Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return on Blu-ray and DVD August 26th

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced they will be releasing the animated film Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return to Blu-ray and DVD on August 26, 2014. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Audio will be provided by a DTS-HD Master 5.1 track.





***SYNOPSIS***


Kids of all ages will love this musical, animated journey back to the magical world of Oz that features a legendary cast, including Lea Michele from TV’s “Glee,” Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Jim Belushi, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammar and more. A devious new villain, the Jester, rules over Oz and Dorothy must return from Kansas to rescue her old friends: the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man. Set to irresistible new songs from Academy Award®-nominated singer/songwriter Bryan Adams and featuring a host of delightful new characters, this animated return to Oz is sure to be a family-favorite filled with fun and laughs for generations to come!


***SPECIAL FEATURES***


* Legends of Oz: The Music of Oz
* Legends of Oz: The Legacy of Oz
* Sing Along the Yellow Brick Road
* Legends of Oz: Activity Sheet
* Theatrical Trailer

The Grand Budapest Hotel Blu-ray Review

**SYNOPSIS**


he Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of legendary concierge Gustave H. and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft of a priceless painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; and a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis - all against the backdrop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent.





**MOVIE REVIEW**


Director Wes Anderson is at the top of his game with this delightful throwback to a more slapstick style of comedy that hasn't been seen or done well in years. Ralph Fiennes is charming as M. Gustave and his protege Zero played by the endearing Tony Revolori make a great team that is entangled in a theft of a valuable work of art. There are several small roles played by Anderson faves like Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Jeff Goldblum, Owen Wilson and Edward Norton. The production design uses some interesting techniques including model work. If there is any flaw to this fine film I would say it takes about 25 minutes to really get invested fully and start enjoying the chase.9/10


**VIDEO QUALITY**


The Grand Budapest Hotel arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in various aspect ratios that include 2.40:1, 1.85:1 and 1.33:1 - Despite all these different views the image is sharp and reveals fine details in the beautiful old hotel, clothing from different eras and close ups of faces. Black levels are solid with no crush. Colors vary from crisp yellows, reds and oranges to bright whites of snow. Fleshtones were a bit of mixed bag from natural to rosy. No signs of compression artifacts. 9/10


**AUDIO QUALITY**


Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. - The fun dialogue is placed dead center and is presented crystal clear throughout. While not overly dynamic there are a few scenes when M. Gustave is on the run that exhibits good directionality and environmental effects to some good weight from the LFE channel. Alexandre Desplat's score bounces through the mix with a crisp clarity. I heard no audio anomalies. 9/10


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* Bill Murray Tours The Town (HD, 4min) - Bill Murray gives the viewer a short tour of the film locations and sets.

* Vignettes (HD, 9min) - A total of three include Kunstmuseum Zubrowka Lecture, The Society of the Crossed Keys, and Mendl’s Secret Recipe.

* The Making of the Grand Budapest Hotel (HD, 18min8sec) - A four part look at the films genesis to the production. Includes interviews with Director Wes Anderson as well as cast and crew. Included are:
- Part 1 – The Story
- Part 2 – The Society of the Crossed Keys
- Part 3 – Creating The Hotel
- Part 4 – Creating A World

* Promotional Featurette Cast (HD, 3min24sec)

* Promotional Featurette Wes Anderson (HD, 3min46sec)

* Stills Gallery (HD)

* Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2min26sec)

Homeland: The Complete Third Season on Blu-ray and DVD September 9th

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced they will release Homeland: The Complete Third Season to Blu-ray and DVD on September 9, 2014. The show stars Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Audio will be provided by a DTS-HD Master 5.1 track. Below are the official details:





***SYNOPSIS***


As Carrie (Emmy® winner Claire Danes) and Saul (Emmy® winner Mandy Patinkin) search for the truth behind the bombing of CIA headquarters, lines are blurred between friend and foe and no one can be trusted. While hiding a stunning secret of her own, Carrie helps recruit Brody (Emmy® winner Damian Lewis) for a dangerous mission that could offer him a chance at redemption. But when the plan unravels and Brody is targeted deep inside Iran, he must put his life in Carrie’s hands, leading to one of the most suspenseful and shocking season finales in TV history.


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* “Homeland” Season Three: The Tower of David – Filming in Puerto Rico
* The Last Days: Filming the Season Finale
* Commentary on Season Finale Episode “The Star”
* Deleted Scenes

The Bridge: The Complete First Season DVD Review

**SYNOPSIS**


This gripping crime thriller set on the U.S.-Mexico border has emerged as one of TV’s most acclaimed new shows. When a murder victim is discovered on the bridge connecting El Paso and Juarez, detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) must work with her Mexican counterpart, Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir), to catch a serial killer terrorizing both sides of the border. But their investigation will uncover shocking secrets and relentless danger that neither of them could possibly have imagined.





**SERIES REVIEW**


The first season of The Bridge is a solid effort that tries to look at the darker sides of the borderline between Mexico and the state of Texas. The thriller has some startlingly intense moments. Demien Bichir gave one of the finest performances of the last year of tv and I can't wait to see how far his character goes in the upcoming second season. Dian Kruger plays an interesting take on a driven detective because Sonya has Asperger syndrome. I love the Father/Daughter type of relationship she has with Ted Levine's Lieutenant Hank Wade. One complaint I will have is there are a lot of red herrings before we find out the identity main villain for the season. I for one highly recommend catching up on show before it starts it's second season. 8.5/10


**VIDEO QUALITY**


The Bridge: The Complete First Season arrives on DVD with a 480i transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1. - The show has a stylized look to it that conveys the heat of the Mexico and Texas settings. Colors are rendered well with no bleeding. Black levels are good but there are a few moments of crushing that mar shadow detail. The show was shot in HD and the overall image is crisp and shows the fine details of the locales as well as the interesting faces of the cast. No signs of compression artifacts to be found. 8.5/10


**AUDIO QUALITY**


Audio is provided by a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. - I was a bit surprised how front heavy the presentation was. Dialogue was crystal clear and the more heavily accented characters are easily intelligible. Surrounds do create a good sense of the environment when brought into the mix. 8/10


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* Audio Commentary - Participants include Demian Bichir, Diane Kruger, Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid giving their thoughts on the genesis and production of the pilot episode.

* Building The Bridge (SD, 20min36sec) - A behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the series that features interviews with cast and crew.

* Cuidad Juarez: The Other Side of The Bridge with Damien Cave (SD, 9min33sec) - A revealing look that looks at the everyday problems on the Mexican border.

* Deleted Scenes (SD, 20min52sec) - An interesting collection of scenes worthy of your time.