Category: TV DVDs (Page 36 of 54)

Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone / The World’s Strongest

With both TV specials now available on DVD, the next logical step for Funimation in their ongoing plan to remaster everything “Dragon Ball Z” was to begin releasing the series’ other 13 films in conjunction with the remaining season sets. This two-disc double feature collects the first two, “Dead Zone” and “The World’s Strongest,” and though neither one is considered required viewing for the casual fan, they’re still part of the official canon. “Dead Zone” takes place just before the first episode of “DBZ” – when Goku and Piccolo were still mortal enemies and Gohan was as annoying as ever – and finds the evil Garlic Jr. fulfilling his wish for immortality. “The World’s Strongest,” meanwhile, takes place just after the Saiyan Saga and follows the famous Dr. Wheelo (now in brain form after his body decomposed in an icy prison) as he attempts to harvest the world’s strongest warrior for his new body. Both movies have two things in common: they use Gohan’s hidden potential as the catalyst for eventual victory (like Bruce Banner, you don’t want to make Gohan angry), and they exhibit several similarities to future story arcs (Dr. Wheelo is essentially a poor man’s Dr. Gero, right down to the robot warrior lackeys). Neither one is especially memorable, but diehard fans wanting to update their collection will be rewarded with the best-looking versions of these movies yet.

Click to buy “Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone / The World’s Strongest”

Stargate: Infinity – The Complete Series

This short-lived animated spin-off from the “Stargate” franchise has received the kind of abuse from sci-fi fans generally reserved for Rick Berman’s work on “Star Trek,” but as they scream about abuse of continuity and how things have been dumbed down from the original source material, they’re forgetting something: it’s a freaking cartoon. Taking place 30 years after the original film, “Stargate: Infinity” focuses on Major Gus Bonner, a longtime member of the Stargate team who, as the series opens, is on trial as a result of a mission which led to the death of several members of his team. (Wow, the acknowledgement of death in a children’s cartoon? Nice!) In a quick set-up, however, we’re witness to Bonner being framed by an alien infiltrator disguised as a Stargate scientist, which leads to Bonner taking a trio of cadets – R.J, Seattle, and Samantha – and an alien technical expert named Teal’c through the Stargate. Although they aren’t readily able to return to Earth, they’re able to visit various other planets, so Bonner bounces the team to various places he’s already visited, helping to educate the young cadets until they can get home. The animation isn’t great, and the scripts inevitably have heavy-handed lessons shoehorned in, but the characters are interesting and, despite the complaints from the “Stargate” obsessives, “Infinity” is actually pretty enjoyable as kids’ sci-fi cartoons go. A word of warning: the series ended with no resolution to the team’s space-lost situation. Hey, maybe they’ll pop up on “Stargate: Atlantis”! (Yeah, let’s place bets on that, shall we?)

Click to buy “Stargate: Infinity – The Complete Series”

Get “Spaced” or get out!

When we American fans of British comedy fell in love with “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” there was little question that the folks at the BBC would eventually take advantage of the growing cult surrounding the work of Simon Pegg and release his early series, “Spaced,” on DVD. And, really, how could they not? After all, look at these raves from famous people who are, by virtue of their fame, better than you:

Spaced

* “Watching ‘Spaced’ is kinda like watching a Kevin Smith film if Kevin Smith had any real talent.” – Kevin Smith

* “I watch and re-watch ‘Spaced’ from time to time to remind myself how good television comedy can be.” – Matt Stone

The best thing out of England since Winston Churchill.” – Seth Rogen

I laughed hard, and I hate comedy.” – Judd Apatow

“Annoyingly good.” – Eddie Izzard

‘Spaced’ is a to-be-envied, to-be-cherished blend of pop culture heartbreak and genuine human hilarity. It’s also a foolproof Idiot Test. Here’s how it works: if someone ever tries to duplicate, replicate, or otherwise re-do this one-of-a-kind show, they’re an Idiot! Aren’t we all lucky to have such a thing in our world?” – Patton Oswalt

Innovative. Witty. Hilarious. ‘Spaced’ is the show we American comedians watch and say, ‘How the hell did they get away with this?!’ Buy this and you can officially be cool.” – Bill Hader

Of course, some of us couldn’t wait for the domestic release – cough-cough Jason Zingale cough-cough – and had to buy a British copy of the set to watch on their region-free DVD player, but we’re guessing those people will still be ordering this set – due for release on June 17 – if only because of the special features.

All two seasons and 14 episodes of “Spaced” will be packaged within the set, of course, but there’ll also be new exclusive commentary with director Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes (nee Stevenson), and guests Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Bill Hader, Matt Stone, Patton Oswalt and Diablo Cody, an exclusive Spaced On Stage reunion Q&A recorded at the National Film Theatre, London in October 2007, and “Skip to the End,” an exclusive feature length documentary. There’ll also be outtakes, deleted scenes, raw footage, a photo gallery, newly updated cast and crew biographies, but something particularly eyecatching is a feature that the “Gilmore Girls” sets could’ve used: an Homage-O-Meter, an onscreen feature that tracks each pop-culture reference.

“Spaced.” You know you want to buy it. Too bad it’s not on Amazon for pre-order yet…but it will be.

Oh, yes: it will be.

CONTEST ALERT: 24: Season One – Special Edition

Ever since Fox announced they would be pushing back the seventh season premiere of “24” to 2009, the network has been hard at work keeping fans with their fingers on the Jack Bauer dial. That’s included a new season of their web series “The Rookie,” a news announcement revealing plans to produce a two-hour prequel movie, as well as the upcoming re-release of the drama’s explosive first season on DVD.

Packaged in an über-cool metal tin case with what looks to be a countdown clock imbedded underneath, the seven-disc set includes three hours of never-before-seen features including a season seven preview, over 25 deleted and extended scenes, two behind-the-scenes featurettes and more. This is the perfect chance to relive the series’ hit-making first season, and with Bullz-Eye running a contest in conjunction with its May 20th release, you could even pick up a copy for a free. Head on over to Bullz-Eye now and enter for your chance to win!

Suburban Shootout: The Complete First Series

The first series of the British comedy “Suburban Shootout” is a clever combination of American favorites “Desperate Housewives,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” and even “The Sopranos.” In the pilot episode, we meet Joyce, a middle-aged housewife who has just moved with her husband to the London suburb of Stempington, a seemingly perfect community. There are no burglaries or vandalism or crime of any kind in Stempington. Why? Because the entire town is controlled by rival housewife gangs – yes, you read that correctly – who are now vying for Joyce’s allegiance. Above any content within the individual episodes, it is this overall premise that serves as the ultimate running joke. It makes you wonder if it would have worked better as a more contained feature length film rather than an episodic series. While there is nothing tangibly wrong with the show (solid writing, fine performances by a good cast), there’s not much else to bring you back week after week, therefore making this DVD collection of the complete first series the best viewing choice. Also making the set more beneficial is the fact that all eight episodes on the disc contain optional commentary from various producers, writers and cast members, something too many TV sets are lacking. There is also a Cast Filmography listing, and the “Behind the Scenes” feature serves as a good introduction of the characters and the story and proves more valuable to watch prior to screening any of the episodes.

Click to buy “Suburban Shootout: The Complete First Series”

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