BBC Radio 1 Music Charts (Top 10 UK Singles and Album Charts): JLS takes the #1 spot on the Singles Charts and Adele takes the #1 spot on the Album Charts (7.31.11)

The following top 10 charts are from BBC Radio 1′s Official UK Top 40 CD singles:

JLS takes the #1 spot, The Wanted drops to #2, DJ Fresh takes #3.

1. JLS – She Makes Me Wanna (feat. Dev)
2. The Wanted – Glad You Came
3. DJ Fresh – Louder (feat. Sian Evans)
4. Ed Sheeran – The A Team
5. Beyonce – Best Thing I Never Had
6. Loick Essien – How We Roll (feat. Tany Lacey)
7. Pitbull – Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer)
8. Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
9. Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
10. Nicki Minaj – Super Bass

 

classic hollywood: The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Another photo with Humphrey Bogard that I do have ala 8×11 is this still from the 1941 film “The Maltese Falcon”.  In the photo are Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet.

“The Maltese Falcon” (1941)  is actually a remake of a film of the same name from 1931 which starred Bebe Daniels and Ricardo Cortez.   With the 1941 version being written and directed by John Huston.

The film is considered one of the greatest American films of all time, considered as the first film to inspire film noir and was selected for inclusion in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry back in 1989.

 

Rio (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

“Rio” is a highly enjoyable animated film for the entire family!   While “Rio” features fantastic PQ, AQ and many special features, fans of “Angry Birds Rio” will definitely want to pick up this Blu-ray release for the special extra levels code as well.  Fans of both “Rio” and “Angry Birds Rio” will no doubt love this Blu-ray release!  Definitely recommended!

Images courtesy of ©2011 Twentieth Century Fox Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Rio (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)

FILM RELEASE DATE: 2011

DURATION: 96 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (widescreen 2:40:1), English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English Descriptive Audio 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English SDH and Spanish

RATED: G

COMPANY: Twentieth Century Fox

RELEASE DATE: August 2, 2011

Directed by Carlos Saldanha

Story by Carlos Saldanha, Earl Richey Jones and Todd Jones

Screenplay by Don Rhymer, Joshua Sternin, Jeffrey Ventimilia, Sam Harper

Produced by Bruce Anderson, John C. Donkin

Music by John Powell

Cinematography by Renato Falcao

Edited by Harry Hitner, Randy Trager

Casting by Christian Kaplan

Set Decoration by Melanie Martini

Starring:

Jesse Eisenberg as Blu

Lesllie Mann as Linda

Wanda Sykes as Chloe

Jane Lynch as Alice

Rodrigo Santoro as Tulio

Jamie Foxx as Nico

Will.i.am as Pedro

Anne Hathaway as Jewel

George Lopez as Rafael

Captured as a young bird from the wild, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network) is a domesticated Spix Macaw living thousands of miles away from his homeland, Brazil. When his human owner Linda (Leslie Mann, 17 Again) discovers that he is the last male of his kind, they head south to Rio de Janeiro to meet the only other female. But it’s far from love at first sight between the socially-awkward, flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel (Anne Hathaway, The Princess Diaries). Shortly after Blu’s arrival, the two rare birds are captured by greedy animal smugglers and find themselves lost in the Brazilian rainforest. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on a hilarious and clumsy adventure where they learn about friendship, love, courage and spreading one’s wings to fly.

Filmmaker/animator Carlos Saldanha has brought success for Twentieth Century Fox with the various “Ice Age” films and while the films have been popular for FOX, many companies are quite competitive when it comes to theatrical films and when it comes to marketing, especially for a big budgeted animated film, you need all the push you can get.

And Saldanha’s “Rio” (budgeted at $90 million) will definitely need that heavy marketing push.

With probably one of the most ingenuous collaborations in recent memory Twentieth Century Fox’s tie-in with video game company Rovio, the creator of the immensely popular mobile game “Angry Birds”.

Prior to the film, millions of people all over the world got their chance to play “Angry Birds Rio”, a mobile video  game which has been downloaded over 10 million times.

With a successful tie-in with the game and bringing buzz to the animated film, “Rio” went on to make $476 million dollars in the box office.  A successful hit and Twentieth Century Fox and Rovio are back again, teaming up for a Blu-ray and DVD release (set for Aug. 2nd) which not only comes with the film on Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy but also has 15 bonus levels for “Angry Birds Rio”.

“Rio” begins with a blue macaw which was smuggled from Rio de Janeiro to Minnesota  and by accident, a crate containing the bird falls in front of the home of a young girl named Linda.

Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann, “Knocked Up”, “17 Again”, “The Cable Guy”) would eventually grow up along with her blue macaw named Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, “The Social Network”, “Zombieland”, “Adventureland”).

Linda has always protected Blu but one day, while working at a book store, a Brazilian ornithologist Tulio Monteiro (voiced by Rodrigo Santoro, “300″, “Che”) comes and tells Linda that he needs her help and explains that Blu must be taken back to Rio because it appears his species is nearly extinct and needs Blu to mate with another Macaw in order to preserve the species.

At first Linda is against it but she knows that for the better good of Blu’s species, going to Rio may be a good thing.  And sure enough, Linda and Blu along with Tulio pack their bags and go to Rio.

While visiting the aviary, Rio makes friends with a cardinal named Pedro (voiced by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am) and a yellow canary named Nico (voiced by Jamie Foxx, “Collateral”, “Ray”, “Dreamgirls”).  He also meets the macaw that he is to mate with, a light blue macaw named Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway).

At first Blu, thinks that he is to mate with Jewel but Jewel needs Blu to help them escape from the aviary and go back to the wilderness.    But the two end up fighting, while Linda and Tulio think the birds are actually planning to mate.

But what they don’t know is that here is a boy named Fernando (voiced by Jake T. Austin, “Wizards of Waverly Place”, “Hotel for Dogs”) and his Cockatoo named Nigel (voiced by Jemaine Clement) are working for a group of smugglers led by Marcel (voiced by Carlos Ponce), a once popular performer on TV who has vowed to capture and smuggle exotic birds because he was replaced by a parakeet on the program.

But fortunately, both Blu and Jewel are able to flee from the smugglers and end up in a jungle where they meet a toucan named Rafael (voiced by George Lopez, “George Lopez”, “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”).

Meanwhile, Fernando, the boy who stole Blu and Jewel, after being cheated of the profits he was expecting to get from Marcel, he regrets what he has done and goes to Tulio and Linda and wants to help them find the birds.

As Blu and Jewel spend time with Rafael, Rafael teaches Blu how to fly and also how to survive in the jungle, meanwhile Marcel sends out Nigel, the evil cockatoo to do what it takes to capture the macaws and so Nigel has hired mamoset thieves to capture Blu and Jewel.

Will Blu and Jewel be safe in the jungle and will Linda and Tulio find Blu and Jewel in time before Marcel and crew get their hands on them?

VIDEO:

“Rio” is presented in 1080p High Definition and is presented in widescreen (2:40:1).  As one would expect from a film that takes place in the jungle and many colorful birds being featured throughout the film, “Rio” looks absolutely vibrant on Blu-ray.  Colors galore!  Wonderful detail on the feathers and beaks of the birds, backgrounds and details of rocks to the buildings and even the interiors of the homes look great.

If there is one word to describe the picture quality of the film, that word would be “colorful”.  Expect to see many colors pop throughout the film and for the most part, be content with its awesome picture quality!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Rio” is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English descriptive audio 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and French 5.1 Dolby Digital.

The film contains a lot of ambient noises that sound fantastic coming through the surround channels.  It’s one thing to have samba musical sequences that sound crystal clear and lively coming from your home theater as there is good use of instruments from surround channels.  Front and center channels showcasing the dialogue and music is also crystal clear.

But the film does showcasing excellent ambiance and overall “Rio” has a pretty solid lossless soundtrack!

Subtitles are in English SDH and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Rio” comes with the following special features:

• Angry Birds Rio Trailer - (1:25) Trailer for “Angry Birds Rio”.
  
• Angry Birds Rio: Nigel Mashup – (2:17) A video featuring Nigel holding the Angry Birds captive.
• Angry Birds: Exclusive Clue Video – (:29) Featuring a video on how people can obtain things online via a code.
• Deleted Scene – Fruit Stand – (1:30) A deleted scene (via sketches) with the voice acting.
• Explore the World of Rio – An interactive tour of Rio (featuring sights and sounds).
• Saving the Species: One Voice at a Time – (24:49) A featurette on the voice acting fr the film, featuring interviews with the cast and behind-the-scenes look at them recording those scenes.
• The Real Rio – (9:31) A featurette on how the filmmakers toured Rio as research for the film and the things they got from visiting Rio.
• The Making of Hot Wings – (8:02) A featurette on Will.i.am and Jamie Foxx recording their scenes for “Rio”.
• Boom Boom Tish Tish: The Sound of Brazil – (13:30) Featuring interviews with Diretor Carlos Saldanha, film crew and also with Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown.
• Carnival Dance-o-Rama – Dance lessons courtesy of the characters from Rio.
• Welcome to Rio Music Video – (1:37) A music video welcoming people to “Rio”.
• Rio de JAM-eiro Jukebox – (8:34) Featuring easy access to the musical sequences from “Rio”.
• Taio Cruz – Telling the World Music Video – (1:55) A short music video featuring Taio Cruz.
• Postcards from Rio – Create your own custom Rio postcard.
• Theatrical trailer – (2:26) Featuring the theatrical trailer for “Rio”.

EXTRAS:

“Rio” comes with a slipcover case but also flyers to access the Rio “Coloring with Blu” app and a secret clue for one to unlock 15 new Rio levels on “Angry Birds Rio” via iPhone, iPad or Android.  “Rio” on Blu-ray also comes with a DVD and Digital Copy edition of the film.

There was no doubt in my mind when news broke out that Twentieth Century Fox would be collaborating with Rovio for “Rio” that the film would be successful.

It hasn’t really been done before but its a true testament how the games “Angry Birds” on iPhones, Android cell phones and iPads have captured so many people’s attention.  My family is absolutely addicted to the game and even to this day, they continue to play “Angry Birds”, “Angry Birds Seasons” and “Angry Birds Rio”.

And for my son and my nephew, because of the tie-in with Angry Birds, before “Rio” was shown in theaters, it’s all they talked about.  They had to see “Rio” and they had to play “Angry Birds Rio”.

So, the collaboration between Twentieth Century Fox and Rovio was fantastic and it’s one thing to say that because the film is from the creators of “Ice Age” that the film would be a success but lately, animated films are becoming much more competitive and even the big studios have had significant misses as of late for films that they would have expected to be a blockbuster hit.

The thing is that with today’s economy and the many animated films that are available, the animated films need some major marketing push beyond fast food “Kids Meals” and the fact that “Angry Birds Rio” is still at this time a continuing game that introduces new gameplay and levels every few months, “Angry Birds Rio” is here to stay for now.

So, it was no surprise that “Rio” did succeed in the box office, it was an incredible collaboration.

And sure enough, Twentieth Fox and Rovio has done it once again for this Blu-ray release.  Not only do you get the Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy, there is also “Angry Birds” content and also a code to get 15 new levels for “Angry Birds Rio”.  In fact, prior to my reviewing this Blu-ray release, once the title came up and Angry Birds was shown on the menu, my son and nephew went crazy and wanted to see all the “Angry Birds” content first.

So, once again, good timing on both companies parts of collaborating once again to grab that “Angry Birds” demographic.

With that being said, the animated film was definitely fun!  Jesse Eisenberg did a great job at providing the voice of the awkward Blu and Anne Hathaway is just a wonderful actress period and she does a great job voicing the role of Jewel.  And you also get quite a bit of talent participating in this film such as George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Will.i.am, Wanda Sykes, Jane Lynch, Leslie Mann, Jake T. Austin, etc.

The story is fun and enjoyable, colorful and vibrant on Blu-ray.  Also, the audio is wonderful with the music and the use of the ambiance of the environment of the jungle and Rio.

And as for special features, there is a good number of them on Blu-ray but while they are not necessarily long, the addition of the “Angry Birds Rio” extra levels is a significant plus for the millions of hardcore fans of the game.  So, it gives people an extra incentive to purchase this Blu-ray release.

Overall, “Rio” is a highly enjoyable, family fun animated film!  The Blu-ray release is absolutely jam-packed and “Angry Birds Rio” fans are definitely going to want to pick up “Rio” on Blu-ray.

Definitely recommended!

 

 

 

Mars Needs Moms: 2-Disc Combo Pack Edition (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Review)

A sci-fi, action adventure Disney animated film that can be enjoyed by the whole family!  “Mars Needs Moms” also will satisfy Blu-ray fans with its awesome PQ and immersive AQ.  Recommended!

Images courtesy of ©2011 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Mars Needs Moms

FILM RELEASE DATE: 2011

DURATION: 98 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (widescreen 2:40:1), English 7.1 DTS-HD MA (48 kHz/24-Bit), English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital,  French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish

RATED: PG (For Sci-Fi Action and Peril)

COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

RELEASE DATE: August 2, 2011

Directed by Simon Wells

Screenplay by Simon Wells, Wendy Wells

Based on the book by Berkeley Breathed

Produced by Steven J. Boyd, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis

Associate Producer: Ryan Chan

Line Producer: Peter M. Tobyansen

Music by John Powell

Cinematography by Robert PResley

Edited by Wayne Wahrman

Production Design by Doug Chiang

Art Direction by Brian Flora, Norman Newberry, Mike Stassi

Featuring the voices of:

Seth Green as Milo

Dan Fogler as Gribble

Joan Cusack as Mom

Elisabeth Harnois as Ki

Mindy Sterling as Supervisor

Kevin Cahoon as Wingnut

Tom Everett Scott as Dad

Take out the trash, eat your broccoli — who needs moms anyway? Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. In a race against time and oxygen, his quest to save her knows no bounds. And with some unexpected help, Milo just might find his way back to her — in more ways than one.

Simon Wells is known for his storyboard art work for “Shrek 2″, “Antz”, “Madagascar”, as well as directing animated films such as “An Americna Tail: Fievel Goes West” and “The Time Machine”.

This time around, Wells joins filmmaker/producer Robert Zemeckis (“Back to the Future” films, “The Polar Express”, “The Monster House”, “Beowulf”) for the animated film “Mars Needs Moms”.  A film based on the book of the same title by Berkeley Breathed.

“Mars Needs Moms” begins with an alien race observing a mother and her son.

The film revolves around a nine-year-old boy named Milo (motion capture by Seth Green, voice-over by Seth Dusky) who is beginning summer vacation.  Hoping his father would return back from his business trip, unfortunately due to weather his father won’t be able to come back in time.

For Milo, he is tired of his mother (voiced by Joan Cusack, “Working Girl”, “Say Anything”, “Toy Story” films) telling him to clean his mess and take out the trash.  His mom tells him that he can watch a movie on pay-per-view if he eats all his broccoli, unfortunately Milo tries to feed it to the cat and the cat gets sick.

Upset that Milo didn’t eat his food, she tells him to go to bed.  When she goes to check on him, he’s jumping on his bed and it leads to an argument between mother and son and Milo telling his mother that he wishes that he never had a mom.

Shocked by what he said, Milo’s mother sheds a tear and for Milo, he knows he hurt her feelings.  Unable to sleep, Milo goes to apologize to his mother but to find out that she has been abducted by aliens.  He goes to her aid and tries to save her but she is brought inside the spacecraft.  As Milo bangs on the UFO, Milo’s hoodie gets caught in its hydraulic legs and Milo is brought into the spacecraft when the legs are brought back in.

The aliens arrive back to their planet and realize that they have a stowaway.  They try to shoot at Milo but with advice from a voice (that speaks English), Milo jumps into a chute and lands into a landfill where he encounters aliens.

He tries to communicate with them to no avail.  But he is instantly whisked away to an area by another human named Gribble (voiced by Dan Fogler, “Take Me Home Tonight”, “Kung Fu Panda”, “Horton Hears a Who?”).

Gribbe explains that Milo is in Mars and everyone above the planet are female while those in the trash sites are all male.

Gribble explains to Milo that his mother was taken because of her mothering skills.  The aliens try to take her memories and install them to robots who are responsible for taking care of the babies (which are born from the ground).  As for what happens to the mother, he doesn’t want to tell Milo the truth that she would be killed in the process.

As he explains to Milo that if he wants to save her, he has less than six hours to do so.  And as Milo leaves to rescue his mom, Gribble expects that Milo will not have any success and that he will rescue him and have a real human friend on Mars.

So, Milo disguises himself as an alien under Gribbles instructions (and also gives him a translator so he can understand what the aliens are saying).  As he walks around with the other alien military units, he sees a colorful picture of flowers.  Gribble explains to him that someone has been spraying graffiti in various areas and the rule of the planet, known as the “Supervisor” is after whoever is responsible for it.  Gribble also explains to Milo that the Supervisor is not to be messed with.

As Milo tries to go up and find the area where his mom is taken, the aliens catch on to his plan and he is pursued.  Through a bug planted on Milo, they are able to find out that he is communicating with Gribble and capture him.  Meanwhile, as Milo runs from the military, he is rescued by the alien named Ki (voiced by Elisabeth Harnois), who is responsible for spray painting flowers everywhere.

She is an alien who works for the supervisor.  And one day Ki discovered a video from the late ’60s of hippies and flower power that she is amused by it and has made it her goal to paint flowers everywhere.

As Ki tries to protect Milo from trouble but also knowing she has to get back to work, the two split ways and Milo goes back to search for Gribble at his living area.  Unfortunately it has been destroyed and as for Gribble, all that is left is his possession and what Milo finds is a t-shirt with a picture of Gribble (with his name George Ribble and his mother).

Milo figures that Gribble was like him and lost his mother and now Milo will do what he can to help his mother and Gribble escape.

But as Milo is able to save Gribble with quick thinking, both of them are now being pursued by the aliens.  Gribble then tells Milo the truth of the day his mother was captured and killed.  Determined to not let Milo’s mother die, Gribble agrees to help him…but they also get help from Ki (who is now wanted for helping Milo and Gribble escape).

As Ki spends time with both Gribble and Milo, Ki starts to fall for Gribble (especially how she loves how he turns red when he talks to her) but also to discover a rock formation of pictures of her alien race taking care of children.  For Ki, this is a shock because they were raised by believing that robots raise the children on Mars but if the picture is true, that means the Supervisor has been lying to all of her fellow species all this time.

So, now the three join forces in trying to rescue Milo’s mother.  But can they do it in time?

VIDEO:

“Mars Needs Moms” is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:40:1).  The film looks absolutely great in HD.  With the animation process that Robert Zemeckis used for “Polar Express”, he tries to bring that realism to “Mars Needs Moms”. There is great detail on the facial expressions, especially how the talent were motion-captured.  There is a sense of realism with the characters and I absolute love the CG detail for not only the characters but their surroundings.  And the detail really does show on Blu-ray.

Because the film takes place on Mars, there is a good number of scenes that showcase fire, many reds, oranges and browns and for the most part, these vibrant colors really pop.  There is a lot of detail when it comes to the metallic parts, the gears, the weapons, the spacecraft,  computer displays, etc.

But I know that for many people, the main contention of the CG animation is the overall look of the characters.  For one, “Mars Needs Moms” follows up the style that Zemeckis did with “The Polar Express” and that is CG animation with realism.  Disney is know for its Pixar films and there is a difference when it comes to their style of films.

Personally, I enjoyed the look of Zemeckis’ “The Polar Express” and even “The Monster House”, especially how the technology was used on “Beowulf”.  But for a children’s film, the look might be too creepy.

I showed it to my son and to me, he wasn’t bothered by it.  He actually enjoyed the film , so I know critics have tried to come up with reasons of why the film didn’t perform well in the box office and some point towards the animation but I personally don’t think the animation was the problem.

If anything, the CG looks great on Blu-ray and those who didn’t watch the film in theaters, will definitely enjoy it in HD!

As for teh DVD, the DVD is presented in widescreen (2:40:1 aspect ratio) – enhanced for 16×9 televisions.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Mars Needs Moms” is presented in English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz/24-bit) and English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital.

The lossless soundtrack for “Mars Needs Moms” is fantastic!  From the blasts of the spacecraft, the sounds of Milo falling in the trash heap, the laser blasts to the sounds of the oxygen mask shattering, there is a good amount of surround sound usage in this film but also how there is slight echoes to the dialogue of characters depending on the rooms that they are at.

So, while there is crystal clear dialogue and music coming from the front and center channels, the surround and rear surround channels are used very well throughout the film.  I was absolutely pleased by the lossless soundtrack.

As for the DVD version, the DVD is presented in English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital.

Subtitles are in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Mars Needs Moms: 2-Disc Combo Pack Edition” comes with the following special features:

• Fun with Seth – (2:28) How Seth Green made things much more fun for the cast and crew behind-the-scenes.
• Martian 101 – (2:51) Developing the alien language for “Mars Needs Moms”.
• Deleted Scenes with Simon Wells introductions – (28:51) Featuring the extended opening and deleted scenes.  Featuring the Full Motion-Capture experience.  Behind the scenes footage of the actors‘ performances are captured. 7 deleted scenes of which four are exclusive to the Blu-ray 2D release. Some cool scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. Now you can see them with introductions by director Simon Wells.

EASTER EGG:

Highlight “Fun with Seth” in Special Features and press up and you will see a panel show flowers.  Click and you will access the “Flower Power” easter egg.

• “Flower Power” Easter Egg – (:51) the name of the show that Ki watched and learned English from.

EXTRAS:

“Mars Needs Moms: 2-Disc Combo Pack Edition” comes with a Blu-ray and DVD version of the film and special features.  Also, included is a slipcover case.

A fantastic family film with a good amount of action and adventure. “Mars Needs Moms: 2-Disc Combo Pack Edition” is absolutely wonderful on Blu-ray!

“Mars Needs Moms” despite its title that may make children think this is a film for daughters, the film is definitely for children who love action and adventure, and also add sci-fi to the mix!  The film was much more than I expected and watching it together with 8-year-old, we both enjoyed the film from beginning to end.

Of course, I am aware of how the film did terribly in the box office.  As many critics have pointed the finger towards Zemeckis’ and his use of the CG technology of realism not being for the children.  The fact is that many children’s films tend to have featured on animals and or objects, Zemeckis’ films use actual beings and tries to interject realism to those characters.

We have seen the efficacy of films such as “The Polar Express” and “Monster House” and while not following the typical Disney formula of human characters that lack realism or not using animals or objects as its main characters, “Mars Needs Moms” in my opinion is not the animation that was at fault. Granted, some people may find the realism creepy, I didn’t, my son didn’t and I just don’t think that the animation was at fault.

I personally feel that the title had something to do with it.  Call it something else without “Moms” in the title or focus on the adventures that are taking place in Mars and it gives young kids a different idea of what the film is about.  Heck, call it “Space Adventures in Mars” and that would probably get children all excited.

“Mars Needs Moms” will definitely be an eye-opener for parents as we see the mom and child arguments (more like, children not wanting to listen and are being a bit more rebellious at the age of 8-years and older) and just that opening sequence alone shows you the mindset of children and children probably will not want a title with “moms”, they may love their moms but as these kids grow older, the less they will publicly acknowledge it and probably will not want to be seen in a public theater watching a film about rescuing mom.

The title also gives a feeling that the film is maybe for young little girls when in fact the film can be enjoyed by any child and families but not limited to a certain demographic.  So, it makes me wonder if the title was even tested with children to see what their reactions are.  Sure, we know that children love their moms but children at that age are also trying to be defiant and rebellious towards their moms as well.

Regardless of what transpired in the box office, I do feel that this film can have new life on video.  The story is fun, the Blu-ray of “Mars Needs Moms” is absolutely gorgeous. There is a lot of detail, vibrant colors and for Disney Blu-ray fans, they know what to expect and that is quality when it comes to picture quality.  And for audio, once again…fantastic!  7.0 DTS-HD MA lossless soundtrack and you get an immersive soundscape.  Wonderful audio quality and once again, fans with a home theater system will definitely enjoy this Blu-ray release!

I do feel that Disney went a little lax on the special features.  Aside from deleted scenes, the other two features are only two minutes long.  An audio commentary would have been nice or even a gag reel.

With the Blu-ray release, you have two choices.  One is a 2-Disc Combo Pack with the Blu-ray and DVD and then there is the 4-disc combo pack which those with a 3D-enabled television and Blu-ray player can enjoy the film in 3D and also get the regular Blu-ray, DVD and also digital copy of the film.  It’s important to note that the 4-disc version also has a special exclusive feature in 3D.

Overall, “Mars Needs Moms” was a lot better than I expected.  In fact, as a parent of a child who is also starting to back-talk with his mother, not eat his broccoli and also complaining about chores, I watched my son’s reaction to the film, especially during its most emotional moment.  But realizing that while the film has plenty of action and adventure to keep children interested in the film, there is also a message for the children to also respect their mother.

It’s a situation I’m sure many mothers and their young children go through but I was glad to see how that message of mother/child bond was integrated into the film.

While “Mars Needs Mom” may not have the typical Disney look for its CG animation, I still feel it was an enjoyable sci-fi, adventure family film.  I’m not saying its perfect, nor is it great but it is enjoyable, fun and a family film that parents and children can enjoy together.

Recommended!

 

Jumping the Broom (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

Enjoyable from beginning to end. “Jumping the Broom” is an absolutely gorgeous film that has a good balance of comedy and drama.  While it does have some side storylines that seemed as it was forceably thrown into the screenplay, the main storyline between the couple and their relationship to their mothers was well written.  Overall, a fun and beautiful film worth watching.

Images courtesy of © 2011 Stage 6 Films, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Jumping the Broom

FILM RELEASE DATE: 2011

DURATION: 112 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (widescreen 1:78:1), English, French 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English – Audio Description Track 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English, English SDH and French

RATED: PG-13 (For Some Sexual Content)

COMPANY: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2011

Directed by Salim Akil

Screenplay by Elizabeth Hunter and Arlene Gibbs

Story by Elizabeth Hunter

Produced by Tracey E. Edmonds, Elizabeth Hunter, T.D. Jakes, Michael Mahoney, Glendon Palmer, Curtis Wallace

Music by Ed Shearmur

Cinematography by Anastas N. Michos

Edited by Terilyn A. Shropshire

Casting by Twinkie Byrd

Production Design by Doug McCullough

Set Decoration by Brian Enman

Costume Design by Martha Curry

Starring:

Angela Bassett as Mrs. Watson

Paula Patton as Sabrina Watson

Laz Alonso as Jason Taylor

Loretta Devine as Mrs. Taylor

Meagan Good as Blythe

Tasha Smith as Shonda

Julie Bowen as Amy

DeRay Davis as Malcolm

Valarie Pettiford as Aunt Geneva

Mike Epps as Willie Earl

Pooch Hall as Ricky

Romeo as Sebastian

Brian Stokes Mitchell as Mr. Watson

Gary Dourdan as Chef

T.D. Jakes as Reverend James

El DeBarge as Singer

Tenika Davis as Lauren

Producers T. D. Jakes and Tracey E. Edmonds invite you to the marriage of Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton, Precious ) and Jason Taylor (Laz Alonso, Fast & Furious), who just might be the perfect couple. Unfortunately, their families are a perfect recipe for disaster. Mrs. Watson (Angela Bassett) has an upper-crust sensibility that matches her family’s Martha’s Vineyard estate, where Jason’s straight-out-of-Brooklyn mom (Loretta Devine) seems utterly out of place. When the families gather for Jason and Sabrina’s wedding, it becomes clear that each side has its traditions… and its secrets. When uptown meets downtown, the truth comes out – and only one question remains. Will this couple endure the hysterical and harrowing trials of love and finally jump the broom?

From filmmaker Salim Akil (known for directing TV episodes for “The Game” and “Girlfriends”) comes the film “Jumping the Broom” written by Elizabeth Hunter (writer for episodes of “ER” and “The Fighting Temptations”) and Arlene Gibbs (producer of “Traitor”).

The film is based on a cultural tradition used in other countries but also was used for American-Americans during a time when slaves were not allowed to have official marriages and so, to practice the union of a couple, in their own unofficial wedding ceremonies, the couple would jump a broom and the broom would be passed down from generation to generation.

The film was released in theaters on Mother’s Day 2011 and the film which was budgeted at $7 million, earned over $37 million in the box office and now the Blu-ray and DVD release will be available courtesy of Sony Pictures and Home Entertainment on Aug. 2, 2011.

The story of “Jumping the Broom” focuses on Sabrina Watson (played by Paula Patton, “Precious”, “Deja Vu”, “Hitch”), a young woman who gets into one night stands with men who she hopes to be with forever but find out they are taken.

So, she makes a prayer to God that if she stops having sex, can God please bring her a real man that she can love and will love her.

One day while putting on her makeup in traffic, preoccupied with what she is doing, she accidentally hits a pedestrian named Jason Taylor (played by Laz Alonso, “Miracle at St. Anna”, “Fast & Furious”, “Avatar”) and sure enough, the two fall in love.

Six months later, Sabrina is being transferred to China but she doesn’t want to end her relationship with Jason and expecting him to break up with her, he doesn’t…he loves her and the two decide to get married. And will marry at her family’s place at Martha’s Vineyard.

The two have not met each other’s parents and we get to learn that with Sabrina, she is from a wealthy family with her mother (played by Angela Bassett, “Malcolm X”, “Boyz N the Hood”, “Green Lantern”) and businessman father (played by Brian Stokes Mitchell) are a bit surprised that she is getting married without getting to know his family.

Meanwhile, for Jason, his mother (played by Loretta Devine, “Boston Public”, “Crash”, “I Am Sam”) is a hardworking person at the postal service who works to get by but lives her life for her son.  And pretty much Jason is a bonafide “mama’s boy”.  And she is even more upset that Sabrina is taking her son away from him.

Sure enough, Jason takes his mom, his Uncle Willie (played by Mike Epps), his mom’s friend Shonda (played by Tasha Smith) and his cousin Malcolm (played by DeRay Davis) and a few others to Martha’s Vineyard to prepare for the wedding.

Immediately, both Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Watson do not like each other as they come from different status.

To make things worse, Mrs. Taylor expects her son and his bride-to-be to carry on the “Jumping of the Broom” tradition but Sabrina tells her future mother-in-law that she and Jason plan to do their own ceremony.

As tension start to increase between both sides of the family, will Sabrina and Jason get married or will their families destroy their wedding?

VIDEO:

“Jumping the Moon” looks absolutely gorgeous on Blu-ray.  Presented in 1080p High-Definition (1:78:1), Anastas Michos does a wonderful job of capturing the beauty around Martha’s vineyard with its blue skies and earth tones.  Also, good planning for costume design to focus on white clothing, tans and dark blues as the colors do look beautiful against the serene and gorgeous environment.

Outdoor scenes are vibrant, but also during indoor scenes, skin tones are natural, black levels are nice and deep and for the most part, I detected no problems with picture quality. This is a gorgeous film and it really increased my appreciation for the film because of its presentation and beauty.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Jumping the Broom” is presented in English and French 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English-Audio Description Track 5.1 Dolby Digital.  The lossless audio features crystal clear dialog as well as music.  While, surround channels are mainly used for ambiance and music, its front and center-channel driven  is appropriate for this type of film.

Subtitles are in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Jumping the Broom” comes with the following special features:

• Director and Cast Commentary – Featuring audio commentary by Director Salim Akil, actress Paula Patton and actor Laz Alonso.  Akil gives good in-depth information of various scenes and what he wanted to accomplish and more.
• You’re Invited: Behind-the-Scenes – (23:41) Behind-the-scenes of “Jumping the Broom”.  Cast talk about various scenes and their characters.
• Honoring the Tradition of Jumping the Broom – (8:47) The cast and crew talk about the tradition of “Jumping the Broom” and also asking the talent if they have ever witnessed one at a wedding before.

“Jumping the Broom” is a beautiful film with a good touch of drama and comedy but at the same time, there were other storylines that were incorporated to the overall film that were unnecessary.

First the good, I absolutely loved the cinematography by Anastas N. Michos (“Mona Lisa Smile”, “Man on the Moon”, “Untraceable”).   From the costume design to how warm the colors were when the family were outdoors at Martha’s Vineyard was well-done and in my opinion, helped enhance my enjoyment of the film.

As for the performances, as a fan of Angela Bassett including Loretta Devine, it was great to see these two women playing the very different mothers.  Bassett has played the stern but loving mother before and Loretta Devine has had this sassy character that she has played not just on film on television and it works on film.  Paula Patton was absolutely delightful onscreen.  She was able to deliver the naive but sensual character of Sabrina and also helped elevate Laz Alonso’s role as Jason Taylor.

Another aspect that I absolutely enjoyed about the film was the “Jumping on the Broom”, while not limited to African American culture, it was good to hear of how this tradition held by African-American families for generations has been integrated to the film.

As for the actual story, I did enjoy “Jumping the Broom” but it does have its fair share of problems.

The screenplay tries to integrate a few side storylines of varying characters for no apparent reason.  Storylines that felt as if they were thrown into the story because of the talent that were featured or to increase the duration of the film.

For example, we have DeRay Davis’ character of Malcolm who plays the best man and cousin of the groom.  And somehow, they end up getting into a squabble at the wedding and sure, audiences will know the two have friction but the overall execution was not handled well.

There is no closure between the problems that Jason and Malcolm as things end up with one of them being slugged and somehow, that storyline is forgotten.  A few seconds of closure featuring an apology could have given closure.

Also, the storyline tries to incorporate a forced relationship scene between Sabrina’s friend Blythe (played by Megan Good) and the Chef (played by CSI’s Gary Dourdan).  The relationship has no purpose in the film and it felt as if the writer was trying to showcase several relationships happening outside of the main couple and their parents.  All it did was take away from the film and served no purpose.

And then there is Julie Bowen’s (“Modern Family”, “Ed”, “Happy Gilmore”) character of Amy, who is pretty much the assistant for Sabrina’s mother and who appears as flustered as the family due to the multi-tasking before the wedding day. I guess in some way, it’s an interesting juxtaposition of films with a white family have African-American servants, and to have the opposite with a an African-American family with a Caucasian servant.   Bowen does provide some laughs during the film but also some scenes seemed unnecessary as well.

So, the film does have its positives and some negatives.  And while a predictable film, it does have the banality of many wedding films that do have a happy ending.  And for a wedding film, I found “Jumping the Broom” to be an enjoyable film that shows that there is no perfection when it comes to families, rich or poor and that typically, when it comes to weddings, there has to be some compromise.

As for the Blu-ray release, the film is definitely gorgeous on Blu-ray and while the film is pretty much dialogue-driven (and some parts with music), I did enjoy listening to the commentary and also the special feature about the tradition of “Jumping the Broom”.

Overall, if you are looking for a fun, wedding film with a good balance of comedy and drama, definitely give “Jumping the Broom” a try!

 

Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart and Billboard 200 Album Chart (Top 10 Singles and Albums in the USA): LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock takes the #1 spot for singles and Adele takes the #1 spot on the album charts (Issue Date: August 6, 2011)

The following are the top 10 songs in the United States from the Billboard Hot 100 Music Charts:

NOTE: LMFAO takes the #1 spot, Katy Perry at #2, Pitbull takes #3.

1. LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock – Party Rock Anthem
2. Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
3. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, AfroJack & Nayer – Give Me Everything
4. Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
5. Adele – Rolling in the Deep
6. Lil Wayne – How to Love
7. Hot Chelle Rae – Tonight Tonight
8. Lady Gaga – The Edge of Glory
9. OneRepublic – Good Life
10. Bad Meets Evil Featuring Bruno Mars – Lighters

The following are the top 10 albums in America from the Billboard 200 Album Charts:

NOTE: Adele moves back up to #1, Kidz Bop 20 takes #2 and 3 Doors Down at #3.

1. Adele – 21
2. Kidz Bop Kids – Kidz Bop 20
3. 3 Doors Down – Time of My Life
4. Beyonce -4
5. DJ Khaled – We the Best Forever
6. 311 – Universal Pulse
7. Jason Aldean – My Kinda Party
8. Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
9. Selena Gomez & the Scene – When the Sun Goe sDown
10. Bad Meets Evil – Hell: The Sequel

 

J!-ENT Special Pictorial – Anime Expo 2011 by Gilbert “Realm” Aquino (J!-ENT Pictorial)

July has been a busy month for event coverage and earlier in July, during Fourth of July weekend, we attended Anime Expo 2011 in Los Angeles.   An event that covered everything related to Japanese pop culture and many people cosplaying as their favorite characters.

For our J!-ENT photographer Gilbert “Realm” Aquino, he was there to cover the event.  Here is our J!-ENT pictorial of Anime Expo 2011 and coming up soon, is Gilbert’s special pictorial from San Diego Comic-Con.

 

Disque En France Music Charts (Top 10 Singles & Albums in France): Collectif Metisse takes the #1 spot for singles and Adele takes the #1 spot for albums (July 24, 2011)

The following top 10 charts are from Disque En France Singles Charts:

NOTE: Collectif Metisse takes the #2 spot,  Mylene Farmer takes the #2 spot,and M. Pokora takes #3.

1. Collectif Metisse – Laisse tomber tes problemes
2. Mylene Farmer – Lonely Lisa
3. M. Pokora – A nos actes manques
4. Pitbull – Give me everything
5. Shakira – Rabiosa
6. David Guetta – Where them girls at (feat. Nicki Minaj and flo rida)
7. Magic System – Cherie Coco
8. Britney Spears – Till the World Ends
9. Rene La Taupe – Ou la la
10. Snoop Dogg – Sweat (snoop dogg vs. david guetta remix)

The following top 10 charts are from Disque En France Album Charts:

NOTE: Adele takes the #1 spot, Les Marins Diroise takes #2 and the Black Eyed Peas at #3.

1. Adele – 21
2. Les Marins Diroise – Les Marins Diroise
3. The Black Eyed Peas- The Beginning
4. Zaz – Zaz
5. Colonel Reyel – Au Rapport
6. Les Pretres – Spiritus dei
7. Nolwenn Leroy – Bretonne
8. Keen V – Carpe Diem
9. Jean-Louis  Aubert – Roc eclair
10. Shakira – Sale el sol

 

EXPERIENCE THE COEN BROTHERS’ CULTURAL PHENOMENON “The Big Lebowski” STARRING JEFF BRIDGES NOW ON BLU-RAY™ FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! THE BIG LEBOWSKI LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY

“The Most Worshipped Comedy of Its Generation” – Rolling Stone

Own the Limited Edition Blu-ray™ Featuring All-New Bonus Features,
a Digital Copy of the Film and Collectible Hardcover Book Packaging

Bowling, nihilists, a stolen rug and the occasional acid flashback have never been funnier when one of the most popular cult classics in history, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition, debuts on Blu-ray™ August 16, 2011 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. From the Oscar®-winning Coen Brothers (True Grit, Fargo) and starring Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (True Grit, Crazy Heart), this acclaimed comedy has been newly remastered in high definition to provide longtime fans and first-time viewers alike with the ultimate Lebowski experience.

Available for a limited time with an all-new 28-page companion book featuring an exclusive interview with Jeff Dowd – the real-life inspiration for The Dude – Jeff Bridges’ personal, on-set photography, a film timeline, trivia and much more, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™ is a must-own addition to any collection. In addition to all-new features exclusive to the Blu-ray™ release, The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™ also offers a digital copy of the film that can be viewed anywhere at any time on the consumers’ choice of devices including laptops, tablets, smartphones as well as Internet-connected TVs and set-top boxes.

“Since its creation by Ethan and Joel Coen in 1998, The Big Lebowski has transformed from a fan favorite into one of Hollywood’s most celebrated cultural phenomenons,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “This spectacular new Limited Edition Blu-ray™ combines the most extensive behind-the-scenes materials to date with the latest Blu-ray™ technology, giving devoted fans and newcomers alike a chance to experience the brilliant all-star cast, outrageous storyline and unforgettable quotes like never before.”

Its now iconic characters and instantly recognizable dialogue have made The Big Lebowski “the number-one cult film of all time,” according to The Boston Globe. Since its release, the Coen Brothers’ affectionately addled riff on film noir has snowballed in popularity, becoming “an undeniable pop-cult force” and even, for many, “a way of life,” in the words of the Los Angeles Times. “A masterpiece of anti-storytelling” according to Entertainment Weekly, The Big Lebowski has become a cultural touchstone for fans around the world.

Starring Bridges as the film’s delightfully unlikely hero, “The Dude,” the hilariously twisted comedy thriller also features unforgettable performances by an all-star cast including Golden Globe® winner John Goodman (“Roseanne”), four-time Oscar® nominee Julianne Moore (The Kids are Alright), Golden Globe® winner Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), Oscar® winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt) and Golden Globe® nominee John Turturro (O Brother, Where Art Thou?).

BLU-RAYTM EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES:
· U-CONTROL: Universal’s exclusive feature that lets the viewer access bonus materials without leaving the movie!
o Scene Companion: Watch cast and crew interviews, behind the scenes footage and more during key scenes with this picture-in-picture companion.
o Mark it Dude: This onscreen counter really ties the film together. Keep track of all the “F-Bombs,” “Dudes,” and “Dude-isms” in the film with this ultimate fan guide.
o The Music of The Big Lebowski: Instantly identify the songs heard while watching the film, create a custom playlist of your favorites and even purchase them from iTunes®!
· WORTHY ADVERSARIES: WHAT’S MY LINE TRIVIA: Test your Lebowski knowledge by finishing lines of dialogue during the film. Play as Walter or The Dude or in two-player mode against friends.
· BD-LIVETM: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to watch the latest trailers and more.
· pocket BLU™: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android™, PC and Macintosh to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Also available on the iPad™, owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablet’s larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:
o Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
o Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
o Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
o Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
o Keyboard: Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.
· uHEAR™: Never miss another line of dialogue with this innovative feature that instantly skips back a few seconds on your Blu-ray™ disc and turns on the subtitles to highlight what you missed.

ADDITIONAL BONUS FEATURES:
· JEFF BRIDGES PHOTO BOOK: For more than 30 years, Jeff Bridges has been snapping pictures on movie sets. The accomplished photographer presents exclusive shots taken on the set of The Big Lebowski providing personal commentary on each photo.
· THE DUDE’S LIFE: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro take a look back at their performances and their delivery of the Coen Brothers’ dialogue that became classic movie lines.
· THE DUDE ABIDES: THE BIG LEBOWSKI TEN YEARS LATER: A freewheeling conversation with the cast about the film’s decade-long reign as a cult classic, including a discussion about what ever happened to the “little Lebowski” that the Dude and Maude made that fateful night!
· THE LEBOWSKI FEST: AN ACHIEVER’S STORY: An in-depth look at the popular Lebowski Festival, formed by the legion of fans in honor of the film.
· FLYING CARPETS & BOWLING PIN DREAMS: THE DREAM SEQUENCES OF
THE DUDE: From aerial flights over Los Angeles with his bowling ball chasing Maude on a flying carpet, to the large scale “Busby Berkley” dance sequences as The Dude goes flying through the legs of all the bowling pin headed dancers, this piece examines how these “ahead of their time” scenes were constructed.
· THE MAKING OF THE BIG LEBOWSKI: A behind the scenes look featuring interviews with the Coen Brothers.
· PHOTO GALLERY: Slideshow of Jeff Bridges’ on-set photography.
· INTERACTIVE MAP: Take a tour of the locations of The Big Lebowski, then and now.
· AN INTRODUCTION: Featuring Mortimer Young, a practitioner of “non-uptight” film preservation. His restoration of the famous “toe scene” will blow your mind.

SYNOPSIS:
From the Academy Award®-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named…The Dude. Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski doesn’t want any drama in his life…heck, he can’t even be bothered with a job. But, he must embark on a quest with his bowling buddies after his rug is destroyed in a twisted case of mistaken identity. Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Turturro, experience the cultural phenomenon of The Dude in the “#1 cult film of all time!” (The Boston Globe)

CAST AND FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro
Directed By: Joel Coen
Written By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Executive Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Producer: Ethan Coen
Co-Producer: John Cameron
Director of Photography: Roger Deakins
Production Designer: Rick Heinrichs
Edited By: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tricia Cooke
Casting By: John S. Lyons
Costume Designer: Mary Zophres
Original Music By: Carter Burwell

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Street Date: August 16, 2011
Copyright: 2011 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Selection Number: 61115274
Running Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
Layers: BD-50
TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTINUED:
Picture Format: Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Rating: R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence
Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French (EU) DTS Surround 5.1, English Dolby Digital 2.0/2.0 DTS Express

 

Lebowski Fest NY / Universal Studios Blu-ray Cast Reunion on August 15-16th

In celebration of The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray™and Jeff Bridges’ self-titled album both debuting on Aug 16th, join Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore + T Bone Burnett for a very special evening celebrating all things Lebowski.

The evening will include a special Q & A with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi & Julianne Moore + T Bone Burnett as well as a screening of the film and other festivities.

2011 marks 10 years of beautiful tradition with Lebowski Fest and Universal Studios Home Entertainment has teamed up to bring the Achievers the pop-culture event of the century! This limited seating event at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom will be the ultimate celebration of all things Lebowski.

Tickets are very limited and will go on sale very soon. Mark it 10!

8/15 – Bowling Party @ 300 New York at Chelsea Piers – $30
8/16 – Blu-ray™ Launch, Cast Reunion, Q&A, Movie Screening @ Hammerstein Ballroom – $42

 

Next Page »