If you are going to steal material, it doesn’t hurt to take from the very best. It also helps if the target of your appropriation is no longer with us. If you update the material enough so that it appears to be a more modern story, you have a better chance no one will notice. Unless, of course, the original is somewhat of a classic; then you simply fall back on the Hollywood tradition by using the magic password: homage. The director I refer to is Alfred Hitchcock, and the film is non other than the Jimmy Stewart classic Rear Window.

Kale (LaBeouf) recently lost his father in a car accident in which they were both injured. The loss combined with the usual teenage angst has left him a bit emotionally untethered, so that when a callous school teacher makes a flippant remark about his deceased father, he snaps and punches the instructor. The court takes a bit of pity on the young man, and he is sentenced to three months’ house arrest under the supervision of his bewildered mother (Moss). When Mom takes away his television, Xbox, and other electronic entertainment, he begins to go a little stir crazy. It is then that he begins to study the world from his bedroom window with a rather hefty pair of binoculars. Before long he’s memorized the comings and goings of just about everyone on his street. He’s even stumbled upon a scandal or two to his endless amusement. Most of his spying is reserved for new neighbor Ashley (Roemer), who is quite attractive and spends a bit of time in various stages of undress. He finally gets to meet the elusive girl and a friendship of sorts blossoms. His observations take a turn toward the sinister when news reports of a serial killer seem to point to another neighbor who drives the same kind of car with a front fender dent as described by the news reports. Unlike the aforementioned Rear Window, Kale puts together his own little “scooby gang” with Ashley and friend Ronnie (Yoo). Together they put together the pieces of a terrifying puzzle. Of course, Kale can’t get the cops to listen to them, a fact not made any easier when one of them is related to the teacher he decked. By the final third of the film, the plot has become more of the typical cat and mouse horror films than it is Rear Window.

The film’s sets are rather limited in Kale’s limited environment, and Caruso doesn’t have the same flair for imaginative angles that Hitchcock did. Because of this self-imposed claustrophobia, it was the acting that really needed to carry this film, which it did quite satisfactorily. The film is actually very entertaining in spite of its derivative formula. David Morse is absolutely creepy as Robert Turner, the potential killer. I remember him from the short-lived series Hack, and he shows a decidedly darker side in this role. Shia LaBeouf is getting a lot of work lately; this film offers a little evidence as to why. He’s got a lot of energy that he plays remarkably well in such a close quarters setting. Carrie-Anne Moss has been a favorite of mine since the Matrix films, but she appears very stiff in this film. I’m not sure she was ever comfortable with the part. Sarah Roemer pretty much steals every scene she’s in. Her range was truly impressive for an actress so young. While she certainly was easy on the eyes, she pulled off the job with a multi-leveled performance that should mean a long career for her.

Video

Disturbia is presented on this Blu Ray in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The picture is derived using MPEG4 AVC encoding for a 1080p hi-def image. The bit rate stays mostly in the upper 20’s mbps with occasional peaks around 35mbps. The opening sequence where Kale is fishing with his father before the accident is a wonderful sequence. The mountain vista and golden fields are crystal clear in this transfer. Of course, the film would never again include such wonderful scenery, and so the remaining film tends to look less impressive, but that’s really not the case at all. Those of you who read my reviews with any regularity know how caught up I can get on the level of detail. Disturbia delivers most of the time. The reason I say “most of the time” is that the film tends to be dark and I would have liked a little stronger black levels here. There’s a bit more grain than I expected from this relatively modern film. It is in these moments that detail is lost, so I’m not that impressed at all with the detail or depth in the black levels. When the film is lit well, colors are quite impressive and contrast is such that the level of detail rises more to my liking. There are not any print defects or artifacts present anywhere that I can see. There are certainly moments when this print shines, but there are also too many times it does not, leaving me to adjudicate this an average presentation that showed moments of so much more.

Audio

I opted for the DTS 6.1 presentation with a 1.5mbps compression rate at 48 khz. You will get almost equally good results from the Dolby Digital 5.1 option at a 640kbps compression rate. The greatest difference can be found in the sub ranges. One of the ways Caruso copied the Hitchcock style was in some of the score’s musical cues. It is these moments of elevated tension or suspense that the “Psycho” inspired score shows the dynamic range of the film. These moments, such as the first time Turner catches Kale spying, contain a lot of volume in the higher registers without the slightest hint of distortion. While I never experienced much sound separation, it is the subtle sounds that win this presentation a better than average rate. Muffled cries from outside and in other houses are not only placed with careful precision in the mix, but they offer a very realistic effect of conveying the distance from which they originate. While the subs often have nothing to do, they do perform with profound booming clarity when they are called to action. Dialog is perfectly placed and always very easy to understand. The best thing one can ever say about a soundtrack is that it fit the film, never calling undue attention to itself through doing too much or too little.

There is a rather nice little audio commentary with Caruso, LaBeouf, and Roemer. If you hate cell phones, you might want to skip this one, as one of the participants actually answers his while giving the commentary.

Special Features

I am impressed that the extra features are presented in HD, including the film’s trailer. While the quality certainly doesn’t measure up to the film, it is pleasant to see more of this being considered in HD releases.

• Deleted Scenes: The 4 added scenes don’t really bring anything necessary to the table. One scene does explain where Kale got Turner’s blueprints, but I think, as Caruso must have also thought, that we could’ve guessed.

• The Making Of Disturbia: This is typical interview clips with the participants and really doesn’t break any ground. It’s just under 15 minutes, so likely worth the little time it takes to see it.

• Bloopers: This is an extremely short outtake piece.

• Serial Pursuit Pop-Up Trivia/Quiz: A relatively new device in discs these days is the ability to read, or even view, interesting tidbits and informative little nuggets during the watching of the film. I tend to avoid these items because they take me out of the experience of the film itself, offering more distraction than anything probative. I checked a few of these out merely so that I could report on them but didn’t find them worth the effort. Sometimes you can access these things on their own. If you can do that here, I was unable to locate how.

• “Don’t Make Me Wait” Music Video: Exactly what it sounds like. This World Fair performs the song with the requisite film clips.

• The disc is rounded out with a Photo Gallery of stills from the production.

Final Thoughts

Alfred Hitchcock might have been gone for decades, but his films continue to exert great influence over modern filmmaking. Directors are still rediscovering his techniques as if they were a centuries old mystery to be uncovered in some dark foreboding crypt. And where else would you find Alfred Hitchcock’s own twisted window to the world? I give D.J. Caruso a lot of credit for making the Hitchcock theme his own. While the film certainly begins as a near perfect copy of the original, Caruso masterfully weaves in his own touches so that by the time the film ends he has created a neat enough fusion of himself and Hitchcock so that the result is somewhat unique, if not all that original. I recommend you check this film out, and stock up on plenty of snacks when you do because everybody knows: “You can’t have a stakeout without coffee and donuts.”

Where do you start with a film like The Untouchables? I suppose you start at the beginning. This has to be the best script David Mamet has ever written. The highly stylized vision of 1930 Chicago utilizes as much of the myth as it does the fact. After all, we want our mobster dramas larger than life. For rights issues the film claims to be based on the 1959 Robert Stack television series; however, all of the participants admit the result is completely unique and original.

What of the story? The time: Prohibition. The smell of bootleg gin and the sound of bullets linger in the urban air. It’s Chicago. It’s Good vs. Evil. Elliott Ness vs. Al Capone. Kevin Costner vs. Robert DeNiro. Federal Agent Eliott Ness (Costner) vows to take down Al Capone (DeNiro) and his bootleg operation that holds the entire city of Chicago in its terrorizing grip. With the help of an old beat cop, Malone (Connery), a Treasury accountant (Smith), and a Police Academy rising star (Garcia) Ness’s group of “Untouchables” takes on the hoods.

Next up we have to talk about the direction of Brian DePalma (no relation to cab dispatcher Louie, I think). DePalma has a solid reputation for breaking the rules, but in this case I think he simply invented new ones. When you consider the influence the film has had, you can’t very well say that rules weren’t firmly in place. Everything from camera angles to the smallest set dressing detail is firmly under De Palma’s control. Often the results are more style than substance. The Untouchables is that rare exception. In this film even the style is substance. The sets are grand in stature yet subtle in the details. The clothes were designed by Armani and do more than just place the characters in the times. The clothes become props that allow these actors to become their parts with amazing ease.

The cast is the ingredient that activates the whole project. Bob Hoskins was originally signed to play Al Capone. Mel Gibson was scheduled to play Ness. Gibson’s schedule got too tight and DePalma had another idea for Capone. At first there appeared to be resistance to casting DeNiro in the role. The film was already over budget. Hoskins would now have to be paid in any event and DeNiro just doesn’t work cheap. When he first showed up for the role there was concern that he would never be as imposing as Capone needed to be. DePalma, having already worked with DeNiro, knew how well the actor prepared for a role. Just three months later he was Capone as no other actor could have been. Honestly, this film would lose a lot without him. Once Gibson was lost, DePalma admittedly “settled” for a relative unknown. I don’t think much of Kevin Costner. Most of his roles I consider pretty lame. This is not one of them. Costner can, and does, play the ultimate G man. He wears the part like a tailored Armani suit. Mamet made the ingenious decision to give Ness a mentor. DePalma compounded the brilliance by casting Sean Connery in the role of Malone. Not since James Bond has Connery shone so brightly. Again, the role was such a comfortable fit. Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith add their own powerful nuances to the ensemble. Still, even a stellar cast with a great script make simply a very good film. Greatness comes from chemistry. These players, just like the characters they play, blend perfectly. Each adds a unique quality, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Video

The Untouchables is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The disc contains an AVC / MPEG-4 / 1080p transfer. The bit rate averages an astounding mid 30’s mbps. There were moments when the rate entered the low 40’s. While I’ve only seen a little more than a dozen Blu Ray transfers to date, this is hands down the very best. How easy it would have been to simply bump up the compression rate and add a little window dressing to this early Hi-Def transfer. A splash of color there, a dab of detail here. There are already more than a few such examples. This transfer is simply beautiful. Colors fly along with bullets. Reds bloom like fresh garden roses while even the subdued earth tones that dominate the film display a level of texture I seriously doubt existed during the original theatrical release of the film. Check out the weave on the clothes. Notice the woodgrain on Malone’s phonograph cabinet. Many of these subtle shades are little to write home about when taken alone. Put enough together and you have texture. It is this sense of texture that’s missing in too many transfers whether they be HD or simply SD. The image is a testament to DePalma and his eye for detail long before any of us were talking HD. Black levels are perfect, containing a level of depth I’ve not seen in my own theatre before. Give some credit to the folks who lit this film. I think the lighting sells the whole thing. It is the natural look of everything that immerses you deeply into the film. It’s simply a difference between watching a film or experiencing one. This transfer allows you the latter. I would never have expected a nearly 20 year old film to be this good. If this is the future of Hi-Def discs, sign me up for more. Look closely in Malone’s final scene and you can see camera equipment reflected in his apartment window.

Audio

While neither the Dolby Digital EX5.1 track nor the DTS 6.1 version might be as much of an improvement as the picture it is indeed a noticeable notch above the SD release. The film ultimately lacks something in the sub levels. The notable exception is the driving snow plow early in the film. It rumbles like a tank toward the warehouse doors. Sadly this level of low end strength does not continue and never reaches that kind of a high point again. On the plus side is most definitely the Ennio Morricone score. From back in the days of the Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns, Marricone has created some of the most distinctive film scores around. The Untouchables is no exception. You can actually hear the reeds from the woodwinds and breath in the flutes. Fortunately the score received a significant upgrade from SD releases of the film. Here the sound is truly dynamic, even if a little light in the sub range. The rousing score is often used as a theme for the Acadamy Awards, and this release lets us truly appreciate why. The instruments are allowed to sing until the sound sustains beyond our ability to hear it any longer. Even then you can feel it somehow, a glorious call to action as The Untouchables ride across the fields to battle Capone’s smugglers at the Canadian border. Sound is so good at times that the crying of the oversized infant in the climax was getting on my nerves.

Special Features

• “The Script The Cast” This 18 minute feature, like all of those contained here, are carryovers from the SD release and are presented in SD. DePalma admits that at first he was just hoping to get a commercial success out of the way so he could go back to what he loved doing. Little did he know then’ Most of this 18 minutes are taken up giving us a sort of genesis of the story and original casting of the film. A ton of vintage interviews as well as more recent clips are worked in and out of the piece.
• “Production Stories” Pretty much a continuation of the first piece. This 17 minutes gives us a look at the sets and designs of the film. “Corruption looks fabulous” is the tag line for this segment.
• “Reinventing The Genre” We all know the mobster film has been done to death. Still, every once in awhile someone comes along with a fresh look at familiar ground. This 14 minutes continues pretty much in the style of the first two while looking at the inventiveness of the film.
• “The Classic” Best part of this 6 minutes is the attention given to Morricone. Not long enough, if you ask me.
• “The Men” This is a vintage promo piece running about 5 minutes long. Like the previous features, it was included in the SD release.

There is an HD trailer but it really doesn’t look any better than it did before.

Final Thoughts

The term classic is used far too often, so I’m reluctant to apply it here. It particularly bothers me when the term is applied to a relatively recent film. For me a classic has to have stood the test of time. Even a record breaking box office smash has no guarantee it will ring as true after 20 hard years have passed. As I watched the film for maybe the 15th time, I don’t think it’s possible, and certainly it wouldn’t be fair to describe The Untouchables without knighting it a classic. A common theme running through the extra features is this idea of texture. As I look at the film I am taken at just how apt that term is as a theme for this film. The idea of texture applies to the clothes, the sets, and even the acting here. Each thread, beautiful in itself, weaves together to form a grand Greek tapestry. The Untouchables has become a veritable classroom for film study, another integral element when describing a classic. Like the first two Godfather films before it, lessons abound in every aspect of filmmaking. Perhaps much of it is owed to lucky happenstance, but the end result is a wonderful example of how to make a film. You start with a compelling script. You bring together the finest craftsmen, from the director to the set designers. You put these words into the mouths of the best actors available, always keeping in mind chemistry. And with just a little luck, a masterpiece creates itself. “Thus endeth the lesson.”

This film centers around a jewlery store robbery gone bad. The thiefs, a goup of guys all named after various colors are lying low in a local warehouse afte… the botched robbery trying to salvage the situation. Those who escaped death were; Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) and a critically injured Mr. Orange (Tim Roth).

During the scenes in the warehouse we hear in my opinion some of the greatest dialog in cinematic history, couple with some very, well lets say ?disturbing and graphic? scenes ever laid down on film. Reservoir Dogs keeps you intensely interested in its plot and delivers on its promise time and time again.

Video

For this 2.35:1 transfer, Lionsgate went with an MPEG 2 encode averaging around 24 to 26 Mbps using a BD25 disc. This transfer has wonderful color accuracy and was very sharp at the same time. Skin tones were spot-on and blacks were very well reproduced. The colors in this transfer really ?popped.? I felt they were absolutely fantastic. It truly was like looking out picture window and watching the events of the movie unfold before you. This version of Reservoir Dogs was also absent of any film grain; a very nice achievement for a film which is 15 years old.

Audio

Audio is where this new transfer excels over its DVD counterpart. As fans of this film know, this movie is almost all dialog. I watched this movie using the DTS ES option, which came through at 1.5 Mbps. I was very impressed with the sound in this transfer, especially the dialog. Many of the scenes take place in a warehouse, where conversation can have a bit of an echo to it. This echo is faithfully reproduced in this transfer and can be heard well through your surrounds as well. Also the gunfire in several scenes is very encompassing and powerful. Sometimes even making you jump, especially in the scene in the warehouse where one of the thiefs shoots another one of the thiefs, but their identities will remain secret as to not ruin the surprise. All in all this is a very nice improvement over the DVD version of this film.

Special Features

This disc, being the 15th Anniversary Edition, comes with some great special features. The first feature is called the Pulp Factoid Viewer. It is a lot like the Rambo release from Lionsgate in that while watching the film, little factoids and trivia questions pop-up on the screen. The next feature is called, Playing It Fast & Loose is essentially a 15-minute documentary of the influence of Reservoir Dogs on the film industry. This documentary was an interesting watch. Next comes a feature called Profiling the Reservoir Dogs. This is a mini-biography of each of the characters of the film. We then move on to seven Deleted Scenes, most which are quite fascinating. Finally, there is an option to watch previews of other Lionsgate films available on Blu-ray (Crank, The Descent, and Saw III).

Final Thoughts

I truly feel this is one of the best releases on either HD format right now as it combines great picture quality, great audio quality, great special features and most importantly a great story. This is truly a great film, which never becomes boring and keeps you thinking throughout. In terms of picture and audio quality, this release of Reservoir Dogs easily beats out any of its DVD counterparts. So for any fan of HD or of this film, I highly recommend this purchase.

Special Features List

• Pulp Factoid Viewer
• Playing It Fast & Loose
• Profiling the Reservoir Dogs
• Deleted Scenes
• Previews

Veteran NYPD police officer Nick Conklin (Douglas) is a tough and streetwise officer who is facing criminal charges compliments of Internal Affairs. Charlie Vincent (Garcia), Conklin’s younger fashion friendly partner who has all the faith in the world that Nick will beat his charges, sets up a meet for after his hearing at a local restaurant. After enjoying a shot of scotch, the officers observe a meeting between a group of mobsters and Yakuza. Before long the meeting goes array when a Japanese man enters the restaurant with a group of thugs. After some dialogue is exchanged, the man murders two of the mobsters present at the table and steals a package. As the suspects flea the scene, Conklin opens fire on his henchmen killing them, and then pursuing the target on foot. After a short but intense chase scene followed by a fistfight the suspect is apprehended.

It is learned that this man is a wanted Yakuza member back in Japan and goes by the name Sato. To avoid creating more problems with Internal Affairs, Nick’s superior officer informs him that he and his partner will be extraditing Sato back to Japan where he will be tried. This request is met with some reluctance, but Conklin and Vincent sure enough fly with Sato to Osaka, Japan. When they land they hand custody over to the local police, washing their hands of the matter. As they prepare to leave, they are met by more officers indicating that the others were imposters and have already gotten away. From here the two get involved in the investigation to track down Sato along with the help of local mild-mannered cop Masahiro Matsumoto (Ken Takakura).

This is where the action really picks up, as they slowly get closer to the trail that Sato leaves behind, while at the same time being harassed by his gang members. The movie is filled with some classic action elements, and keeps it simple. The movie follows the trials of the officers who want justice with a great storyline and realistic action scenes. It may not have the intensity of Die Hard or the comedic relief of Lethal Weapon, but in many other aspects it is comparable. It has that classic action vibe to it where the story unfolds without much unnecessary action and side stories that are just an excuse to throw in more explosions (referring to now-a-day action movies). Instead the story is well thought out and straightforward, the good guys want to bring the bad guys to justice and aren’t afraid to bend the rules. If you are a fan of the action genre, this movie is definitely worth checking out. Like most action movies of that era it didn’t disappoint and will remain a classic.

Video

I did not expect much from Black Rains 1080p 2.40:1 video presentation, seeing as the film is almost twenty years old. However from the opening sequence I knew I was in for a pleasant surprise. The film starts in New York and these scenes show an impressive amount of detail. Colors here seem a bit muted and may not jump out as much as they could; however visual the film comes alive once the story shifts to Japan. The neon lights of the city jump out, showcasing some impressive color and detail not normally seen in older titles. The climatic finale, which takes place in Japans country yard, looks nothing short of spectacular. Black Rain is one extraordinary looking film and for its age ranks among the finest transfers on Blu-ray, a job well done by Paramount.

Audio

Black Rain is given two tracks, 5.1 Dolby Digital EX and 6.1 DTS, both that sound very good. For the most part the film sounds great; however at times it does sound dated and sometimes muffled a common problem for a film of this age. However there are more good things then bad with this track. Channel support for instance, is well above average. The 6.1 track made good use of rear channels and a surprisingly frequent use of bass during the films action sequences. Black Rain isn’t he best tracks heard on Blu-ray but never the less impressive for its age.

Special Features

Black Rain features a handful of interesting features, including an in depth making of documentary.

• Audio Commentary – Commentary by director Ridley Scott
• Black Rain The Script, The Cast – A twenty minute feature discussing the initial script of Black Rain. An interesting look at films script and casting, featuring interviews with screenwriters Craig Bolotin, Warren Lewis, Director Ridley Scott and Actor Micheal Douglas.
• Black Rain Making The Film: Part 1 & 2 – A seventy five minute feature that explores many aspects of film production, including the challenge of filming in Tokyo. It proved so challenging to film in Japan that 1/3 of the Japanese shots had to be shot back in the USA.
• Black Rain Post-Production – A twelve minute look at the films post production. A very interesting look on the editing process and creation of the musical score by Hans Zimmer.
• Threatrical Trailer HD

Final Thoughts

Unlike other movies coming from the same time period, Black Rain actually managed to impress me in regards to the video. This disc always looked crisp, and with a good audio track, Black Rain is a sure buy for fans of the movie, and a must rent otherwise. The only drawback of this disc is the lack of features, but this doesn’t take away from the otherwise fine quality of this disc.

Special Features List

• Audio Commentary
• Black Rain The Script, The Cast
• Black Rain Making The Film: Part 1 & 2
• Black Rain Post-Production
• Threatrical Trailer HD

Hal Moore is the commanding officer of the air cavalry unit for the United States Army, who recently sta…ioned in a new army town to lead a whole new bunch of recruits. Preparing for an immanent tour of duty in Vietnam, the first portion of the movie focuses on the personal relationships of the men and their families. After much training and preparation the men are told they will be leaving for battle shortly. A superior officer tells Hal Moore that his unit will be referred to as the 7th regiment, which was the name of the regiment that General Custer commanded at the Battle of Little Big Horn (a slaughter of American troops). In addition to this unsettling news then president Lyndon Johnson announced that this war would be fought “on the cheap” and thus leaving Moore without his finest and seasoned soldiers.

From here the real action begins as the group is sent off to Vietnam where a whole new style of battle will be fought. Helicopters are to continually drop soldiers off into the landing zone in la Drang Valley, including that piloted by well-respected Bruce Crandall (Greg Kinnear). As in real life, the American soldiers were met with a much heavier force than anticipated, 450 American soldiers were now up against 2,000 North Vietnamese. The rest of the movie follows the battle at la Drang Valley and the events back home where the soldiers wives deal with their days and some even deal with the news of the husbands KIA.

The thing I really liked about this movie was its perception of the battle, both from an American and from a Vietnamese standpoint. It shows both sides fighting for what they believe and that despite what we might think war isn’t pretty for both sides fighting. Innocent people die, people with families, and this movie does a good job of showing that not only Americans were hurt by this war. This picture is filled with brutal action and some very intense depictions of the Vietnam War. I can’t comment on the realism of the movie as I don’t know much about the factual battle, but regardless the movie is very entertaining, the action is literally non-stop and brings a great deal of emotion along with it. If you enjoy war movies, this will definitely be a worthwhile purchase. Time and time again Mel Gibson amazes me with his performances; this is no exception. It is because of roles like this that Mel Gibson is a highly respected actor, who is very versatile. I definitely recommend this movie to not only fans of Mel Gibson, but to fans of the War Genre.

Video

Presented in a 1080p 2.35:1 aspect ratio, We Were Soldiers offers viewers a superb video presentation. The film is divided in half visually, scenes with grain and without. Once in Vietnam the films gains intended grain to enhance the grittiness of war. Scenes that take place back in America with the soldier’s wives lose this grain, giving picture a warmer look instead. I enjoyed how well this worked in the film. Flesh tones were perfect, displaying an impressive look of realism which added to the already impressive depth. Colors were also realistic looking but I found some scenes looking a little oversaturated. Minor fault aside, We Were Soldiers is a fantastic looking title, one every Blu-ray owner should checkout.

Audio

Paramount has included two impressive audio tracks; 5.1 Dolby Digital EX and 6.1 DTS. The dialogue sounded crisp and clear with no echoing or drop outs. But who cares about the dialogue, what about the action sequences? The war scenes were loud, damn loud but never sounded muffled even under intense use of bass. Rear channels were used extensively and effectively putting the viewer front and center of the fight. We Were Soldiers is one of the loudest and best sounding movies I have heard on either format. If you are looking for a movie to work your sound system look no further.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary – Commentary by director/writer Randall Wallace
• Getting it Right – A thirty minute documentary covering various aspects of the film, including interviews with cast member Mel Gibson and the real Hal Moore. I found this feature very interesting as it informs the viewer of the realism the film portrays.
• Deleted Scenes – We are given ten deleted scenes that are worth checking out. Several of them flush out the soldier’s wives more and maybe should have been left in.
• Theatrical Trailer

Final Thoughts

With impressive video and outstanding sound, We Were Solders is an amazing Blu-ray disc and a sure buy for fans of the movie. Aside from a lack of features this disc is pretty near perfect, and the movie itself is very entertaining.

Special Features List

• Audio Commentary
• Getting it Right documentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Saw III sees us catch up with the Jigsaw Killer (played by Tobin Bell). Jigsaw wants another go around so he calls on his newest student named Amanda (Shawnee Smith) so she can capture Dr. Lynn Denion. Jigsaw’s plan is for Dr. Denion to keep his body alive despite it being near death. We meet Jeff (played by Angus MacFayden) who has been locked up in a freezer. Jeff and Dr. Denion must figure out a way to keep Jigsaw’s heart beating as he and Amanda put each through test after test. Don’t worry folks the film’s tagline of “Suffering? You Haven’t Seen Anything Yet” is very true in this case.

What I enjoyed most in Saw III is that the film never thinks that the audience is completely retarded (like SO many recent horror films do). In fact, the film has a rather smart twist to it as it actually expects the audience to figure out what’s going on instead of throwing its characters into ridiculous situations. Sure some of the torture in the film gets a bit gruesome, but I did enjoy how the filmmakers carefully thought out each detail. Despite being shot on a rather low budget, the ingenious torture methods Jigsaw uses haven’t really been thought of before.

Comparing this to other horror genre films, I despise how horror films are continuously using rather boring advertising depicting someone bimbo getting lost and tortured until the hero can swing in and save the day. The Saw films would rather present situations that seem ludicrous on paper but are actually played well on the big screen. It should be no secret to anyone that Jigsaw survives at the end (as the opening box office for this film signaled a fourth film is on the way). I’m sure he’ll find a way to survive at the end of the fourth film. While it’s becoming a little odd that he continues to survive (is he a masochist or something?), the Saw films work on the levels they do not because they re-invent the genre of horror, but that the actual expect the audience to pay attention to every little detail rather than only paying attention to the blood and guts. While I don’t agree that the third film is the best, Saw III is still a fine sequel.

Video

Presented in a 1080p, AVC MPEG-4 Encoded, 1:78:1 Widescreen Aspect Ratio, I’ll be honest that I expected a bit more from the visual department of Saw III

Grain, for some, may be an issue here as the print does have its share of grain. However, most of the grain felt natural as the grain never lead to other problems (like video noise). Detail was great with the blood looking oh so clear. Color usage seemed pumped up, but I suppose one can understand why the filmmakers were shooting for with this one. Obviously none of the blood is even remotely real. My biggest issue was that the negatives that the colors had lead to bigger issues like improper flesh-tones (everything looked over done to me) and a real lack of a clear 3-D image that a majority of HD material has. I haven’t seen the first two Saw films on Blu-Ray yet so I can’t say I have something to compare to. I will comment that if this is how the others look, HD fans will be disappointed but fans of the series won’t really mind. For myself , I felt a little disappointed.

Audio

Saw III has been given either a Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround Sound Audio Track or a DTS HD 6.1 Surround Mix. It becomes quite clear that the DTS track will be favored by most who can support the audio as every little effect sounded that much more horrifying.

Dialogue was clear and intelligible throughout never really becoming an issue. Dynamic Range was rather impressive considering the low budget of the film. Bass was deep and low adding that nice thump throughout the room. Surround usage was great as well with little effects (like the varying mechanical noises) filling the room with a creepy effect that certainly had me looking around (it also didn’t help that I watched this one late at night in the dark). Even though I was a bit disappointed on the video, the same can’t be said for the audio. Quite the fantastic job Lionsgate.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary with Director Darren Lynn Bousman, co-creator Leigh Whannell and Lionsgate executives Peter Block and Jason Constantine: Out of the available three (honestly why do companies do this?), this was easily the most informative commentary. All four participants speak on the production of the film basically detailing every little aspect giving us so much detail that any true Saw will be delighted. This one is definitely worth a listen for those who love this trilogy.
• Audio Commentary with Director Darren Lynn Bousman and cinematographer David A. Armstrong and editor Kevin Greutert: Sorry folks I just couldn’t get into this one at all. I’m the type who loves a lot of detail in commentary tracks and with the first commentary giving so much detail, new participants Armstrong and Greutert couldn’t really offer anything of substantial interest.
• Audio Commentary with Producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg: This final commentary literally felt like I was holding the film’s script in front of me and Koules and Burg were reading off the little details in a narration style. This commentary was way to serious and basically lacked any charm that the other two had. I like serious commentaries but not when it seems like there is no laughter or slight humor in the air.
• The Details of Death: This two part feature (The Traps and The Props) focused on the various torture devices used in the three films. For those of you with squeamish stomaches, this one may not be your cup of tea.
• Deleted Scenes: These deleted scenes, like most deleted scenes, were boring and really felt out of place. I personally disliked how Director Bousman and his Producers in their commentary tracks spoke of numerous cut sequences (some that sounded pretty damn interesting), but weren’t shown here! How frustrating.

Blu-Ray Exclusives

• Amanda: Evolution of a Killer: This was a nice exclusive for fans of the series. Lionsgate has thrown together a brief (6 minute) tribute to the character (as well as the actor). I don’t want to speak too much on this as it may give away some details of the series. All I’ll say is that fans of the series will enjoy this one.
• The Writing of Saw III: Another short feature (5 minutes) features interviews and a few of the principal workers of the film. I enjoyed how screenwriter Leigh Whannel and co-creator James Wan dealt with the negatives of the typical horror story and actually created something damn near terrifying.

Closing Thoughts

As a film, Saw III works simply because of the attention to detail during each sequence. As a Blu-ray disc, Lionsgate has packed this one with extra’s, great audio and good video. Worth a pick up for fans and a rental for those in wondering what the series is all about. The only obvious note is that you may want to watch the first two before diving into the 3RD film.

Special Features List

• Audio Commentary with Director Darren Lynn Bousman, co-creator Leigh Whannell and Lionsgate executives Peter Block and Jason Constantine
• Audio Commentary with Director Darren Lynn Bousman and cinematographer David A. Armstrong and editor Kevin Greutert
• Audio Commentary with Producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg
• The Details of Death
• Deleted Scenes
• Amanda:Evolution of a Killer
• The Writing of Saw III

Growing up I was a huge X-Men fan, so naturally I was excited when I heard the first X-Men movie was going to finally be released. This first movie left me impressed; good story, good acting, and then the second installment built on this and even surpassed it. Naturally after two great films, my expectations for The Last Stand were very high, so did it add up and push the level of greatness even further?

The basic premise of the movie is the introduction of an inoculation from a pharma…eutical company that suppresses the “X-Gene” that gives mutants their powers. Some mutants are interested at the idea of becoming ordinary members of society, while others are strongly opposed to it even being offered. Of course Magneto being the ladder raises an army to make a stand. So far sounds pretty interesting, right? That’s what I was thinking before I was hit with a barrage of under developed storylines that went nowhere, and were seemingly meaningless. Of course the main storyline following the adventures of Wolverine and crew are always entertaining, especially when Wolverine and The Juggernaut finally get to go face to face. But beyond the core crew of X-men I found the story to be lacking in depth.

I have to comment on the new director for the series, Brett Ratner. In the past he has put together some pretty decent movies, although usually pretty basic and lacking of anything special; The Last Stand isn’t much different. In comparison to the first two X-Men films, The Last Stand lacked the passion that director by Bryan Singer brought to the table. In short, I think Brett Ratner was a poor choice to direct this movie and basically any movie in general. Too much seemed to be happening at once in this movie, at times it was overwhelming. I think it would have been better off with the addition of more important scenes replacing ones like Iceman romancing freshmen at the school while Rogue watches jealously from the shadows.

The acting was as good as always; Hugh Jackman flexes his versatility as an actor playing the always-convincing loose cannon Wolverine. All around the acting is what you would expect at this point by all the return cast members; Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, just to name a few. Some pleasant additions to the billing include; Kelsey Grammer (TV’s Frasier) and Vinnie Jones (Snatch, Swordfish). The acting was great, but the abundance of characters although mostly entertaining became a bit of a soap opera.

In my eyes the series took a turn for the worse with The Last Stand, it really lacked core elements in which the first two films set up. Don’t get me wrong, X3 was packed with some great action scenes and one liners as always, and if that’s why you liked the first two films you won’t be let down with this one. But personally X-Men has always gone beyond the action for me, back stories and progression of the overall storyline have been important, and X3 seemed to throw that all out the window. As the apparent conclusion to the series it is worth checking out, even if you haven’t seen the first two it provides some good entertainment, just don’t set your expectations too high.

Video

I was surprised to see The Last Stand being presented on the 25GB disc rather then 50GB that everyone is talking about. Presented in 1080p 2.40:1 aspect ratio I am pleased to say that Fox managed to give us a very good video presentation. Colors really do look fantastic throughout, from Mystiques blue physique to Jean Grey’s red hair, everything look vibrant and eye popping. Blacks were also crisp and clean with no visible signs of artifacts.

Unfortunately, the over all detail is a disappointment, often looking too soft for a high def release. Wrinkles for example are often too soft to see, even on Professor Xavier and Magneto. The final battles scenes also show some grain, which did not show it self through out the majority of the movie, so I’m assuming that it’s not an intentional look the director wanted.

Overall I still think The Last Stand looks great and is a solid effort by Fox. Had it not been for some soft scenes and the occasional grain, this could have been a great reference disc.

Audio

As expected, this big budgeted film does not disappoint in the audio department, being presented in DTS HD 6.1 Master Lossless Audio. Everything sounded superb, from the bass to rear speaker output, everything was top notch. Music and speech sounded crystal clear, with no muffled or tin sounds at any point. Action sequences sounded even better; with sound flying at you from every angle this audio track takes advantage of every speaker in your home theatre setup.

I was a huge fan of the audio presentation in this film. This is an action movie to really let your sound system loose. Wolverine slicing through his opponents hasn’t sounded any better until now.

Special Features

Although we are not given a bare bones treatment, there isn’t much here to talk about. The audio commentary by Director Brett Ratner, Screenwriters and Producers I found to be quite boring. There are ten deleted scenes, including two alternative endings. Some scenes are boring but the majority of them are definitely worth checking out. We are also offered a Blu-ray exclusive trivia track that can be played throughout the movie. I found this feature entertaining and a lot more interesting the commentary track as well. Lastly, we get the theatrical trailer.

Final Thoughts

Fox has given us a solid overall presentation (despite the lack of features) of the 3rd and final (?) X-Men movie. The film itself lacks the depth the first two brought, but if you are a fan of the film it is definitely worth checking out on Blu-ray. Of course if you are looking for a straight demo piece for your surround sound, look no further as the audio track is truly amazing.