Glee: The Concert Movie
O to the M to the G, the Glee marketing train keeps building steam with this latest inclusion into the show’s journey into giving its fans what they want, more of those McKinley High kids.
But, the live footage stars the real-life counterparts of the characters that we have come to know and love, with the exception of Jane Lynch’s Sue Sylvester, who adds her trademarked sarcasm to the introduction of songs and the cast.
Speaking of tunes, I would be remiss in not giving you a taste of what will be performed and by whom.
So, get ready for renditions of their unofficial theme song “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” performed by the entire cast, Heather Morris (Brittany) giving her take on Britney Spears’ “I’m A Slave 4 U,” a reworked ballad version of The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” sung by Chris Colfer (Kurt).
Plus, there are even some additional songs and performers not seen in theaters, but have made their way onto the DVD, which will be sure to illicit a squeal of delight from the musical comedy’s fan base. If it doesn’t, then the two bonus features of “On Stage with the Cast,” and its partner “Backstage with the Cast,” will provide that extra little push over the edge. Now available.
Archer: Season Two
The second season of FX’s animated Archer – a filthy dirty and very worthy of its TV-MA-LSV-rated spoof of all-things spy movies – is out for those of you who have not seen it. And just in time to bone up on what to expect with its season three premiere Jan. 19.
And what might that expectation be, pre-tell? Well, for starters fans of the classic Hanna Barbera 1960s Johnny Quest cartoon will be drawn in by the similar animated style of the show. Secondly, those who resolved to obtain tighter abs this New Year’s are truly in luck in viewing the mostly misadventures of the somewhat suave and not-so-debonair Sterling Archer.
The other members of the secretive Isis Agency include Malory his mother of a boss, as she is his actual parent and the other maternal connotation. There’s also fellow agent Lana, a one-time fling that Archer flung to the side, like he does with his endless parade of ladies, and as he did with his mother’s daffy secretary Cheryl, and-the-not-yet-sullied by his charms HR director Pam.
Filling out the testosterone portion of the show are scientist Dr. Krieger, the creator of a sex robot named Fister Roboto, hapless comptroller Cyril, Ray a former “Pray Away the Gay” member who is gayer than little pink tap shoes and Archer’s longsuffering Man Friday, Woodhouse. Available Dec. 27.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXII
Fans of Comedy Central’s – and subsequently when the program jumped ships to the SyFy Network – enjoyed the laugh riot/snark fest MST3K; a definite comedic mainstay for 11 years. The Satellite of Love gang, led by Joel Hodgson and then Mike Nelson along with robots Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot were stranded up in space and force fed a steady diet of some of the worst movies that Hollywood and other cinematic points of origin had to offer.
One of featured discs on this 22nd edition of cumulated episodes from different eras of the show’s run, Time of the Apes, remains a fan favorite and one of the more elusive ones to find on DVD … until now.
The Japanese-produced Planet of the Apes knock-off features a plucky young lad named Johnny who doesn’t care (his version of not giving a brown expletive). But Johnny is not a bad ass, and he is aided and abetted by his sister and a lady scientist in escaping from the monkey business at hand. The have-to-be-believed masks that the titular Apes sport are definitely short of amazing, especially in lip movement. Enjoy classic MTS3K jabs like, “Prepare to fling crap.”
It’s a good time waiting to be had, as are the three other celluloid stinkers, Mighty Jack – again a Japanese export – the written-badly-by-Ed Wood juvenile delinquent opus The Violent Years and the equally awful The Brute Man, which receives the MST3K seal of approval in making the unwatchable watchable with the gift of laughter and spot-on observations. Now available.
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The Puppini Sisters
For their third outing the not related by hemoglobin Puppini Sisters are in a refreshingly comfortable space behind their microphones.
As on their three previous endeavors – Betcha Bottom Dollar, The Rise and Fall of Ruby Woo and Christmas with the Puppini Sisters – the trio of lovely ladies provide listeners with a welcome blast from the past. This time around, the Andrews Sisters-esque sounding three part harmonizers pay homage to songs from the silver screen.
Their Great American Songbook is comprised of their lead single, and Marilyn Monroe’s signature tune, “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend.”
And such cinematic yesteryear chestnuts deftly flesh out the remainder of the third-time-is-still-a-charm CD; with staples such as “Moon River,” “Get Happy,” “Good Morning” and “I Feel Pretty” transporting you back to a simpler time at the movies. Now available.
Nero
London-based producers and remix masters, Dan Stephens and Joe Ray, comprise the duo of Nero who have taken their adoration for movie soundtracks, ’90s techno and other old school entries for their debut CD, which encompasses strictly instrumental tracks and ones with vocals thrown into the literal mix.
“2808” serves as a partial intro into what is to come, as the synthesized track reaches a crescendo that sounds vaguely like a cascading waterfall.
Meanwhile, “Doomsday” shows off their penchant for paying homage to film, in this case a string section that is very reminiscent of Bernard Hermann’s score for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho at the beginning, until it melts into a thumping eargasm of guitars, drums and sparse sound bites.
“My Eyes” dispenses with the aforementioned just-for-sound endeavors and is a hauntingly striking song, while “Guilt” serves as its polar opposite with its up tempo nature. “Fugue State” and “Me And You” marks a return to the solely instrumental portion of the CD and “Innocence” provides more vocals.
By far, the tracks that stand out the most are their take on The Jets 1986 hit “Crush On You,” “Reaching Out” features vocal samplings from Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates and their decades old song “Out of Touch,” while Nero’s original creation, “Must Be The Feeling,” will certainly bring out the club kid in us all. Now available.
