Recent content from Randy A. Salas

Home video: 'Porky Pig 101' offers big set of the porcine punster
Fans of classic animation are in for a treat with the release of "Porky Pig 101"

Home video: 'Wonder Woman' saves the day
One of the best movies of the year, "Wonder Woman" (out Tuesday) inspires as it entertains.

Home video: Best Batman movie finally lands on Blu-ray
The poorly received debut of "Batman and Harley Quinn" recalls what is arguably the best Batman movie to date.

Home video: 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2' is so spaced out
"Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2" gleefully triumphs as the best Marvel movie so far.

New Blu-ray of 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' offers best of Old West
One of the finest films ever made, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" gets a well-deserved makeover in a 50th-anniversary Blu-ray coming Tuesday from Kino.

Home video: New 'Re-Animator' Blu-ray offers all that gore, and more
Director Stuart Gordon's over-the-top gore-fest — based on H.P. Lovecraft's tale of a scientist's mad quest to bring the dead back to life — looks more gruesome than ever in a new, limited-edition Blu-ray.

Home video: 'Ghost in the Shell' deserves a second look
"Ghost in the Shell" arguably works best for those who haven't seen the legendary Japanese animé upon which it's based.

Moody Blues journey through 'Days of Future Passed' at Orpheum
The British rockers presented a live version of their landmark 1967 album to a sold-out crowd Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

Home video: It's war out there in 'Hell in the Pacific'
The new Blu-ray of 1968's "Hell in the Pacific" finally allows fans to watch the underrated World War II gem with a seamless presentation of director John Boorman's intended ending.

Home video review: 'Rocktopia' puts on quite a show
Are you ready to rock? Are you ready to roll over Beethoven? "Rocktopia" might be just the ticket.

Home video: 'Beauty and the Beast' is a tale worth retelling
Filled with sumptuous visuals and a fairy-tale flair, Disney's live-action revamp of "Beauty and the Beast" is a lovely surprise.

Home video: Stunning 'Logan' rides off into the sunset
The standard superhero movie refreshingly reinvents itself as a weighty neo-western in the stunning "Logan," out Tuesday.

Home video: It's her show in 'Resident Evil,' 'Girl With All the Gifts'
When it comes to the end of the world, call a woman — or a girl — to fight the zombie hordes and other evil forces.

Home video: Let's get baking with 'The Great British Baking Show'
With Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up, TV DVDs make thoughtful gifts. An ideal option is the well-loved "The Great British Baking Show."

Home video: 'La La Land' brings all that jazz
"La La Land" is a lovely homage to Hollywood musicals of yore.

Home video: The Force is strong with this one as 'Rogue One' debuts
"Rogue One" is essentially a back story, based on a line from the original "Star Wars" film's scene-setting opening-title crawl.

Home video: Potter prequel 'Fantastic Beasts' works its magic
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" takes the familiar trappings of Harry Potter and runs with them — from the U.K. to the U.S.

Home video review: 'Sing' offers the old song and dance
From the folks who gave us "Despicable Me" comes "Sing," out Tuesday on home video.

'Passion of the Christ' Blu-ray offers old story in a new language
When "The Passion of the Christ" became a sensation in 2004, some viewers struggled with the film's violence and its sole use of Aramaic, Hebrew and Latin.

Home video review: 'Doctor Strange' whips up some magic
Marvel movies aren't always fully coherent, but they sure do entertain. "Doctor Strange" is no different.

Home video: Oscar nominees 'Hacksaw Ridge' and 'Manchester by the Sea' arrive
Still trying to catch up before next Sunday's big Oscars show? Tuesday offers more options when two best-picture competitors hit home video.

Home video review: 'Arrival' is a welcome departure
Just when you think you know what will happen in "Arrival," events change as quickly as Earth's outlook after extraterrestrials arrive.

'When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth' goes back to the Stone Age on Blu-ray
We probably have the upcoming film "Kong: Skull Island" to thank for Warner's new Blu-ray of 1970's "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth."

Home video review: Take thrilling 'Train to Busan' with S. Korean zombies
Despite its innocuous title, "Train to Busan" offers a terrifying, harrowing ride on the Zombie Express.

Home-video review: 'His Girl Friday' as timely as ever in new Blu-ray
Scheming journalists, lying politicians, conniving cops? It's not your Facebook feed. It's Howard Hawks' classic 1940 farce, "His Girl Friday,"

Home video review: 'Roddenberry Vault' goes where no 'Trek' fan has gone before
For the "Star Trek" fan who has everything, there's now "The Roddenberry Vault."

How hot is new Nintendo system? Just the box is going for more than $200
"What's in the box?" says one eBay listing. "Nothing! It's an empty box." Winning auctions, including shipping, have closed for as much as $212.45.

Home video review: Fly the unfriendly skies in 'Sully'
We know how it turns out, but that doesn't make "Sully" — out Tuesday — any less gripping.

Home video review: 'Suicide Squad' goes from bad to worse
"Suicide Squad" had promise: DC Comics' "baddest of the bad" are temporarily sprung from prison to fight forces even more evil. But the poorly paced story fails to deliver.

Home video review: 'Mad Max: Fury Road' is back in black and white
George Miller has always wanted to make a "Mad Max" movie in black and white. Now he has his wish.

Give the gift of gaming with these 10 ideas, from VR to retro classics
Where do you start if you have a video gamer on your gift list this holiday season and are overwhelmed with choices? Here are 10 ideas.

Home-video review: 'Doc Savage' embarks on Blu-ray adventure
Years before Batman or Superman swooped in, Doc Savage ruled pulp fiction.

Home video review: 'Finding Dory' is another Pixar film worth finding
Pixar's cinematic magic continues unabated with "Finding Dory," the recent sequel to 2003's "Finding Nemo."

Home video: 'Stephen King's It' sends in the clown
With so many creepy clowns in the news lately, the timing couldn't have been better for the high-def release of "Stephen King's It."

Home video review: 'Legend of Tarzan' gets lost in the jungle
Tarzan is among the most filmed characters in cinema history, yet few of the dozens of movies from the past 80 years have truly captured the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs' most popular creation.

Rediscovering 'Monster of Piedras Blancas' and other movie beasts on video
With Halloween just weeks away, a spate of monster movies has invaded home video lately. A welcome surprise is the Blu-ray/DVD debut of 1959's "The Monster of Piedras Blancas."

Home video review: Fear runs deep in 'The Shallows'
"Jaws" gets a heart-stopping homage in "The Shallows," a nifty little thriller that latches on as ruthlessly as its great white antagonist and refuses to let go.

Home video review: 'Beauty and the Beast' celebrates 25 years
It's a "tale as old as time," but it's been 25 years since Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" first waltzed into the hearts of moviegoers.

Home video review: Whose side are you on in 'Captain America: Civil War'?
What if the superheroes charged with saving the world caused as much harm as good?

Home video review: Travel to Minnesota and beyond with 'TravelTalks'
Hyperbole rules in James A. FitzPatrick's "TravelTalks," newly collected in two three-disc sets -- even when visiting Minnesota in 1942.

Home video review: Latest 'Star Wars' film is a 'Force' worth reawakening
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" debuts via on-demand services Friday and comes out Tuesday in a Blu-ray/DVD/digital HD combo that includes deleted scenes and other extras.

Home video: 'Jesus of Nazareth' presents the Gospel according to Zeffirelli
When the miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" first aired in 1977, about 90 million U.S. TV viewers tuned in. It's easy to see why.

Kelly Clarkson brings house down with emotional, tear-filled song on 'Idol'
Guest singer Kelly Clarkson performed a song about being abandoned by her father so powerfully Thursday night on "American Idol" that it brought the audience to tears. Even she couldn't help crying.

Video game review: Avengers enter age of Lego
"Avengers assemble" takes on a whole new meaning as storied superheroes such as Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Black Widow make their brick-built game debuts in "Lego Marvel's Avengers."

Home video review: '80s sci-fi sendup 'Ice Pirates' hits Blu-ray
As swashbuckling space adventures go, the 1984 sci-fi sendup "The Ice Pirates" has little competition.

Video game review: High-def horror returns in 'Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster'
"Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster" returns with better graphics and creepiness, along with the original clunky game play.

Video game review: 'Tharsis' rolls the dice on a trip to Mars
Timed to the home video release of "The Martian," the downloadable game "Tharsis" ($14.99 for PS4 and PC by Choice Provisions; rated Mature) also concerns a disastrous trip to Mars.

Home video review: 'The X-Files' goes high-def on Blu-ray
To mark the reboot of "The X-Files" in Januray, the series' initial nine-season run has been gussied up on Blu-ray.

Original 'Star Wars' films available on DVD, if you're willing to settle
Tracking down the unchanged trilogy on DVD is no easy task.

Video game review: 'Star Wars' geekdom goes into hyperdrive in 'Battlefront'
Sometimes in "Star Wars: Battlefront" ($60 for PS4, Xbox One, PC; rated Teen), you just have to stop all the fighting and stare like a slack-jawed fanboy at what's happening around you.

What happens when Adele shows up at an audition for Adele impersonators?
The British star — arguably the hottest singer in the world, at the moment — donned a disguise and showed up at an audition for Adele impersonators, all captured in a video from the BBC.

Video game review: 'Call of Duty: Black Ops III' misses the mark
"Call of Duty: Black Ops III" ($60 for consoles and PC; rated Mature), the latest entry in the popular run-and-gun franchise, quickly becomes a test of endurance for solo gamers.

Golden Valley company delivers groovy Blu-ray set for 'That '70s Show'
Golden Valley-based Mill Creek Entertainment specializes in budget home-video fare, so its recent release of one of the finest TV Blu-ray sets available comes as a sweet surprise.

Video game review: Time to go back to the retro-future with 'Fallout 4'
Wake up, Vault Dweller! "Fallout 4" ($60 for PS4, Xbox One and PC; rated Mature) is everything you've been waiting for — and more!

Mystery of lost 1916 Sherlock Holmes film is solved, partly thanks to U library
Sherlock Holmes fans are in for a treat from master actors separated by 99 years: Ian McKellen in the recent "Mr. Holmes" and William Gillette in the once-lost 1916 silent film "Sherlock Holmes."

Video game review: Rebuilt 'Need for Speed' gets off to a slow start
Like the sweet rides that populate EA's flagship racer, "Need for Speed" ($60 for PS4, Xbox One, PC; rated Teen) looks stunning. But open the hood, and it's a different story.

Home video review: 'Jurassic World' knocks it out of the park
Nothing can top the surprise, wonder and terror of the original "Jurassic Park," but darned if "Jurassic World" doesn't equal it.

Video game review: Enter 'Uncharted' territory with Nathan Drake
Whiling away the hours with the "Uncharted" series, it's often hard to remember whether you're playing a video game or a movie.

Home video review: 'The Iron Giant' gets another chance to win fans
The failure of "The Iron Giant" to achieve Disney-like box-office success remains one of the great cinematic crimes of the 20th century.

Home video review: Blast off with 'Lost in Space' on Blu-ray
The endearing campiness of the 1960s TV series "Lost in Space" is exactly why the 50th-anniversary Blu-ray "The Complete Adventures" is such a blast.

Home video review: Dick Powell stars as Philip Marlowe in essential 'Murder, My Sweet'
"Murder, My Sweet" hardly needs an endorsement. But Warner Archive Collection's new Blu-ray gives fans a reason to rediscover the 1944 film noir classic.

Video game review: 'Rocket League' mashes up cars and soccer
The wild, adrenaline-fueled action of summer's biggest hit, "Rocket League," is a crazy mishmash that puts tiny souped-up cars on the soccer pitch.

Home video review: A new Force beckons in 'Star Wars Rebels'
Before the build-up for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" reaches Death Star proportions, now's a good time to check out "Star Wars Rebels," whose first season has just hit home video.

July 9: Marching goes extreme as top drum corps compete at TCF stadium
More than 2,000 musicians and performers in 20 drum and bugle corps will take over TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday to compete in DCI Minnesota, one of the nation's largest such marching contests this year.

Video games: Trap is set in 'Deception IV'
When it comes to guilty pleasures, few games will make you feel as gleefully guilty as "Deception IV: Blood Ties."

Home video: 'Little House on the Prairie' makes high-def debut
The Emmy-winning family drama — based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's tales of growing up in Walnut Grove, Minn. — has been given a high-def restoration for home video.

Home video: Plenty of room at the inn on 'Newhart'
The 1980s sitcom achieved a new level of zaniness in Season 2 with the addition of Twin Cities native Julia Duffy as the perky, pouty socialite Stephanie.

On video: 'Mad World' Blu-ray digs up buried treasure
Even if you know "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," you've never seen the zany 1963 comedy as in Criterion Collection's new Blu-ray/DVD release.

Pros & cons: Sony ups its game with PS4
Review: The PlayStation 4 will come out at midnight.. Should you invest in the Sony's new video-game console? Here are 10 things to consider before you buy.