Wednesday, December 24, 2008

T.O.S. Violation? ME????

Well folks, I got the dreaded 'T.O.S. Violation' notice today. Looks like I'll be having to re-structure my future reviews a bit as a result.

This is especially irritating, since I JUST finished a special 35-minute Christmas Edition of the Multimedia Chronicles, in which I talk about (and show clips from) some of my favorite Christmas movies as a gift to you all.

Guess I'll just post it on my website, but unfortunately that will now have to be put off until AFTER Christmas... So much for being topical.

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. I only EVER used clips within the context of my reviews, which are technically NEWS items and thus any clips used within the CONTEXT of that news item falls well within "Fair Use" under U.S. copyright law.

Anyway, this is my quickly thrown-together rant video about it. Beautiful high definition text set to gloomy music by yours truly. Enjoy.

And have yourselves a great holiday! See you all in a few days...

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Blackstar Complete Series DVD Review

In many ways, Blackstar was the pre-cursor to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. An under appreciated little gem from Filmation, I've always actually preferred Blackstar over He-Man.

The complete series was recently released on DVD by BCI Eclipse, and for such an obscure series that few people know about, they really gave it the royal treatment! Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Monday, December 22, 2008

Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers Collection DVD Review

Next to Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, this is without a doubt one of the MOST underrated cartoons of the 80's. An epic sci-fi western, it featured some of the finest writing for an animated series of the era.

And at LONG LAST, the complete series is available on DVD in the originally intended viewing order, with all continuity and storylines intact.

Here's my in-depth look at the first of the two DVD sets that make up the full run of the series. Enjoy!

Dungeons and Dragons Complete Series DVD Review

Love or hate the show, you can't deny they did a great job on this DVD set!

Let's take a closer look...

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Sonic the Hedgehog Complete Series DVD Review

You asked for it, you got it!

This is my in-depth review of Sonic the Hedgehog (aka Sonic SatAM) on DVD, available now from Shout Factory!

The Black Knight

Monday, December 15, 2008

Monday, December 8, 2008

More Blu Bond and Sam Playing it Again and Again

The final part of my 3-part DVD and BluRay Collection update. All Blu this time around!

Titles covered include -

James Bond - Dr. No Steelbook
James Bond - From Russia with Love Steelbook
James Bond - For Your Eyes Only Steelbook
Casablanca - Collector's Edition Giftset

Getting Some Serious Punishment and Dark Knight - Scene 1

Part 2 of my 3-part DVD and BluRay update.

This time around:

The Punisher (2004) Extended Cut
and
Batman Begins - Limited Edition Collector's Set on BluRay (which I swear should have been called the "Dark Knight - Scene 1 Deluxe Uber Collection o' DOOOOM!" Seriously, it's like Batman Begins is almost an afterthought in its own Collector's Edition!)

Arnold Special Ed and Humor from the Future (FIXED)

MASSIVE DVD and BluRay update this time (well, massive in length if not in sheer number of new additions to the collection - although this IS the most we've bought at once for quite some time). So massive, in fact, that I've had to split it into 3 parts!

In Part 1, we look at the Special Edition of Predator (which I FINALLY got back into my collection after the irritation about the Bluray edition) and Futurama - The Beast with a Billion Backs!

Old Stuff Made New, Widescreen, HD and Censorship

Filmed on location at the beautiful Saxe Point Park in Esquimalt, B.C.

In this edition, I give a quick rundown of the 9 older videos I've re-uploaded over the past few days, along with why I uploaded them.

Then I talk about YouTube's new widescreen video player, the HD quality option, and the current heat over censorship.

All while looking at the gorgeous scenery all around me.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Drainage Ditch Canines, On Being a Bug, and Geeking Out

DVD and Video Game collection update time! This time around we cover -

Reservoir Dogs on Bluray,
Mister Mosquito for the PS2 and
Lego Star Wars - The Complete Saga for PS3.

Also, a brief bit about the new widescreen video window on YouTube.

David Tennant - Lover, Blu Bond and a Talking Duck

DVD Update time again!

DVD covered in this edition -

Casanova starring David Tennant
James Bond - Live or Let Die on BluRay
Duckman - Season 1 and 2

Friday, November 28, 2008

Zaranyzerak's Website Tour - Part 3

In this part we take an in-depth look at my TV on DVD Web Store, the mp3 section where you can download free mp3's of my music, blow through the "elsewhere" section, and take a look at the difference between The Tom and Sean Show on the website vs how it appears on YouTube. Oh, and I give the lowdown on why I don't list my Facebook anywhere.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Zaranyzerak's Website Tour - Part 2

Continuing on with the tour, this time we take an in-depth look at my Blog page and all the goodies therein, I give you all you need to know to participate in my weekly Stickam chatroom, and we take a look at the horribly out of date Updates page.

Zaranyzerak's Website Video Tour - Part 1

Thought it was about time I actually SAID something about my website, rather than just leaving it as a strange, mysterious link at the end of most of my videos. So here I'm happy to present to you a GUIDED TOUR!

As usual, I rambled a bit too much and have decided to split it up into a few parts. Enjoy!

DVD Update - Jack Nicholson, Family Guy and Lance Henriksen

At long last, another DVD Update! Yes, the financial horizon is finally looking up, so Annetta and I can start building our collections again.

This time around:

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (BluRay)
Family Guy - Volume 6
Millennium - Complete Series Set

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Zaranyzerak Plays Dead Space - Part 6

The Final Chapter! Well, of my Dead Space gameplay videos, at least. Annetta and I brave the remaining horrors of the Medical Deck and meet the Captain of the Ishimura...in a manner of speaking...

Zaranyzerak Plays Dead Space - Part 5

Part 5 of my Dead Space walkthrough/fright-fest, as we explore...The Medical Deck. It goes from creepy to horrific faster than you can drop-kick a mutant baby!

Zaranyzerak Plays Dead Space - Part 4

You asked for it, you got it! Part 4 of Dead Space, as played by yours truly, once again accompanied by my terrified fiance.

This time around we wrap up Chapter 1, and I show how my skills have improved since Part 3.

Dead Space Update

Thought it was high time I let everyone know when they can expect Part 4 of my Dead Space videos, since everyone and their grandmother has been asking me. And just to sweeten things a bit, I talk about a couple of Dead Space related items we picked up around Halloween...

Sunday, November 2, 2008

DVD Collection Update and BluRay RANT

After a lengthy drought, it's finally time for a new DVD Collection Update! And a good, hearty RANT about a trend I've noticed cropping up with some recent BluRay releases.

The ULTIMATE Choose Your Own Adventure Game

I tell Cass about the time I tried to create the Ultimate Choose your Own Adventure Game.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Zaranyzerak Plays Dead Space - Part 3

The third and final (or is it?) part of my first time playing Dead Space and seeing how scary it is, with Annetta coming along reluctantly for the ride.

Having FINALLY solved the riddle of the claw arm/tram repair thingy, we get back to some more exploring. And I quickly discover it's a good idea to make sure you have lots of ammo before wandering too far...

Zaranyzerak Plays Dead Space - Part 2

Part 2 of my 3-part video showing the first time I played Dead Space, accompanied by Annetta.

More commentary this time around, since we got past all the opening cinematic/intro stuff. Plus babbling helped us cope with the mounting terror.

In this installment, the tension rises as Annetta takes to watching most of the game from under her blanket, we discover an entertaining (and stomach-churning) use for my "Mighty Stomp," and have a little trouble figuring out how to use the Stasis Module to solve a puzzle...

Zaranyzerak Plays Dead Space - Part 1

First of 3 parts in which I finally get my hands on the sci-fi/horror epic, Dead Space for the PS3 (also available on XBox 360 and PC).

Is Dead Space as scary as the hype makes it out to be? Let's find out! Watch as I play it for the first time and make Annetta watch, and we quickly realize I'm the bigger chicken...

The Lightship REVEALED (and explained!)

At long last...I reveal the awesome TRUTH of the LIGHTSHIP! Watch, and be AMAZED!

Oh, and as an added bonus - I go over your comments from the previous video, and wax philosophical about some key issues. Enjoy!

Theme song and background music by me.

Where's the LightShip?

So, October 14th has come and gone, and we didn't see the super duper uber spaceship we were promised by Blossom Goodchild. Was she just another con artist? Or....have we simply been mis-interpreting her message this whole time? I give my take on it, and will conclude my look at the whole sordid saga tomorrow. All with tongue firmly planted in cheek, of course. ;)

Theme and background music by me.

Voice Recognition and SayIt Sam

This time around, we talk about new voice technology vs old voice technology.

Cass tells me about the new bluetooth voice recognition programs that are being used in cars, and we reminisce about the good old days of SayIt Sam - one of the earliest speech synthesis programs, and its application in porn.

Zaranyzerak Plays BioShock PS3 Demo - Part 3 of 3

This is it! All hell breaks loose in this, the final chapter!

In which we meet Big Daddy, play with fire, I completely fail to realize I can HACK security bots and instead duke it out with 'em, I get my ass handed to me on a silver platter by an onslaught of death-dealing Splicers, and finally get a message from the enigmatic Andrew Ryan.

After all is said and done, will I be buying the game?

HELLZ YEAH, BABY!

Zaranyzerak Plays BioShock PS3 Demo - Part 2 of 3

Part 2 of my playthrough/semi-review of the BioShock PS3 demo.

In this installment I beat up a luggage cart, briefly meet a creepy little girl, discover the joy of Plasmids, and neglect to play any audio diary tapes I find.

For those just joining us, this is the first time I'd ever played the game, so I hope you enjoy all my n00b mistakes in both playing and describing what's going on.

Zaranyzerak Plays Bioshock PS3 Demo - Part 1 of 3

Formerly only on XBox 360 and PC, Bioshock is finally coming to the PS3. I decide to see what all the hype has been about over the past year and given it a shot by playing the demo!

Here you can see my first ever experience with Bioshock, in all my newbie glory. All I had seen up to this point was a handful of trailers. This is the first time I ever picked up a controller and actually experienced this amazing, beautiful and terrifying game firsthand.

Not a LOT of action in this first part, but oodles of atmosphere and gorgeous visuals. Plus given the overall spookiness of the game, I thought it would make a nice Halloween video treat for everyone. Enjoy!

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors DVD Review - Part 3

The final part of my 3-part in depth review of the new Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors DVD set from Shout Factory!

In this final installment, we look at the DVDs proper, I talk about the picture and sound quality of the set, any problems I found with it, compare the picture quality between the DVD set and the typical bootleg quality fans have suffered with for years, and finally take a look at the main menu.

Oh, and somewhere in the middle is my spiel about what "Remastering" is and why people need to stop whining about it.

BREAKDAAAAAAAANCE!

The second of my two-part series featuring old Super 8 films I made with my old friend David when we were 12.

In this one, we made a Breakdancing Instructional Film. Maybe we should have learned how to breakdance first...

The Adventures of Pierce and Secret

When I was a kid, I LOVED making movies with my parents' Super 8mm movie camera. This one was an attempt at an epic spy movie mini-series from 1984 - The Adventures of Pierce and Secret!.

My friend David and I were into spy stuff (as many kids are), so this seemed like a natural progression of our interests. Sadly, it was never completed, but you'll see all that we did here.

The actual movie is bookended by me talking about it, and giving some background about how I used to make movies back then and WHY this one was never finished.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors DVD Review - Part 2

Part 2 of my in-depth review of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors on DVD.

This time around, we take a look at how Jayce has fared on DVD in the past, and delve deeper into the origins of the show by checking out the toys the show was based on.

Cass Destroyed His Laptop

Cass obliterated his laptop keyboard for no apparent reason. So we replaced it. Since filming this video, he tried plugging in a bunch of cards to the laptop while it was plugged in during a thunderstorm and blew it up. He now has a new laptop. And better health insurance.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors DVD Review - Part 1

At long last, it's here! Part 1 of my in-depth review of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors on DVD! (It's going to be 3 parts, in case you're wondering)

In the first part, I give you the lowdown on the storyline of the show and share some anecdotal tales about how I originally discovered it. And, as I often find myself doing when I talk about this show, I also mention Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and how I've always seen it as being strangely connected to Jayce...

Part 2 coming soon!

The Dark Knight vs. Indy 4 vs. Star Wars

In this first installment of Stickam Fridays, we join the conversation in the midst of a heated discussion about whether or not The Dark Knight lived up to the hype, then segue into a similar discussion about whether or not the 4th Indiana Jones movie lived up to the first 3, and end off with an extended rant about some of the things that were wrong (and right) with the Star Wars prequel movies.

My 200th Video!

Wow, has it been 200 already? Then again, I look at some people and they cracked 1,000 in roughly the same timespan. Oh well, still a cool landmark!

This time around we take a look FORWARD at what you can expect in the relatively near future from my channel.

And I sneak a little DVD update in when no one's looking...

Here's to the next 200 videos!

Stickam Insanity

A classic clip of some of the craziness that goes on in my weekly chat room, recorded Friday, October 27, 2006.

A lot of you probably remember the Grim Reaper Ghost Stories live show I did on Stickam a couple of years ago. What most of you DON'T know is that very often the fun would continue well into the night, long after the ghost stories were done.

This video is a small sample. Using the effects box, I start off taking karaoke song requests and singing them like a chipmunk. The last song request I did was "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails, after which the room quickly degenerated into insanity and manic giggling.

Other participants:

MafiaMan5437 (who you can hear cracking up throughout the madness)

AnthonyLynch (who has gone by many names since)

Elvanda (one of my fave friends from Down Under)

Hannah (who was a regular at the time, and has since vanished into obscurity)

MusicSystem (who requested the fart noises and has also since vanished)

Enjoy!

DVD Update - Old School SF, Teddy Bears and Bruce Campbell

It's been kind of a slow month, but I grabbed a few cool new DVDs. And this is all about 'em.

Friday, August 29, 2008

DVD Review - X-Files Complete Collector's Edition

This time around I review the most massive TV series boxed set in my collection, the X-Files Complete Collector's Edition!

What's in it?
Is it worth getting?
Is it priced reasonably?

Watch and find out!

It's BACK!

Yes, the wait is FINALLY over.

Outtakes! Featuring ROSIE!

We all know who the REAL star of the show is on my page, and that's our little Rosie.

See how she tried to show me up (and cracked me up) while I was making my previous video...

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Tagged AGAIN! 5 More Facts About Me...

The ever lovely, ever vampiric Decadent7 has re-tagged me. Funny, I thought once a person was tagged that was it. Apparently people are making up their own rules now. So let's have some FUUUUUNNNNN with it this time!

5 More EPIC Facts About Me (a few pulled out from DEEP within the "Obscurity Bin"), lightly peppered with a few anecdotes and ponderings along the way.

Enjoy!

Would You Like Coke With That?

Sometimes what's on our mind isn't necessarily what we would like coming out of our mouth. Especially when serving fast food...

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

The Coffin Has Arrived

My "Coffin" for packing up the PS3 and sending it in to Sony to have the GTA IV freezing issue fixed has finally arrived.


Timeline of events so far:

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - Called Sony about freezing issue.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - Coffin shipped out via Purolator Courier

Monday, June 30, 2008 - Coffin arrives at Purolator depot, Purolator allegedly attempts delivery

Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - Call from Purolator instructing us to pick up package from depot.

Thursday, July 3, 2008 - Called Purolator to re-schedule delivery of package. Informed too late to include with Friday deliveries, will be sent Monday

Monday, July 7, 2008 - Monday delivery never occurs

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 - Call to Purolator. Truck was in area with our package Monday, delivery not attempted. Rescheduled for Wednesday. Also told a supervisor will call about situation. Call never received.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - Coffin FINALLY arrives.


Moral of the story: BIG thumbs up to Sony for responding so quickly about the issue and sending the Coffin out right away.

BIGGER thumbs down to Purolator for their pathetic handling of our delivery.

This video is a document of my rage.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Don't Mail Your Dishes

When Cass moved recently, he came up with a novel idea to save money. It didn't work out so well.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Robotech - DVD Release Disambiguation

Part 3 of my 4-part in depth review of Robotech on home video!

Sure, there's been a pile of VHS releases over the years, but what if you want a set NOW on DVD? There's quite a few to choose from, and not all the same. Hopefully this video will clear up the confusion about the different DVD editions of Robotech that are out there, and you can find the set that's right for you.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Will Power

Which Will is which? Apparently I'm a bit mixed up about them...

Robotech - A History of VHS and Laserdisc Releases

Part 2 of my 4-part in depth review of Robotech on home video!

Robotech has had more re-releases on the various home video formats over the years than any other show I can think of. This time around, we take a look at all the different versions that came out on VHS and Laserdisc back in the day. Specifically, the North American releases. To cover all the versions in the entire WORLD would take forever...

Thursday, July 3, 2008

The Joy of Insurance

After our discussion about the neighbourhood apparently burning to the ground, we all start thinking about Insurance...

Then the conversation inevitably turns silly as we do impersonations of Peter Griffin and talk about some customer service reps we've had for whom English was clearly not their first language.

Robotech - A Brief History

Part 1 of my 4-part in depth review of Robotech on DVD!

In the first part, I provide a brief history of what exactly Robotech IS, why some people love it and anime purists hate it, and take a brief look at the cultural impact of the series.

Burn Baby Burn

For some reason, buildings keep burning to the ground in our general area...

DVD Collection Update - Cliffhangers and Kurt Russell

Time for another DVD Collection update! This time around, a couple of cult classics that I've been after for a while. Plus I recommend a PS2 game I've been enjoying immensely.

DVDs and Game discussed in this edition:

Flash Gordon Serials Boxed Set (Image Entertainment Version)
Includes:
Flash Gordon - Space Soldiers (1936)
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

Escape from New York (1981) Collector's Edition

Bully (PS2 version)

Fire Drills

Ah, the age old school tradition - the fire drill. Free time out of class? Or moments of pure, abject terror? Cass and Annetta seem to lean towards the latter...

GTA IV - Still Freezing

To the 360 fanboys: the freezing issue is happening on BOTH the PS3 and the 360. Read the comments. Search YouTube - there's videos of the game freezing on both systems. Read some forums. Plenty of cases of it happening on both systems. So spare me your ignorant, uninformed fanboy nonsense, it will not be tolerated here.

Yep, I am still unable to play the hottest game of two months ago due to the freezing issue. Well, at long last I've decided to bite the bullet and do the only thing that seems to be fixing the problem for everyone. Send my system in to Sony to be fixed.

For the record:

Downloaded and installed firmware Update V2.36
Downloaded and installed GTA IV Patch V1.02
Neither of them fixed the problem.

And before anyone comments on it yet AGAIN, yes I've tried the entire "shopping list" of fixes. SEVERAL TIMES. Disabling the internet does not work. Shutting off everything else does not work. In short, everything on the list that is suggested as a possible fix DOES NOT WORK. So please, stop saying "Just shut off your internet and it'll work fine." NO. It DOESN'T. It may have worked for YOU, but not everyone is having the exact same issue. The ONLY fix is to send the system in to have the faulty chip replaced. And I urge ANYONE who has had this issue to do the same, unless you want to have similar issues with OTHER games down the line. Thank you.

Buy Milk

One of Cass's friends attempts to record their teacher being mean to the class on his digital watch, and it becomes possessed by the devil.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Why Recording Your Classes Can Be Bad

I reveal one of my more eccentric quirks from when I was a teenager, and how it got me in trouble in my English class one day...

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

DVD Collection Update - British Sci-Fi

Wow, is it update time ALREADY??? Yep! This time around it's all about 70's British Sci-Fi!

DVDs discussed in this edition:

Tomorrow People - Set 3
Doctor Who - Inferno
Doctor Who - The Time Warrior
Doctor Who - Robot
Doctor Who - The Ark in Space
Doctor Who - The Sontaran Experiment
Doctor Who - Genesis of the Daleks
Doctor Who - Planet of Evil

I also show off my very first BluRay movie! And the TARDIS puts in an appearance, in classic "Materialisation" style. ;)

French Teachers

We've all had psychotic or just plain WEIRD teachers in our lifetimes. This time around, Cass and I talk about some of the ones we had...specifically from our French classes.

"Tink"

Little kids find the strangest things amusing. Here are a couple of things that Cass found gut-bustingly funny in his younger years.

Dinner, Doctor Who and Trains

I reveal the deep secret of what we had for dinner, we briefly discuss Doctor Who, and a train runs through my living room. Well, almost.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Daft Hands Wannabes

Cass and I discuss the internet hit video "Daft Hands" and some of the better parodies of it we've seen. Cass also corrects my pronunciation of "Kanye West."

Two Guys and An Effects Box - Secret of the Pyramid

Go to my YouTube page for a link to the stereo sound version (sounds MUCH better in stereo).

I am both pleased and saddened to present to you all that was ever completed for the Two Guys and An Effects Box web series, "Secret of the Pyramid."

Be sure to watch the stereo version, I put a lot into the sound for this one.

In total this video represents nearly two months' work (editing, music composition, 3D animation creation/rendering, frame-by-frame motion control, compositing, etc.), originally made around the same time Super Mega Transform was featured (July 2007) and intended to "ride the momentum" of the featured video and catapult the Two Guys project to international fame and fortune.

For reasons which would take far to long to go into now, the project has been shelved indefinitely. So, I thought as a special treat for everyone I'd show you what little was done, since it looks like this won't be finished any time soon (if ever).

Note to everyone commenting on the "slow pacing." Please bear in mind, that all of the footage contained in this video was not necessarily intended to appear all in one go in the final, finished product. This is NOT just one scene. It is a collection of footage that would have been spread out across the majority of the series. Some of it was foreshadowing events to come, some was simply "establishing shots." Because it's ALL that was completed, that's ALL you see in this video. Shown as one massive scene, of course it's slow. Not much happens. But it was integral to the plot, and would have been presented in the proper context if the series had been finished. So please, take this for what it is. It's a GLIMPSE, nothing more. It's taking everything that was completed and throwing it together into a compilation in an order which gives it some semblance of a proper visual "flow." The full story was MASSIVE and what you see here was but a tiny, tiny part of it.

Enjoy.

You're Too Stupid To Live

Cass and I continue our discussion of the sharp dropping of the collective I.Q.'s of our species.

You're Too Stupid To Be On The Internet

I share one of my pet peeves with Cass - people who are too stupid to be using the internet.

Nightmare Staring Contest

Cass and I briefly reminisce about a game session of "Nightmare: The Video Board Game."

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Fan Films and Numa Numa

Cass and I discuss some of our favorite fan films and I address the fact that people keep saying I look like the Numa Numa Guy. Well, I'm not him.

Stereo Sound Deliciousness

Just a quick blog today, to let everyone know about a bit of coolness regarding the audio of my new (and many of my old) videos.

The links referred to in the video are only available via my YouTube page, where this video was originally posted.

A Wall Has Come Between Us

Cass and I establish that a wall has come between us, I show him some of my new DVDs, Annetta goes insane for no apparent reason then disses Gary Gygax.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Calling all C.O.P.S. Fans! C.O.P.S. on DVD!

A couple of years ago we were treated to the first 22 episodes of the kick-butt 80's cartoon "C.O.P.S." (aka "CyberCOPS") on DVD.

Then...nothing.

What happened? Where's the rest of it? Did YOU even KNOW that there was a DVD release in the first place? And is there anything YOU can do to help get the rest of the episodes released on DVD? The simple answer is...YES! Watch and learn...

Visit my YouTube page (go to the description for this video) for links to the petition and Shout Factory forum.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Muffins and Coffee

At long last, the action-packed premiere of Series 2 Visits with Cass!

In this thrilling season premiere, I stuff my face with muffins, we discuss the rising price of coffee and a possible conspiracy involving the correlation between caffeine and nicotine addiction.

New DVDs - Murder Mysteries and 80s Cartoons

The DVD Collection continues to grow without any sign of slowing down! This time around, a couple of items I forgot to mention from Annetta's collection, and the latest additions to my 80's Cartoon library.

DVDs discussed in this video:

Murder on the Orient Express (with Alfred Molina and Peter Strauss)
Murder One - Season 1

Defenders of the Earth - Complete Series
C.O.P.S. (aka Cyber COPS) - Volume 1
Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers - Volume 1

Cass Tells a Story

My brother has such a way with words. Sit back and enjoy this riveting tale he told me one evening.

DVD Rant - Dark Shadows Revival

Yep, it's rant time again.

The 1991 "revival" version of Dark Shadows was awesome. Too bad the DVD release wasn't. Let us count the ways in which it sucked...

Features a substantial rant about how a lot of old TV shows are being ruined by being given the widescreen treatment.

Friday, May 23, 2008

The New Toy

Some of you were wondering where I disappeared to for the last week and a bit. Well, the new DVDs took up some of that time, but THIS is what REALLY tore me away from YouTube for a bit.

I have calmed down now, and will once again find time for both. :D In the mean time, enjoy this first look at...MY NEW TOY!

Yes folks, I FINALLY got a PS3! In this video I talk about the games I've been playing, and discuss the GTA IV freezing issue. Which yes, I am yet another victim of. Sigh.

Oh, and to the smart-ass 360 fanboys regarding the GTA IV freezing problem - it's happening on BOTH systems! It's NOT just a PS3 issue, it's the GAME. Many 360 users have experienced the SAME problem. So kindly stop with the "lol! Shoulda bought a 360!" B.S. Those comments are getting removed and users BLOCKED immediately, so don't waste your time. Either research the issue and make an INFORMED comment, or keep your smart ass remarks to yourself.

DVD Collection Update - 80's Cartoons and Other Stuff

Sorry about the long wait between videos, folks! But when you watch this one, and the next one especially, I think it'll be pretty clear what's been occupying my attention the past week or so. ;)

This time around, we look at the DVDs that were M.I.A (and have since been found) from the DVD Collection series, and take a look at all the new ones that myself, Annetta and Rosie have acquired over the past month.

Friday, May 9, 2008

DVD Review - Voltron: Defender of the Universe - Part 3

This time...CENSORSHIP!

For the final part of my Voltron DVD Review series, we take a lighthearted look at some examples of how the show was censored and watered down to make it suitable for kids in North America by looking at clips from one of the earlier episodes of the series.

Sorry, I slightly messed up the release date for Set 1 of GoLion - it's coming out May 27, 2008, not May 23 as stated in the video.

ALSO: be sure to check out World Events Production's YouTube page (they're the folks who brought us Voltron in the first place!) at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WorldEvents

They have tons of cool Voltron related vids, as well as clips from other shows they've released over the years.

And of course, let's not forget the Official Voltron Website:

http://www.voltron.com

Enjoy!

P.S. Finally figured out how to do the mixed aspect ratios, while remaining true to each one. So I'm in widescreen, the clips are in fullscreen. Aren't I a clever boy? ;)

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

DVD Review - Voltron: Defender of the Universe - Part 2

Part 2 of my in-depth review of the Voltron DVD sets. This time around, I talk about the absolutely STAGGERING amount of work that went into the restoration of the show. I also show my one and only Voltron toy, and throw in a little treat at the end for all of you wanting a bit of a nostalgia trip...

ALSO: be sure to check out World Events Production's YouTube page (they're the folks who brought us Voltron in the first place!) at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WorldEvents

They have tons of cool Voltron related vids, as well as clips from other shows they've released over the years.

Enjoy!

P.S. Some of you may notice that this review isn't widescreen like my other videos. Well, that's because the clips I show are fullscreen, and it just made it easier to do the whole thing fullscreen rather than mixing aspect ratios. Yeah, I'm lazy.

Monday, May 5, 2008

DVD Review - Voltron: Defender of the Universe - Part 1

I forgot to add the link for that awesome TV on DVD site... Here ya go:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com

I've been wanting to do this one for a while, but had to wait for all 5 sets to be released so I could do it properly.

This is part 1 of my in depth review of Voltron on DVD! In this part, we take a look at the ultra-cool tin packaging, and check out the contents of all 5 volumes. For an added nostalgia trip (and to explain it a bit for those who have no clue what Voltron is all about) we take a look at the opener of the show as well.

In Part 2, I'll be talking about the extensive remastering/restoration that went into this release.

ALSO: be sure to check out World Events Production's YouTube page (they're the folks who brought us Voltron in the first place!) at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WorldEvents

They have tons of cool Voltron related vids, as well as clips from other shows they've released over the years.

Enjoy!

P.S. Some of you may notice that this review isn't widescreen like my other videos. Well, that's because the clips I show are fullscreen, and it just made it easier to do the whole thing fullscreen rather than mixing aspect ratios. Yeah, I'm lazy.

My DVD Collection - Annetta's DVDs - Part 2

At last, we come to the end of this epic journey through our DVD collections!

Here, we take a look at the rest of Annetta's DVDs, and see just how eclectic her tastes really are!

My DVD Collection - Annetta's DVDs - Part 1

Okay, I honestly THOUGHT I could cram Annetta's collection into one video, but it turned out to be a bit more massive than I anticipated...so two parts it is!

For the first part, we look at some of her favorite movies and TV show sets.

My DVD Collection - Guilty Pleasures, Anime, Misc

This time we take a look at my "overspill" shelf, which has all the stuff that wouldn't fit on the living room shelves. Mostly a mixed bag, including some of my "guilty pleasure" titles and the rest of my anime collection.

My DVD Collection - Cop Shows, Classics and David Lynch

Finally, we come to the end...of the living room shelves! There's still the ones in the bedroom to go.

This time around, we see my collection of cop/private eye shows, the rest of the classics collection, and the David Lynch collection (one of my fave directors).

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

My DVD Collection - Horror

Turn the lights down low and watch when you are most alone...for THIS time around we take a look at my horror DVDs...MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

My DVD Collection - Sci-Fi - Part 2

Concluding our look at the Sci-Fi section of my DVD collection, including some of my more sizable movie/TV show collections from the genre.

Monday, April 28, 2008

My DVD Collection - Sci-Fi - Part 1

This time around, we look at the first section of my Sci-Fi DVDs. This section was far too massive for one video, so I've split it into 2 parts.

My DVD Collection - Cartoons, Kid Stuff, Classics, Anime

Continuing the in-depth look at my DVD collection...

Kind of a mixed bag this time around as I finally finish going through the first bookshelf of DVDs - most of my 80's and 90's cartoons, kid's shows, some classics, and a few of my anime titles.

And to cap it off, we take a look at some cool book sets I've got on display.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

My DVD Collection - Comic Book Adaptations and Voltron

There's been a LOT of movies, TV shows and cartoons based on comics books over the years. Here's what I have thus far in my collection from this very popular genre...

Oh, and you can see my Voltron sets too (they just happen to be on the same shelf) :)

My DVD Collection - Directors, Comedies, Adult Cartoons

Continuing the in-depth look at my DVD collection...

This time around we look at the section which I like to call "independent directors that made it big," various comedy TV shows and movies, and cartoons for grown-ups.

My DVD Collection - Uber Boxed Sets

The long awaited update about my DVD Collection! This turned out to be far longer than I had intended, but I wanted to be thorough this time around since I had a lot of questions about the last one I did (back in November 2006).

So, I've split it up into several parts, each part covering a different section of my collection.

This time around - Uber Boxed Sets!

Eating the Worm - Party Night on Stickam!

From the night of Friday, April 18, 2008 in my Stickam chat room...

For those of you who couldn't make it, and for those of you who WERE there and didn't think I did it, here for your gourmet edification is me...eating...THE WORM!

Followed by some random drunken silliness after everything had died down.

Yes folks, me drunk can be summed up as follows:

1. pseudo-philosophical rambling,
2. professing my undying love for anyone and everyone who walks in the room,
3. lengthy fits of uncontrollable giggling.

You'll primarily see the latter of those three this time around.

Enjoy!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

DVD RANT - X-Men: The Animated Series

The 90's X-Men Animated Series was the most faithful adaptation of the comics to date. Lots of other, less notable shows from the same era have had the deluxe treatment on DVD. So....why has THIS series been completely given the SHAFT???

Yep, you guessed it, it's RANT time again!

Movie RANT - X-Men 3: The Last Stand - Part 2

The Rant.

'Nuff said.

Oh, and a brief (but related) aside talking about the Aeon Flux movie.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Movie RANT - X-Men 3: The Last Stand - Part 1

I've had a TON of requests to do this one for a loooong time over on my Stickam chatroom, so I'm happy to report that at long last the wait is over!

There was far too much to go into in one rant, so this is basically the "intro" where I give some background info and set up what I'll be talking about in the full rant...

Enjoy!

The Multimedia Chronicles - An Introduction

At long last it's here! My new series of rants, raves and reviews all about everything geeky!

Just a brief intro this time around, letting you know what kinds of things you can expect in the near future.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

PAARRTYY!!! AGAIN! And you're invited!

Okay, let's try this again with a little more than 45 minutes notice!

Party in my Stickam chat room this Friday (April 18th), starting at 6pm!

If you're reading this, you're invited! Unless you're a creepy weirdo or something...

Here's the link:
http://www.stickam.com/zaranyzerak

Hope to see y'all there!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Shaving Day

It's Shaving Day!

Featuring original music by Zaranyzerak

Download the mp3 for free here:
http://www.zaranyzerak.com/music/Zaranyzerak_Shaving_Day.mp3

Visits with Cass - The Musical

This "music video" was edited together using an assortment of clips from the first series of Visits with Cass.

All the visuals you see and all the sounds you hear are from the actual video clips. Nothing has been added, nothing has been changed (aside from a few minor volume tweaks here and there). There was no "cheating," this was ALL assembled using NOTHING but actual video clips from the series and hours upon hours of painstaking editing.

In all, this video represents about 10 days' worth of composing, editing and split-screening.

Cute Baby Playing on the Bed

One for all the Rosie fans...

Out little angel just LOVES to play on our massive bed because she knows she can flop around and go crazy without having to worry about injuries. It's playtime with Rosie!

This video was shot on April 11, 2008, the day after Rosie turned 8 months old.

Monday, April 14, 2008

The Big Move 2008 - Part 12

The Final Chapter!

I walk around the apartment and show how the unpacking/organizing is coming along. Also, I talk about my greenscreen and give an impromptu Two Guys and An Effects Box update, and finally I talk about some DVDs we've been watching over the past few days.

The Big Move 2008 - Part 11

The movers are done, and I've started getting stuff organized while Annetta and her Mom grab the last of our stuff from the house. The hard part is finally over...

The Big Move 2008 - Part 10

I swear, this saga is almost over...only two more parts to go!

I set foot in our new place for the very first time, and give my viewers the esteemed privilege of joining me on my first walkthrough....

The Big Move 2008 - Part 9

The Big Move 2008 - Part 8

The Big Move 2008 - Part 7

Friday, April 11, 2008

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Galaxy Rangers and Jayce & The Wheeled Warriors - A Sordid DVD History

Man, this is already shaping up to be one AWESOME year for 80's cartoon releases on DVD. With all the 80's cartoons getting uber deluxe releases over the past few years (Transformers, He-Man, Thundercats...just to name a few), a lot of fans were left wondering when the heck we would see two particular 80's gems show up on DVD with similar treatment - namely, The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.

Well, a few years back we DID get DVD releases of both of these shows. But the presentation definitely left something to be desired. Let's take a look back at how these two shows have fared on DVD over the years, to FULLY appreciate how exciting it is for us fans to FINALLY have both shows being done right!


Galaxy Rangers got 4 single-disc volumes, each containing a random selection of 4 episodes.




They looked and sounded GREAT, mind you, but what fans REALLY wanted was the complete series in proper, chronological order.

Around the same time, there was a 3-volume set released in Germany which contained the complete series.


As a particular bonus, it contained the English audio track as an option! So the complete series WAS available at long last, but only in Region 2 PAL video format. We wanted a proper, Region 1 NTSC release (NTSC being the video standard it was originally created in). Well, if you scroll down a bit to my blog entry from a few days ago, you'll see that Galaxy Rangers is finally getting the treatment it deserves, in the form of two boxed sets which will contain all 65 episodes in the correct order!

Here's the cover again, just because it looks so darned awesome:




But what about Jayce? Well, we got even LESS on DVD a few years ago, in the form of a single disc release that contained episodes 1-3 and 6.



Here's a nicer look at the cover art:



Hey, at least the first three were in the right order... But once again, what fans had been craving was a proper, complete series release.

There were a few other DVD releases that featured a variety of cartoons, among which was the occasional episode or two of Jayce. But once again, completely random selection. There is no real point in going into detail with these half-assed releases.

Hope sprang a couple of years ago when there was a French release of the complete series.



But, unlike the foreign Galaxy Rangers release, there was no English audio track to be found. So even though we could see Jayce in the best picture quality EVER, we wouldn't understand a word they were saying unless we spoke French...


Until NOW!


Yes, AT LONG LAST Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors is being released in its entirety, in the form of two boxed sets that will contain all 65 episodes! Here's the cover for Volume 1:



So, as I say, this is looking like a good year for 80's cartoon releases so far. Now if only DiC would get off their asses and release some of their old gems. I want a proper DVD set of Starcom: The U.S. Space Force (also only available as a single disc random episode compilation), Inspector Gadget (there IS a set of the first 22 episodes, but no more on the schedule...looks like it's back to random episode discs for the forseeable future), and the rest of C.O.P.S. (again, there's a set of the first 22 episodes, but no more on the horizon...)

C'mon already! The Filmation and Sunbow libraries have received the royal treatment for their catalog of kick-ass 80's cartoons, let's see the DiC stuff too!

While we're waiting, though, we can all finally be enjoying the complete runs of two of the most fondly remembered cartoons from the mid 80's - The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (I know, I can't stop saying it - I'm just THAT excited!) It's about time these two shows got the respect they deserve!

No Guts, No Glory!
Lightning STRIKES!


Monday, March 17, 2008

Unwanted Guests

We have bugs. Ants, to be precise. And I'm not talking an ant farm. Nope, these little critters are free-running. And they're EVERYWHERE!

You see, we live in a quaint little house just inside a fairly sizeable forest, and right next door to a local park. It's not a bad place, except it's in dire need of renovating. The insulation is virtually non-existant, the doors and windows aren't sealed properly, so our houseguests literally could have gotten in from pretty much anywhere.

Oh well, such is life in the country!

So. Step 1, we bought some of those Ant Bait thingies. The idea with these is that the ants waltz on into the little "bait hut," walk around for a bit, get this chemical crud all over them, and take it back to the nest. Then, any OTHER ants they come in contact with get infected and continue spreading the chemical throughout the nest. Until, finally, the whole lot of 'em is wiped out.

But these are like, SUPER ANTS or something. Because we tried it for almost a week, and the sheer numbers of ants we were seeing crawling all over our walls, floor, furniture, dishes, etc. just did NOT seem to be diminishing.

On a sidenote, have you ever tried stepping on an ant? They are TOUGH! They've got, like, uber insect armor or something.

Then, from the most unlikely of sources, inspiration struck. I threw together a quick Video Blog about it today, so you can watch that for the low-down:





And there you have it. So at this point, it is ALL OUT WAR with these little armor plated devils. I refilled the "Juice Trap" and literally within 5 minutes there were 3 ants screaming for life preservers. It's 5:35 pm at the time of this writing, and it's almost as full of ant bodies as it was this morning.

But the good news is - ALREADY I've noticed a marked decrease in the number of ants roaming around the place. So methinks the plan is working. I was thinking earlier today, that the ants I'm mercilessly slaughtering are basically the Worker ants. The food gatherers. So, logically, cut off their food supply by killing the gatherers, and the rest of the nest shall soon fall. It's a war of attrition, folks!

Anyhoo, just thought I'd share my new level of hell with you all.

In celebration, here's a famous ant-based movie from the past for you to enjoy!

Them!






From now on, whenever I see a movie about giant, swarming ants I will have fond memories of our quaint little house in the country...

Am I glad we're moving in two weeks? HMMMMM! I WONDER!!!


Sunday, March 9, 2008

New DVDs! Woohoo!


This is actually quite happy-making for me, as we're on a ridiculously tight budget so my DVD purchases have been quite minimal over the past few months. Fortunately, the gods were smiling and when we went out today there were lots of great sales for folks like me who are trying to save a penny and build their collections all at the same time.

Okay, ready? Here we go! The latest additions to my collection are............


Not Another Teen Movie - Special Edition


Not Another Teen Movie DVD Cover


I actually used to own this one a while back, but SOLD it when I found out the Unrated Director's Cuthad come out! And the unrated version CLAIMED to have all the extras. And it did - except for the two terrific commentaries (one by the director, one by the cast) from the original edition. I can sort of forgive them for that, since the commentaries WERE done for the original version, after all, and the unrated version is about 10 minutes longer, so the timing would be all messed up. But come on - don't go SAYING it has ALL the extras from the previous edition when missing something like COMMENTARIES is clearly significant. Anyhoo, I now own BOTH versions because I love this movie and want everything.


Ace Ventura Deluxe Double Feature





I've always had a softspot for Jin Carrey's zany stuff. And Ace is about as zany as it gets. This is by far THE set to get, as it contains both movies in widescreen (the only time the original movie has been released in widescreen on DVD), PLUS a Bonus DVD of 3 episodes from the Ace Ventura cartoon! Honestly, I was never a fan of the cartoon. But it's nice to have a few episodes as examples of what it was like, if only for the sake of providing a complete look at the full spectrum of Ace's various incarnations.


Dances with Wolves - Extended Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)





This is another one I used to own a while back, but sold. I can't exactly remember why... Oh yeah, I was trying to scrape together enough for a new computer, so I was hitting ebay like no tomorrow. I never did get enough for the computer I wanted, but I did clear a lot of shelf space for future DVD purchases. Once again, THE set to get. Nearly an hour of additional footage not in the theatrical version, and every minute of it well spent.


Lady in the Water (Widescreen Edition)





Well, I figured I have all of M. Night Shyamalan's other movies, so I might as well complete the set. I've heard mixed reviews of this one, but I like his other stuff so I'm happy to give it a shot. Yes, I often buy movies/TV shows without having seen them before. I'm rarely disappointed, I can usually tell if it's the kind of thing I'm likely to enjoy. Uh...I guess being relatively easy to please doesn't hurt either.


And last, but most certainly not least...


He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002 Series) - Volume One





Now THIS is one I've been looking forward to for a while. I freely admit that I was never a big fan of the original 80's series, as I always felt it was somewhat lacking in plot. But by the same token, I always felt that the mystical land of Eternia and its inhabitants would lend itself VERY easily to a grand, sprawling, action-packed fantasy adventure EPIC. Enter the 2002 revival series. THIS is what He-Man should have been from the start! Great stuff, highly recommended even if you weren't a fan of the original but enjoy an exciting fantasy adventure.

And that about does it! So now the grand total of DVDs in my collection has reached 564 (remember, there's a couple I couldn't include in the main listing because amazon.com doesn't carry them). Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a ton of new stuff to watch...