Into the Blu

Captain America: The First Avenger is an entertaining superhero film.  This Blu-ray release features another mildly disappointing 3D video transfer that lacks the reference punch I was hoping for. The 7.1 audio is strong & the extras solid. Continue Reading

While this was not the best of the Pirates franchise, On Stranger Tides was still entertaining and looked/sounded great.   This BD offers up amazing 7.1 audio & solid extras. The 3D video started off a tad dark & inconsistent, but ended up vibrant & impressive. Continue Reading

Bad Teacher features solid video with good clarity, detail and color. The audio a pedestrian front heavy mix with average fidelity. The film leaves lots to be desired… but this disc is worth a rental for a few laughs. Continue Reading

A true Hollywood classic that deserves to be checked out by newer generation cinema lovers. Audrey Hepburn is simply magnificent. The Blu-ray release is simply stunning. The audio and video presentation are near perfect and the special features are plentiful. Continue Reading

I was not looking forward to the first Pirates of the Caribbean film before it arrived in theaters. After all, a film based on a Disney theme park ride? I mean come on! However, mostly due to the over the top performance by Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and yet another great performance by Geoffrey Rush, The Curse of the Black Pearl was a very funny and engaging action adventure. As is always the case these days in Hollywood, they couldn’t leave well enough alone and turned Pirates of the Caribbean into yet another film franchise, with predictable results. The second film Dead Man’s Chest was OK, mildly entertaining. The third, At World’s End was simply awful, and droned on for what seemed like forever, a real yawner. That, I thought was that and there was no way Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush would be up for another nor would Keira Knightly or  Orlando Bloom. Lo and behold, a 4th Pirates film went into production but without Ms. Knightly and Mr. Bloom but with Messrs. Depp and Rush. Well, it seems that Ms. Knightly and Mr. Bloom had the better sense as I couldn’t believe how bad Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides is. The whole film has this mailed it in quality, as if the whole cast is just going through the paces, for a quick buck. Hopefully it will be the last in the series. It is certainly worth no more than a rental, if that. As for the Blu-ray, the video is very good, with a nice sharp and detailed picture, although with at times, a rather undersaturated color scheme. The only real issue I had with the video is occasional softness in the darker sequences in the film. Other than that, this is a fine video encode. The audio is simply fantastic, with the words rich, lush, dynamic and enveloping leaping immediately to mind. The bass response is deep and tight and the film score sounds superb, with excellent depth and a wide soundstage. I just wish that the film was half as good as the audio and video presentations. Continue Reading

I canct say that I am a fan of film that feature crude and vulgar humor and I am not a fan of the film that is the subject f this review, Horrible Bosses. However, the film is interesting due to the over the top performances by two of the horrible bosses played wonderfully and with great energy by Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston. Kevin Spacey is great as always. What took be a bit off guard was Ms. Aniston’s performance which is totally against type. Gone is the sweet girl replaced by a sexually ravenous cougar who uses her position as a dentist, to molest her patients while sedated and how has the hots for her male assistant, making his life intolerable. I would like to see more of this side of Ms. Aniston, who looks great with darker locks. The video is solid if unspectacular and the audio solid as well. The audio design is rather front heaavy and unsophisticated but the musical score sounds superb and is the star of the audio presentation. Rated as a rental, if just for the performances of Spacey and Aniston. Continue Reading

Growing up in the 1960′s, I loved my comics and loved all the Marvel as well as DC Comics superheroes, with Batman and Spiderman being my two favs. It was great seeing Batman made into a motion picture and it was great, but with Batman 2 and the awful Batman and Robin, the whole genre went into the hopper quickly. It was great to see Batman resurrected by Christopher Nolan as well as the wonderful Spiderman. Although Spiderman 2 was OK, 3 was dreadful. While I loved Iron Man, Iron Man 2 left something to be desired. In fact, most of the recent films based on comic book superheroes have been shall we say, less than stellar efforts. While not quite as bad as The Green Hornet, another green superhero has received similar shoddy treatment, namely the Green Lantern. Must be something about the color green. I guess Kermit was right, it isn’t easy being green. Too bad too, as this could have been a much better film. Great audio and video, but a plot stolen right out of Star Wars. Continue Reading

When it comes to Blu-ray, the folks at Disney have quite a reputation and once that is richly deserved. Their Blu-ray releases of their films and the Pixar films in particular, have been fantastic. One of the most eagerly awaited of their back catalogue releases since the inception of the Blu-ray format has been The Lion King, with its bright and bold color palette, superb animation and beautiful score, all of which, it would seem, were  a match made in heaven for the blu-raay format. Does The Lion King deliver? Yes it does, in spades, and is another reference home theater presentation from Disney and is highly recommended and a must have for any film fan. Continue Reading

Far too many action films these days are just that, action. All action and at times unrelentingly so, with the thinnest of plots imaginable, with the latest Transformers film being the case in point. Are you listening Michael Bay? Call me old school, but I like a plot. I also appreciate good dialogue (listening George Lucas?) and some great acting. I like a plot and action with some nuance, one that unfolds over the course of the film, building to a climax. They don’t seem to make many of these films anymore, and it is too bad. Once such film of yesteryear is The Guns of Navarone, which is a joy of a film and one overlooked. Unfortunately, as is too often the case, these films are left to sit in cans and deteriorate until they are lost. The Guns of Navarone was in horrible shape, both the film and sound elements. Thankfully, these problems were caught in time and a wonderful restoration performed so that the film can be properly preserved and enjoyed. The film for the most part, now looks and sounds great  on blu-ray and is a great addition to any film library and is recommended. Continue Reading

The high water mark for spoofs and deserving of its rank amongst the Top 10 comedies of all time. Laugh out loud funny to this day.  There will most likely never be a crisp HD rendition of this film but this one does not exactly fall short. Currently the definitive edition. Continue Reading

Thor is an entertaining, high action film with great visuals and decent acting and plot.  The 3D video is only average on this release (compared to the 2D version). Audio is outstanding in all aspects and the extras are solid. Continue Reading

A husband’s neglect veers his wife to infidelity in this erotic tale. A fine rental if you like a girl hiking up her skirt over a deep plot. Sound does not always sync with actors lips no matter what language track but visually it is very nice looking (for eye candy…go figure?) Continue Reading