of the twins who played Adam, and a couple of guest stars who were children when the series aired. The bonus content was made specifically for the Blu-Ray release and is not available on the DVD releases.

By the 8th season, the show had become stale, and ratings were down because the network kept moving its time slot around. The network was willing to pick up the show for three more seasons; however, Montgomery was ready to move on, and it was not picked up. The downside is that the series never received a proper finale, as the cancellation decision was not made until after the season ended, so the final episode just felt like any other episode. Ultimately, the season was not as good as prior seasons. That said, there are still some good moments, and the show continued to use the witch-mortal stories as a metaphor for issues like women's and civil rights. So, if you liked the prior seasons, this one is worth checking out to see how the series ends.