Great Gifts for the Spider-Man Lover for the Holidays!

Available only at Walmart, is an all new Spider-Man Limited Edition Gift Box Set. The gift box set includes an exclusive Funko Pop! vinyl bobblehead, Spider-Man Comic Covers Book called "Through The Years, athletic socks, enamel pin, and the Spider-Man Homecoming Blu-ray, DVD and digital combo pack. 

In addition to the gift box and for the first time ever, an official Spider-Man: Homecoming suit worn by Tom Holland in the film will be offered as a fan giveaway hosted on the official Spider-Man Homecoming Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter! And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, I also have the pleasure of letting you know there is another suit being auctioned via ScreenBid to benefit the Toys for Tots Foundation - fans can register and bid at https://spiderman.screenbid.com.

P. KING DUCKLING Says Seize the Day on Family DVD!

Jeri Jacquin

On DVD from SHOUT! Factory Kids is the amazing animated series that will have you believing in friendship with P. KING DUCKLING Seize the Day.

P. King is a duck who loves being with his friends Chumpkins the pig and Wombat. Together they have wild adventures that begin with friendship, loyalty and silliness that comes with being diverse friends.

It is Wombat’s birthday! P. King and Chumpkins are doing everything possible to try and help her celebrate but want it to be a surprise. It’s becoming a challenge keeping each errand a secret, especially when Wombat begins to think that her two best friends want nothing to do with her.

On a special trip, P. King and Wombat head up a large hill to see the awesome view of Fishy Falls, Cow Canyon and the beautiful sunset. P. King gets the idea what he wants to move his house on the very spot they are standing. Calling on a crane, his house is moved but atop the hill all alone, P. King misses his friends but comes up with an idea that will solve everything.

Chumpkins shows P. King and Wombat how he can make the Hilly-copter do doggie tricks. P. King is equally thrilled to share with his friends a race car he built from cardboard. Greg the Goose shows off his flashy car and suggests that P. King enter the town race and even offers to help fix P. Kings car. That’s what P. King learns that sometimes someone who claims to be a friend is anything but.

Hilly Hole has become a heat wave that has P. King, Wombat and Chumpkins melting. Looking for a way to cool off, they get the idea to create an ice castle that would help the entire town escape the heat. They didn’t think it through as the ice castle begins to melt but what starts out as a good idea turns into something much more fun!

P. King decides he needs a pet and wants Chumpkins to help him find a Dog Fish. Wombat reminds P. King that a pet is a huge responsibility but P. King is sure he can handle it. When Barky arrives, Chumpkins gives P. King instructions on how to care for the new pet. When P. King forgets to read the care instructions, Chumpkins and Wombat come to the rescue as good friends do.

P. King loves to jog but is bored with his surroundings. When he sees a picture in Wombats book of the Great Wall of China, P. King decides that it is exactly where he needs to go jogging from one end to the other.

When fashion designer Armadillo comes to Hilly Hole, the gang wants to be more fashionable. P. King wants to expand his wardrobe and when he realizes clothes are expensive, he decides to make his own. Using recyclables, P. King catches the attention of Armadillo who wants to do a fashion show with the gang as models.

When P. King decides he wants a new friend, he sees a video of Lee the Panda. Sending an email asking to be friends, Lee the Panda responds that he is coming to Hilly Hole for a visit. Lee shows everyone his culture through kite flying, dancing and dumpling making. P. King is upset because Lee is spending more time with everyone else but Wombat and Chumpkins shows him true friendship.

P. King is also looking for a mentor but everyone is busy in Hilly Hole. On his journey he finds a gorilla doing Tai Chi on a mountain top. Looking to find his better self, P. King follows his training but questions how it helps him. Then he meets a Dung Beetle who seems to put everything into perspective.

Chumpkins is unhappy thinking about his life. P. King and Wombat want to show their friend that Hilly Hole would not be the same place without Chumpkins and all he has done. Programming one of his own inventions, the Zeus goggles, gives Chumpkins insight as to how important he is to the town of Hilly Hole.

Wombat gets tickets to Australia taking P. King and Chumpkins with her. Starting in Darwin, they journey to the End of the Road where other back packers are going to join in. Angus the guide takes them to see Wombats in the wild but gets side tracked. Wombat refuses to leave until she sees a wombat in the wild. Finding family is the highlight of her life.

P. King creates his super hero alter go Inflato-Man. Creating costumes for Wombat and Chumpkins, they all three go through Hilly Hole looking for good deeds to go. Just as P. King is about to give up trying to help, a town flood makes their services really important.

P. King is worried that he will never be good at a sport. When the gang discovers that he excels in tetherball, they go to the tetherball championship. P. King wins but Wombat and Chumpkins start to see a change in their friend and it isn’t very nice. When Tim the tree frog challenges P. King, Wombat sees it as a chance to bring the braggy duck down to Earth. Another lesson P. King learns is that an apology to friends goes a long way.

Finally, a farmers market in Hilly Hole teaches P. King about organic food. Inspired, P. King decides he wants to be an organic farmer and create a crop that will wow people. Greg the goose is up to his old tricks and tells P. King that he has a special seed. Convincing P. King that cookie seeds would grow cookie bushes, Wombat and Chumpkins helps expose the joke. Unhappy that he couldn’t be a good farmer, P. King learns that an unexpected crop is now in his field making things alright again.

SHOUT! Factory has grown into a tremendous multi-platform media company. Releasing new animated features such as the exquisite Long Way North, and the epic fantasy Beauty And The Beast. Also their own original horror film, Fender Bender gives fans a good scare. For more of what SHOUT Factor has to offer please visit www.shoutfactory.com.

P. KING DUCKLING is created by the award-winning Josh Selig (who is known for Sesame Street and Wonder Pets!) in collaboration with James Chen Gu, General Manager of UYoung Animation.

The DVD includes the episodes Wombat’s Big Surprise, A Hill With A View, Speed King Duckling, P. King’s Cool Castle, The Dog Fish, P. King’s Great Jog, Fowl Fashion, A Day with a Panda, Will You be my Mentor?, It’s a Wonderful Chumpkins, Wombats in the Wild, Hi-Ho Inflato-Man!, The Tetherball King and P. King’s Cookie Farm.

This series is filled with bright and engaging animation with storytelling about friendship, loyalty and understanding. It is quite easy to forget that they are different animals because the stories are about working together and being understanding of differences instead of pointing them out.

Each character gives us a look at our own silliness and fears that may stop us from being the best human beings we can be. That is what I enjoyed most about P. KING DUCKLING, the ability to see ourselves in these characters.

I also have to say that my granddaughter who is two thought these characters were hilarious, engaging and she couldn’t stop watching. That means that P. KING DUCKLING gets the Jaycie-Lee seal of approval as well. This is important in wanting her to enjoy her television viewing time while grandma is happy she learns life lessons as well.

In the end – adventure takes flight with P. King and friends!

Relive the Shocking Moments with GAME OF THRONES: The Complete Seventh Season on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Winter is here! HBO brings GAME OF THRONES: The Complete Seventh Season to Bluray and DVD with every shocking episode that keeps fans coming back for more.

The chess pieces are all set to play at Arya (Maisie Williams) deals with House Frey and learns Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is now King of Winterfell and her feet head in the direction of home. That isn’t stopping the White Walkers who continue their march toward the wall. Gathering together at Winterfell, Jon Snow makes every effort to forge alliances and Sansa (Sophie Turner) lets him know she is not happy. Knowing they need House Umber and House Karstark, Jon understands the need to grow their army.

Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbaek) shows up on the doorsteps of King’s Landing trying to woo Cersei (Lena Headey) into a great alliance which she quickly, and with a smirk, declines. Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) tries to forget the exchange but informing Cersei that they need allies.

The mother of Dragons visits her next home at Dragonstone and she isn’t alone as Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) is still by her side as well as the dragons. Plans are being made to send soldiers to Sunspear while the Unsullies make their way to Casterly Rock. To her surprise, Melisandre (Carice van Houten) arrives telling her of the potential of partnering with Jon Snow. Not convinced that he should go, a letter from Samwell convinces him even more that he must meet with Daenerys (Emilia Clarke).

Samwell (John Bradley) is also busy discovering a way to heal Jorah (Iain Glen) of the illness that took him away from the Queen he loves. When Jon and Daenerys finally meet, he is taken aback at her demand that he subserve himself before her. He lets her know that isn’t going to happen and that the reason he has even come is for the dragonglass that can only be found on the island.

Sansa continues on at Winterfell and Bran (Isaac Wright) tries to explain to his sister of his change. Another sibling reunion happens as Arya returns and shows a side of herself that Sansa has never seen. Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) sees that Arya has become skilled with her sword. As this happens, Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) gives Bran a weapon that he might well remember and begins a scheme that pits sister against sister.

Jaime is now in Highgarden as Cersei must convince her allies that a delivery of gold is not far away. It is what Jaime and Bronn (Jerome Flynn) find at Highgarden sends them back with news for Cersei that sets up her next move.

When Jon and Daenerys go into the cave that has the dragonglass, they find ancient cave drawings that tell them a story she must now accept. What Daenerys learns sets her on a path to help Jon fight the White Walkers at the Wall. She also takes matters into her own hands by the treason of two soldiers loyal to Cersei against the advice of Tyrion.

Jon knows that the only way to convince more of the Houses to help is to capture a White Walker for proof they exist. As the Night King moves forward, Daenerys arrives to help and several events bring Jon to pledge himself to her.

Finally, Jon, Daenerys, Tyrion, Jamie and Cersei are brought together as they all try and explain what is happening with the White Walkers. Cersei patiently listens and agrees to help but what she says and what she does are both questionable. It is Samwell returning to Winterfell where he speaks with Bran about Jon’s true place in the Seven Kingdoms.

Of course, the Army of the Dead is still on the march!

Clarke as Daenerys moves closer to the Iron Throne but has more than enough obstacles in her way. I love how in the midst of madness, Clarke portrays her character with slow deliberateness and gets a little irritated now and then and all I can think of is ‘she’s keeping it together better than I would!’. Of course as this season unfolds, she is forced to learn a history she didn’t know and accept what she always thought was a story told in childhood.

Harington as John Snow is meshing everything he has become over the seven seasons. He still believes in the Stark family (even if treated like an unwelcomed guests at times), the brotherhood of the Nights Watch and all while being drawn to defeat the White Walkers at all cost. Basically he’s a busy guy! Harington is amazing and I am so with every bit of his characters twists and turns. The ending of this season is going to be interesting in Season 8.

Dinklage as Tyrion is still at the side of Daenerys and believes in her being Queen. Where Tyrion has come is a far cry from the drinking and womanizing Lannister that so irritated his father and still does Cersei. I see his character growing even more as the pieces move around the Seven Kingdoms chessboard.

Heady as Cersei finally has what she has always wanted, to sit defiantly on a throne and do what ever she must to defend it. She doesn’t hesitate to take out anything in front of her and that includes family of any kind. Trusting no one has always been part of her problem and I suspect (since I haven’t read the books) it will continue to be a problem. Coster-Waldau as Jamie wants to support his demented sister but there is clearly a part of him that may not be all in but that doesn’t stop him from fighting for Kings Landing. Jamie is another character that has gone through so many changes that what happens next may have me cheering for another Lannister!

Turner as Sansa is finally discovering what it takes to be a leader. All grown up and filled with life lessons no one should have to learn, she thinks more clearly than ever and is ready to defend Winterfell. Working along side Jon Snow, it is a chance to be a Stark family once again. Williams as Arya once again joins the fold and boy it is a wild ride when these two women let everyone at Winterfell know that they are no longer just Stark children. Arya is strong, tough and every bit a badass that Sansa needs to never again let anyone take advantage of a Stark.

Bradley as Samwell is Jon Snow’s secret weapon! Dedicated to finding answers, he pours through books and even some he shouldn’t to make things happen. I love the simpleness of this character and Bradley still gives him a strength that is quite unexpected at times. Glen as Jorah is the recipient of Samwell’s knowledge and no one needs more allies than the Mother of Dragons.

Christie as Brienne is wielding her sword once again for House Stark. She is watching every move that is made around the new ruling family and isn’t about to let anything, even seeing Jamie Lannister again get in her way of loyalty. Van Houten as Melisandre returns and this time wants to help Daenerys accomplish her goal. I love her smoothness in delivering news…good, bad or indifferent she delivers.

Asbaek as Euron is just a throw around don’t-give-a-damn Greyjoy! He would even marry Cersei to get his butt on the Iron Throne and when she doesn’t swoon so easy, he goes out and brings back a kill to impress her. Flynn as Bronn still has Jamie’s back but is equally surprised when the battle at Highgarden begins.

Gillen as Littlefinger is still up to his old manipulating tricks. It must be said that Gillen is absolutely had his hand in everything that has gone on in GAME OF THRONES. Whether it is a big manipulation or small, Gillen has performed brilliantly and I have to give his character props for fooling so many for so long by just being Littlefinger. Wright as Bran has a part yet to play I suspect but I have to admit that Wright’s portrayal is a little bit freaky to witness – awesome!

Other cast include: Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth, Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei, Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand, Conleth Hill as Varys, Hannah Murray as Gilly, Kristopher Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane, Rory McCann as The Hound, Joe Dempsie as Gendry, Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark, Ben Hawkey as Hot Pie, Vladimir Furdik as the Night King, and Megan Parkinson as Alys Karstark.

HBO Home Entertainment has an extensive array of critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking programs found on Bluray, DVD and Digital HD. They have provided viewers with some of the most amazing programs with huge fan bases that include the shows True Blood, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, True Detectives, The Wire, Entourage and Game of Thrones. Launched in 1984, HBO is world wide in viewed entertainment in more than 70 territories around the world! For more of what they have to offer please visit www.hbo.com.

The Bluray and DVD contain Exclusive New Bonus Content that includes a bonus disc containing Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms, a 45-Minute Never-Before-Seen Extension of the Clio Award-Winning History & Lore, From Imagination to Reality: Inside the Art Department, Fire & Steel: Creating the Invasion of Westeros and Audio Commentary from David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Lena Headey, Kit Harington, Iain Glen, Pilou Asbaek, Gwendoline Christie, Liam Cunningham and more.

The episodes include Dragonstone, Stormborn, The Queen’s Justice, The Spoils of War, Eastwatch, Beyond the Wall, and The Dragon and the Wolf.

GAME OF THRONES: The Complete Seventh Season on Bluray is so stunning to see. It is even more vivid that the series airing on HBO. I mean I have an excellent television but the Bluray just absolutely blew me away. There are only seven episodes which bummed many GOT fans but none of us can say the season was any less epic.

The stories continue to be complex with no simple answers (which I love) and clearly the Iron Throne is up for grabs. George R.R. Martin is responsible for creating this amazing kingdom and cast of characters that has enraptured so many of us. Writing A Song of Ice and Fire, it became the jumping off point and in 2011 and in it’s first season alone, GAME OF THRONES garnered 13 Emmy nominations and Peter Dinklage winning Best Supporting Actor.

 This is what excellent storytelling and television can do when we all look for epic reasons to stay home on a Sunday night. It is what brings conversations at the office, on a road trip or waiting at San Diego Comic Con International for the panel to begin. GAME OF THRONES has brought conversation and fans of all ages into a world that is truly a wonder to behold.

So, expanding your home entertainment library to include GAME OF THRONES: The Complete Seventh Season is a must. Trust me, it looks very cool on the shelf next to seasons one through six. As Season Eight is still in the works, there is nothing better than marathoning every season until we hear the epic opening music and map of the Seven Kingdoms!

In the end – who will take the Iron Throne?

THE SHAPE OF WATER Brings Unconditional Love

Jeri Jacquin

This Friday from the masterful writer/director Guillermo del Toro and Fox Searchlight comes a story that captures the heart when becoming a part of THE SHAPE OF WATER.

In 1962, Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is a young mute woman living in a quiet world of her own. Living her life day to day in a repeating pattern, it includes visiting her neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins) for a little television and being watched over at work by friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer).

Working as a cleaning lady in a government facility, one day a strange container arrives. Being fairly invisible, Elisa is curious about what they are working on. Hearing that whatever is in the container is highly-classified, it doesn’t stop her from taking a look for herself.

That’s when she discovers a creature (Doug Jones) submerged in a tank pool, yet not truly afraid of what she sees. Instead, Elisa seems to sense that the creature is afraid and she discovers ways to put it at ease. Through patience, Elisa and her webbed friend begin to have a friendship that is quietly beautiful.

Keeping an eye on the laboratory is the very aggressive Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) who is feared by most everyone. Watching over the experiments is Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) who isn’t a fan of Strickland’s either and has his own secrets to keep.

Elisa sees that her creature friend is suffering and decides she is going to do whatever it takes to help. Enlisting Giles proves to be a challenge and a plan is made. What surprises Elisa the most is who comes out of no where to make sure the plan works perfectly!

Strickland becomes even more hostile and ballistic and is about to make sure every human being within his earshot suffers until the creature is found. There is no mercy for anyone as he investigates every person working at the laboratory. Elisa knows that time may not be on their side but can’t turn away from her feelings.

It is a friendship that embraces their differences!

Hawkins as Elisa is absolutely endearing, lovely, heart wrenching, soulful, playful and a dreamer of epic proportions. Every part of Elisa’s character is in her eyes and smile which brought smiles to my own face before I could help myself. In the life she has created, finding someone who is also mute yet full of emotion, Elisa just dances over this film effortlessly. Hawkins is on my list for any award she wants – yes, including an Oscar.

Jenkins as Giles is such a lovely man who is creative in a time when things are ever changing. He loves his old movies and the friendship with Elisa and even though he might be a tad afraid of the unknown, he is challenged by Elisa’s will to be humane. Jenkins can portray characters that are so sweet and harmless and Giles is such a character done so well.

Spencer as Zelda is funny, no-nonsense and protective of Elisa. I love her monologues while mopping with Elisa and straight faced one liners and quips when up against Strickland. I mean seriously, would expect anything less from Spencer? Stuhlbarg as Dr. Robert Hoffstetler is definitely a conflicted character and for reasons you will discover for yourself. I do love his performance because I have seen Stuhlbarg be both good guy and bad and here he mixes the two and I adore the outcome.

There are two actors in this film that we must discuss, first Shannon as Richard Strickland is as frightening as I know he can be. There are so many dimensions to Shannon as an actor and he always manages to surprise me. Yes, he can be the scariest and meanest badass ever to grace a film but Shannon never does it the same way twice or even three or four times for that matter. Here Strickland is a complex hater of a human being and only Shannon could have done it – and done it right.

Second, the every amazing and continually exceptional work of Doug Jones as the creature. Jones has been at the forefront of some of the most amazing characters and yet never seeing his face. In the 2004 film HELLBOY he was Abe Sapien, teaming up with Del Torro in the 2006 film PAN’S LABYRINTH he was the Pale Man, in 2007 he starred in FANTASTIC 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer as the Silver Surfer, in 2010’s LEGION he was the Ice Cream Man (creepier than all get out people!) and back with Del Torro in the 2015 horror offering of CRIMSON PEAK.

Let us not forget television when in 2014 he played one of my favorite characters in the series Falling Skies as Cochise, gave us a new vampire in the FX series The Strain as one of The Ancient’s and is now part of the trekkie family with Star Trek: Discovery.

Now, in THE SHAPE OF WATER, Jones once again portrays a character that is all about the physicality of storytelling. Over all that costuming, a persona comes to life that is easy to love and want to protect. That’s what Jones brings out in us all with this performance. In case you might be wondering, I had the opportunity to speak with Doug last year when he was promoting the space film SPACE COMMAND. All I can say is that he is lovely, charming and funny so perhaps I have more of a bit of a soft spot for his portrayal of this endearing creature. Amazing performance Doug and congratulations for making us all fall in love with love again!

Other cast include David Hewlett as Fleming, Nick Searcy as General Hoyt, Stewart Arnott as Bernard, Nigel Bennett as Mihalkov, Lauren Lee Smith as Elaine Strickland, Martin Roach as Brewster Fuller, Allegra Fulton as Yolanda and John Kapelos as Mr. Arzoumanian.

THE SHAPE OF WATER is a film that is so magnificently shot with nuances that I couldn’t get enough of. The story is one of beauty, loneliness, fear, courage, music, caring, anger, betrayal, secrets, friendships and about every human emotion on the spectrum.

It is just a beautiful story that is covered in a cast that makes every moment theatre worthy. Crafted in the del Toro magic, there is so much to enjoy and not necessarily garbled with words but instead pure emotion and an endless supply of love

In the end – it is a fairy tale for troubled times!

FARGO Brings an Epic Third Season to DVD!

Jeri Jacquin

Nominated for Six Emmy Awards including Outstanding Series on DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the amazing FX series FARGO: Year 3.

In St. Cloud, Minnesota, it is 2010 and Ray Stussy (Ewan McGregor) really wants to put a ring on the finger of Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Short on cash he asks his brother Emmit (Ewan McGregor) for a loan. That’s were most family problems start because Emmitt says no.

These two brothers have even deeper problems when Ray, a parole officer, decides he will enlist the help of Maurice (Scoot McNairy), a parolee to get back at Emmitt by taking what was first Ray’s anyway. This is where things get even more twisted because Maurice doesn’t really remember the address of Emmit’s house and ends up in another Stussy house!

Emmit’s problems come from a shade business dealing with Varga (David Thewlis) and a two year old loan. Now Emmit worries about his business and has Varga investigated which only causes a journey off a parking garage.

Back at the address Maurice did go to, turns out it is the home of Ennis (Scott Hylands) Stussy of Eden Valley. To add insult to injury, temporary police chief Gloria Burgle (Carrie Coon) discovers the body of relative by marriage and their home all messed up. Of course when the new police chief shows up and dealing with a funeral, Gloria learns something about her stepfather that she never knew. But that is a side note as she begins to investigate the murder.

Ray and Nikki try to figure out how they are going to get the stamp which is a moot point when Nikki discovers it has been moved. Emmit tells Sy (Michael Stuhlbarg) the stamp is being reframed and Sy says Ray better stay away and to make his point there is a little fender bender.

Thaddeus Mobley (Thomas Mann) writes a novel called The Planet Wyn in 1975 which catches the attention of Los Angeles producer Howard Zimmerman (Fred Melamed). Mobley also meets Vivian Lord (Francesca Eastwood) who tries to seduce him into a deal. He doesn’t fall for it and lets it be known he isn’t a sucker for Hollywood.

Gloria wants to know more about the Mobley story and heads to L.A. to discover that both Zimmerman and Vivian are still around with their own story to tell. In a weird time travel moment, the name Dennis Stussy takes on new meaning for Gloria.

Gloria’s partner Marshman (Mark Forward) let’s her know that a man named Maurice has been found dead add more mystery to her life. Discovering Ray is his parole officer, it’s time for a visit from the local law. But before that Ray does a little brotherly costuming to get his hands on Emmitt’s money. Officer Winnie Lopez (Olivia Sandoval) is investigating a case against Sy and meets Gloria when the two piece together the weird coincidence about the slightly different addresses and names of Emmit and Ray.

Ray continues with his farce disguising himself as Emmit and it finally hits home. Ray moves his life along as a wedding is being prepared. Varga and Sy are not seeing eye to eye about the police nosing around but it gets more conflicted when someone wants to buy Stussy Lots in the form of Ruby Goldfarb (Mary McDonnell).

Gloria and Winnie get their hands on Ray to question him about Ennis’ murder but the new police chief thinks there is nothing there and lets him go. He gets home to find Nikki in a shocking state at the hands of thugs Yuri (Goran Bogdan) and Memo (Andy Yu). Wanting revenge is what will bring two brothers together one final time.

Gloria and Winnie are about to expand their investigation even further when it’s brought to a halt just as quickly. Winnie’s boss puts her back on traffic duty and tells Gloria to get out of town. Gloria isn’t taking it at all and in a fluke actually saves Nikki’s life from Golem (DJ Qualls) but breaking her parole she has to head off to prison.

Now Yuri, Meemo and Golem are on the hunt to get Nikki but fail once again as she finds herself attached to Mr. Wrench (Russell Harvard) running through the woods. All of this has Gloria demoted and everyone still on the run while Varga has expanded the business.

Emmit isn’t free from suspicion as the police are still close by but freaking him out even more is his office has been broken into and, well, tagged with a photo of a certain stamp. Varga sees how this is all affecting him trying to keep him calm. Unable to deal with it Emmitt decides there is only one thing he can do.

In St. Cloud two more Stussy’s are killed and Emmitt is talking to Gloria about the issues he had with his brother. Varga freaks out and wants Meemo to get him out of their immediately but Nikki and Mr. Wrench have other plans. Nikki makes Varga an offer he can’t refuse – or can he?

When IRS agent Dollard (Hamish Linklater) gets to his office there is a mysterious package waiting for him along with Gloria’s telephone number. Waiting for some good news, Dollard tells Gloria that there is a tax scam going on at Stussy Lots. Emmitt returns only to discover he is responsible for all the debts of the business and Nikki takes one to many chances.

But it all comes together when Gloria finds her place at the Department of Homeland Security but is still dealing with Varga and a chance that things will once again change!

McGregor as Emmitt and Ray Stussy does an insanely incredible job of playing brothers who may seem different but when it comes to being greedy and vengeful – are exactly the same. I just love the way he portrays them both to uniquely that I forget McGregor is doing both parts. Love when that happens. He is also the voice of the Captain which means this was a busy season that I’m sure McGregor isn’t likely to forget

Coon as Gloria is such a joy to watch as she is involved in a little family mystery of her own brought to her by the Stussy brothers. She takes everything in stride where as I probably wouldn’t have been so calm. That’s what makes Coon riveting to watch and I can’t wait to see her again!

Winstead as Nikki is just a gorgeous wild child who loves her man and when things go south, she is only going to visit before returning north. Oh yes, she isn’t about to let anyone or anything get in the way of her revenge.

Thewlis as Varga gets a chance to be as bad as he wants to be. Of course I knew he had it in him and if you have seen the 1996 film DRAGONHEART and his psycho role of King Einon, I’d say it was good training for the crazy of Varga.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The DVD of FARGO: Year 3 contains 4-discs with all ten episodes that include: The Law of Vacant Places, The Principles of Restricted Choice, The Law of Non-Contradiction, The Narrow Escape Problem, The House of Special Purpose, The Lord of No Mercy, The Law of Inevitability, Who Rules the Land of Denial?, Aporia and Somebody to Love.

There are also Special Features that include First Look, Ray and Nikki, Emmit Stussy and Sy Feltz, One Actor Two Characters, Gloria Burgle, Varga, Anatomy of a Scene, The Digital Age, Connectivity and References, Locations and Noah Hawley.

FARGO has become such a stellar hit for the out of the box cable channel FX. When FARGO aired it’s first season I knew there were more stories that needed to be told with an appreciation of where it could all go. The introduction of new characters each season and the return of secret favorites, it is equally amazing as I would think everyone is biting at the bit to be part of FARGO.

So that begs the question, will there be another season of FARGO? Well, FX Chief John Landgraf has said, “We haven’t heard the idea from Noah Hawley for what the fourth season would be. What we’ve encouraged Noah to do is think about it and make sure he has an idea he’s excited about.”

As vague as that may seem, I’m going to keep my hopes high and my love of FARGO open for another season no matter how long it takes. That’s how the fans I’ve spoken to feel about their FARGO fix.

In the meantime, add FARGO: Year 3 to your home entertainment library along with the first two seasons of the amazing series that has kept us all thrilled!

In the end – it’s another limb in the tree that leads to FARGO!

DESPICABLE ME 3 Expands the Family Fun on Bluray!

Jeri Jacquin

Get the family together because they family is back on Bluray & DVD from directors Eric Guillon, Kyle Balda and Pierre Cofflin along with Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment with DESPICABLE ME 3.

Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) are on their next mission for the Anti-Villain League going after Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), a once child star who took his role into adulthood. With his keytair and 80’s dance moves, Bratt gets away with a diamond as large as his head!

Returning to the AVL headquarters, Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) announces that he will be stepping down. Taking his job is Valerie Da Vinci (Jenny Slate) and her first move is to fire Gru. Lucy threatens to walk if she follows through with the firing and now both are out of a job. The Minions aren’t happy when Gru refuses to return to villainy and stage a walk out.

Going home to explain it all to Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Nev Scharrel), the parents assure the girls it will all work out. That’s when a stranger shows up and announces that Gru has a twin brother names Dru (also voiced by Steve Carell). Not believing it Gru forces his Mom (Julie Andrews) and he learns the truth about his family.

Packing the family up, they fly to Dru’s luxurious estate and Gru learns more about who his father was. He also learns that Dru wants to be villainous and it’s Gru’s chance to capture Bratt while Lucy works on her Mom-skills. Bratt isn’t about to make anything easy as he has plans for tinsel town.

In their efforts to strengthen their family, Gru, Lucy and Dru along with the girls learn that love of family is amazing and there is no bad guy big enough to break them apart!

Recently at CinemaCon, Steve Carell spoke about his iconic work as Gru saying the DESPICABLE ME franchise is filled with “characters that are funny for adults as well as kids and that’s what has made it all successful”. How did the voice of Gru come to be? Carell says, “I tried voices on my daughter and when I did the voice of Gru they told me that was the one. Gru’s voice was like I flew over Eastern Europe and Dru’s voice had to be different. It had to be very fun, free and giddy in a way”.

Wiig as Lucy is trying her best to be a good Mom and it takes being herself to let everyone know that no one messes with Mama Bear! I just think the character of Lucy is crazy cool. Cosgrove, Gaier and Scharrel as Margo, Edith and Agnes are just girls growing up in a different household that is filled with unexpected adventure and they roll with it.

Parker as Bratt had me cracking up! His shoulder pads, keytar and dance moves along with a balding mullet and bubblegum means he isn’t about to let Gru, Dru, Lucy or anyone else stop him from a little Hollywood payback.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Bluray & DVD also includes the Bonus Features Deleted Scenes, Minion Moments, Character Profiles, The Making of Despicable Me 3, Developing Dru, The AVL Files, Freedonia Visitors Guide, Despicable Me TV, “Doowit” Sing-Along, “Yellow Light” Music Video and the All New Mini Movie: The Secret Life of Kyle.

DESPICABLE ME 3 is going to give families over and over again everything they have come to love about Gru, the girls and even the minions. This may not be the average family but it sure is one filled with love, excitement, understanding and fun. One would have thought that completed the family.

Of course not, Illumination expands their family with Dru and a unicorn, well of sorts, which means a double dose of excitement. There are the usual jokes with the minions trying to be jail house rockers but they know where they truly belong. The animation is strong, vibrant and has such creativity that I am always surprised yet not surprised.

Gru and Dru have found one another which means Lucy and the girls have their hands full. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing but if Illumination wants one more story line I have a few ideas that I wouldn’t mind sharing!

So gather up your own minions, fill up the popcorn bowl and cuddle on the sofa with holiday family fun of the family kind with DESPICABLE ME 3.

In the end – ohhhhhhhh brother it’s good to be bad!

VICTORIA & ABDUL is Perfection on Stunning Bluray!

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray/DVD and Digital from director Stephen Frears, Focus Features and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the story of an unlikely friendship between VICTORIA & ABDUL.

Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal) is a clerk in a prison in India and his life is about to change. Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) is to be given a tribute coin and Abdul is the tall man for the job. Along with a shorter Mohammed (Adeel Akhtar), they sale toward England and Abdul is very excited.

There is no time for looking around much as Abdul and Mohammed are given a crash course on how to present to the Queen. Sir Henry Ponsonby (Tim Pigott-Smith) lets the two men know that everything is to be precise and quickly.

During the dinner, Abdul and Mohammed make their way toward Queen Victoria and after a quick nap the presentation is made. Walking backwards, Abdul does the unthinkable and makes eye contact and gives a smile to the Queen and what turns into one moment becomes an unlikely friendship.

Much to the horror of Sir Ponsonby and Lord Salisbury (Michael Gambon) as well as her ladies Lady Churchill (Olivia Williams) and Miss Phipps (Fenella Woolgar), the Queen begins to prefer the company of Abdul. They inform the Queen’s son Bertie (Eddie Izzard) and a plan is formed.

Queen Victoria asks Abdul about his land, language and his story as they share walks and private times. It is clear that Abdul cares very much for the Queen and she for him, especially discovering he is married and demanding he get his family and return. That doesn’t stop the Queen’s staff, along with Dr. Reid (Paul Higgins), from looking into Abdul’s past. Believing they can stop him with what they know, it only manages to infuriate the Queen in Abdul’s favor.

Including a knighthood which sends the entire palace into a tizzy and a decision that will not only put their loyalty in question but show how Queen Victoria wasn’t napping any longer.

This is a friendship that is filled with understanding, forgiveness and even unspoken love.

Dench as Victoria once again proves why she is a queen in her own right. She is smart, strong, delicate, wistful and a woman who sees so little to move forward for. Once the Queen’s inner light is ignited, Dench shines every moment of the film. I quite honestly could not take my eyes off her performance and the ending brought me to tears.

Karim as Fazal is a man who doesn’t see the world in such an aggressive way as those around him. A simple jail clerk who happens to know how to write is sent across the world to do one simple thing and it turns into a friendship. Fazal delivers his lines with the innocence I see in Abdul in that how one sees the world is clearly different than the Queen. There are moments where he is clearly confused, moments of profound joy and deep sadness and Fazal gets every drop of emotion out of the audience who is just as enraptured as the Queen.

Izzard as Bertie is just the worst that a son could possible be. Instead of being happy for the emotional reviving of his mother, he sees Abdul as an interloper and acts like a spoiled child instead of a future ruler. Izzard just pours it on and gets the reaction he wants!

Akhtar as Mohammed just wants to go home, and when he sees that the Prince and others want to use that against his friend Abdul – his response is epic! Pigott-Smith as Ponsonby is confused by the relationship between the Queen and Abdul but at the same time has a faithfulness to the way things ought to be done. Higgins as Dr. Reid is just another lackey who isn’t happy about Abdul’s presence and finds himself faced with the wrath of the Queen. Gambon as Salisbury wants one thing only – for Abdul to be gone and the crown to go back to normal.

Williams as Lady Churchill isn’t happy to have the Queen’s ear and convinces Miss Phipps to do the extortion deed. Woolgar as Phipps has a moment in front of the Queen that is nerve wracking to watch but awesome to experience.

Other cast include Julian Wadham as Alick Yorke, Robin Soans as Arthur Bigge, Ruth McCabe as Mrs. Tuck, Sukh Ojla as Mrs. Karim, Kemaal Deen-Ellis as Ahmed and Simon Callow as Puccini.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Bluray includes the Bonus Features of Judi & Ali and The Look of Victoria & Abdul. Included in the pack, DVD and Digital HD along with theatre quality sound. The Digital means you can enjoy VICTORIA & ABDUL on television, computer, Tablet and Smartphone!

VICTORIA & ABDUL is absolutely Oscar worthy in every sense. There is nothing about this film that goes wrong with me. The story between Queen Victoria and Abdul is delightful, funny, testing, sad, misunderstood and heartbreaking.

Mixed in with that is the ugliness of those around the Queen with their jabbing, back biting, underhanded, and horrible treatment of Abdul and Mohammed. Instead of embracing the cultural differences of these two men, they found ways to cut them to the quick – and right to their face in some cases.

The cinematography is amazing and it is a period piece which is going to grab me from the word go. I absolutely adore the costuming which is always an important part of a period piece because it adds such a richness to the storytelling.

I’m warning anyone who sees this film on Bluray to keep a Kleenex handy because for the ending you are going to need it. The chemistry between Dench and Fazal is everything I wanted for this story to be told – thank you both for making me laugh, smile and shed a tear.

In the end – an extraordinary true story of a queen and her new best friend!