Guardians of the Galaxy on Blu-ray and DVD December 9th

Walt Disney Home Entertainment and Marvel Studios have officially announced they will release the top grossing film of the year Guardians of the Galaxy to 3D Blu-ray Combo, Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVDon December 9, 2014. The film stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Dave Bautista, and Vin Diesel. The Blu-ray specs are 1080p video in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio and a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 for audio. Below are the official details:





**SYNOPSIS**


From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team: the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe.

To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits: Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon; Groot, a tree-like humanoid; the deadly and enigmatic Gamora; and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand--with the galaxy's fate in the balance.


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* Audio Commentary
* Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes
* Making-of Featurettes
* Exclusive Look at Marvel's The Avengers: Age of Ultron
* Gag Reel

The Simpsons Season 17 on Blu-ray and DVD December 2

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced they will be release The Simpsons: The Seventeenth Season to Blu-ray and DVD with Limited Edition Sideshow Bob Head Box on December 2, 2014. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Audio will be provided by aDTS-HD Master 5.1 track. Below are the official details:





***SYNOPSIS***


When we were 17 it was a very good year -- a year for Homer's new dad, MacGyver gets mad, Sideshow Bob's not so bad... Another comical compilation of “The Simpsons” — the longest-running scripted show in television history — has arrived. Season 17 contains all 22 outrageous episodes, a vast repertoire of Springfieldian special features, plus a mind-blowing list of celebrity guest voices, including Alec Baldwin, Larry Hagman, William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Rob Reiner, Susan Sarandon and Lily Tomlin, just to name a few, with additional guest voices also providing commentary including Richard Dean Anderson, Ricky Gervais, Michael York and Kelsey Grammer. Phew!

Into the Storm on Blu-ray and DVD November 18th

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially announced they will release the disaster film Into the Sotrm to Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD on November 18, 2014. The film stars Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies and Jeremy Sumpter. The Blu-ray specs are 1080p video in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 for audio. Below are the official details:





**SYNOPSIS**


In the span of just a few hours, the city of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of the most furious twisters they’ve ever seen. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run toward the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, “Into the Storm” throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme.


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* Into the Storm: Tornado Files
* Titus: The Ultimate Chasing Vehicle
* Fake Storms: Real Conditions

Edge of Tomorrow Blu-ray Review

**SYNOPSIS**


The epic action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.





**MOVIE REVIEW**


Edge of Tomorrow aka Live, Die, Repeat was one of the smartest and satisfying films of the summer. Now that it is coming to home video I hope it finds the larger audience that it deserves. Tom Cruise stars as the arrogant and cowardly Major William Cage and he finds himself thrust into J squad to fight the alien enemy that is so advanced they already know the attack is coming. Cage shoots and kills an Alpha that bleeds and burns him to death but he wakes up repeating the same day. age soon enough finds the "Full Metal Bitch" Rita Vrataski played by Emily Blunt. Cruise and Blunt have good chemistry and you'll be rooting for the bad ass Rita and new hero Cage to take down the aliens once and for all by the end of the film. Director Doug Liman directs the film with his foot on the gas and never let's up. The weapons and tech used to battle the enemy is a mix of Aliens and The Matrix with a gritty look.

The time travel aspect of the plot never feels gimmicky, the script finds a way to play some of the same moments in fun and subtle ways an as Cage learns more about the aliens and gets ever closer to his goal it feels like when you play a video game and keep dying but finally figure the right strategy and get to the next level, here you get to the next scene and setting. I can't recommend this film enough. 10/10


**VIDEO QUALITY**


Edge of Tomorrow arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 2.40:1 - Warner Bros. releases another flawless presentation. Colors have perfect saturation and hues tend to lean towards a yellow, greenish cast. It works for the war torn locales of the film. Fleshtones were natural. Black levels are inky while still allowing shadow delineation to shine. There were two moments where I noticed some crushing but it was brief. Fine detail is where the image is at it's best. Every single speck of dirt, debris, and the mayhem of combat is seen with razor sharp clarity. Close ups on the armor suits used by the human resistance really shows off tech. No issues with artifacts. 10/10


**AUDIO QUALITY**


Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. - This is demo worthy material in every sense. Dialogue was crisp and clearly heard even during the most chaotic moments. LFE performance is brutal and features a non stop barrage of deep and powerful bass that will make you feel like you been attacked by the alien enemy. Explosions tear through the room and will make you check the shelves after. Surrounds are constantly engaged and feature super smooth panning effects, weapon blasts that whip by you, and helicopters sounds as though they are about to land on top of you. Christopher Beck's effective score flows through mix with ease. This is a dynamic and thrilling presentation that will leave you wanting to watch the film all over again. 10/10


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* Storming the Beach (HD, 12min) – Director Doug Liman hosts a brief behind-the-scenes featurette.

* Weapons of the Future (HD, 8min) – A look at the futuristic tech that is used by the humans to battle the enemy. Practical effects were blended with cg effects to achieve the realistic an gritty look on film.

* Creatures Not of This World (HD, 6min) – A short look at the visual effects and design used for the aliens in the film.

* On the Edge with Doug Liman (HD, 43min) – This is a much more significant bonus feature, it's a documentary that zeroes in on Doug Liman and also serves as a great behind-the-scenes look at his latest film. Cast and crew are candid in their thoughts on the director, the film, and it's production as well.

* Deleted Scenes (HD, 8min) – A collection of seven scenes in total. Some of these do not have completed visual effects.

Mom: The Complete First Season DVD Review

**SYNOPSIS**


Anna Faris and Emmy® winner Allison Janney star in a new comedy from Chuck Lorre. Anna Faris plays Christy, a single mom whose newly found sobriety has given her the ability to see her life clearly... and she does not like the view. Now she must try to untangle years of reckless decisions in order to make a better life for her and her kids. But she discovers that just because you want to be a better person doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Everywhere she looks there are challenges: She is trying to stop drinking in wine country, have a healthy romance with her unavailable boss, raise her young son to be a good man despite his father's influence, convince her troubled teenage daughter to make better choices than she did, and, perhaps the most difficult task – forgive her estranged mother, Bonnie, played by Allison Janney, for not giving her any of the tools she needed to handle life in the first place.





**SERIES REVIEW**


Having never watched and episode of Mom's first season when it aired live on CBS, I'm glad to report the show contains some good laughs and the comedic timing between Anna Faris and Allison Janney is fun to watch. The show follows the mold of other Chuck Lorre produced sitcoms but it goes beyond that with some strong material that explores addiction and growing as an adult. The cast includes well used secondary characters and the episodes zip by fast enough. 8.5/10. Season one includes the following episodes:


DISC ONE

Pilot
A Pee Stick and an Asian Raccoon
A Small Nervous Meltdown and a Misplaced Fork
Loathing and Tube Socks
Six Thousand Bootleg T-Shirts and a Prada Handbag
Abstinence and Pudding
Estrogen and a Hearty Breakfast
Big Sur and Strawberry Lube

DISC TWO

Zombies and Cobb Salad
Belgian Waffles and Bathroom Privileges
Cotton Candy and Blended Fish
Corned Beef and Handcuffs
Hot Soup and Shingles
Leather Cribs and Medieval Rack
Fireballs and Bullet Holes

DISC THREE

Nietzsche and a Beer Run
Jail and Japanese Porn
Sonograms and Tube Tops
Toilet Wine and the Earl of Sandwich
Clumsy Monkeys and a Tilted Uterus
Broken Dreams and Blocked Arteries
Smokey Taylor and a Deathbed Confession


**VIDEO QUALITY**


Mom: The Complete First Season arrives on DVD in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1 - Bright and bold colors pop. Contrast was well balanced. Detail was good in showing textures and wrinkles or marks on faces. The overall image was sharp and easy on the eyes. 9/10


**AUDIO QUALITY**


Audio is provided by a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. - Being a comedy shot inside a studio you shouldn't expect demo material. The presentation has no anomalies to speak of. Dialogue was crisp and clear throughout. 8/10


**SPECIAL FEATURES**


* Gag Reel (SD)