Reviewing one of the most respected films of all time is a bit daunting. I hadn’t seen the Godfather trilogy in years so when it came time to review Godfather II I immediately went out and purchased the trilogy in order to refresh my memory… That’s how important these films are. Do they still hold their ground now though?

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Half a century ago seems like a long time; but it was around that time that one of Hollywood’s most gifted and eccentric directors was in his prime; making classic films that would set the stage for today’s filmmakers. Alfred Hitchcock was one the kind of director that doesn’t really exist anymore; similar to Orson Welles, his films were carefully crafted masterpieces that were so layered that even today there are countless books and websites dedicated to analyzing his works. North by Northwest was screenwriter, Ernest Lehman’s attempt to create the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures, did he succeed? Read the full story

The Duke has made his way to Blu-ray.  The John Wayne classic The Green Berets recently hit store shelves on Blu-ray disc, which for many, was a long awaited arrival.  It’s a positive thing to see studios focusing not only on current films, but those from the past as well.  Let’s not waste any more time on an introduction and find out the verdict on John Wayne in 1080p! Read the full story

Cujo used to haunt my dreams… There I said it! Having to review this movie really hurt my inner-child emotionally. I remember all those years ago, saying “Don’t worry, you’ll never have to watch that lame movie again”. Years later we’re celebrating the 25th anniversary and here I am reviewing the Blu-ray release of the cult classic based off of a story by Stephen King. Let’s see how Cujo holds up after a quarter of a decade. Read the full story

There are movies that are timeless for their ability to touch audiences over the generations, regardless of the time period in which they were made. These films have several things in common, including a great script, a perfect cast and a message that inspires hope and inspiration. One of these films is Miracle on 34th Street, which made its debut in theaters in 1947 and is making its high def debut on Blu-ray this month. Read the full story

The release of just about every Disney animated film on Blu-ray is eagerly anticipated, especially the old classic films. As far as this writer is concerned, the folks at Disney set the bar real high when it comes to their older venerated catalog with the simply stellar release of Pinocchio earlier this year. An even more eagerly awaited release is the classic film Snow White, which underwent a total restoration as did Pinocchio in preparation for its release on Blu-ray. Well, Snow White has finally arrived on Blu-ray. Was it worth the wait? Will it meet or possibly even exceed the quality of the Pinocchio release? Read the full story

As I am sure anyone could glean from my prior review of the Star Trek films on Blu-ray, I am a real Star Trek fan, although I won’t go so far as to consider myself a Trekker or Trekkie or whatever the current nomenclature is these days. However, I am old enough to have watched all 3 seasons of the original series that ran on TV in the 1960’s and then again in syndication and loved when the first few films made it to the big screen. Read the full story

Life magazine once hailed Quo Vadis as “The most genuinely colossal movie you are likely to see for the rest of your lives.”  Having always been partial toward epics and period pieces, I must say, the thought of 30,000 live extras certainly sounded colossal.  With films such as Gladiator, Troy, and Braveheart already a part of my permanent collection; it would be interesting to see whether Quo Vadis could withstand the test of time, and match up against the use of modern day CGI in films.  Read the full story

Friday the 13^th is one of the most memorable franchises in horror, there no doubt about that. While the first film didn’t even include the now famous Jason Voorhees, we learnt that his psychopathic mother had a blood lust on camp councillors. In Part 2 we are introduced to the infamous Jason who brutally ends the lives of a group of young adults. While all character developments and interesting back stories were covered in the first two films, we aren’t left with much for Part 3, other than a barrage of pointless murders… sounds good to me!  Released in 1982 Paramount didn’t waste any time shooting out these sequels (the first film being released in 1980), but the public was falling in love with the psychopath and the series quickly became a cult favorite. Read the full story

There are some very memorable horror movies from my childhood, and the years before and since. When I think of villains of these movies amongst Chucky, Mike Meyers, and Freddy Krueger there is of course one name that is synonymous with brutal murders and horrifying chases, Jason Voorhees.  In fact when I was a kid I was afraid of going near the water in the fear that Jason would emerge, just as we were left at the conclusion of Friday the 13^th. So it goes without saying that the series is creepy, and has a lasting effect on its audiences. But I’d hardly call it debatable that the series tapered downhill after its initial film (as is the case with most sequels) but at which point does it really decline? Some could say that Friday the 13^th Part 2 is where it all begins, because we are first introduced to the real villain, Jason. So where does Part 2 rank in the midst of a long line of Friday the 13^th sequels? Read the full story

I am not a fan of musicals.  That’s my pessimistic intro and when I found out I would be reviewing An American in Paris, I was apprehensive but moved forward with an open mind.  After all, it does star Hollywood legend Gene Kelly.  Growing up, I remember my mom frequently watching musicals such as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Oklahoma! and Meet Me in St. Louis.  Meanwhile, my dad was listening to Black Sabbath and Lynard Skynard.  I drifted toward the latter.  Guys in cowboy hats smiling and singing in a circle just didn’t do it for me.  Open mind, here I come.  Let’s review the classic musical, An American in Paris. Read the full story

There is no question that Stanley Kubrick was a cinematic genius. He has created many amazing films with incredibly diverse subject matters such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange which have really stood up to the test of time, retaining their relevance decades after their release. For me, the best of Mr. Kubrick’s films remains Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, a controversial and thought provoking film both upon its release in 1964 as well as today. Read the full story

Hot off the release of Saturday Night Fever, John Travolta made his way back into the spotlight with his dance moves; this time with the inclusion of a great singing voice and a high school backdrop in 1959. While the film itself was actually released in 1978, it is based upon the Broadway play of the same name from 1972. While some minor elements have changed in the transition, the film remains quite true to the original production and has garnered quite a following since its release over 30 years ago. Cast alongside Travolta are Olivia Newton John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway all playing memorable roles, but with the release of so many great musicals in the modern age can Grease really hold up? Read the full story

OK, I will admit it. I am old enough to remember watching the original Star Trek TV series on its original run on NBC back in the mid 1960’s. I was hooked immediately and enjoyed the series again when it hit syndication and continue to enjoy it to this day. Read the full story

Since its inception, Disney has been one of the most vocal and eager backers of the Blu-ray disc format. Their releases have been uniformly excellent. That is no surprise as animation, whether of the old school variety of the newer computer animation variety, always seems to look great in high definition. Cases in point are the various Pixar releases which are of reference video quality. Disney really raised the bar last year with its stunning releases of Sleeping Beauty which garnered rave reviews across the board. After that release, film fans have been anxiously awaiting releases of other Disney classics on the Blu-ray format. The first of these releases is the 70th Anniversary edition of the all time classic Pinocchio. Was it worth the wait? To quote Sarah Palin, “You Betcha!” Read the full story

It seems that when it comes to picture quality for films made in the 1960’s and 1970’s, recent Blu-ray releases have been somewhat of a hit or miss proposition. Films like the early Bond films that have undergone major restorations have looked spectacular while others not having undergone such restorations tend to look soft and hazy, lacking the clarity and detail that one has come to expect from Blu-ray. With the release of The French Connection, the 1971 Oscar winner for Best Picture, I was curious to see how the film would translate to Blu-ray as I was never happy with the appearance of the film on DVD. Well, how does it look? Glad you asked. Read the full story

One of the benefits of being able to review Blu-Ray discs is that you are often exposed to very good films that you not have otherwise been aware of. Getting to the theater with kids can often be difficult, so the ability to view films with high def video and lossless audio at home can be a wonderful experience. However, for every great title you get to enjoy, you have to sit through a few clunkers. I guess you have to take the bad with the good. Vanishing Point is the type of film that I would likely not get the chance to view were it not for the review process. The question is, whether it will prove to be one of those nuggets that I am happy to have come across or one of the clunkers. Read the full story