Evans Above

Matt Gallagher’s new documentary Shamed, which premiered at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival, looks beyond the actions of a self-proclaimed online vigilante and into the legal ramifications his behaviours created. 

Photo courtesy of TVO.

The documentary follows the events surrounding the court case of former Canadian YouTuber Jason Nassr, who ran a channel named Creeper Hunter TV between 2015 and 2020. His videos would seek out men on adult dating sites using a fake profile and then, through sexually charged texts and phone conversations where Nassr imitated a teen girl, arrange an in-person meeting. When Nassr approached the men at the meet-up, he’d record the reactions of the men he called “creepers” and post the videos, names and other info on his YouTube channel. Though Nassr’s actions gained him a following on YouTube, it also earned him the attention of police. Five of the men in Nassr’s videos committed suicide, with one case of a London, Ontario man leading to Nassr being charged with harassment by telecommunications, extortion and producing and distributing child pornography by written word.

Gallagher’s documentary combines audio from Nassr’s trial with clips from the Creeper Hunter videos and interviews with Nassr, the friends and families of several of the “John Does” who committed suicide, a journalist and Canadian and American law enforcement. It’s not the documentary’s objective to litigate the innocence or guilt of the men in the YouTube videos. In the eyes of law enforcement, Nassr’s videos hindered real justice by capitalizing on the currency of online outrage and put due process, investigations, and even lives at risk. 

The film is difficult to watch but timely given the power, reach and influence of online figures in today’s world. 

Shamed will screen once more at Hot Docs on Friday, May 2, 2025 and then should have a broadcast on TVO and other broadcast and streaming outlets after that. More info on the Hot Docs screening can be found here.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the third film in the Sega video game-inspired franchise, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles reunite to take on a new foe, Shadow the Hedgehog, who is voiced by Keanu Reeves. Jim Carrey returns as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, but also plays Ivo’s grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik. The live action cast also includes James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, Alyla Browne, and Tom Butler, while the voice cast features Ben Schwartz, the aforementioned Reeves, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, and Idris Elba. Paramount has just released a 4K of the movie as well as a SteelBook version for the collectors. I had a chance to take a look.

• Purchase at Amazon USA 🇺🇸
• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with HDR10 and Dolby Vision is presented in a 2.391:1 aspect ratio. It’s a great looking presentation with excellent clarity and detail. The colour palette is bold and vivid with excellent highlights and deep black levels. It’s a fun visual treat.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Atmos soundtrack that folds back to TrueHD 7.1, as well as Danish, Spanish, French, French (Canadian), Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English, English SDH, Danish, Spanish, French, French (Canadian), Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish. It’s a fun soundtrack that puts the surrounds to excellent use for both ambient and action effects. When needed the subwoofer adds pounding bass, while the dialogue is always clear and prioritized in the mix.

The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 4K also comes with a Blu-ray disc and a digital code. There’s a nice selection of bonus features including a commentary by director Jeff Fowler and Sonic voice actor Ben Schwartz, an introductory piece on Keanu Reeves and his Shadow character, a look at how Jim Carrey brought the Robotnik family to life, director Jeff Fowler discussing directing the trilogy, a look at the recording booth with Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, a piece on how the live-action actors work with the CG characters, featurettes on production design and fight choreography, the short A Very Sonic Christmas, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. Collectors should note that a SteelBook case version is also available.

The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 4K is a fun ride for the family whether you’ve played the game or are just viewing this as standalone entertainment. A fun cast is combined with excellent audio and video and a nice selection of extras.

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has just released Abbott Elementary: The Complete Third Season on DVD. The popular and award-winning show’s third season sees teacher Janine Teagues (show creator Quinta Brunson) take on new responsibilities at the school district. Brunson’s co-stars are Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis and Sheryl Lee Ralph. The third season is only 14 episodes, shortened by the industry strikes that year. As always, the show manages to balance laughs and the heartwarming struggle educators face while trying to balance educating students while facing budget and societal pressures. The WB likes disclaimers, so here goes: Though Warner Brothers provided me with a copy of this release to review, the thoughts and opinions below are mine.

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• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

Though lacking the image detail of an HD Blu-ray release, the image detail and clarity is excellent for the DVD format. The video presentation is very pleasing with a colour palette that ranges from popping primaries to more muted tones. With the fourteen episodes spread over two discs, the series has room to “breathe” so I didn’t notice any digital artifacts or compression issues.

On the audio side of things, the discs have an English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Subtitles are available for English SDH. Like many TV sitcoms, this is a mostly front-heavy track with some light ambient sounds in the surrounds. Dialogue is clear and prioritized in the mix.

The two disc DVD set does not come with a digital code. Sadly, there are no extras. With a sitcom it would have been nice to see some bloopers.

The Abbott Elementary: The Complete Third Season DVD combines and excellent cast with smart writing and a very nice AV presentation on DVD. If you’re a fan of the show, you won’t go wrong adding this to your collection.

Director Mel Gibson brings us Flight Risk, a claustrophobic thriller set in a small plane. Michelle Dockery plays an Air Marshall with a troubled past who has recently been sent back into the field. She’s secured a fugitive (Topher Grace), an accountant from the mob that’s needed to testify against a mob boss. To get him to the trial, she’s enlisted a pilot (Mark Wahlberg) but as we learn quickly in this fast-paced 91 minute thriller, not everyone is who they seem to be. This is not good info to find out in a small plane. In the air. Over Alaska. Lionsgate has now released the movie as a 4K and Blu-ray combo pack. An Amazon-exclusive SteelBook version is also available. I had a chance to take an early look.

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The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded 4K digital transfer with HDR10 is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Details inside the plane are sharp, from the three actors’ faces to the hardware of the plane itself. The added resolution doesn’t really help the images outside the windows with the plane shot inside a studio and the scenery on screens. The few moments of CG effects also don’t fare as well. In these moments, the included Blu-ray and its lower resolution hide the digital blemishes. There is also some digital noise. The colour palette is quite realistic and the black levels quite deep. Flight Risk is a tense B-movie that moves along quickly to its 91 conclusion, so I don’t really want to nitpick and pixel count the window shots, but I’m just being open about something that some will notice and some won’t…or won’t care.

On the audio side of things, there’s a English Dolby Atmos track that folds back to Dolby TrueHD 7.1, as well as French and Spanish Dolby Audio 7.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French, and Spanish. The surrounds put you in the passenger seat with engine noise and every turbulent bump, while the subwoofer lends sends extra weight when needed. Dialogue is clear and centred.

The Flight Risk 4K also comes with a Blu-ray disc and a digital code. Extras are sparse consisting of a short production featurette and a theatrical trailer.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced B-movie thriller with a good cast, Flight Risk fits the bill and is combine with an excellent audio experience and a video experience that is very good minus a few quibbles.

Written and directed by Peter Hastings, who also plays our titular hero, Dog Man is based on Dav Pilkey’s graphic novel series for children. When a villainous cat named Petey (Pete Davidson) sets off a bomb, it injures Officer Knight and his canine partner Greg. Surgeons work to try and save them, resulting in Greg’s head being stitched on Knight’s body. And so Dog Man is born. The voice cast also features Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Lucas Hopkins Calderon, and Ricky Gervais. Universal has now released this Dreamworks Animation movie on Blu-ray and I had a chance to look.

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• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The CG animation does a great job capturing the vibe of the graphic novels. The Blu-ray image is crisp and sharp and the colour palette is full of vivid hues with good black levels. There are no compression issues to speak of.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 soundtrack as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French and Spanish. It’s a fun soundtrack with a lot of directional effects in the surrounds. The music is sounds good and dialogue is clear.

The Dog Man Blu-ray also comes with a digital code, though no code is available in the Canadian edition. Special features include a commentary by writer/director Peter Hastings, deleted and extended scenes, a Meet the Pack featurette with soundbites from production staff and cast, a small “making of” piece, and instructions on drawing some of the characters and a recipe to make dog snacks.

The Dog Man Blu-ray combines very good audio and video with a story aimed directly at the young ones. Its fast-moving fun action will probably have them playing it repeatedly.

The TV series Shameless is another in a long line of shows adapted for US audiences from a British original. The US version, adapted by John Wells, ran on Showtime from 2011 to 2021 and gave us 134 episodes over 11 seasons. The ensemble series follows a dysfunctional Chicago family led by Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy). Frank feeds his addictions with various scams, while his six children are no more model citizens than their father. The large ensemble cast also includes Emmy Rossum, Justin Chatwin, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, Noel Fisher, Joan Cusack, Laura Slade Wiggins, Zach McGowan, Emma Greenwell, Jake McDorman, Emily Bergl, Isidora Goreshter, Richard Flood, Christian Isaiah and Kate Miner. Warner Brothers Discovery Home Entertainment has now released Shameless: The Complete Series on DVD and I had a chance to take a look. The WB likes disclaimers, so here goes: Though Warner Brothers provided me with a copy of this release to review, the thoughts and opinions below are mine.

• Purchase at Amazon USA

Mar 14, 2025

Wolf Man 4K review

Universal is home to the Universal Monsters, the classic films that brought Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, the Mummy and the Wolf Man and others to the big screen from the early 1900s to the 1950s. Wolf Man, directed by Leigh Whannell and written by Whannel and his wife, Corbett Tuck, reboots the Wolf Man franchise. A man heads with his wife and daughter to close up the cabin of his late estranged father only to face a dangerous creature. He seeks to protect his family but their greatest danger may be from within. The cast includes Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, and Sam Jaeger. Universal is releasing Wolf Man on 4K and I had a chance to take an early look.

• Purchase at Amazon USA 🇺🇸
• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded 4K digital transfer with HDR10 is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Wolf Man is an incredibly dark film. I’m not saying that in terms of themes, I’m saying that many scenes lack a light source. It’s safe to say that’s an artistic choice and not a transfer issue. In horror, what are minds can conjure up when we’re scared and anxious is often more terrifying than what we can see. When we can see, the image is sharp and detailed with a mostly muted palette.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby Atmos soundtrack that folds back to Dolby TrueHD 7.1. French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 tracks are also available.Subtitles are available for English SDH, French and Spanish. You may not always be able to see the lurking terror, but boy, can you hear it. The Atmos track immerses you in the scene with the beast lurking above, beside and behind you. Low frequency effects put the pound in heart-pounding. It’s a great soundtrack.

The Wolf Man 4K also comes with a Blu-ray disc and a Digital code, though once again the Canadian version lacks the code. The best special feature is the audio commentary by director Leigh Whannel. There are also some small videos on some of the production elements like creature and sound design.

If you enjoyed the film in the theatres and want to add be a Universal Monsters completist, the Wolf Man 4K does provide an excellent audio experience, a clear but dark video presentation and a great commentary track by the director. For collectors, a limited-edition SteelBook version is also available.

Feb 14, 2025

September 5 Blu-ray review

September 5, from director Tim Fehlbaum, takes us back to the Munich Summer Olympics in 1972. ABC was beaming the games via satellite for the first time. That was a technologically newsworthy event in itself, but even more pressing news was about to unfold. The Black September group had taken Israeli athletes hostage in the Olympic Village. What was a sports first became a news first: a terrorist stand-off beamed live around the world. The cast of the film is led by Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch. Paramount has now released the movie on Blu-ray and I had a chance to take a look.

• Purchase at Amazon USA 🇺🇸
• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

The 1080p AVC encoded digital transfer is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The film sets you in the time with a look and grain that makes it feel like it was shot in the 1970s. The image is crisp, the colour palette is muted, and the whole look makes the film feel like a contemporary documentary following the network’s coverage of this tragic event.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 soundtrack as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English, English SDH, French, and Spanish. A lot of the movie takes place within the four walls of the production booth and the surrounds place you firmly in the middle with ambient noise throughout the soundscape. Low-end is used sparingly but effectively. The dialogue is clear and prioritized in the mix.

The September 5 Blu-ray also includes a digital code. There are no special features which, given the historical importance of this event, is a shame.

September 5 brings us the story of the Munich Olympics with a great cast and excellent AV presentation. Recommended.

Feb 02, 2025

The Wayans Bros.: The Complete Series DVD review

The Wayans family is an entertainment juggernaut whose members have given us variety shows, sitcoms and movies. Between 1995 and 1999, brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans starred in the WB Network sitcom The Wayans Bros. The plots follow the various schemes and mishaps in their lives, with Marlon playing the brother who usually gets them into tight spots. By season two, the pair are running a newsstand. Their dad, played by John Witherspoon, owns Pops’ Joint, a local diner. Warner Brothers Discovery has now released all 101 episodes of the show on DVD with The Wayan Bros.: The Complete Series. I had a chance to take an early look. The WB likes disclaimers, so here goes: Though Warner Brothers provided me with a copy of this release to review, the thoughts and opinions below are mine.

• Purchase at Amazon USA 🇺🇸
• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

The Wayans Bros. was a standard-definition series broadcast with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Shot on tape, a DVD release is perfect for its release. The colours look good for standard-definition, but obviously it doesn’t have the pop or colour depth of its HD cousins. There are about 7 episodes a disc, so it’s not so overcrowded that compression issues and video quality become an issue.

On the audio side of things, the show has an English Stereo soundtrack. Subtitles are only available on season 1, which has English, French and Spanish subtitles. The soundtrack does what it needs to do, which is present the sitcom dialogue in a clear manner. Music stings and effects are clear.

The Wayans Bros. was unfortunately cancelled in its fifth season due to declining ratings and didn’t even get a proper finale episode, a fact that Shawn Wayans’ character jokes about in the 2000 comedy Scary Movie. People who loved this show growing up and want to own it have the chance now and that’s great as a piece of TV history. The 14-disc DVD set does not include any extras or a digital code.

As I mentioned way back in the last paragraph, I think it’s great when any series gets a complete physical media release as it allows fans of the show to own it and not worry about the whims of a streamer. If this show was your jam back in the Nineties, then The Wayan Bros.: The Complete Series DVD will be a welcome addition to your collection.

Wicked 4K review

Many years back, I worked in a theatre that played host to the Wicked musical tour a few times. The house was always packed, the rush line was always long, and the fans were dedicated. 2024 finally saw the movie Wicked get released with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. The first of two instalments, the cast also includes Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Universal has released a 4K home version of director Jon M. Chu’s movie and I had a chance to take a look.

• Purchase at Amazon USA 🇺🇸
• Purchase at Amazon Canada 🇨🇦

The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with Dolby Vision and HDR10 is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The visual presentation is nothing short of magical – I had to go there – with amazing detail and clarity. The HDR gives beautiful depth to the colour palette of popping primaries and lush pastels. Black levels are deep, with no loss of detail in the shadows, while spectral highlights and bright whites show no sign of blooming.

On the audio side of things, you have the choice of an English Dolby Atmos track that folds back to English Dolby TrueHD 7.1. There are also French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 tracks. Subtitles are available for English SDH, French and Spanish. The Atmos soundtrack is immersive, placing your into the environment so well that you might need to learn the choreography. Dialogue and songs are clear and the score is dynamic and powerful.

The 4K disc of Wicked also comes with a Blu-ray copy and digital code, though once again, no digital code for Canada. The Blu-ray disc contains all the special features. They include a sing-along version, deleted and extended scenes, a 46 minute “making of” doc, a look at the Shiz University set and costume designs, a look at the show’s legacy, and two commentaries: one with director Chu and one with Erivo and Grande.

The Wicked 4K appears in your home with a beautiful audio/video presentation, a great cast, and a nice selection of extras. An easy recommendation.