Minions Blu-ray Review

      Actors: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud, Steve Carell

Director: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda

Format: Animated, 3D, Widescreen, Digital_copy

Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby TrueHD), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: PG

Studio: Universal Studios

Release Date: December 8, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

 

        Despicable Me was a clever concept in its decision to make a villain the protagonist, and it got away with this by making the narrative about his inevitable redemption. Minions, the off-shoot prequel about the oddball lackeys that do Gru’s bidding, succeeds in having their villainous tendencies (or admiration for those who have them) because of their utter incompetence. In an opening sequence which the rest of the film has a hard time following, we are given the origin story of the Minions throughout all of history. While simultaneously showing their propensity to follow the most despicable creature around, this introduction allows for a series of amusing gags in their clumsy inability to keep them alive.

 

The Hunting Ground DVD Review

      Actors: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering, Diane Rosenfeld

Director: Kirby Dick

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

DVD Release Date: December 1, 2015

Run Time: 104 minutes

 

 

        Documentaries are so rarely unbiased that we have sadly come to see the examination of facts on screen as little more than propaganda. This is not to say that there isn’t truth in the information being provided audiences, but it is no longer enough to simply accept everything you are told in a non-fiction film. Most views expressed can be countered by the opposition, but this becomes more impactful when the facts provided in a documentary come into question. It is one thing to share one side of an argument, but it is another to adjust the facts so that your side has more strength. The reality is that many of the truths in The Hunting Ground have been overshadowed by the instances in the documentary where facts are stretched and bent to support the cause.