Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning

 

Friday the 13th Part V, subtitled "A New Beginning," was the 1985 entry into the franchise when the studio decided to keep it going. This one was directed (and co-written) by Danny Steinmann and starred Melanie Kinnaman, John Shepherd, Shavar Ross, Richard Young, Marco St. John, Tiffany Helm, Juliette Cummins, Carol Locatell, Vernon Washington, and Debi Sue Voorhees. Cory Feldman also makes a brief cameo appearance at the beginning of the film. Despite the fact that it came out just a year after the prior film, it is set five years after the events of the prior movie, with a now-teenaged Tommy Jarvis (played by Shepherd) who has been in and out of several psychiatric hospitals and is now being transferred to a halfway house near Crystal Lake. He begins seeing Jason, and when another resident at the halfway house is murdered by a violent resident, Jason seemingly begins killing again. 

Unlike the first four films, as of this writing, this one only appears to be available on blu-ray as part of the Shout Factory's complete collection box set. Otherwise, it is only available on DVD. The blu-ray special features include three commentary tracks: one by the actresses who played the main female characters, one including the director, Shepherd, and Ross, and one by Adam Green and Joel Lynch. There are also deleted scenes, the trailer, the next installment of the Lost Tales From Camp Blood short film, the next installment of the mockumentary The Crystal Lake Masacres Revisited, a making-of featurette, and a stills gallery. 

The movie itself is pretty bad. The writing was cheesy, and the actors (all unknowns aside from Ross, who had a role on the TV series Different Strokes, and Washington, who was a pretty recognizable character actor) were given little to work with. This one definitely earns its R-rating, as there is a lot of violence (and as much gore as they were allowed to show) and the most nudity of any of the films in the series up to that point. There are a couple of big plot twists at the end that you will probably either love or hate. Ultimately, while it is not a great film, one thing that can be said about the movie is that it wasn't trying to be a carbon copy of the earlier films in the series, and it is worth checking out. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 3

 

The 23-episode third season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine aired during the 2015/2016 TV season. All the main cast members returned for season 3, and the show continued to feature a strong slate of guest and recurring stars, including Bill Hader, Nick Offerman, Dean Winters, Kyra Sedgwick, Jason Mantzoukas, Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Katey Sagal, Kathryn Hahn, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Dennis Haysbert. The season picks up where season 2 left off, with Captain Holt being transferred out of the Nine-Nine to the PR department (taking Gina with him). Obviously, that does not last, but it does make for a few hilarious moments early in the season. The show continues to use serial storylines that build along with case-of-the-week storylines that conclude at the end of the given episode. The two big arcs this season involve Jake and Amy's relationship, a detective returning to the department who has been deep undercover with the mob (played by Mantzoukas), and the discovery of a mob informant inside the FBI. And, of course, there is the yearly Halloween episode that renews the contest between Jake and Holt. 

As of this writing, the individual seasons are still only available on DVD. The blu-rays are only available in a complete series box set, in which season three is on three discs in its own keep case. The bonus content includes deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes material, including interviews with the cast (the highlight of which is hearing Stephanie Beatriz's normal speaking voice). 

The show continued to be strong in season 3. Since many episodes build on earlier ones (and often call back to events in prior episodes), you really do have to watch from the start to follow everything that is going on. The writers do a good job developing the characters, and the actors are wonderful in their roles. The season has several laugh-out-loud moments, with some dramatic moments mixed in. The season ends on a pretty big cliffhanger that will put the fate of more than one character up in the air, leading into season four. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first two seasons, this one is absolutely worth watching. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

 

The Final Chapter is the 1984 entry in the Friday the 13th series. It was directed by Joseph Zito and starred Kimberly Beck, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Judie Aronson, and E. Erich Anderson. The film picks up immediately after the events of Part III, with a seemingly dead Jason being taken to the morgue. Of course, he is not dead; he escapes and returns to Crystal Lake, where a new group of teenagers has rented a house next to a family living on the lake. From there, the usual shenanigans ensue. It was originally intended to be the final movie in the series, but that clearly did not end up being the case. 

As with the other films, there are several different releases of this one. I have the Shout! factory version, which is a single-disc release. The extras on that one include two commentary tracks: one by Zito, screenwriter Barney Cohen, and editor Joel Goodman. The other is a fan commentary by Adam Green and Joe Lynch. There are also deleted scenes, a retrospective on the film filmed for the 25th Anniversary, the alternate ending, the trailer, and a stills gallery. 

Like the other films in the series, you know what you get. It is a low-budget film with relatively unknown actors (at least at the time). One thing it has going for it is that it was not a carbon copy of the first movie, as the first three films were. The acting and writing were still pretty bad, which is unfortunate given that it had the potential to have a much stronger story. If they had focused the story on the brother of one of Jason's victims hunting Jason, the plot would have been a lot stronger. The film definitely earns its R-rating, as there is a lot of violence and swearing, and some sexual content and nudity. Ultimately, for a low-budget horror film, it is okay. If you like the genre and the series, it is worth watching. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Friday the 13th Part 3

 

Friday the 13th Part 3 was the 1982 entry in the iconic horror franchise. It was directed by Steve Miner and starred Dana Kimmel, Paul Kratka, Tracie Savage, Jeffrey Rogers, Larry Zerner, and Richard Brooker. The film picks up directly after the events of Part 2 (Betsy Palmer, Ginny Field, John Furey, and Steve Daskewisz all appear via archived footage, but did not film new scenes for Part 3), with Jason going on another killing spree after recovering from his wounds. This is the film in which he dons the iconic hockey mask, and is the version of the character that permeates through the rest of the series. In this entry, a group of friends plans a vacation to Kimmel's character's family homestead on Crystal Lake, where she has not been since being attacked by a disfigured man in the woods (of course, Jason) two years prior.  

The blu-ray is a single-disc release that includes both the 2D and 3D versions of the film. The extras will again vary depending on which release you get. I have the Shout! Factory version, which was released in the limited-edition box set. That version also includes a commentary track featuring several cast members, a few making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes, the theatrical trailer, one of the TV spots, and a stills gallery. 

The film follows almost exactly the same format as the first two. It starts slowly, then ramps up the action. Of course, most of the characters make very dumb decisions, which lead to Jason catching them. One thing I do like is that this version of Jason was not totally indestructible, although he was getting closer to that version. The movie does earn its R-rating, as there is a lot of violence (although not a ton of gore), swearing, and the obligatory nudity and sex scene. You know what you get with the movie. It is a B-level horror film that was never going to win an Academy Award. Ultimately, it is pretty much a carbon copy of the first two movies, just swapping out the victims. If you like the genre and can accept it for what it is, then it is worth checking out.  

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2

 

The 23-episode second season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine aired during the 2014/2015 TV season. All of the series regulars returned for the second season, and the show had another good slate of guest and recurring cast members, including Kyra Sedgwick, Nick Cannon, Eva Longoria, Stephen Root, Sandra Bernhard, Jenny Slate, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, Nick Kroll, Garret Dillahunt, and Bradley Whitford. The series continues the format of a story-of-the-week procedural and a serial with storylines that build on each other (and get referred back to) throughout the season. The bigger serial arcs involve Jake and Amy's feelings for each other, a long-running feud between Captain Holt and the new Deputy Commissioner, and a romance between Gina and Boyle's parents. There is also another good Halloween episode in which Jake and Holt make yet another bet. 

As of this writing, the individual seasons are only available on DVD as a three-disc set. The blu-rays are only available in a complete series box set, in which season two is on two discs in its own keep case. The A/V quality of the blu-rays are very good, and the show looks and sounds great in HD. The only extras are deleted scenes for select episodes, and the episodes can be played with English captions.

The show remains a strong comedy. Because of the show's format, you can watch any particular episode and be able to follow most of what is going on during the episode, but because they often refer back to events in prior episodes, you may not follow everything if you do not watch the show in order. So, while you do not need to watch season 1 before season 2, it definitely helps. The acting and writing continue to be top-notch, and the writers do a good job giving all of the actors good material to work with and balancing the storylines for the various characters. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first season, this one is absolutely worth watching.  

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Friday the 13th Part 2

 

Friday the 13th Part 2 is the 1981 follow-up to the original 1980 hit film. It stars Amy Steel, John Furey, Kristen Baker, Lauren-Marie Taylor, and Stu Charno. Adrienne King and Besty Palmer also reprise their roles, although Palmer had more of a cameo appearance. 

The original intent was to do what John Carpenter had tried to do with Halloween III, and not make it a continuous story, but an anthology series with different movies tied to the Friday the 13th superstition. However, when the ending to the original movie was as well received as it was, they decided to continue the story centered around Jason. The story picks up two months after the events of the original film, with Alice trying to recover from her experience. Later, the film time-jumps five years to a new group of prospective camp counselors attending a school for camp counselors at a different camp near Crystal Lake, which has been shut down. From there, it becomes the typical slasher film that the series has become famous for. 

There are a few different versions of the blu-ray disc out there. I have the Shout! Factory version, which is a single-disc release that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete collection box set. The A/V quality is very good. The audio includes a 2.0 channel track that may not work on some sound systems. It does, however, also include a 5.1 lossless audio track that should work with a surround system, but you may have to change the audio setting once the film starts playing to hear it, even if you select it from the disc's main menu. The extras may vary depending on which edition you get, but most will include an interview with the author of the book "Inside Crystal Lake Memories", the second chapter of the Lost Tales from Camp Blood short, and a featurette on one of the horror conventions. Mine also includes a podcast interview with Amy Steel, the theatrical trailer, radio spots, and a couple of different stills galleries.  

The movie is very much a carbon copy of the first film. Most of the action happens in the second half, and the third act has the most going on. You pretty much know what you get with these films: the acting and writing will be okay, but not stellar; there will be some gratuitous nudity and a lot of violence. This version of Jason is definitely not who we get in later films when he is basically unstoppable and wears the hockey mask. Ultimately, if you like horror movies and you enjoyed the first film, you will probably like this one (even though there is not much new about this one other than who the killer is). It does, however, set up what will come in the later films, so it is worth watching. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 1

 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine was a sitcom created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur that aired for 8 seasons from 2013 to 2021. The 22-episode first season aired during the 2013/2014 TV season. It stars Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti, and Andre Braugher. The supporting cast includes Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller.

The series follows detectives at Brooklyn’s fictional 99th precinct as they adjust to their new commanding officer, Captain Raymond Holt (played by Braugher). Holt is very serious and expects more discipline than some of the detectives are accustomed to, particularly Jake Peralta (played by Samberg), who is good at solving cases but tends to treat much of his job as a joke. Fumero plays Amy Santiago, a competitive detective who is eager to impress Holt, while Beatriz plays Rosa Diaz, who is tough, moody, and very private about her personal life. Lo Truglio plays Charles Boyle, an awkward but enthusiastic detective who is close friends with Jake and has an unrequited crush on Rosa. Crews plays Sergeant Terry Jeffords, who supervises the detectives but is initially reluctant to return to fieldwork because he worries about what would happen to his family if he were killed. Peretti plays Gina Linetti, the precinct’s civilian administrator, while Blocker and Miller play Hitchcock and Scully, two veteran detectives who are generally more interested in food and avoiding work than in solving cases. It is a sitcom with a large ensemble cast that is equal parts story-of-the-week procedural and serial comedy, as events from prior episodes are referenced in nearly every episode.

As of this writing, the individual seasons have been released on DVD. The complete series is available in a Blu-Ray box set. In that set, each season is in its own keep case inside a decorative outer box. The first season's episodes are spread across three discs. The A/V quality of the Blu-Rays is very good, and the episodes can be played with English captions. Most episodes from the first season include deleted scenes, which are the only extras included for this season.

The show is a great comedy with a wonderful cast of characters. It is well-written and well-acted, and the actors do a great job in their roles. The first season mainly develops the various characters and their relationships. The best part of the series is the relationships between the characters, with the funniest being the unrequited love that Lo Truglio’s doofy Boyle has for Beatriz’s dark and moody Diaz. The contrast between Jake’s immaturity and Holt’s serious approach to the job also provides a lot of the humor, as does the competition between Jake and Amy. It isn't extremely family-friendly because it has a lot of sex jokes, but it also has a lot of wholesome comedy. Ultimately, it is absolutely worth watching if you are a sitcom fan, especially if you like other comedies Michael Schur has worked on, like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good Place.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Friday The 13th

 

Friday the 13th is the 1980 horror film directed by Sean S. Cunningham and written by Victor Miller. The film stars Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, Kevin Bacon, Harry Crosby, and Laurie Bartram. The supporting cast includes Mark Nelson, Peter Brouwer, and Walt Gorney.

The plot involves Camp Crystal Lake reopening after being closed for several years. A group of counselors arrives early to get the camp ready for the kids, despite warnings from locals that the camp should remain closed. As they work to get everything ready, the counselors start being killed off one by one. I will not go into too much detail about the story for those who have not seen it, since the identity of the killer is supposed to be part of the mystery.

There have been several Blu-Ray releases of the film, so the features will vary depending on which edition you get. I have the deluxe box set released by Shout Factory, which includes all 10 original films, along with Freddy vs. Jason and the 2009 remake. In that collection, the first film is a two-disc set, with both discs in a keep case inside the decorative box. One disc contains the theatrical cut, while the other contains the uncut version. Both versions run just over an hour and a half, with the uncut version running only slightly longer. There are no substantive differences in the story between the two cuts, as the additional footage mostly extends some of the gore. The A/V quality is very good, especially considering the age of the film and the fact that it was a very low-budget movie when it was released. There are bonus features on both discs. The theatrical disc includes the US and international trailers, TV and radio spots, and two different stills galleries, one with pictures from the film and the other with posters and promotional material. On the uncut version, there is an audio commentary on the film which includes the director, writer, and members of the cast and crew, a short film set in the Friday the 13th universe, a featurette on the director, a reunion panel discussion including the director, writer, and some members of the cast and crew, and fan fiction articles that can be accessed if you put the disc in a computer's CD drive. 

The film definitely feels dated. It was a low-budget 1980s movie, and it very much looks and feels like one. It was made to capitalize on the popularity of Halloween, and Miller admits in the bonus content that he was basically told to write a script that ripped off Halloween. It is certainly not as good as Halloween, and parts of the writing and effects are extremely cheesy by today's standards. I also think the script would have been better if the killer had been shown interacting with the group earlier in the movie. The film tries to use misdirection to make you think the killer could be someone else, but once you actually see the killer, you know pretty much immediately. It does earn its R-rating, with some gore (although not as much as many of today's horror movies), swearing, sexual content, and brief nudity. It will always be notable for launching the franchise and for being one of Kevin Bacon's early films. Ultimately, even with its flaws, it is an iconic horror film that helped define 80s horror movies and is worth watching if you are a fan of the genre.

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.