Out of Order (2003) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The two reviews before mine say that Out of Order was one of the best shows on tv but complain that only the pilot episode is on the dvd. The reason for this has nothing to do with Showtime being greedy. The pilot is also owned by Hallmark, the other episodes are not. Hallmark has a distribution deal with a large video chain (rhymes with RockLuster), so it had to be done this way. If this DVD does well the remaining episodes will follow. This pilot received rave reviews (and made the NY Times list of Best 10 programs of 2003) and should not be penalized because only the pilot is available (so far.) The pilot stands alone and is awesome. Check it out.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Out of Order (2003)

Get 78% OFF

Click here for more information about Out of Order (2003)

Battlestar Galactica: Season One (2004) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Battlestar Galactica is science fiction at its best, it explores human nature from the best to the worst it has to offer, the acting is top notch, the music is beyond words and the story keeps you at the edge of your seat. This is memorable and dense science fiction for grownups, and if you haven't given a chance to this great series, please try it... you absolutely won't regret it.
Unfortunately, the previous releases in High Definition have been a disappointment. I'm not complaining about the image quality of this series, which is documentary style with some grain (the artistic license of the creators), but about the horrible presentation. The Complete Series Package comes with a horrible and bulky box that contains even cheaper boxes to hold the discs. There is no episode guide (so it's up to you to guess where in the 25 discs is the episode you want), the discs are not as protected as they should be and the whole package is too expensive (200+ dollars in one go).
I've been waiting for the individual seasons to be released (on Blu-Ray) in proper sets, and I know I'm not the only one.
The content of this series is a true work of art that looks and sounds amazing in High Def and hopefully, Universal will release all seasons (COMPLETE seasons please, no "season 4.0 - season 4.5" rip offs!!) on Blu-Ray with episode guide for the discs and all the special features released earlier on DVD (and the cherished webisodes if possible).


Click Here to see more reviews about: Battlestar Galactica: Season One (2004)

One of the best shows on television looks better than ever as Battlestar Galactica: Season One arrives on Blu-ray\' Hi-Def.Relive all 13 thrilling episodes plus the four-hour miniseries that started it all in this four-disc set. When a surprise Cylon attack scatters the remnants of humanity throughout the galaxy, it\'s up to steely President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) and battle-hardened Commander William Adama (Edward James Olmos) to unite the desperate survivors and seek mankind\'s only chance for a future, a mythical planet called Earth. Presented in 1080p with Dolby DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and showcasing U-Control\' features that allow you to go deeper into the BSG universe, Battlestar Galactica: Season One on Blu-ray\' Hi-Def is gripping drama that explores the human condition at its worst\'and its best.

Get 28% OFF

Click here for more information about Battlestar Galactica: Season One (2004)

Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (2004) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)While I would give the series as a whole (and each individual season preceding this) 5 stars, I feel compelled to drop this final chapter to 4 stars. Battlestar Galactica is a brilliant, gutsy show, and the risks it took are part of the reason we fans got so intense about it over the years. It was called the most subversive show in television history by Rolling Stone magazine, and, given the plot-lines about terrorism and insurgency at the height of the Iraq War, I think that's a fair assessment. The final season (4.0 and 4.5) become more about the internal mythology of the show, and this is where a few problems sneak in. As shows like Lost demonstrate, it's easier to set up mysteries than to resolve them. Battlestar resolves many of the plot-lines brilliantly (I love the choice of the final cylon in particular; and one character's suicide is truly haunting), but others leave me wanting. Starbuck, one of the best characters in this all-around extraordinary cast, gets muddled. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, so I'll just say that the resolution of the mystery surrounding her character is not satisfactorily handled. Ron Moore's decision to leave her conclusion ambiguous is, in my opinion, a glaring error.
The series finale is naturally the focus of this set, and I must say I've had mixed feelings about it since it aired. On the one hand, it was an intense, emotional experience, never boring for a moment, and brought nearly every character and plotline to a conclusion. However, I think it may have over-reached, beating us over the head with its "message." Battlestar Galactica was often a reflection of ourselves and our world, but never before had it been didactic, as it is in its final scene.
With another movie on its way and a prequel series for next year, Battlestar Galactica isn't over yet, but this is the end of the story as begun in the 2003 miniseries. It's been a remarkable journey and absolutely essential viewing for sci-fi and non-sci-fi fans alike.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (2004)

All will be revealed as the thrilling final episodes of Battlestar Galactica 4.5 land on DVD. From their initial action-packed battles against the Cylons to their desperate attempts to find the fabled 13th colony, Earth, a determined band of human survivors has captivated audiences everywhere with their desperate quest to find a new home for their dwindling numbers. Join them now as the fleet journeys into the furthest reaches of unexplored space and faces a crucial decision that will change all of their lives irrevocably.Presented uninterrupted in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, this epic 4-disc set contains over 10 hours of intense, groundbreaking DVD features, including extended episodes that never aired - a must own addition to every fan\'s collection. Relive the anticipation, the action and the excitement of this groundbreaking series that is destined to live on as \'one of the best dramas on TV." (TIME)

Get 30% OFF

Click here for more information about Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (2004)

Caprica (2009) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was extremely skeptical when I heard about the proposed prequel to the greatest television science fiction saga of this generation. Attempting to cash in on the success of Battlestar Galactica so soon after the series ended seemed like a losing proposition doomed to mar an amazing franchise. Well, consider those fears alleviated. The first taste of "Caprica" is absolutely amazing. With no space battles and the themes of humanity's destruction and survival at the hands of their own creation already done to death, I feared for a lack of compelling material to further immerse me in the pre-genocide human society of the twelve worlds. All politics and no spaceships makes science fiction a dull genre. But what BSG did for the space opera, "Caprica" is set to do for cyberpunk. If BSG was Star Trek and Babylon 5, "Caprica" is Ghost in the Shell and The Matrix. I am beyond impressed.
The story unfolds as a terrorist attack by a youth seeking to draw attention to his monotheistic cause (most worship the old Greek gods). The result tears two families apart and in half a century's time will lead to the destruction of human society. But before that there is one hell of a story to be told. The themes on the social commentary buffet so far includes a much more bold dialogue on religion then even BSG gave us, a different angle on the definition of human as we know it, a frank look at a racist society, and an exploration of the logical extremes of future virtual existence. This is to say that once the internet and virtual reality become compatible, one hell of a can of worms will be opened.
Since this series premiere comes to us in movie form, the gods have shined upon us. As far as it's predecessor pushed the sexual envelope for a tv show, "Caprica" has easily bested it here. I don't know how they are going to cut this for television. There is abundant nudity, group sex, and some serious girl-girl going on in this film. Virtual human sacrifice in underground virtual hacker clubs speaks volumes about the social issues to be confronted and is damned disturbing. There is one violent death featuring a but of arterial spray as well. Still think science fiction is for kids? The idea of creating a virtual copy of yourself by hacking the information in your own brain and uploading it to a digital avatar, thereby achieving a brand of immortality is brilliant and the Frankenstein complex that leads a father who lost his daughter to cross lines that should never be crossed is stroke of absolute genius.
Familiarity with it's parent show will certainly deepen your appreciation of "Caprica", but it is not at all necessary. This is great science fiction, period. Now's your chance to get on board with what promises to be the best series in coming years. Don't miss it. Battlestar maniacs will get to see one of that show's enduring heroes in his formative years and witness the birth of the first Cylon in a heart-rending accident. But at it's heart this show -like Galactica- is about two things: massive universal concepts of humanity, and intimate relationships with the characters who inhabit this work of fiction. One cannot improve on that formula. There is no television show, no movie, nothing in entertainment that I am currently looking forward to more then this. If you are a fan of adult science fiction in any way, then this is what you need to be watching. And that goes double for BSG fans.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Caprica (2009)

An astonishing breakthrough is taking shape on the planet Caprica. The rapidly evolving spheres of human and mechanical engineering have collided, along with the fates of two families. Joined by tragedy in an explosive instant of terror, two rival clans led by powerful patriarchs, Joseph Adama (Esai Morales, Jericho) and Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz, The Butterfly Effect) duel in an era of questionable ethics, corporate machinations and unbridled personal ambition as the final war for humanity looms.The latest phenomenon from the executive producers of Battlestar Galactica (Ronald D. Moore and David Eick), set in a time over 50 years earlier, Caprica is entirely its own world - provocative, thrilling and startling relevant to our own.

Get 45% OFF

Click here for more information about Caprica (2009)

Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (2007) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Not everyone watches the show when it airs, and if you're one of those people or if you'd just like to know what's on the discs, then this review is for you.
First, let me just say that I absolutely loved the finale. I also believe that the final half of season four was perhaps the strongest of the series (definitely the bleakest). This show had always been a drama with a scifi setting, and while some folks didn't like the fact that it became much more dialogue driven and less focused on action, I loved it. There are ten episodes (finale being a three-parter, but aired as two episodes, so you could say 11 episodes) spread across 3 discs. Here's a breakdown of the EXTRAS on each disc with my opinion of what's useful and what could have been airlocked.
Disc One:
"The Journey Ends: The Arrival" is a look back at the series with the cast and crew. Worth watching.
"What the Frak is Going On With Battlestar Galactica" is a quick 8-minute summary of the show through the first 3 seasons. It's concise and hilarious.
"A Disquiet Follows My Soul Unaired Extended Episode." Better than the broadcast version, and definitely the version I'd recommend.
"Evolution of a Cue" is a behind-the-scenes look at composer Bear McCreary's creation of music for a specific scene (with Roslin). It's incredibly detailed and if you're a fan of the music on BSG, I couldn't recommend this one enough. Actually, even if you're not a fan of the music it's still very interesting.
Disc Two:
"David Eick's Video Blogs" is a collection of 11 3-5 minute video diaries with the cast and crew covering a range of topics. Some are funny and some are just fun to watch. Definitely worth watching.
"Islanded in a Stream of Stars Unaired Extended Episode." Much better than the broadcast version. I wasn't a huge fan of this episode when it originally aired, but this extended version definitely fleshes out the story a lot better and also fills in a few gaps.
Disc Three:
"A Look Back" is another collection of videos(6) with the cast and crew. Not repetitive in the least, this is also well worth watching.
"...And They Have A Plan" is a quick 4-5 minute sneak peek at what the upcoming movie, "The Plan" is all about.
"The Musicians Behind Daybreak." Bear McCreary is again on-hand to discuss what went into creating the epic score for the finale. Even better, we're introduced to the various musicians (and their instruments) who have worked on the score from the very beginning. And once again, this one comes HIGHLY recommended.
"Daybreak Unaired Extended Episode." The finale the way it was meant to be seen. This contains all three parts, and along with extra scenes, it was also re-edited a bit. I highly recommend watching this and forgoing the broadcast version.
Across all discs you'll find deleted scenes (some are very interesting while some are just filler that should have been deleted, and they are presented in SD), audio and podcast commentaries (they're all worth a listen), along with U-Control. U-Control is an interactive feature that offers little facts about the show/characters which you can access as you watch an episode. Frankly, I found it completely useless. I haven't tried the BD-Live content as yet.
It should be noted that you should watch the entire series before watching any of the extras because they do contain massive spoilers.
There is, however, one glaring omission from this box-set: "The Face Of The Enemy" webisodes. While they are available elsewhere online, they should have been included in this set. They answer a question or two (from season 3) and greatly flesh out a certain character's motivations in these final episodes. I'd recommend finding and watching them before watching the episode, "The Oath." While this exclusion is noteworthy, the strength of the rest of the content in this set more than makes up for it. And perhaps we could see them available through BD-Live one day?
Visually, BSG looks gorgeous on Blu. You do notice the intentional grain a bit more at times, but colors pop and lines are well defined (CGI looks better as well). On the audio side, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is simply fantastic. Technically, this set is remarkable.
If you've come along for the ride this far, there's absolutely no reason to not pick up this final half-season to see how this story ends. However, as to be expected, the finale won't please everyone. Whether or not you like it, at least we were given a proper conclusion, which is a rarity in today's television landscape. They told the story they wanted to tell, and left it up to their audience to decide...and that's exactly what I did.
A wonderful conclusion to the best show to ever grace our television screens.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (2007)

All will be revealed as the thrilling final episodes of Battlestar Galactica 4.5 land on Blu-ray\' Hi-Def. From their initial action-packed battles against the Cylons to their desperate attempts to find the fabled 13th colony, Earth, a determined band of human survivors has captivated audiences everywhere with their desperate quest to find a new home for their dwindling numbers. Join them now as the fleet journeys into the furthest reaches of unexplored space and faces a crucial decision that will change all of their lives irrevocably. This epic 3 disc set contains over 10 hours of intense, groundbreaking bonus features, including extended episodes that never aired — a must own addition to every fan\'s collection. Relive the anticipation, the action and the excitement of this groundbreaking series that is destined to live on as \'one of the best dramas on TV." (Time Magazine)

Get 54% OFF

Click here for more information about Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 (2007)