The concert was being performed at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and being broadcast live on the radio. He performed most of the songs on the album and a few others he had yet to record, including The Ballad of BIlly the Kid and the beautiful and moving Rosalinda (Memo to Billy or his handlers, please release this concert on CD, if just for Rosalinda, one of the most beautiful pieces of music he has ever written. Why he never released is is beyond me. If you are unfamiliar with it, look it up on You Tube). I loved the concert and in particular, the song Captain Jack, which became a radio hit in Philadelphia.

The Cold Spring Harbor album was a disaster as it was mastered improperly and Billy left the business and was playing at the Piano Bar at the Empire Room in Los Angeles, not knowing that Captain Jack had become a hit in Philadelphia. The song eventually came to the attention of Columbia Records, who signed him to a recording contract and the rest, as they say, is history. While his live shows were always great and had excellent sound, I always found his recordings, whether in studio or in concert to have mediocre audio and video. The Live at Yankee Stadium DVD for example looks and sounds awful. With HD and lossless audio codecs, I was hoping that this would change so I was eagerly awaiting the release of the Live at Shea Stadium Blu-ray, hoping it would be a huge improvement over Billy Joel’s prior video releases. Unfortunately, other than the video, it falls short, way short.

Concert 

At the time of the concerts which form the basis of this release, namely July 16th and 17th, 2008, Billy Joel had reached the big six oh as in 60 years old. Not surprisingly, he has lost a step on two, especially vocally, since he was in his prime in the 1970′s and 1980′s. He no longer really has the vocal range to do some of his material, which is why Say Goodbye to Hollywood and the hits from his doo wop homage recording, An Innocent Man were not performed at these shows. Nevertheless, while falling a bit short of his best, this is on the whole a fine show with a song list that is fairly representative of his entire career, with a few tunes included that casual fans might not be all that familiar with.

The concert includes a total of 25 songs in order of appearance: Prelude/Angry Young Man, My Life, Summer, Highland Falls, Everybody Loves You Now, Zanzibar, New York State of Mind (with Tony Bennett), Allentown, The Ballad of BIlly The Kid, She’s Always a Woman, Goodnight Saigon, Miami 2017, Shameless (With Garth Brooks), This is The Time (With John Mayer on guitar), Keeping the Faith, Captain Jack, Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel), The River of Dreams/A Hard’s Day Night, We Didn’t Start The Fire, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, Only The Good Die Young, I Saw Her Standing There, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Piano Man and Let It Be.

The highlights of the concert have to be the two songs performed by Paul McCartney, I saw Her Standing There and Let It Be, both of which are sensational. As a fan, I am most fond of Billy’s albums from Turnstiles to The Nylon Curtain, which I view as his best, so it would have been great to have included I’ve Loved These Days from Turnstiles (although 4 of the 8 songs from that album are included, Just The Way You Are from The Stranger and a few others I could mention. I could have done without the Sinatraesque vocals on New York State of Mind and felt that his vocals on She’s Always A Woman and Only The Good Die Young to fall a good bit short of his best (perhaps he was worn out a bit).

Being from Philadelphia, I have heard him perform Captain Jack much better than he does here. He used to perform it with a bit of jazz piano mixed in which is now totally gone. On the plus side, the addition of the string section sounded great on a few of the tunes such as Lullabye, The Ballad of Billy The Kid. The addition of the horn section was notable too and as a result, Zanzibar from 52nd Street sounded sensational. I am sure that most fans will find this set and the performances to be great. However, I find that his current band, pales in comparison to band that he toured with in his prime. Missing are the deep and energetic bass lines of the late Doug Stegmeyer. Billy’s current drummer just doesn’t stack up well with Liberty DeVito, who was as much a part of Billy’s sound as Billy was. I don’t know why Billy and Liberty parted ways, but if Billy ever tours again, which is questionable given his double hip replacement and other health issues, bring back Liberty. Your sound is just not the same without him. Recommended for fans only.

Video  

While the video on this release is good, I was expecting better. The video features bright and bold colors and deep blacks. Where I feel that it falls short is in the level of clarity and detail, as the image is a tad on the soft side, lacking the fine detail of great looking recent concert discs such as The Jeff Beck Rock N Roll Party I have reviewed here, or the new Harry Connick, Jr. Live on Broadway disc which looks sensational. I don’t know why the video features this softness. Perhaps it is because of the cold moist mist that was being blown rather heavily onto the stage both nights to provide some degree of comfort to the band on two very hot evenings.

I found some of the framing of the image to be a bit odd and not really taking full advantage of the wider screen format that HD offers. I also found a bit of noise in some of the darker portions of the image. While the image overall is good, it just falls a bit short of the quality that I had been expected and certainly falls short of some of the newer concert releases I have seen on Blu-ray.

Audio  

While I was a little disappointed with the video, I was really shocked with how poor the multichannel audio is here. Not to sugar coat it, it really sucks. This is the first concert disc that I have heard on Blu-ray were I actually prefer the PCM uncompressed (24/96) stereo mix to the multichannel mix, which in this case is offered as uncompressed PCM 5.1 at 24/96 and Dolby Digital 5.1. And by a wide margin. The PCM stereo track sounds like a decent CD and has much better bass, dynamics and center fill than the multichannel tracks have. However, it is not without its faults, including a congested overall sound and a poorly mixed, for the most part, lead guitar track.

Both multichannel tracks sound dreadful, with no dynamics and almost no bass at all. It is amazing to hear the difference in the low end when switching back and forth between the two. The bass lines and the kick of the bass drum just vanishes. I also found Billy’s vocals on the mutlichannel tracks to sound thin and hollow compared to the stereo track, with his lower register simply not there. The audio on tis release really needs to be redone, it is that bad. Experiment if you want but, you will be better off sticking with the stereo, even though it lacks the enveloping sound of the 5.1 mix.

Special Features  

The extras consist of three bonus songs, all with special guests. In order of appearance they are Walk This Way with Steven Tyler, My Generation with Roger Daltry and Pink Houses with John Mellancamp. All of the songs were performed with Billy’s Band. BIlly disappeared during Walk This Way, sang backup vocals on My Generation and played the piano on Pink Houses. Both Steven Tyler and John Mellancamp were in fine vocal form but Roger Daltry for some reason, stuttered his way through My Generation, which was the least pleasing of the three extra songs, at least for me.

Final Thoughts  

To say that I was disappointed by the audio on this release would be an understatement as this release gets my nomination for the worst multichannel concert recording on Blu-ray to date. Recommended for fans only.

The two movies in question here are House of Wax (shares the name of Vincent Price’s 1953 film but in fact is not a remake) and Thirteen Ghosts (which is in fact a remake of the 1960 film).

Films 

Let’s begin with House of Wax. When I first saw Paris Hilton in the billing I wrote this film off, which as an unbiased, impartial reviewer is completely inappropriate. But based on her past so called “acting” roles I couldn’t help but think what kind of road I was about to travel down. But teamed with an otherwise respectable cast including Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, and Jared Padalecki I was ready to dive in unbiased.

The film opens with a scene taking place in 1974, a woman crafting a wax sculpture in her kitchen while her son calmly eats breakfast. Her husband then enters with a hysterical and seemingly violent baby whom is strapped and taped into his high chair. Upon scratching his mother he is slapped in the face and we fast forward to 2005.

A group of teenage friends are road tripping to a pivotal college football clash in Louisiana. Among them are Carly (Cuthbert) and troubled brother Nick (Murray), Carly’s boyfriend Wade (Padalecki), dating couple Paige (Hilton) and Blake (Robert Richard) and sixth wheel Dalton (Jon Abrahams). En route the group decide to set up camp for the night where they are visited by a strange pickup truck which overlooks the group whilst shinning its brights. Eventually leaving after Nick smashes his headlight with a bottle, the group heads to bed. When morning arrives Wade discovers his fan belt is damaged and he won’t be able to make it to the game. He and girlfriend Carly hitch a ride into a nearby town Ambrose to get a replacement part while the rest of the group head onwards to the game.

After some exploration through Ambrose, an apparent ghost town the two stumble upon a mechanic who invites them to his home to get a fan belt. After realising this man was the owner of the truck who was overlooking them the previous night Carly begins to become suspicious. It comes too late as Wade has already fallen victim to the mechanic.

The rest of the story follows the stalking and frantic attempts of escape for the group in standard horror fashion. Ultimately I couldn’t help but be impressed with this film. The story offers some unique twists on a typical horror endeavour, and there are constant thrills which kept me on the tips of my toes. The sets are chilling, and with exception of Paris Hilton the acting is top quality as far as horror films are concerned.  I recommend this film to fans of the genre, more so to its targeted young adult age group.

The second film in the combination is Thirteen Ghosts; the 2001 remake of the 1960 film of the same name, the aforementioned Starring Tony Shalhoub, Matthew Lillard, and Shannon Elizabeth.  Seems like a pretty standard cast for a teenage movie back in the early 2000’s, so immediately I question what kind of a movie this is going to be.  Well, let’s find out…

The film begins with a group of ghost hunters in pursuit of a spirit known as The Juggernaut. Several of the ghost hunters are killed, but Dennis (Matthew Lillard) is amongst the survivors. Arthur (Tony Shalhoub) the nephew of the now deceased leader of the group of ghost hunters is now the heir of a new mansion. Of course this isn’t just any mansion; it is constructed of mostly glass with phrases in Latin inscribed all over. Arthur’s two children begin exploring the mansion and not before long they encounter several ghosts.  Dennis then informs Arthur and his family that there are twelve violent ghosts whose souls are trapped within the mansion. When the front door locks and there is no escape the group must band together to solve the mystery of the house.

The plot of the film sounds more like a Scooby Doo episode than anything, but I can assure you that such violence and gore would not be found in Scooby Doo. The plot plays out a lot like House on Haunted Hill (remade in 1999 based upon a William Castle film as well) which is extremely linear and predictable. But the variety of Ghosts and their back stories are rather interesting and give us the slight bit of depth that is needed to make this film half decent.  In conclusion; Thirteen Ghosts is by no means a good horror film, but is entertaining enough to be watched more than once.

Video 

Presented in 1080p 1.85:1 aspect ratio and encoded in MPEG4 both film’s transfers are pretty similar, but a slight edge goes to House of Wax. In the previously mentioned film the details are much crisper, and the darks are a lot sharper.  Both films are shot in mostly dark settings, and the grain is ever present in such low light situations. This leads to an unspectacular transfer but still on par with many similar releases.

The House of Wax uses a bluish green tint for its transfer, so a lot of the colors appear washed out, most apparent in flesh tones. But as I mentioned before the details in House of Wax can be rather impressive, especially on the facial features of the cast.

Thirteen ghosts as previously mentioned, has a less satisfactory transfer, but nonetheless pretty decent. While the overall transfer can be soft throughout, I have to say I enjoyed the crispness and facial details. My main complaint as far as Thirteen Ghost’s is concerned lies within its constant graininess.

Ultimately, both films give a decent video transfer and are a big step up from their DVD versions.

Audio  

Warner Brothers has included a 5.1 PCM audio track for both films, and with all things considered I’m very impressed. Given the material Warner did all that they could, there isn’t exactly a bunch of scenes in which to flex its audio muscle, but when the occasion arose I heard it.

In The House of Wax, where there is more dialogue than anything else, it came out quite crisp and clear. There were however a few scenes in which the channels were tested, namely in the climax where you hear screams, and a fire engulphing a building. Overall a very spooky atmosphere, I was impressed.

Thirteen Ghosts is on just about the same page as far as the audio goes. But there were a few more occasions in which the surround could have been utilized, but overall it came out being a flatter track; it could be very mono sounding at times. With the different spooky atmospheres and ghosts encountered throughout I really thought the audio could have played with our minds a bit more, but at the end of the day it wasn’t very rich.

In conclusion: The House of Wax gets a slight nod in terms of audio transfer, but both got the job done with the material given.

Special Features 

Neither film does much in terms of special features, which will leave hardcore fans disappointed. The House of Wax has a bit more materials involved; the most interesting is the look into the visual effects of The House of Wax. Thirtreen Ghosts didn’t come packed with much either, but the Poltergeist Profiles and the making of documentary were both interesting material, albeit not very long.

• Creative team commentary
• Gag reel
• Theatrical trailer
• Featurette: Thir13en Ghosts Revealed
• Ghost Files: A Haunted Houseful of Poltergeist Profiles
• B-Roll and Bloopers Video Cast Commentary
• From Location: Joel Silver Reveals House of Wax
• Wax On: The Design of House of Wax
• The House Built on Wax: The Visual Effects of House of Wax
• Alternate Opening: Jennifer Killed

Final Thoughts 

Both films are targeted to a younger audience of horror film movie goers, who are used to hack and slash as opposed to psychological.  I found House of Wax to easily be the better of the two, but Thirteen Ghosts was just good enough to be called decent and the combination of the two turns out to be a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre. Both films are quite identical in terms of their video transfers which were rather decent, but I found that House of Wax made better use of its audio track. Neither film came with too much features; nor were the ones given all that impressive. At the end of the day I would recommend this disc to those of you who love to throw in a movie for a decent thrill without having to use too much brain power; but don’t expect Oscar material.

Film 

Our story begins in the very ritzy city of Beverly Hills, California.  The place where cops ride Segways, Lamborghinis are common, and aesthetics reign supreme.  Jamie Lee Curtis (Aunt Viv) joins a well-known cast that includes Andy Garcia and Cheech Marin, as she carts around Chloe (Drew Barrymore), her all-white Chihuahua from store to store, treating her to the lavish luxuries of Rodeo Drive.

Chloe eventually spends the rest of the afternoon chilling at the poolside with her lapdog friends while Papi (George Lopez), the landscaper’s Chihuahua, tries catching Chloe’s attention.  Little Papi has a big heart and would love nothing more than to spend it all on his ‘equally little’ love interest.  However, Aunt Viv soon embarks on an international business trip and leaves her prized pooch in the hands of her carefree, (and very cute I might add), lackadaisical niece, Rachel (Piper Perabo).

As soon as Aunt Viv is out the door, Rachel and her friends cook up a plan to head to Mexico for some fun but are forced to take Chloe along.  It isn’t long before Chloe makes a break for it and finds herself in a world of trouble.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua holds a PG rating and coming from Disney, is a sure-fire kid favorite.  Sure you can bill it as a ‘fun for the whole family’ flick and it can be.  However, the target audience on this one is kids.  Well, kids and dog lovers.  Okay, kids, dog lovers and the people who have kids.  Now that I’ve covered at least two-thirds of society, it’s safe to say this movie accommodates a wide range of viewership.  It is a bit juvenile at times and some of the scenes will make you roll your eyes, but in the end, it is a cute, fun film with some good humor, great effects…and dogs!

Video 

This movie is absolutely pristine in appearance.  There was one scene where I thought I saw some grain, but…oops, wait…maybe not…I had to strain too hard to find a visual imperfection.  What a treat it was to feast my eyes on clarity so beautiful that I could just send it to other film makers and say, “See this?  This is a reference disc for video quality!”  Flesh tones remained consistent and those portions that were animated gelled well within their real-life surroundings.  Blacks were equally impressive showing no signs of dancing grain or visual quality intrusion.

I had been so focused on the sound in the early part of this movie before I realized the picture was really quite clear and inviting.  After coming off the Arctic Tale review with grain dominant throughout a significant portion of the film, I was pleasantly surprised at the crispness that Beverly Hills Chihuahua brought to the screen.  This 1080p, AVC encode with 2.40:1 aspect ratio certainly measured up to Blu-ray standards.

Audio 

Gwen Stefani’s “Rich Girl” opens the movie and I’m not saying it’s a good song or a bad song.  All I’m saying is don’t be surprised when all your speakers jump on for the ride while your subwoofer works the gas pedal.  This short audio bit sets the stage for the film’s surround sound capabilities that remain consistent throughout, but do get toned down a bit after the tune.
Dialogue is driven clearly while music and other effects are proficiently relayed through the rear speakers as well as those up front.  The subwoofer does tend to disappear in the latter stages of the film, taking a more dormant role, but this is not a thing of disappointment.  There isn’t a huge demand from this film’s content for the cube of boom to start banging out some bass.  Every audio piece seems to find its home when producing the sound of the movie.

Special Features 

The Cleveland Browns win a Super Bowl!  Well, let’s not get carried away.  The special features may not be that earth-shattering but what is about as rare is the fact that ALL of the extras on this disc are in High Definition!  The content is very entertaining and there is a sufficient amount of these goodies to go around.  This is actually divided up into two categories on the menu; Bonus and Sneak Peaks.

Bonus:

• Legend of the Chihuahua – An animated short that explains the true background of the breed and where they stand in our culture today (3:08).
• Pet Pals: The Voices Behind the Dogs – A look inside the recording studio at the actors that voiced the canines on screen (9:27).
• Hitting Their Bark: On the Set with the Dogs of BHC – A behind-the-scenes look at working with dogs on a film and the training that goes into it (12:57).
• Deleted Scenes - 10 scenes scrapped from the movies final cut with audio intro by director Raja Gosnell (24:39).
• Blooper Scooper - This one is not as funny as it sounds but was an entertaining look at the goof-ups anyway (3:00).
• Audio Commentary with Director Raja Gosnell

Sneak Peaks:

• Pinocchio – 70^th Anniversary (1:27)
• Up (1:51)
• Bedtime Stories (1:32)
• Disney Movie Rewards – this is basically a quick heads-up on how to redeem points from the Disney movies you have purchased (:20).
• Bolt (2:30)
• Monsters Inc. (1:08)
• Morning Light – documentary (2:28)
• Disney XD – a new show on the Disney Channel (:31)

Lastly, there is also the BD Live feature on the disc which will allow you to have an interactive experience with others currently watching the film.

Final Thoughts 

I threw a lot of 5′s out there on this one but they were well-deserved.  Nevertheless, this cannot come out to a clean average.  I am going to list my final recommendation as ‘buy it.’  If I may revert to my earlier example; kids, dog lovers, and parents should enjoy this film.  The kids will probably watch it twenty times more than their parents, but it is going to be a rental at best for many folks out there and I completely understand that.  I just see so many families enjoying this film more than once that it’s difficult to drop anything less than ‘buy it’ here.  Disney, you sure got this one right…especially in the technical areas.

Film

Vivian (Roberts) is a hooker who gets $100 an hour in Hollywood. She’s having some trouble meeting the rent, so I guess she hasn’t been putting in too many hours. When a silver Lotus drives up her block she sees the rent money and sashays over to the car. The driver is multibillionaire Edward Lewis. He makes fortunes by buying vulnerable companies, stripping them for parts, and unloading them. He’s in L.A. to close a business deal, and he’s lost. He’s only pulling up to the corner to ask for directions. Vivian agrees to show him how to get back to his hotel for 20 bucks. Once there, Lewis invites her to his room, mostly just to pay for her time and not really for sex. He pays her to spend the night for $300 but spends the night either watching television or working. When his lawyer (Alexander) tells him he’ll have some evening engagements as part of his deal, they decide having a date would look better. He negotiates a $3000 payment plus clothes and staying in the swanky penthouse suite for Vivian being his escort for the week. During the week they begin to be attracted to each other, and Lewis begins to lose his killer instinct in the board room.

Pretty Woman is also the film that made Julia Roberts. Before this film she was a relative unknown. Her performance in this film is certainly notable, and it’s not surprising that she was quickly in demand, eventually leading up to her Oscar. While I really don’t seek out opportunities to watch this kind of film, I can’t fault anything in Roberts’ performance as why I wouldn’t enjoy the film. She does an admirable job of exhibiting the changes in Vivian. At first she’s very childlike, picking everything up and looking very wide-eyed. As the film progresses she begins to gain some self respect, thanks in part to a sympathetic hotel manager played quite charmingly by Hector Elizondo. I have to admit that I bought into the transformation. There was Hollywood speculation at the time that Roberts and Gere were becoming an off screen item, more testament to both performances. There was also wide speculation that the two would continue to work together with hopes of a new Bogart and Bacall, but the less than stellar Runaway Bride would be their only other picture together. Look for an amusing performance by Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander as Gere’s lawyer in the film. You might not recognize him here because he still has hair. Also look for a compelling performance by Ralph Bellamy, from Universal’s The Wolf Man. He plays Lewis’s latest prey, the owner of a struggling company. This wasn’t the only film in which Bellamy dealt with a Lewis. Trading Places was one of his funniest performances. Gere is actually somewhat of a weak link in this picture. He doesn’t appear to display much passion for anything. Even once he’s discovered his feelings, he never blooms as a character. I guess in a film like this it’s his looks that satisfy the target audience.

While there are some rather nice performances here, make no mistake, this is still a fairy tale. There is nothing even remotely believable in the movie at all. It’s hard to imagine that a sharp business man like Lewis would be so naïve when it comes to picking up a hooker. In the middle of a very important take-over the last thing he’d need is a very public bust, particularly when he isn’t looking for sex anyway. He makes his financial transaction is a very public way that would just be too stupid in reality. On Vivian’s part, I find it hard to believe she’s also so innocent and naive. Maybe Marshall thinks it’s a common male fantasy to find that elusive innocent hooker. Talk about your fairy tales. In the end it’s a harmless enough film that won’t burden your guy too terribly much. It’ll make a good date night. Just remember that if you get your guy to go for it, it’s blowing crap up next date night, deal?

Video

Pretty Woman is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. I’m not really sure how to describe this 1080p image. It’s built using an AVC/MPEG-4 codec. The problem is that it is terribly inconsistent. There are moments when colors pop like you wouldn’t believe. Roberts walking around in the famous red dress is an outstanding display of color and sharpness. There are other moments, even outside and well lit, like the polo tournament, where the picture appears rather dull and exhibits too much surface noise. Black levels are usually pretty solid. Detail, again, is hit or miss here. I found moments of startling detail soon followed by an almost standard definition looking presentation. The bit rate was usually a respectable average of 33mbps. I found the visual presentation to be a bit of a puzzle.

Audio

The PCM uncompressed 5.1 track clocks in at a very impressive 6.9 mbps. Still, it’s a rather plain mix for the most part. It’s not anyone’s fault. The film is primarily a dialog piece and offers very little chance for anything to be going on in the surrounds. The source music is at times rather dynamic and takes full advantage of the surround channels. You can hear everything just fine, but don’t look for your sub to come alive here.

There is an Audio Commentary with director Gary Marshall. This is a very matter of fact commentary and quite dry. It’s great if you’re studying the film, but has little entertainment value.

Special Features

Unfortunately all of the extras are in standard definition and merely port over from the 15^th Anniversary release on DVD.

• Bloopers: Just three minutes of mostly awkward Julia Roberts moments.
• Live From The Wrap Party: This is a bit surprising. It’s camcorder footage that someone took of members of the cast, including Gary Marshall on drums, playing music. The sound is really, really bad.
• L.A. – The Pretty Woman Tour: Gary Marshall serves as your tour guide to the L.A. locations used during the film. It’s an interactive affair, where you click on locations via a map menu.
• 1990 Production Featurette: This 4 minute feature is an old promo for the film and is nothing more than an extended trailer.
• Music Video: Natalie Cole performs Wild Women Do.

Final Thoughts

While this movie was released in 1990, it is very much a 1980’s film. From the styles to the music and including the very film stock, it’s a badly dated affair. That likely will reduce its appeal to present and future generations. It was once a pretty big deal but has fallen rapidly in demand over the years. I’m not sure that a Blu-ray version with nothing new to offer beyond a very mundane high definition transfer will do much to change things. Enjoy it as a date movie, or better yet “veg out and watch TV”.

Film 

Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) is East High School’s star basketball player, and the quintessential jock. Gabriella Montez is your atypical pretty math genius , and when the two meet at a ski lodge over Christmas Break the sparks fly. Coincidentally Gabriella’s mother is transferred to New Mexico, where she begins attending East High School.  At first the story plays off a bit like Grease, the are standoffish at first, too shy to express their feelings. Then there’s the typical falling out, while the two try out for the high school play the school becomes divided, choosing sides. The two are pressured to be apart while longing for each other, it seems all very dramatic… but it’s not. The song and dance aren’t entertaining and the storyline is predictable. I’ll give you one guess on how this one turns out.

If you haven’t heard of High School Musical, then chances are you’re living under a rock. If you have heard of it, then I hope you’re hiding under a rock. Compared to quality musicals or even quality Disney musicals that I was accustom to growing up, this is atrocious. Seriously, it’s utter garbage and I don’t know what kids and teenagers find so compelling about it. The music is a lot of things, but entertaining or talented isn’t one of them. Your initial reaction might be that I’m coming off a little harsh, but then chances are you haven’t watched it yet. I’ll give it to the cast, it isn’t easy singing and dancing, and there’s no doubt that given the horrible material they didn’t do half bad. But singing and dancing is one thing, acting is a whole other, and all I saw in High School Musical was a bunch of amateurs.

Okay, so I had to vent a little bit, but the fact is I absolutely disliked this film. I don’t see the appeal, but ultimately people for whatever reason like it. There has since been two sequels and countless amounts of merchandise sold to pre teens everywhere. So although I wouldn’t't have like this movie when I was younger, and I don’t like it now, I know kids out there will. Maybe it’s something they can relate too, the pressures of high school and different cliques, and ultimately the morale of the story is not all that bad. So unless you have young kids, or are one yourself, stay away from this movie at all costs.

Video 

Presented in 1080p 1.78:1 aspect ratio and encoded in MPEG4 Remix hits blu-ray with some gorgeous looking results.  All cast members were clearly chosen by their looks as every one of them looks great, even under the magnified glass we call high definition.  Detail was top notch, with every tiny detail clearly seen.  The print itself is in perfect condition with no color banding or dirt specs on the print.

Problems?  I did think the overall color presentation was enhanced, giving those flesh tones a bit too much of an orangey look. Considering this is one of Disney’s most popular series, was there really any doubt this picture would look bad?

Audio 

Disney has included a 5.1 PCM track with the release, sadly for anyone like me who can’t stand this movie; we are given a crystal clear audio presentation.  The musical numbers are extravagant and use all channels often and effectively.  Scenes that have no music just dialogue sound good, but comes off as a bit flat especially when compared to the lively music numbers.

If you are a fan of the music, then you will love the audio presentation here.

Special Features 

• Brining It All Together: The Making Of High School Musical – Not as comprehensive as some making of features, but an interesting view for fans of the movie.

• Learning the Moves – A progressive feature showing the rehearsal of the different choreographed scenes, and then the final product.

• The Hollywood Premier – Expectantly short, a glimpse at the premier of High School Musical.

• Sing Along With The Movie – Self explanatory karaoke like experience.

• Hot Music Videos – Videos of five different songs which include; I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You, We’re All In This Together, Breaking Free Remix, We’re All In This Together Remix, and Eres Tu.

Final Thoughts 

This movie is worth the purchase only for fans, and with no exceptions. I would recommend everyone to stay away from this one. However, fans of High School Musical will be happy to read that the disc is worth the purchase. I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but Disney has put together another great disc, with impressive audio and video transfers sure to keep fans pleased. Along with that is a decent group of features that will keep you entertained beyond the movie. Well there you have it, High School Musical on Blu-ray is a great buy for fans, but not for anyone else.

Growing up musical movies really captivated me, as they do most children. It’s something everyone can appreciate and have a good time with, however, call it growing up if you want, but Disney just hasn’t been on stride with musicals as of late. Sure the success of High School Musical and others can debate that, but there just hasn’t been that pizzazz that I yearn. But I open my eyes and mind going into The Cheetah Girls: One World, hoping for a nostalgic journey to when these films captivated my imagination. Is Cheetah Girls going to impress, or just be another contemporary drag?

For those of you unfamiliar with the back story regarding the Cheetah Girls, I’ll quickly fill you in. In the original film the girls are launched into superstardom after being discovered at a high school talent show. The four girls all have their distinctive personalities that often clash but at the end of the day they always have each other’s backs. It really doesn’t get more cliché, but please read on.

Galleria (Raven-Symone) is off attending school in England so the group is now a trio including Chanel (Adrienne Bailon), Aqua (Kiely Williams), and Dorinda (Sabrina Bryan). They travel to India to star in a new Bollywood film, where they realize only one of them can be the star. They decide to be fair in competing for the role but soon become jealous of each other’s talents. They begin to feud and with the friendship on the line will they all come to terms like they always do? I wonder…

Movies have really changed since I was a kid; musicals used to be much more entertaining and had elaborate and fantastical plots. Now it has become MTV’d like everything else, and clichéd to the point of nausea. Maybe if there was some acting talent in the movie it could have floated, but this was just a horrible barrage of song and dance.

I think this type of movie might be lost on my generation, as they seem pretty popular with young people these days. I just can’t watch it with any sincerity as there is no dialogue, the songs are anything but engaging, and the storyline is predictable and uninteresting. Avoid this one at all costs.

Video

Cheetah Girls is presented 1080p 1.78:1 aspect ratio Cheetah Girls comes to Blu-ray with some great looking results. Colors look extremely vibrant, but flesh tones are actually too vibrant and come off looking orangey and artificial.  Thankfully the detail is top notch, without issues like edge enhancement.

Besides the minor color problem mentioned above Cheetah Girls looks very good.

Audio

Disney has included a 5.1 PCM track with Cheetah Girls and the quality of the track is quite good.  The movie revolves around music and uses all speakers constantly, with the quality remaining top notch throughout.  Dialogue was very front heavy, but meshed well with the soundtrack.  Unlike the dialogue the music track used front and rear channels effectively.  Bass support was a little on the weak side, but was present throughout the entire movie.

Even though I hated the music it did sound good (quality wise).   If you are a fan of the music then you will love the audio presentation here.

Special Features

• Cheetah Spots – A pop up trivia track which play through the movie.
• Music Videos — We are given 3 music videos by the Cheetah Girls.  The videos themselves are horrible and clearly lip-synced, but should please fans.

Final Thoughts

Too be blunt, this movie was horrible. There weren’t any aspects about it that I liked about it, and I’m going to recommend you stay away. If for some reason you actually enjoyed the film then I will give the Blu-ray some credibility, the audio and video transfer very nice in hi def and the features will surely please fans. I hate to say it but it is a good buy for those of you who like The Cheetah Girls.

Not only is this the second Blu-ray release of I Am Legend, it is also the third time the Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend has been adapted to film. The first time was The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price, still the best version in my mind to date. The second attempt was the cult classic The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston, although major portions of the adaption were changed from the book. Finally we have are third version, this 2008 release of I Am Legend starring Will Smith.

First the story, I Am Legend stars Will Smith as Dr. Robert Neville a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague – The Infected, also known as Dark Seekers – lurk in the shadows… watching Neville’s every move… waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind’s last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered… and quickly running out of time.

This is quite an interesting role for any actor, simply because 90% of the movie has no other cast. All dialog and interaction in the first two thirds of the movie surrounds Will Smith as he, and he alone, has to convince the audience of his solidarity. This was not a role I thought Will could pull off, but to my surprise he does a pretty decent job. His acting is strong throughout the film, especially when involving scenes with his only friend, his dog. I should state though, that it’s really the first two thirds were he shines, the last third the movie as a whole kinda falls apart, not necessarily due to Will’s acting though.

While the story does for the most part follow the ideals of Matheson’s work, some changes were made. Most of the changes were made to make the film fit with today’s day and age, things like the technology, weapons, dialog, etc. Most of these changes work for the most part, and have no negative aspect to the story as a whole. Where the major problems with the film start are the last third of the adaption. After such a strong movement by the director and writers most of the way through, I have to ask myself what the @$%^# happened at the end???? I won’t spoil it for you, but I will tell you that major plot changes were made from Matheson’s masterpiece, and I do mean MASTERPIECE, of an ending. These changes are in all honesty laughable, and I’m serious. Its so tongue and cheek bad at some points you just have to ask yourself what the heck am I watching, and then crack a smile. If you haven’t seen ‘I Am Legend’ yet it still is worth watching thanks to its first two acts and cool ideas, just realize overall it might leave you with a feeling of disappointment at the end.

Disc two also offers the alternate version of the film (with alternate ending) which in my opinion is somewhat better.  This Ultimate Collector’s Edition is essentially a re-bundled version of the standard BD release, with a few changes (most notably the extras) which will be discussed throughout this review.  Since there are a lot of similarities between these two Blu-ray releases, many pieces of this review have been ported over from the standard release review found here.

Video

While this release splits the theatrical and alternate versions, along with the special features over two discs instead of the single disc approach on the standard edition (increasing the bitrate marginally), the results are very similar. I Am Legend is presented in a 1080p/VC-1 encode, and it is very, very strong. I will say that out of the 150 odd titles I own on Blu, this is definitely one of the best discs I own. Everything is as it should be; then again this should be a demo quality disc simply because it was such a big sci-fi hit for Warner.

Colors are amazing; especially in scenes depicting the now vacate New York City. They are very strong when they should be, always vibrant and saturated but not overdone, no overkill. Also just as robust is the portrayal of detail throughout the film, it is literally jaw dropping at some points. I found myself often just looking around at the signs, posters and warnings posted around the New York area; the detail is so good you can actually read each and everyone. Beside color and detail, the contrast and sharpness are also as good as they come, important here because large portions of the film are shot at night.

Audio

The audio tracks that Warner provides on this release are the same as found on the standard edition release.  We are offered a number of audio options including English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/16-bit) and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps) tracks on both the theatrical and alternate versions, as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround dubs (640kbps) on the theatrical version only. While the DD track is good, it is the TrueHD track that is extraordinary.

Bass, mids and highs are all were they should be. The score and sound effects also nicely add to the eerie ambiance of the film, after all this sci-fi is supposed to have a sense of horror and suspense to it. The 5.1 experience is great for sticking you right in the center, though I still wonder if a 7.1 track would have even added to it.

Special Features

Now this is really where die-hard fans of I Am Legend will get their monies worth out of this Ultimate Collector’s Edition.  Here is what this release offers up…

Disc One

• Audio Commentary - This could be the most notable new addition to the extras on this release. We get to hear from director Frances Lawrence and producer/screenwriter Akiva Goldsmith. While there is LOTS of over overlap of content from the other extras on this and the previous release, we still get to hear their thought on the film and the production. I would have loved to have had Will Smith participate in this commentary track, but what can you do?

• Documentary: “Creating ‘I Am Legend’” (HD) - An hour long highlight of the production, focusing largely on the shoot in New York and other locations. Interestingly it does touch on key aspects of the process of adapting Richard Matheson’s original story, a personal fav of mine

• Focus Points (HD) – This is a branching feature where you can pull up short featurettes about the film as it is playing.  While it could have been done more flashy, it is still an adequate way to get the content across to the viewers

• Featurette (HD) – “Cautionary Tale: The Science of ‘I Am Legend’” – A short 20 minute extra on the science of the film. Boring… yes, interesting to some… maybe.

• Animated Comics (HD) - The four segments are: “Death as a Gift,” “Isolation,” “Sacrificing the Few for the Many,” and “Shelter.” These have nothing to do with the Dr. Robert Neville saga, but instead serve as side quests.

Disc Two

• Featurette: “Making I Am Legend” (SD) – This 25 minute promotional piece is very fluffy. If you have watched some of the other extras and seen the promotional pieces surrounding the film on television, this extra can be skipped.
• Vignettes: “I Am Legend: The Making of Shots” (HD) – This extra included five making-of vignettes (totaling 26 minutes). We get a taste of “Visual Effects Highlights,” “Alpha Male,” “Times Square Hunt,” “Seaport Evacuation” and “Alternate Ending.” Also included is commentary from the visual effects artists, split-screen comparisons and pre-visualizations.
• Deleted Scenes (SD) – Finally, we get 12 deleted scenes (totaling 20 minutes) with optional commentary by Lawrence and Goldsmith. As is usually the case, these scenes were cut for a reason (usually flow), but are nonetheless worth a watch.

Disc Three

• Digital Copy (SD) – this is a digital version of the film that you can add to your PCs, PSP, and iTunes film library.

Final Thoughts

While the film was good (rather than great), Warner has put together a very nice package with this release.  The Audio and Video are both top-notch, and with this release, so were the extras.  If you’re into sci-fi, especially dark future stuff, this Ultimate Collector’s Edition is for you. I might also add that you might want to check out The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man if you haven’t done so yet.

When it comes to ranking concert films, the best always seem to have The Last Waltz at or near the top of a very short list. For those unfamiliar with the production, the film centers around the farewell concert of The Band, the Canadian group who helped Bob Dylan transform and expand creatively in the ‘60s, and Dylan’s assistance in their album “Music from Big Pink” was retribution for this. The album continues to be widely regarded as a very influential piece of music decades after its release. The group continued to release albums and tour at a frenetic pace, until Robertson had finally grown weary of the pace in 1976. Rather than hold a simple farewell concert, which would have been the easy choice, The Band decided to make the event a celebration of their careers in a very pure sense. They decided to hold it on Thanksgiving at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, where they held their first live performance seven years earlier. They fed the several thousand concertgoers before bringing them the group’s work. And little did the fans know they would be witness to one of the great live performances captured on film.

Robertson decided to bring Martin Scorsese onto the project, as he was familiar with Scorsese’s work with the Woodstock concert film. Fresh from his success with Taxi Driver, the director had a fondness for the music, and he decided to approach the concert with an eye towards film production, and it was done in a very logical manner. Scenes and shots were plotted out based on moments within the song, and the audience was rarely shown. The performance was the main source of enjoyment, and rightfully so, and the performers are captured in ways that few have been able to recreate.

Consider the moment when Neil Young performs “Helpless” (with Joni Mitchell providing background vocals behind a curtain so as to not reveal her identity), when he’s getting his harmonica ready, there’s a quick glimpse of the stage musicians trying to get the volume right on his microphone. When it’s ready, Young looks over at Robertson with a grin that can only be described as pleasure and anticipation, in looking forward to the performance and connecting with the audience.

And yes, you read that right, Young and Mitchell appeared as guests of the group that perform on stage. Initially, The Band was going to invite a few friends to the show, notably ex-member Ronnie Hawkins and Dylan, and along with the aforementioned Young and Mitchell, you’ve got Dr. John, Muddy Waters, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood and Ringo Starr, all joining in the festivities and performing. It’s the performances and the people who know and love the music (even Neil Diamond) came together and performed over the house of several hours, and leaving the audience with memories to last the rest of their lives. Scorsese captured many of the images that night, along with the connections and the spirit and even some candid moments among performers that make you understand why it’s a special film.

Audio

There’s an uncompressed 5.1 soundtrack to go with the regular Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, and it’s not shabby at all. The dynamic range is good for a three decades-old production, and the immersion is adequate, though the speaker panning and environmental noise is fairly even, so the mix comes from all channels evenly. As a comparison, the Monterey Pop Festival by Criterion is dynamic and fills the soundstage with crowd noise and keeps everything in front of you; this is almost like a stereo track in a sense.

Video

An AVC MPEG-4 encode graces this 1.85:1 widescreen version of The Last Waltz, and there aren’t many new visual revelations to be gained from the feature. There’s a little bit more clarity on this than the standard definition, and the lack of background depth shouldn’t be much of a surprise, but it’s still nice to see in high definition.

Special Features

The back of the disc hypes a commentary with Scorsese, but it’s really more of a track starring Robertson, with archived interview footage of Scorsese edited into it. On the track, Robertson provides some context as to the concert, the genesis of it and the thoughts from him and his bandmates on it. He covers his feelings on the show and some of the songs, and explains some of the shots. Scorsese covers his thoughts on the concert and how he got to directing the film, and goes into some of the style choices for it as well. Scorsese seems a little bit off track compared to other commentaries, but these two make for some interesting trivia. The other piece is “Revisiting The Last Waltz,” which examines the film a little more past the commentary, and Scorsese examines the production a little more in detail here, along with any production challenges. It’s kind of a bummer that some of the extras on the standard definition disc aren’t ported over here, but what can you do?

Final Thoughts

The Last Waltz remains memorable in music for a good reason; the performances are exemplary (my personal favorites are “Helpless,” Waters’ “Mannish Boy” and Morrison’s “Caravan”), and Scorsese’s work remains excellent. While this particular disc doesn’t retain some of the lesser-remembered pieces found on the standard definition disc, it’s still worth some time and enjoyment.

Tinker Bell has been a Walt Disney icon almost since its inception. The character has gone way beyond her appearance in Peter Pan. In the decades since, she has come to represent the magic of Walt Disney and its many incarnations. Seen at the beginning of every Disney title, Tinker Bell is likely as recognizable as Mickey Mouse and his many friends. John Lassiter and the animators of Disney’s new CG animation studios take on this monumental character in the first of at least 5 announced films to feature the little fairy. Lassiter brings his best magic, learned developing Pixar over the years, to create a feature that rivals the Pixar brand in quality and technological presentation. The animation is incredible, bringing to life this corner of Neverland called Pixie Hallow. The CG environments are absolutely beautiful. With the help of Pixar, Disney has made the same strides in computer animation that it once made in traditional hand drawn animation. This picture is light years ahead of almost anything else I’ve seen outside of Pixar itself. Understand that this is a direct to video production with far less of a budget than a theatrical release, and the look of this world is even more incredible. Characters interpret with effortless smoothness, and the result is a nearly 3D presentation. Textures are outstanding, particularly a mouse character named Cheese. There’s a clever blend of this computer imagery with some classic looking animation that helps to bridge the gap between the two styles. The result is a quite unique look that is pretty amazing to look at.

We really shouldn’t forget who the target audience is for this film and the franchise expected to follow. We’re talking about little girls here who fancy themselves princesses in their own magical fairy land. Since this reviewer does not fit into that target demographic, I have needed to adjust my perception of the film a bit. It’s important to acknowledge the film’s purpose, but it’s also fair to ask the question: Can it serve beyond that limited viewership. After all, parents, brothers, and even teachers will be required to watch along. I’m glad to say that this film was more entertaining in that respect than I originally suspected. There were moments I found myself amused enough to laugh along with some of the obvious jokes. The running time was also short enough and the film moved along quickly enough that I never found myself sneaking a peak at the clock. That means parents can feel good about sitting down with their young daughters with the expectation of sharing an hour and a half of simple quality time without having their minds wander too far away themselves.

Of course the story is a simple one. This is Tinker’s origin story. Tinker was born into the fairy world just as preparations are underway to bring Spring to the mainland, the fairy’s name for the real world beyond their own. It seems that these fairies are responsible for all of the Earth’s change of seasons. Each fairy belongs to a particular guild with specific jobs to do. As Spring approaches some fairies must melt away snow, while others paint the colors onto love bugs. Tinker Bell is a tinker fairy, responsible for building things that help the other fairies to do their jobs. Tinker, however, doesn’t feel very satisfied as a tinker. She wants to go to the mainland and participate in the Spring creation firsthand. She tries her luck at the many other skills, only to find she has no aptitude for their work. Finally her attempts to “do” something bring about the ruin of all of the Spring preparations. Now it appears Spring may not come at all this year because of her carelessness. Of course, just at the right moment Tinker finds how valuable the tinker skills she does have can be. It’s a story of being happy with who and what you are.

Video

Tinker Bell is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. It’s a wonderful 1080p image utilizing an AVC/MPEG-4 codec. The bit rate stays a healthy 30mbps through much of the film. Everything is so shiny and bright, and that’s to be expected. What truly stands out, however, isn’t the bright colors and marvelous textures. What stands out here is the 3D look and feel of it all. It’s almost as if you’re looking at this world through a window in your television. Maybe the kids aren’t as hung up on all of those bells and whistles; I don’t know. What I do know is that the crew behind this presentation decided to do it right no matter who was watching or what their expectations might be.

Audio

The PCM lossless 5.1 track delivers, maybe not in such a spectacular way as the image, but it’s still well done. Separation is excellent, but there aren’t a lot of ambients here. There could have been in such a complicated and lively world, but the focus is maintained in the front speakers. Dialog is always clear. There is a wonderful Celtic soundtrack that does absolutely shine at times. I’m a sucker for that kind of music anyway, but I was happy to encounter it with such clarity here. Not much in the way of subs. Again, I’m not sure how much of this the kids are really looking for.

Special Features

There are many BD Live features to explore which were not ready when I checked them out.

Magical Guide To Pixie Hollow, Ever Wonder, and Tinker Trainer: These are interactive games/activities.

Fly To Your Heart: This is a music video of the theme by Selena Gomez.

Deleted Scenes: Some are unfinished, but two are actually pretty complete. It’s all pretty much more of the same.

Creating Pixie Hollow: This 10 minute feature is really the only look behind the scenes the release offers. You get a good mix of conceptual art, voice casting, and some animated storyboards all included in the mix here. John Lassiter talks about the genesis of some of the ideas here.

Final Thoughts

Take this always for what it is. Disney has been pulling out all of the stops here and making a big deal out of the launch of this franchise. There have already been many premiere events and a lot of merchandising. I definitely see a future for the films if they can maintain the simplicity of story and amazing visuals. Gather the kids, introduce them to HD their way, and discover some magic together. “Have you ever wondered how nature gets its glow?”

Chow Yun-Fat might not be a name known as well to those of us living in North America, at least not before the 2003 hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In his native China he has been a superstar for some time, redefining the martial arts film. Today he’s almost as well known here. The Replacement Killers was his first Western film. It’s one of those moments in cinema history where many audiences left without really knowing what to make of it all. I remember the first time that I saw the film, and I still don’t know how to quite describe it. The simple explanation is that it’s a typical Asian tough guy film like we’ve seen from Jackie Chan for about 20 years now, but The Replacement Killers isn’t really a martial arts film. Chow is using heavy firepower far more than he does his hand and foot skills. It is certainly an action film. You’ll get plenty of explosions, chases, and fights to keep the adrenalin pumping for the entire runtime. Still, even the action defies what is usually expected from such a film. There’s plenty of stylish camera work and use of slow motion to keep the viewer a little on edge, and maybe that’s what kept me from completely enjoying the film.

John Lee (Chow) is a hired killer for a Chinese mob figure. He’s cold and calculating, as we learn from the start. He’s very casual and unemotional as he takes out his intended target along with anyone who might care to get in his way. It’s his second contract, however, that reveals the man underneath the killer. His boss, Terence Wei (Tsang) is in a feud with a headstrong detective, Stan Zedkov (Rooker). Zedkov shot his son in self defense, and Wei wants revenge. Wei doesn’t want Lee to kill the detective. Instead he wants to inflict a more exact revenge, and the contract is on Zedkov’s young son. Lee refuses to carry out the killing on the young boy, and so now is to be hunted himself. A force of “replacements” are sent after Lee. While trying to acquire forged passports from a local document forger, Meg Coburn (Sorvino) he’s pinned down by Wei’s killers and is forced to flee with Meg firmly in tow. She convinces him that it is not enough to refuse to kill the boy but that he must do what he can to prevent the replacements from finishing the job. All the while he is worried that Wei will take his revenge out on his own family back in China. Most of the film alternates between quiet moments between Coburn and Lee and his regular interactions with Wei’s hired killers. It doesn’t help that Zedkov doesn’t understand that Lee’s trying to protect his son, but instead sees him as part of the Wei problem, one to be eliminated.

Chow Yun-Fat does an admirable job under trying circumstances. His uneasiness with English is not as evident in the character of John Lee as one might expect. Sorvino is truly outstanding in this film. She manages to hold her own in a world that is just loaded with testasterone. In fact, I found some of Lee’s scenes with Sorvino to be wonderfully emotional and real. Those are truly the only genuine moments in the film. The rest is stylized graphic novel action that makes no pretenses toward realism, instead opting to purely entertain. That might be why the film never achieved the mainstream success that was likely expected. The supporting cast was also quite good when they were given any real acting to do. Michael Rooker has played these kinds of parts before and so blends into the role effortlessly. His final interaction with Chow and Sorvino at the film’s climax is a beautiful payoff for all three actors. Unfortunately the Asian actors were relegated to either stereotypical roles or so over the top that they were just as unlikley to be taken seriously. The “relacement killers” themselves were so outrageous that any pretense toward a grittily realistic film is quickly out the window. If these guys are professional killers, the only reason they haven’t been caught is because of brute firepower. They apparently lack any skills of stealth and subtlety. Of course, it’s those outragious characters mowing down everything in front of them that many look to this film to see. If you liked the climactic showdown in the original Matrix film, you will likely love this film. It seems that a very large portion of this entire movie is a replay of that moment.

Video

The Replacement Killers is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1. You get a clean and sharp 1080p image using an AVC/MPEG-4 codec. The film is often quite dark and so relies heavily on a strong black level that does deliver the shadow detail needed to capture the action. With this HD transfer I was a little disappointed to discover some hints of compression artifact. I’m not saying it’s very overt or even all that noticable. I just was surprised that I encountered it at all here. There’s a considerable level of grain that I suspect was intended. There’s a ton of color filtering in this presentation. Often red, blue, or yellow shades will dominate a scene for stylistic purposes, but in none of these instances does it take away from the detail or sharpness of the image. In normal lighting flesh tones are mostly natural. There is a stark contrast in a couple of daytime exterior fights where there appears to be too much light and detail is suddenly washed away. The film delivers a solid 30 mbps bit rate throughout.

Audio

The PCM lossless 5.1 track is a constant stimulation of your senses. The fights incorporate an aggressive use of ambient that will leave bullets flying all around you. There’s good solid response from the sub most of the time, and through all of this action you’ll hear the dialog clearly every time. That’s no small matter when you consider the volume of things going on and the fact that Chow speaks quite softly most of the time. The sound will fill your theater not only with volume but with a full dynamic range of audio delights. This is a top notch audio presentation.

Special Features

Chow Yun-Fat Goes Hollywood: This is a Chow love-fest with everyone from cast to producers just raving on for 20 minutes about how “cool” it was to be on set with the star. There are plenty of clips, including a nice one where Chow talks about learning to handle the guns. There’s an interesting story about a cat’s head, an offer one couldn’t refuse.

Where The Action Is: This is a typical 10 minute behind the scenes feature that touches mostly on director Antoine Fugua’s philosophy about making the film. There’s a lot of wasted time on overlap from the previous piece and on providing an unnecessary synopsis of the film.

Final Thoughts

The Replacement Killers is a very entertaining film that even has some nice emotional moments, but don’t expect a lot of depth in the plot here. It’s a visually stimulating exercise that works well in the HD format. I don’t think it broke any new ground as many appear to believe. We’ve seen all of this before, and for Chow, he’s becoming more known to American audiences now. His role in the latest Pirates Of The Caribbean film seems to solidify his place in Western cinema. He’s still doing Hong Kong films and enjoys continued success in that market. I think he’ll end up in more American roles like The Replacement Killers. He doesn’t seem to be tempted yet by the money and power that Hollywood has to offer. Do you really think anyone, no matter how humble, could stand up to that kind of temptation? “I didn’t think so.”