ISOLATION – Starring Tricia Helfer and Stephen Lang Arriving on DVD, Digital HD, and On Demand April 18th

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Inspired by true events, see what happens when a couple vacationing in the Bahamas is hunted by a group of modern-day pirates in Isolation, available on DVD at Walmart, Digital HD and On Demand April 18 from Lionsgate. Boasting an all-star cast including Luke Mably (The Prince and Me, 28 Days Later), Tricia Helfer (TV’s “Lucifer” and “Burn Notice”), Marie Avgeropoulos (TV’s “The 100,” 50/50), Stephen Lang (Don’t Breathe, Avatar), and Dominic Purcell (the upcoming “Prison Break: Sequel” and “Legends of Tomorrow”), watch the film JoBlo.com calls “suspenseful and unpredictable” with a “killer ending.”
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Hoping to restore their flagging marriage, Lydia (Tricia Helfer) and Creighton (Luke Mably) journey to a remote island in the sun-drenched Bahamas. One drunken night, they return to their cabin to find it ransacked. Will nearby couple Max (Dominic Purcell) and Nina (Marie Avgeropoulos) offer them help — or harm? Also starring Stephen Lang, this seductive, sinister thriller shows that trust can be a dangerous thing.
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The Isolation DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

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THE GOSPEL OF MARK – Now Available on DVD and Digital HD

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Following last year’s The Gospel of John comes the second installment in the renowned Gospel film series, The Gospel of Mark, arrived on DVD at Walmart, Digital HD and On Demand March 14 from Lionsgate. Just in time for Easter, the second book of The New Testament comes to life for the first time with a truly unique, word-for-word adaptation that uses the Gospel narrative as its script. Shot on location in Morocco with consultation from expert theologians and biblical scholars and produced by the Lumo Project, the film was given the Dove Faith Friendly Seal for 12+. The Gospel of Mark DVD is packed with behind-the-scenes bonus features and will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.98.

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According to The Gospel of Mark, Jesus is a heroic man of action, an exorcist, healer, and miracle worker — the Son of God who keeps his identity secret. This critically acclaimed, epic production — five years in the making — is based on the latest theological, historical, and archaeological research, and offers an unforgettable, highly authentic telling of the Jesus story — ending with the empty tomb, a promise to meet again in Galilee, and Jesus’s instructions to spread the good news of the resurrection.

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DVD/DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Deconstructing a Scene” Featurette
  • “Building Jerusalem” Featurette
  • “Composing the Gospels” Featurette
  • “Filming the Gospels” Featurette
  • “Narrating the Gospels” Featurette

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THE MARK – The DVD Review

By Anna Weaver

The ultimate fight for good and evil begins…

THE MARK is one of the latest movies from Pure Flix Entertainment.  Craig Scheffer stars as Chad Turner, a former soldier whose faith in humanity is seriously in doubt from fighting the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Chad’s brother, the epitome of “faith through all things”, tells him to stay strong, God has a plan and to look for the signs, good and bad.

As an adrenaline junkie, I was excited to see this movie. The storyline sounded like a re-write of AIRFORCE ONE from a Christian perspective. My understanding is that faith-based movies are designed promote a more intimate relationship with God and that our faith shouldn’t be reserved just for Sundays, it’s to be lived out every day. That being said, from the beginning I was left with more questions than answers. After watching this movie, I didn’t know what to believe. My family actually “googled” the word “rapture” and began a discussion on what it meant. If that’s what the writers wanted, then stamp it “mission accomplished”.  If it’s entertainment they were after, then the tape, or in this case DVD, will more than likely self-destruct.

The movie opens with bursts of information to give the viewer a quick synopsis that the world is basically going to hell in a hand basket. It doesn’t get much better after that. The characters have very little chemistry so you don’t feel good/bad/indifferent when something happens to them. You barely catch “The Rapture” as it’s a simple flash of light and no one on board, except the conveniently placed minister, knows what happened. The message was lost in translation and the storyline felt rushed just to promote a sequel. It was like trying to feed green peas to a toddler. You know it’s good but you almost have to shovel it down quickly before it ricochets. The writers needed to slow it down and add a little salt so we actually want another helping.

Let me also say, Eric Roberts should be ashamed. I’ve seen better acting from Marc Singer in BEAST MASTER. It had to be the writing or quite possibly the extremely low budget editing. Nothing in this film made me say, “Wow, that’s entertainment!” Honestly, this movie was so poorly shot that it made sitting through the trailer for the sequel almost painful.

In the end, Chad Turner, is no Jack Ryan but Craig Scheffer is no Harrison Ford. Next time leave the End of Days stuff to LaHaye and his buddy Kirk Cameron and put a call in to Andrew Marlowe for writing tips on action and adventure.

2 out of 5 stars

Warner Bros. And WWE® Studios Form Tag Team With New Scooby-Doo Film To Solve A Spine-Crunching Mystery

Warner Bros. and WWE Studios announced they will co-produce a Scooby-Doo animated feature that will find Scooby and the gang solving a mystery at WrestleMania®. The announcement was made today by Jeff Brown, Executive Vice President and General Manager, TV, Family & Animation, Warner Home Video and Michael Luisi, President, WWE Studios.

WWE Superstars and Divas including Triple H®, John Cena®, Kane, The Miz®, Brodus Clay™, Santino Marella®, Sin Cara™ and AJ™ will appear in animated form and lend their voices to the project. WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon® will also lend his voice and appear in animated form.

“We are excited to partner with Warner Bros. on this wonderful animated film,” said WWE Studios President Michael Luisi. “Kids and adults are going to enjoy seeing their favorite WWE Superstars in animated form join forces with an icon like Scooby-Doo to solve a mystery at the biggest pop-culture event of the year – WrestleMania.”

“Warner Bros. is thrilled to get into the ring with WWE Studios to bring fans an unprecedented animated adventure,” said Jeff Brown, Executive Vice President and General Manager, TV, Warner Home Video. “We’re excited to leverage the WWE’s family-friendly brand and passionate fan base and integrate some of the most popular WWE Superstars and Divas within the Scooby-Doo gang.”

When Shaggy and Scooby win tickets to WrestleMania, the entire gang travels in the Mystery Machine to WWE City to attend the epic event. However, when a mysterious ghostly bear appears and threatens to ruin the show, Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne and Fred work with WWE Superstars to solve the case.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will handle worldwide distribution on Blu-ray, DVD, VOD and digital download. The film will be produced by Warner Bros. Animation. WWE will utilize its extensive global reach through its television, digital media and print assets to market the release of the film.

Bradley Buchanan, VP of Business and Legal Affairs negotiated on behalf of WWE Studios.

The new Scooby-Doo animated feature is set for a 2014 Home Entertainment Release.

Disney’s Sequel BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2 Coming to DVD & Blu-ray

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment proudly announces the return of the greatest Chihuahuas to walk on all fours in BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2! Chloe & Papi are back in an all new, ¡Ay yay yay! fun-filled adventure—and their family just got bigger. Meet their rambunctious, mischievous and hilarious litter on February 1, 2011 when BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2 comes out on a Blu-ray combo pack (include Blu-ray and DVD of the movie), 1-disc DVD. 

Synopsis: 

From the creators of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, everybody’s favorite talking Chihuahuas are back in a comedy that’s a pack of outrageous fun for the whole family. Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents, Papi and Chloe, upside down when their playful puppies present one challenge after another. But, when their human owners find themselves in trouble, the tiny pups will stop at nothing to save them—because in good times and hard times, the family always sticks together. Papi, Chloe and the puppies embark on a heroic adventure, proving once again that big heroes come in small packages. 

Featuring an all-star cast, including George Lopez (voice of Papi), and complete with a litter of bonus features, this heartwarming tale of the meaning of family, friendship and loyalty is a special breed of fun—times five. 

The BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA 2 Blu-ray Combo Pack has a U.S. suggested retail price of $39.99 and the 1-Disc DVD set has a U.S. suggested retail price of $29.99. Additionally, the Digital Download/Electronic –Sell Through (EST) has a U.S. suggested retail price of $19.50. 

Bonus Features: 

DVD French & Spanish Tracks and Subtitles Sneak Peek at Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure Learn How To Take Your Favorite Movies On The Go Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray Is Suite! 

Bonus- 

  • Music Video: ―This is My Paradise:  By Bridgit Mendler
  • Blooper Faux Paws
  • BLU-RAY 1.78:1/ Enhanced for 16×9 French & Spanish Tracks Sneak Peek at Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure Learn How To Take Your Favorite Movies On The Go Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray Is Suite! 

    Bonus- 

  • Music Video: ―This is My Paradise: By Bridgit Mendler
  • Blooper Faux Paws
  • Beverly Hills Chihuahua Challenge – interactive game show led by Papi
  • DVD Review: AMERICAN PIE: THE BOOK OF LOVE

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    Why I kept watching the AMERICAN PIE series after the third film was beyond me. They all involved a member of the Stiffler family, and were all terrible. But for the first time since AMERICAN WEDDING, the series takes an upturn with a smaller, funnier film that only has a few truly dumb hiccups along the way.

    THE BOOK OF LOVE is the first film since the original that doesn’t follow a member of the Stiffler family, and for that it deserves some credit. The Stiflers are obnoxious characters and every single one of them is just doing a bad impression of Seann William Scott’s performance of the original. It’s like they exist in some weird universe where every member of the family acts the exact same way, which is something I don’t think anyone can really relate to. The focus this time is on Rob (Bug Hall) and his buddies Lube (Youtube celebrity Brandon Hardesty) and Nathan (Kevin M. Horton).

    The three guys are back in the same place our main characters were in the first film. This is a simple story about three guys trying to get laid. Bug Hall really does a great job of playing a regular guy who isn’t a jerk, but can make mistakes and he’s honestly funny. His intro actually got a chuckle out of me, and I let down my guard and legitimately enjoyed the film. Rob’s goal during the film is to get with his good friend Heidi (rookie actress Beth Behrs). When Rob finds out she’s a virgin he sort of makes a strange pact with her that they’ll have sex and be each other’s firsts. At a school’s luau themed dance they plan to meet in the library to have the big moment, but when he shows up she’s already there with another guy… the shock of the moment causes rob to fumble with a torch he stole from the party and that causes a fire in the library, which in turn causes the sprinkler system to go off, which in turn ruins may books.

    Of course Rob and Heidi are forced to clean up the mess after they’re caught, Heidi shirtless, and Rob obviously the cause of the trouble. While Rob is cleaning up everything he discovers… The Bible. No not the Genesis to Revelations book, but rather the book we know from the earlier films! That’s right, this AMERICAN PIE actually has a plot device that ties into the other films, rather than being a cheap cash in on the AMERICAN PIE name! It’s almost like they hired a writer who knew what he was doing… oh that’s right they DID!

    This is the first film of the straight to DVD AMERICAN PIE films to be written by a person who wrote any of the original trilogy. This time around it’s David H. Steinberg who wrote the story for AMERICAN PIE 2, which while not as good as the first, was definitely better than AMERICAN WEDDING, and leagues above the rest. His touch brings the spirit of the film back to where the first two films were.

    The plot Steinberg comes up with involves Rob and his friend’s trying to figure out how to get laid by deciphering the ruined pages of The Bible, but soon find that without everything in the book in perfect condition, much of the advice is terrible on it’s own and they set out to repair it, starting with the first guy who wrote in it, Noah Levenstein played once again by Eugene Levy.

    The supporting cast is pretty good too, Brandon Hardesty’s first performance in a film is a little too Jonah Hill-esque but it’s still very funny at times. His character is often trying to trick women into sleeping with him and he’s always fantasizing about any hot girl just standing by him. These fantasies are often hot and extremely funny. As for Kevin Horton, he’s more of the stable reliable friend.

    Sadly the worst part of this movie is anything involving Stifler, played by John Patrick Gordon, who’s constantly doing a bad impression of the Seann William Scott original once again. I legitimately hated him, which is supposed to be the point, but I’d prefer if he was cut from the film entirely. There have been so many different people playing a Stifler family member that they all blend together now

    But when it comes to AMERICAN PIE there’s always been one thing that the films are about and a reason many young men set out to see them and that’s the sex, the nudity and the gross out humor and it’s all here. Many of the women are INSANELY beautiful, and sure high school students with breast implants are a rarity in the real world, but this is the world of AMERICAN PIE! It’s about as far from real as STAR WARS. School trips with strip poker and no teachers don’t happen in real life, but you can dream right?

    THE BOOK OF LOVE isn’t a perfect movie, and by no means should you run out and buy it, but if you rent it, catch it on cable, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. For the first time it actually feels like the AMERICAN PIE torch has been passed on to a future generation of characters that are actually likable. There are some some what familiar faces and relatives of characters like the incredibly beautiful Nadia from the original’s cousin, who is equally as beautiful and has a terrible accent just like Shannon Elizabeth (what happened to her?!) I give AMERICAN PIE PRESENTS: THE BOOK OF LOVE a very remarkable 3 out of 5 stars. Against all odds director John Putch (SCRUBS) and the AMERICAN PIE series made a decent comedy.

    UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION’s Trailer and Its Screwy Billing

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    The trailer for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment return to awesome with UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION is full of Dolph, full of Van Damme, and full of explosions.  It’s full of one more thing, but I can’t really say that on a family site such as this.

    Top billing on this trailer goes to Andrei Arlovski, who, don’t get me wrong, is a monster in mixed martial arts, but to get billing over Van Damme and, especially, Dolph is a sham.  Nonetheless, this trailer looks pretty wild, the movie looks to kick some massive butt, and the fact that it’s going straight to DVD instead of getting any kind of theatrical release is almost as much a travesty as Dolph not getting his name spoken first.

    Enjoy:

    UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION hits DVD shelves on February 2nd.

    UPDATED: Green Light Means Go for DEATH RACE: FRANKENSTEIN LIVES

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    There were reports back in August that a prequel to Paul W. S. Anderson’s 2008 action remake DEATH RACE was in the works.  At that time, all that was known was that a screenwriter, Tony Giglio, had been set to the task, and the film would follow the origins of Frankenstein and those of the Death Race itself.  Now, thanks to Shock Till You Drop, comes word that not only has Universal given the film the green light, it plans to shoot it next year with a possible DVD release to follow.

    Of course, with the film getting the DVD treatment instead of a full-fledged, theatrical push, this means Anderson is probably not going to be returning other than as a producer (probably executive, at that).  The chances of seeing Jason Statham return were slim, anyway, seeing as how this story has nothing to do with his character.  I’m guessing Warden Hennessey and Coach will be in the new film, though neither Joan Allen nor Ian McShane are likely to appear.  Shame, since Allen delivered the best line of the film with perfect, straight-face accuracy.  I won’t repeat it, since this is a family site.

    Producer Jeremy Bolt, who works with Anderson on most of his projects, says they are considering actors to step into the Frankestein role and that the new film will have a considerably smaller budget than the original.  Expect less explosions this time around.

    UPDATE:

    No more did I hit the publish button than I went over to AICN and noticed a link to Spoiler TV.  There, we find a casting call for various characters in the film, which, according to this, is called DEATH RACE: FRANKENSTEIN LIVES.

    Here is that casting call which gives us a handful of the new characters we are going to see:

    DEATH RACE: FRANKENSTEIN LIVES

    Exec. Producers: Paul W.S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt
    Producer: Mike Elliott
    Writer: Tony Giglio
    Start Date: Feb. 22, 2010

    STORY LINE:
    Newly arrived at Terminal Island, a prison for the most nonredeemable of convicts, CARL “LUKE” LUCAS must prove his mettle in a race to the death…

    [CARL “LUKE” LUCAS]
    In his 20s-30, American, European, British, Australian, Latino, etc., handsome and confident, with a hint of danger, Lucas has been in trouble since the age of 12. Right-hand man to a notorious mobster for twelve years, he is sent away for life
    after killing a cop in the course of robbing a bank. Offered a deal by the DA if he turns state’s evidence, Lucas opts to take his chances behind bars, where he soon captures the attention of a violence-peddling television producer. Possessed of some serious driving skills, assertive, strong, and charismatic, Lucas is a natural fit for the ultimate test, aka, the “Death Race.”…LEAD (2) STAR NAMES PREFERRED – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

    [SEPTEMBER JONES]
    In her 20s – early 30s, a model turned journalist, September is is “insatiably ambitious and eye-poppingly gorgeous,” a woman who knows how to use what she’s got to get what she wants. She’s callous and self-serving, dressed provocatively, with the soul of an ice-pick, but the brains to know how to market violence to the masses. When ratings for her gladiator-style television show begin plummeting, September is quick to come up with the “Death Race” concept, thrilled by its stunning success sptv050769…LEAD (2) STAR NAMES PREFERRED – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

    [ELIZABETH JAYNE CASE]
    In her 20s – early 30s, and sexy, she is a card girl for the fight matches, later a navigator when the prisoners are forced to test their driving skills. Intelligent (valedictorian of her high school class), decent, with a good heart, Case landed in prison after killing her abusive cop husband. Quick to come to the aide of girl in peril or help Lucas outwit an adversary, she’s a courageous, admirable young woman. Teamed with Lucas for a death race, the chemistry soon heats up between the two…LEAD (16) STAR NAMES PREFERRED – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

    [DOUGLAS WEYLAND]
    In his 30s – 60, American or foreign, bold, opulent and self-indulgent, the CEO and Founder of the Weyland Corporation, he is a opportunist at best, a man who makes millions on the backs of others. Clearly not immune to September’s come-hither charm, he agrees to produce a televised gladiator-style series of fighting matches, later disappointed by the ratings. However, he’s quite impressed when September’s idea for a race to the death has the viewers tuning in again…LEAD (11) STAR NAMES ONLY – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

    [WARDEN MEDFORD PARKS]
    In his 40s – 60s, Caucasian, African American, Latino, European, etc., he is the old school style warden at Terminal Island, the last stop for the country’s most unredeemable criminals. More comfortable around hoods and rapists than self-serving
    broadcasting types, he butts heads with September, outraged by her willingness to glamorize society’s worst, disgusted by her insensitivity when lives are on the line. Eventually forced out of job by the Machiavellian September, he can’t help but feel vindicated when she gets her comeuppance…LEAD (2) STAR NAMES ONLY – ANY NATIONALITY,ANY ETHNICITY

    [BIG BILL]
    In his 30s, African American, a steroid-enhanced mountain man, head of the United Blood Nation, the African American gang in Terminal Island…1 speech & 5 lines, 9 scenes (2) POSSIBLE CAMEO – FIGHTER, WRESTLER, BOXER OR WARLORD – MARTIAL ARTS A PLUS

    [GUNNER]
    In his 20s, Hispanic, he is an old friend of Lucas, happy to see him on the same work detail when the two land in Terminal Island Prison. An enthusiastic car mechanic, he refurbishes Lucas’ old Mustang, getting it into fighting form. Later, he’s saddened and angry when led to believe that one of his buddies has been responsible for Lucas’ death.sptv050769..LEAD (26)

    [TONY VALENTI]
    In his 40s – 60s, American, Italian or European, he is head of the city’s most vicious organized crime syndicate, a “schizophrenic prone to wild mood swings.” He is a man you never want to cross…3 speeches & 1 line, 2 scenes (2) CAMEO – STAR NAMES ONLY

    [ROCCO]
    In his 40s, a wiry big city type, he’s working the auto shop on Terminal Island. Later part of Lucas’ pit team, he seems like a solid guy, loyal and hard-working. Later, we learn about how he had sabotaged Lucas’ car…2 speeches & 11 lines, 5 scenes (26) ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

    [DR. KLEIN]
    This prison infirmary doctor tends to a mortally wounded Lucas. Later, however, he explains how Lucas managed to survive the fiery crash…4 speeches & 5 lines, 2 scenes (83) POSSIBLE CAMEO – ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY

    [LISTS]
    In his 20s, nicknamed “Lists” because he’s a font of information about almost any subject, quickly spewing lists of details. Convicted of matricide, he’s a newbie at the prison and obviously scared. He later teams up with Gunner, becoming part of Lucas’ pit crew…4 speeches, 6 scenes (12)

    [XANDER GRADY]
    In his 30s, a mean and nasty Aussie, he is the leader of The Brotherhood, a collection of white supremacists in the prison…2 lines, 6 scenes (1) MARTIAL ARTS A PLUS

    [JESUS LUNA]
    In his 30s, Latino, tatted, scarred and scary, he is the head of The Netas, an Hispanic prison gang…4 lines, 6 scenes (2) MARTIAL ARTS A PLUS

    [14K]
    Named for his fourteen “kills,” Asian, in his 30s – 40s, a “combination of Bruce Lee and Genghis Khan,” he is the leader of The Triads, the most powerful Chinese gang on the planet (or at least in the prison).sptv050769..1 speech & 1 line, 6 scenes (2) MARTIAL ARTS REQUIRED

    It appears filming is to commence in late February.

    DVD Review: THE TOURNAMENT

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    THE TOURNAMENT is one of those films where the premise is so corny and overplayed that it’s strengths have to come from it’s execution. Luckily The Tournament doesn’t disappoint and is actually something of a gem. In the world of films about televised or secret death matches between over the top badasses THE TOURNAMENT stands out for having a great cast and some of the better, bloodier and more interesting action moments ever.

    The Tournament itself happens every seven years, when the world’s best assassins all gather together in one random small town to do battle until one is left standing and is declared the best assassin in the world. I think the winner gets a giant pile of money as well, but that’s never made clear. Each Assassin is outfitted with a tracking device so the other killing sociopaths know exactly where to go, keeping the insanity to a clean 24 hours. OH and the trackers are explosives, so if there are too many people left alive at the end of the day, BOOM!

    This time around a civilian is brought into the mix when a Frenchman (played by one of the creators of parkour/free running, Sebastien Foucan) cuts out his tracker and places it in a coffee pot. This is when it’s swallowed by alcoholic priest Father Macavoy (played by Robert Carlyle). Now this washed up, hung over shambled priest has to figure out how to stay alive when the world’s best are trying to kill him. Luckily he has Kelly Hu playing a very sexy trained killer named Lai Lai Zhen. Hu seems exceptionally buxom in this role… but that’s got NOTHING to do with the story… just makes her that much more interesting to watch. Her fight scenes are top notch though, as are most in the film.

    Also being a complete and total badass is Ving Rhames as Joshua Harlow, a man who was once retired at the top of his game, but is now pulled back in when the murderer of his wife is pulled into the competition. He’s out for revenge and looks damn cool while he’s there.

    I can’t lie about somethings this film has that you’ll see coming a mile away and you’ll just have to suspend your disbelief for. Of course the entire small town is wired up with HD video cameras that are part of some safety network and of course two really smart computer hackers who live off red bull and talk like they’re from a Diablo Cody film have hacked into the system and are letting the gambling billionaires see who’s winning everything. Basically they have my dream job and are the nerds everyone like me (IT Majors) wants to be.

    Where the movie falters is just that it’s a played out idea and the budget isn’t nearly big enough to make all the effects look as good as they probably should. Thank god most of the gore is practical effects and the movie relies on very little CGI. There is one scene that completely took me out of the experience involving a montage of murder done to a sweet song. It’s very over the top and comedic but doesn’t fit the rest of the film at all and doesn’t do anything to push the narrative forward.

    I can’t help but wish this film was getting a very wide theatrical release here in the US because it’s worth it. Sure it doesn’t have any A-list stars, but the cast here is amazing and the characters are very memorable.

    DVD Review: SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES

    superman batman public enemies

    I’m going to jump right in and tell you that I hate the animation style of this movie. I prefer the clean lines of Batman The Animated Series to the subpar character work of this movie. If you don’t have the budget to make it look better than a Saturday Morning Cartoon, then go for style instead of clarity. It’s just that simple. That doesn’t mean the movie is bad, just not as pretty as I’d like it.

    The Public Enemies story is about a world where Lex Luthor becomes the president of the United States of America, and ends up outlawing caped crusaders unless they come work for him. Lex’s group of Heroes includes Black Lightning, Power Girl, Katana, Starfire, Major Force and Captain Atom… if you’re not familiar, then don’t worry, Power Girl is the most famous, and not because she’s a great super hero but because of other assets.

    The real story starts when a meteor the size of a small country is headed for earth in a week. The entire thing is made of Kryptonite. Luthor has a genius plan to destroy the meteor with a new enormous missile, but claims that he needs to meet with Superman just incase they need a back up plan. His real goal is to trick Superman into a fight with new Secret Service agent, Metallo, who’s powered by a Krytonite core, evening the playing field between the two. A large battle ensues with Batman coming to Superman’s rescue, Metallo gets away, but is soon found dead. Superman is framed for the crime and Luthor puts a bounty on his head for 1 billion dollars.

    Superman and Batman embark on a mission to clear Superman’s name, stop the giant meteor from hitting earth, and try to stay alive while super villains from all over the DC universe try to take Superman out for the bounty. It’s definitely a good story… at least in theory. The execution, especially in the second half is so bad that it becomes laughable.

    Comic books have a level of well… comicness they can get away with before an adult, no matter how big of a fan, starts to just laugh and remark on how stupid what they’re watching truly is. This came in the last act for me. The entire film started to break down into action sequence after action sequence, which can be fine, but that means you’re missing out on what could be the bets Batman detective story of all time. Batman having to prove Superman isn’t a criminal? Well you can see how cool that could be right? Instead that entire plot line is almost completely thrown away, Batman is never really a “public enemy” and we get one of the douchiest moments I’ve seen in these films…

    Much of the dialogue in Public Enemies are cliches that feel like they’re out of a bad Schwarzenegger film. To top that off, most of the banter between Batman and Superman comes off more than a little homo-erotic, and very catty. If they spoke like this on the big screen people wouldn’t openly moan at how bad it is. Even Kevin Conroy, who IS BATMAN can’t save this film.