Entertainment

The day is almost here! On April 1^st you can digitally download “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and a few days after that on April 5^th you can purchase the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. I was able to get my hands on the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack last Friday. I couldn’t wait to open up that combo pack up and look at all the behind the scenes footage and deleted scenes. Before I did that though I watched the film again!

I was really impressed with the quality of the Blu-ray disc. Disney did a great job of bringing such a powerful movie that rocked us all in the theater and translated it brilliantly to our home theaters. The picture was crisp and the audio was perfect. I feel that some films lose their luster when you purchase them Blu-ray. Thankfully this wasn’t the case for “The Force Awakens.”

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels, the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films, and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey, John Boyega as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy nominee Adam Driver as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

I am guessing most of you have seen the film since it broke all sorts of box office records this past December. So let us get to the bonus features.

In the Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey, we get to discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary. This is a fascinating documentary style of storytelling that gives us an inside look at what J.J. Abrams and the cast and crew did to make this film a success. We get to see an intense audition from Daisy Ridley. You see from her performance why she was selected to play the lead role.

I loved every minute of this four chapter series. We got to see Star Wars veterans like Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill share their memories from the past films and what it meant to be back on the set. Then you get the newcomers like Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Drive, and Oscar Isaac get all giddy to be on the same set at Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. I could feel their passion and love of landing these roles.

Another fantastic moment that will give you goosebumps is the feature called The Story Awakens: The Table Read. This is where we see all the cast members share their thoughts from that memorable day they all first came together to read the movie’s script. I love who they chose to be the narrator of that table read.

We all know and love R2-D2 and C-3PO, but what about the origins of BB-8? In the Building BB-8 feature we get to see how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars universe.

I remember the VHS tape my parents got me called “From Star Wars To Jedi” (which I still have) that had gave us an inside view on how the aliens and creatures were made for the original trilogy. In a feature called “Crafting Creatures” you get to see how the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life.

In another segment you get to see how the lightsaber fight between Kylo Ren and Rey was set up and choreographed. That feature is called “Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight.”

Did you know that back in the day George Lucas wanted to go a different route for music instead of the disco music. Thankfully he did that and went with John Williams to create the music we all know and love. There is segment that highlights John Williams and his music in The Seventh Symphony. Here Williams shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens.

There is also the ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force, which is an insider’s look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie’s visual effects. Plus there is a feature on the Force For Change campaign, which shows us that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe to help others.

And last but certainly not least there are a few deleted scenes that give you an inside view of what didn’t make the final cut of the film.

This Blu-ray/DVD set is a must have for anyone who is a Star Wars fan or looking to further their Jedi training!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available for pre-order on Amazon. Click here.

Fans of comedy are in for a real treat as they experience the talent of actor Matt Shively. He is currently starring in the first season of “The Real O’Neals,” which recently premiered to an outstanding 6.3 million viewers. Matt stars as ‘Jimmy O’Neal’ alongside Martha Plimpton and Jay R. Fergsuon, who play his parents on the new ABC comedy. The series will chronicle the lives of a close-knit Chicago family with Catholic roots, whose secrets will reveal their real lives. The family is in for a reality check after they come clean to each other—with Shively’s character revealing his own secret.  Matt also finished filming “Summer of 8,” which premiered March 8th. Shively plays “Oscar” in the coming of age story where eight close friends soak up their last day of summer together on the beach before parting ways for college. This year Matt has also guest starred on “Resident Advisors” and NBC’s “Aquarius” starring David Duchovny.

Here is my interview with Matt! We talk about “The Real O’Neals,” acting, and what he learned from David Duchovny.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattShively1

Marvel just released the second full trailer for “Captain America: Civil War.” There are some new players added to the film. Wait until the end to see the best addition to the film. Many fellow geeks are freaking out just like me. May 6th can’t come quick enough.