Film 

Unthinkable does raise the difficult question of what lengths one will go to to prevent the detonation of a nuclear bomb in a major US city. The film stars the amazing Michael Sheen as Steven Arthur Younger, a former nuclear arms specialist for the US military who converts to Islam and steals enough nuclear fuel to fabricate three nuclear bombs which he has hidden in three US cities. He films a video with his threatens to detonate the bombs in the event that certain unknown demands are met. Younger then allows himself to be captured in a Phoenix mall and is immediately transfered to a secret location (a school somewhere in Los Angeles) where he is the subject of torture conducted by a mysterious man called H (Samuel Jackson).

The FBI is brought in the try to help locate the bomb and agent Helen Brody (Carrie-Anne Moss) is asked to assist H in his interrogation of Mr. Younger. She is distressed with the terror tactics and tries to stop them arguing that they are not only illegal but ineffective. While others in the room may share the same view as Agent Brody initially, they soon begin to go along with the torture either actively or by failing to intervene as the deadline for the detonation of the bombs approaches.

As H escalates the torture techniques to break Younger, the question is asked to what lengths will even the most moral amongst us go when pushed to the limit. The film certainly has a political point of view and we are whacked with it repeatedly. How you will react to that will certainly depend on your point of view.

While the film does have a provocative point to make, I was disappointed with the execution of the narrative. Too much time was spent on the torture activities and not enough time spent on the motivations of the main characters. I would liked to have learned more about H and his history. We certainly learn a bit about his wife but nothing about him. The same goes for Younger. We never really learn the motivations for his actions other than his conversion to Islam. We know next to nothing about agent Brody.

There is a kernel of a good film here and with a more fleshed out script, especially character development, we really may have had something here. Given the shortcomings of the film, the only recommendation I can give is that of a rental.

Video 

Not surprisingly, given the subject matter of the film, this is not exactly a bright and colorful film. The film has a rather muted color palette with an emphasis on blacks, grays and browns. The skin tones are all on the brown side. On the plus side, blacks are deep and fairly stable. I also found detail, such as facial detail, fabric textures and backgrounds such as walls and floors to be excellent.

Overall clarity as well as shadow detail is very good as well. I was not able to detect any significant use of digital noise reduction and the print is in excellent shape. If you are looking for a bright and colorful film, Unthinkable is not the film for you. However, given the nature of the subject matter, I found the color choices to be appropriate and the encoding used the master the film for this release quite good.

Audio 

I was a bit surprised to find the film’s sound design to be so front heavy. While the surrounds are used occasionally to provide a sense of room ambiance, I wished that they would have been used more often to create a sense that you were in the room with the actors. Most of the film takes place in the school’s gym which one would think would have quite a reverberant acoustic but that rarely came through during the film. A better use of the surrounds would also have heightened the sense of suspense. When the surrounds did kick in, they were used effectively with some solid bass effects, as evidenced during the film’s score (which sounds quite nice) as well as a scene with a helicopter near the end of the film.

The overall fidelity of the sound was very good hence the 4 star score. I just wish that better use was made of the surrounds to create a more immersive sound and a sense of suspense that was sorely lacking in the film’s sound design.

Special Features 

The score for the extras is so low as there really aren’t any other than an audio commentary with director Gregor Jordan. While the commentary has its moments, one would expect some additional extras for a Blu-ray release. The release contains two versions of the film, the original cut as well as an extended cut with some additional footage and an alternate ending. I guess you could consider the extended cut of the film an extra. I don’t. The release does include movieIQ+sync where facts and trivia can be accessed during the running of the film. Why you would want to is beyond me.

Final Thoughts 

While Unthinkable has an interesting premise, the film’s script lacks the character development necessary to pull you into the narrative. With a bit of character development, we could have had a really fine film here given the cast. As it is, we are left with a moderately interesting film which is worth at best a recommendation as a rental.

Film 

A Single Man is based on a book of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. The film is centered around the day in the life of George Falconer, a 52 year old gay man who has decided to end his life after the death of his partner of 16 years, Jim.

The film follows George through what he intends to be his last his day, from getting dressed in the morning, teaching his English Literature class at a small college in the Los Angeles area to him taking the necessary steps to put his life in order before he takes his own life. However, it is during the course of the day when George meets new people during chance encounters and old friends that he decides that maybe life in worth living after all. Central in this discovery is probably his oldest friend Charley (Julianne Moore) who wishes they could have had a more intimate and deeper relationship and a potential new lover, his student Kenny, who discovers his plan and acts to prevent his suicide

This is a deep and at time moving film that features an excellent performance by Colin Firth as George. However, I frankly found it to be a bit ponderous and overbearing, especially in regards to some rather gratuitous gay imagery which I am sure will turn off some viewers. These misgivings notwithstanding, A Single Man is a rather interesting film overall and one that I am glad to have experienced on Blu-ray. A Single Man is definitely worth a look, but on the basis of a rental only.

Video 

To say that A Single Man is a stylized film would be an understatement. Most of the film has a very undersaturated color palette with an emphasis on the color brown. In fact, large sections of the film look almost in sepia tones with a splash of color superimposed over the brown. The color has been drained out of the image in keeping with the subject matter on screen. George is depressed over the death of his longtime lover Jim and the director Tom Ford uses the color scheme to reflect George’s state of mind. However, when George is engaged during the course of the day with subtle glances, a young girls’ smile, his interaction with Charley and the young student Kenny, who shows an interest in him, the color palette changes dramatically, becoming a bit oversaturated and skewed to the color red. It is during the moments when George decides that life may be worth living that the image on screen comes alive in tune with his state of mind.

Detail is solid throughout although far from spectacular. The same can be said for the overall clarity of the image. This is a highly stylized film with good detail, clarity and blacks but ultimately lacking the level of detail and clarity of the very best looking films on Blu-ray. Solid if unspectacular is the best way to describe the video quality of this release which will no doubt please fans of the film.

Audio 

All things considered, A Single Man packs a fine sounding lossless audio track. This is not the most sophisticated audio design. The surrounds are used only sparingly as this is a rather front heavy mix. However, the fidelity of the audio that is presented in of top notch quality. The dialogue track in particular sounds fantastic, with the subtly and intonation of each actor’s voice captured beautifully. The overall sound is smooth and open with excellent imaging and transparency. As expected for such a film, I wouldn’t exactly call the audio here dynamic but when the bass kicks in, mostly during the score, the bass is deep and tight and of excellent overall fidelity. I am sure that, as long as you weren’t expecting an action film audio design, you will be more than pleased with the audio on A Single Man, as it conveys the dialogue which moves the film forward beautifully.

Special Features 

The only extras presented on this release consist of an audio commentary with director Tom Ford and a making of featurette featuring interviews with Tom Ford, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Nicholas Hoult where they discuss the premise of the film. The making of featurette is presented in HD framed at 2:35:1 and looks quite good. The release is also BD-Live enabled and features Movie IQ+Sync which enables the viewer to access tidbits about the film and the actors during the film. That’s it folks.

Final Thoughts 

A Single Man is an interesting film that is more than deserving of a wider audience. I can recommend that you give the film a look, but on the basis of a rental only.

Film

Crazy Heart is a tale of a country musician, Bad Blake played by Bridges, who is teetering on the edge as he wanders from gig to gig in seedy bars trying to earn off of his fallen stardom in order to fuel his alcohol driven lifestyle. As dark as the path looks there are some lights that show up to help Blake get his life out of the gutter; including a possible love interest who comes in the form of a reporter who is doing a story on the old country star.

As we watch Blake’s journey, we try and see if there’s going to be a turn to the worse at any moment for we’re still not sure if Blake’s story is already in the third act and we’re watching the sad denouement of the story go deeper into a depressing rut that he won’t be able to pull out of.

The film’s story isn’t the most original, I’ve heard it being compared to The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke as a similar fallen star trying to rise back up but are faced with not only opposing obstacles that surround them, but also they have to overcome their own personal obstacles.

Jeff Bridges performance definitely stands out, but doesn’t overshadow some of the other great performances, such as Colin Farrell’s, who actually portrays his role as a fellow musician authentically.  Robert Duvall and Maggie Gyllenhaal also give great performances as well.

Video

Crazy Heart‘s video is displayed in it’s 2.35:1 aspect ratio using the AVC 1080p codec. Crazy Heart’s Blu-ray release has the specs to back up top quality video and it doesn’t disappoint. Although the film was an independent release, you can barely tell from the video quality.

The black levels are very deep and yet the film’s contrast remains very clear. The colours are vivid and details remain sharp. The picture is clear and it looks good projected on a 100″ screen, the grain isn’t noticeable even in scenes with dynamic lighting range, such as someone being lit by a spotlight on a dark stage. There is also no noticeable artefacting.

Audio

Crazy Heart’s audio comes at us using the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround codec and although the film doesn’t exactly give your sound system a run for its money but it definitely fits the material perfectly.

When there’s a scene that takes place in during a concert; the mix makes it sound just like a real concert Blu-ray. I was impressed at how the mix juggles that and the quiet contemplative scenes that are dialogue heavy seamlessly.

The dialogue is clear and up front, which the rest of the mix finds it’s place. I was worried that considering the musical nature of the sound, that my “surround” style rear speakers may not hold up well because I’ve heard that bookshelf style rears are better for music. My impressions on this during the concert scenes were that even with “surround” style rears, it sounded great. Echo spills over and gives your room the same ambiance as the rooms the actors are in.

Special Features

The special features of the film are a bit light, but they still provide something to chew on. With almost 30 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes that make up the majority of the features, but a selection of interviews and a trailer round out the rest. Although there isn’t much, if you consider Crazy Heart for a rental then it’s a good amount to go through.

Final Thoughts 

Crazy Heart combines a collection of good performances within a interesting story that is both entertaining and emotional. With a solid audio and video presentation and a few features to add some value, it’s a safe rental or purchase to Jeff Bridges fans.

Film 

While touching on a bit of some very interesting history, The Last Station is essentially a love story, or should I say two love stories, the first involving Leo Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer) and his wife of 58 years Sofya (Helen Mirren_and that of Tolstoy’s young secretary Valentin with Masha , a woman much wiser than he in the ways of the world.

The film is essentially a story about the last year or so of the life of Leo Tolstoy and the frictions that developed between he and his wife over the family inheritance. In short, Tolstoy didn’t believe in the ownership of private property and hated the aristocricy of which his wife was a member. A socialist movement had grown up around Tolstory and his writings headed by Chertkov (played wonderfully by Paul Giamatti) which had a back to nature utopian camp located nearby.

A struggle ensued between Chertkov and Tolstoy’s wife Sofya, to see who would control the royalties from Tolstoy’s works after his death. Chertkov believed that they belonged to the Russian people. Sofya wanted them to provide for both her and her family. Chertkov in reality, wanted them to fund his political movement, a fact that Tolstoy never could really see.

Into this struggle arrives Valentin (James McAvory) a member of the movement who is full of idealism and a desire for a better way of life. He is hired by Chertkov to essentially spy on Tolsoy and his wife and help insure the Chertkov’s control over the royalties. While the Tolstoyan movement seemed to devalue the role and significant of love in society, Valentin began to have second thoughts after speaking with both Tolstory and Sofya and discussing their lives with him. He began to see the importance of love in society and ultimately finds himself falling in love with Masha, after she seduces him.

Through most of the film, Valentin is torn between his fondness for both Tolstoy and Sofya, the movement and his ultimate mission and his love for Masha. Two love stories wrapped up in a film about Russian political intrigue.

The film features a stellar cast all on the top of their game and a very engrossing script that pulls your right into the narrative from the very beginning and never lets you go. What more could you ask in a film? The Last Station is very highly recommended.

Video 

I had very high expectations for the video on The Last Station due to the rather high quality of some of the prior Sony PIctures Classic releases. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. However, I was a bit concerned by the opening sequence of the film which had very mediocre blacks, was rather soft and which lacked much in the way of detail. However, right after the opening scene, the image quality picked up notably. The film itself as a very natural looking color palette which is a bit on the subdued side. The colors are just a tad and I mean just a tad on the muted side. Flesh tones are spot on. Greens in particular look spectacular and very natural.

The cinematographer also did an excellent job capturing the look of early morning sunlight. It is the exterior daytime scenes where this encode really shines, providing excellent black level reproduction, depth, clarity, three dimensionality and detail galore. The interior scenes, especially those shot in low light look a tad on the soft side, but even then have excellent levels of detail. The beautiful imagery of the daytime scenes more than makes up for the softness of the night time interior scenes. All in all, this is a fine looking film and a great encode.

Audio 

I must admit up front that I had to really wrestle with my score for the lossless audio track on The Last Station, trying to decide between a 5.0 star or a 4.5 star score. The audio is that good. Ultimately I settled on a score of 4.5 as the film lacked the total sense of immersion of a 5 star presentation. Other than the level of total immersion that was missing, this is a 5 star presentation in all respects.

The first thing to comment on the sound is the fidelity which is simply outstanding. The dialogue track is beautifully recorded and placed in the mix. The dialogue, from the loudest shout to the softest whisper is presented with stunning clarity and realism. Overall dynamics are sensational as is the bass response. Just listen for example, to the train sequences. It really sounds as though a locomotive is rumbling through your room. The same can be said for all the sound effects, whether it be the pop of an early 20th Century camera flash, the sound of a gun or the slamming of a door, the audio here is simply exquisite. Even better is the score which sounds sublime with a silky smoothness that I found to be very, very appealing.

For a dialogue driven film, the surrounds are engaged rather aggressively creating a real sense of room acoustics and the superb placement of sound effects within the sound field, falling just a smidge short of the very best sound designs I have experienced in the home. The audio on The Last Station is simply suburb and should thrill fans of the film. I know it did me.

Special Features 

I must say that I found the extras rather lacking and are the only thing about the release that I found disappointing. The extras include deleted scenes, a gag reel entitled The Missing Station and commentaries featuring stars Christopher Plummer. Helen Mirren and director Michael Hoffman. By far, the best of the extras is an interview conducted of Christopher Plummer at an AFI screening of the film entitled a Tribute to Christopher Plummer, where he discusses, not only the film, but his long acting career. This is really the only extra that can be characterized as a must see and is well worth your time.

Final Thoughts 

The Last Station is a well written and exceedingly well acted film that is well worth your attention and is very highly recommended.

Film 

Showgirls was directed by Basic Instinct’s Paul Verhoeven, a man who is no stranger to creating controversial films.  As I mentioned before, the film stars former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan and Gina Gershon.  Significant controversy sprang up before the film’s theatrical release over the amount of sex and nudity within the feature.  In the United States, the movie got slapped with an NC-17 rating and interestingly enough, it became the first NC-17 rated film to be given a wide release in mainstream theaters.  How’s that for a breakout role for Elizabeth Berkley?  If nothing else, then at least she will always be part of that record.  As you can expect, the film wasn’t met with that much success theatrically, but later on it took on a life of its own as it dominated the home video rental market and quickly became one of MGM’s top 20 all-time bestsellers.  There have been a few different cuts of the film including a 128-minute Rated-R cut and a VH1 safe for television rendition that’s nothing short of ridiculous, but today we are going to talk about the good old 131-minute NC-17 theatrical cut making its Blu-ray debut on June 15^th.

When the Blu-ray press release from MGM came across my desk months ago I could not be more excited to learn about Showgirl’s imminent High-Definition debut.  It was dubbed the 15^th Anniversary Sinsational Edition.  My God, has it been 15 years already?  Its amazing how fast time flies.  Anyway, so I immediately requested a Blu-ray review copy and began checking off the days on my calendar.  To say I wasn’t interested in revisiting this cult gem on Blu-ray would be like saying there’s no problem down in the Gulf of Mexico right now (my heart goes out to those poor animals covered in oil… find out how you can help by clicking here).

For those of you who do not know the premise of the movie it’s quite simple really.  Showgirls tells the story of a drifter (Berkley) who ventures into Sin City (Vegas) and goes from rags (stripper) to riches (showgirl).  Anyone who thinks their name belongs in bright lights and desperately seeks fame any chance they get ought to give this film a watch first.  As Peter Parker always alluded to in the Spider-Man films, “with great power comes great responsibilities.”  Some people are not cut out for life in the spot light and for some, the lucky few, they recognize the corruption and get out before the big lights and produces take their soul and everything else they believe in.  This is the story of Showgirls with a little bit of sex and gratuitous nudity thrown in, but I never heard any guy complain about that.

Before I move and talk about the Blu-ray disc’s vitals and whatnots I wanted to take a quick moment and talk about my trip down memory lane here.  There were two things that jumped out at me while watching Showgirls on Blu-ray this weekend.  But before I go there, this just jumped in my cranium now, could you imagine a 3-D release of Showgirls done right?  Wow!  That would be pure bliss.  Okay, well anyway, like I was saying.  I chuckled hard when I saw a Magnavox recordable cassette tape.  I remember those fondly.  They fueled my weekly mix tape soundtracks back in the 90’s before recordable CD’s came along.  And second, I forgot how big the original cell phones were.  I remember my Audiovox set back in the late 90’s, but wow were they ever big in the mid 90’s.  It looked like they were calling in for military support when they whipped one out on the movie set.  Okay, I’m done.  That’s enough humor for one day.

Video 

Much to my surprise, the video presentation here is spectacular and every bit as bright and eccentric as the movie itself is.  The 1080p AVC MPEG-4 video encode is presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio.  The first thing that jumped out to me were the colors.  They were so vibrant that they effectively captured the heart, soul and bright lights of Las Vegas.  I felt like I was really there.  It was simply remarkable.  Even the brown eye/green eye oddity of Elizabeth Berkley was dominantly displayed throughout.  Every single sensual moment of the film was breathtakingly captured on this Blu-ray release.  The print was clean and free of debris.  The only thing hampering this 15-year old feature was the constant presence of cinematical grain, but it never once distracted me from my viewing pleasure.  It was simply enough grain that prevented a few scenes here and there from jumping out at you in the Blu-ray sharpness that we are all used to from most modern day releases.  But for a 15-year old film, this looked impeccable and gorgeous.  I couldn’t be happier.  This one is going in a sealed vault within my Blu-ray collection.

Audio 

The audio was another department on this Blu-ray disc that simply caught me off guard.  I was expecting a soundtrack more on par with the Basic Instinct soft drama-like track that we got a few years back on Blu-ray.  Never did I expect to hear something this good.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track delivers here with a rocking experience.  Dialog is never low or inaudible.  It’s not the greatest of dialog tracks of all-time, but it’s definitely doable.  What rocks here is the film’s incredible soundtrack.  The musical song and dance numbers are both impressive and strong.  They immerse you in the 5.1 surround environment.  I was ecstatic to hear my rear speakers nearly jumping off their respective stands.  Also, want to talk about some thunderous bass moments?  Well look no further than here.  Showgirls has that going for it too!

Special Features 

And here’s yet another surprise on this MGM Blu-ray release… the Special Features.  For a 15-year old film you would expect all the disc’s Special Features to be presented in Standard Definition, right?  Well not Showgirls!  The bulk of the material I’m showcasing below graces your screen in beautiful HD resolution.  You can’t ask for anything more, can you?

Here’s why I love the Playstation 3 as a Blu-ray player… I just get a kick out of seeing if the movie studio took the time to create a quick title art piece that’s viewable when the Blu-ray disc is inserted into your player and rest assured, MGM did here (see below).

On the disc’s main menu (see below), if you let it play twice all the way through, then you get a very quick changing Easter Egg video sequence.  This changes every time too.

Pole Dancing: Finding Your Inner Stripper (11:54 AVC HD) Teacher of S Factor talks about how she got involved in the sensual art of stripping, her students and displays basic dance and pole moves.  I never knew this one move was called the Firefly.  You’re interested huh?  Oh yeah, and there’s also the Swing Walk, the Climb, the Corkscrew, the Snake, the Pole Cat, the Helicopter and the Descending Angel.  I learned a lot today!

Lap Dance Tutorial Featuring the World-Famous Girls of Scores (4:56 MPEG-2 HD) Here’s another interesting special feature.  This Blu-ray is great, isn’t it?  The girls of Score teach women how to give a man a lap dance.  Just follow their simple 10-step process I documented for you all below.

• Step 1.  Warm up and stretch yourself
• Step 2.  Wear something that feels sexy
• Step 3.  Create a relaxing atmosphere
• Step 4.  Get aural with sexy music
• Step 5.  Tempt his other senses
• Step 6.  Tease, Pose and Spank
• Step 7.  You can touch
• Step 8.  Move in and show off
• Step 9.  Find and remember his zones
• Step 10. Leave him wanting more

The Greatest Movie Ever Made: Audio Commentary by David Schmader

Showgirls Fact-Up Trivia

A Showgirls Diary (MPEG-2 HD)

Theatrical Trailer (AVC HD) How’s this for a 15-year old film?  The film’s theatrical trailer is presented in glorious HD here!  Wow!  I’m in love with this MGM catalog release.

Disc 2 – DVD

The NC-17 presentation of Showgirls is also presented in Standard Definition on a second included DVD disc or a drink coaster to some.  There’s also a special behind-the-scenes featurette here, but I never visited it.  This is a Blu-ray review after all, is it not?

Final Thoughts 

Well there you have it folks.  I really can’t say enough good things about this MGM catalog Blu-ray release.  For a cult-favorite of mine and many others, it was a breath of fresh air to see that MGM delivered a Blu-ray release that we all can be proud of with exceptionally vivid video, a bombastic audio track and a special features package fans of the film and many men around the world can enjoy.  Fans of the film, don’t hesitate here at all.  Pull the trigger and pre-order Showgirls today!  All others, you owe it to yourself to at least partake in a rental of this historic movie many critics refer to as a must-see guilty pleasure of theirs.  I’m not sure if it will stay on my Top 10 list throughout the remainder of the calendar year, but for right now, this catalog release has earned a coveted spot in my ‘Top 10 Blu-ray Releases of 2010’ list.  And that says a lot!

Pre-order Showgirls on Blu-ray today!

More importantly, how does this film measure up against the “epics” of today, and how well did this translate to Blu-ray?  Although some films receive a loving restoration (The African Queen), how well would Warner Brothers treat this legendary film?

Film

Based on a novel by Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago follows the life of our eponymous hero as he navigates life in Russia through both World War I and the Russian Revolution. 

Left destitute by the death of his mother, Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif in his best role) is taken in by well-to-do friends of the family (the Gromekos).  Trained to be a doctor, yet popular as a published poet, Yuri’s life is ideal, including a predestined marriage to the Gromeko’s daughter (Tonya, played by the lovely and vulnerable Geraldine Chaplin).  However, this idyllic world is torn apart, firstly through World War I (and Yuri’s conscription), followed by his return home to a radically changed Russia.

Yuri’s life is further complicated by him unexpectedly falling in love with a nurse whom he met while serving in the Army.  Lara (played by a beautiful, vulnerable, yet strong Julie Christie) reciprocates these feelings, but their romance remains unconsummated.  In the words of Lara, “Let us do nothing that you will need to lie to Tonya about”.   

The movie itself operates in three main acts; before War and the Revolution in Moscow, after War and the Revolution in Moscow (including escape), and life in the Urals, away from the Revolution.  And although a devoted family man, and still in love with Tonya, Yuri cannot resist the pull of Lara, especially when his family is hiding safely only miles from the town where she lives. 

In his soul a poet, but by trade a Doctor, Yuri Zhivago is one of a type of movie hero that seems to have disappeared from cinema.  He is not a “doer” or a man of action; like most of us in our lives, the world around him changes, and he must do what he can to adapt and survive.  And although he does not overtly fight back against those who would ruin the life he once enjoyed, when challenged, he shares candidly his true feelings about what has happened to Russia, without fear or remorse.  An incurable romantic, a spiritual fatalist, and a flawed man; this best describes Yuri Zhivago.  Yet in his noble bearing, he communicates a dignity that we would all be hard pressed to equal if placed in similar circumstances.

One of the most endearing traits of the movie is how the main characters’ lives intertwine throughout the movie.  Lara’s finace (Pasha) is in the film early as a Bolshevik idealist, in the middle as a ruthless Red leader Strelnikov (during which he has a powerful conversation with Yuri), and at the end (offscreen) as a main motivation for a number of the characters.

Lara herself first appears to Yuri in Moscow as the daughter of a patient he and his guardian visit.  Later on, she appears to him again as a much-needed nurse during a retreat from the World War I front lines.  And lastly, she reappears, living only miles from the old family house where Yuri hides with his guardian and family.

Yuri also has a half-brother, Yevgraf (played with charm, menace, and sincerity by Sir Alec Guiness) who appears in many places in the film.  When needed, he provides the necessary narration to move the story forward, yet he also appears at pivotal moments in Yuri’s life.  Although a member of the Cheka, Yevgraf hides a true and loving soul for his half-brother under his staid and state-centric persona.

Over top of this all, is our Faustian devil, the lawyer Victor Komarovsky (played incredibly well by Rod Steiger).  Through the movie, Komarovsky is a harbinger of nothing but illness to our protagonists, be it through forcing himself on a young Lara while in Moscow, reputedly driving Yuri’s Father into destitution, or threatening and bullying Lara and Yuri in the film’s closing stages.

Although this movie is set during two very pivotal moments in Russian 20^th Century history, the film does not denigrate into historical documentary territory.  Sir David Lean instead captures the essence of what it is to be human, how the heart can override the mind, and shows the both the best and worst sides of human nature.  And to do so would have been impossible without the flawless performances of Sharif, Christie, Chaplin, Guiness, and Steiger. 

It is also easy to understand why Mr. Pasternak’s writings and this film were banned in Russia for many, many years.  Sir David Lean takes a decidedly Western view of Communism; Yuri leaves a vibrant and beautiful Moscow, and return to a filthy, starved, disease-ridden city, full of the most rapacious and petty-minded Communists imaginable.  Humanity seems to have been sucked out of almost every ardent Bolshevik in the movie, never more elequently illustrated as through the character of Pasha/Strelnikov.   

The quality of the film is beyond reproach.  From the beautiful score by Walter Jarre (you’ll be humming “Lara’s Theme” for days), to the sets, costumes, and cinematography (by the legendary Freddie Young), this is truly what a classic epic film is.

For us in our reasonably comfortable North American world, one cannot help feel but a bit of chill when we see how quickly all of the comfort and luxury taken for granted by these characters is ripped away from them.  To me, this is what makes the film most compelling; how would I survive the same things survived by Yuri, his family, and Lara?  Hours after seeing the film, I am still asking myself the same question.

Video

In the words of Alex from A Clockwork Orange, “gorgeousness and gorgeousity”.

This movie is absolutely magnificent.  Sir David Lean knew how to use a camera, how to frame a shot, and how to get the best out of his actors.  Be it lighting placement, shot staging, or using every natural nuance of his actors to convey an emotion, each frame is shot with an exact preciseness.  Wide shots, tight shots, dark shots, light shots – all are done with love and care.  The film itself is also a throwback to the era of true epic pictures from Hollywood; even the sets are fantastic, and are better than virtually anything from that era.

Most importantly, Warner Brothers did an incredibly respectful job with the restoration of this film.  Grain is there (as it should be in a 45 year old film) but is never distracting.  Low light shots are resolved superbly.  Although some of the blacks can tend towards dark gray, there is never swimming grain, macroblocking, or crush.  The movie itself is somewhat sepia-toned, but color is used appropriately with the color red obviously highlighted.

All in all, this is an incredible presentation for a movie released in 1965.  The care used by Sir David Lean in filming the movie allowed the WB restoration team to produce a movie of pure beauty.  Although not perfect, this disc is now the standard by which I will judge the restoration of all classic movies. 

Audio

As is expected, audio simply cannot be restored the same way video can.  If filmed with a mono track with limited dynamics, there is only so much the engineers can do to spatialize sounds, and add top and bottom end to them.

This being stated, the team that worked on Doctor Zhivago deserve the merit star for a top quality effort.  The DTS-MA 5.1 is absolutely incredible for a movie this age, with decent use of the surround channels, and even some LFE information! 

At times the dialog can drop out, and the score can be a bit jarring through the centre channel, something which did having me adjusting the volume more than I prefer to.  This being said, the sound is superb for a 45-year old movie.  

Special Features

Packaged as a “45^th Anniversary Edition Digibook”, this film has every extra a true movie lover could ask for. 

The handsomely bound book contains forty-four glossy full-color heavyweight pages describing a bit about the movie, making a lovely primer for the neophyte (such as myself).  There are also profiles of a number of the main actors in the film, and some candid “behind the scenes” photos.  A great booklet in the opinion of someone who still loves the printed word.

Also included is an all-too-short CD sampler of the soundtrack, which is a real treat for someone who loves 2-channel classical music.  This alone would have been worth 2.5 discs on its own.

However, in the list of more traditional features, we have some that come on the movie’s Blu-ray, with the balance being contained on an accompanying DVD (all in SD unfortunately).

On the Blu-ray we have a commentary track.  And we are fortunate to still have the genteel Omar Sharif with us, as well as Sir David Lean’s widow, Sandra; he obviously told her many stories in the short time they were married.  Although we no longer have Rod Steiger with us (he passed on in 2002), we are fortunate that he did have some commentary recorded for the film (likely for the 2001 DVD release) – even though he is not a part of the initial conversation, he is seamlessly blended into this track.  Be advised that although this is a better commentary than most, it does still represent listening to other people talk over a movie for over three hours.  And as loyal readers know, I am not a big fan of commentaries, though this one held my attention better than most.

Also on the Blu-ray, we have a two-part documentary (480p – bah!) about Doctor Zhivago, most notably in the words of others in the industry.  A very good piece.

On the accompanying DVD, we have what looks to be a rehash of the special features that accompanied the 2001 “Special Edition” DVD release of the film.  If you do not own the DVD, and love “retro” features, this is your disc.  There are number of vintage featurettes, including interviews, a screen test, and various old “presser” type materials.  Plus, this disc includes the excellent 1995 documentary on Doctor Zhivago, narrated by the ever-eloquent Omar Sharif.

In terms of variety, volume, and quality, this is a wonderfully varied set of special features.  Even the lack of high-def supplements is acceptable considering the age of the film. 

Final Thoughts

Honestly, I did find the thought of reviewing this film a bit daunting.  Not only is it legendary, it comes with a hefty runtime, and a hefty set of extras in its 45^th anniversary edition.  Furthermore, I did find the start of the movie to be a bit slow and confusing, though this all resolved itself once the film progressed. 

However, I cannot remember the last time I was so engrossed in a film, especially developing a heightened empathy for our characters.  This is a tribute to Sir David Lean, who truly captured the emotion of his actors for the screen.  From an excellent story, to an excellent script, to tour-de-force acting performances, this is a top notch film. 

That a 45-year old film looks and sounds as good as this does on Blu-ray is a tribute to Warner Brothers; Doctor Zhivago fully deserves a place of honor in any serious movie collection.

Film 

Invictus is a very moving film directed by Clint Eastwood. While at first glance, the film appears to be about a sporting event, it is about much more, about how one of the true giants of the 20th Century, Nelson Mandela, uses sport to unite a country torn apart by racial strife and build a modern nation.

As the newly elected President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela sees the need to unite the country that has been fractured along racial and economic lines and sees sport as the unifying factor. He uses the pursuit of the Rugby World Cup being staged it so happens in South Africa as the sport and a particular club that was important to the white population of the country and despised by the black population, namely Springbox, as his rallying point. The club were decided underdogs but yet were able to make the final all the while captivating the entire nation, bringing both black and white sections of the population together in a common pursuit and in turn uniting the nation.

The film features two fine performances by Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as the captain of the Springbox team, Francois Pienaar, both of whom earned Oscar nominations for their performances. This is an excellent film featuring fine performances by the entire cast, Clint Eastwood’s usual stellar direction and a fine script. Although set in 1995 in another country, the film’s message is still as relevant today as ever. This is a film that fully deserves your attention and is highly recommended.

Video 

All in all, I was more than pleased with the video encode on this release. As I had seen the film before, I was well aware of how it should look and this encode captures the look of the film in theaters perfectly. The film features a rather de-staturated color palette. While the film is full of greens, reds and yellows, they are not as bold and bright as one would otherwise expect. The colors are intentionally muted to give the film a somewhat stylized look. Skin tomes are rather natural looking although are muted as well. Blacks are deep and solid.

Overall detail is excellent as well with facial, background and shadow detail all looking to be top notch. As a result, the on screen image has an excellent sense of depth and three dimensionality. As one would expect from a new film, the print used for the encode is in pristine condition. The encode is free of any obvious edge enhancement or digital noise reduction. This encode appears to be completely faithful to the look of the film in the theater which is really all that one can ask.

Audio 

I didn’t find the audio in the theater to be a bombastic mix and as with the video presentation, the audio here is faithful to the theatrical presentation of the film. The overall fidelity of the sound is quite good with a nice smooth and open sound with excellent imaging and transparency. With the exception of the rugby action sequences, especially the World Cup matches. the sound is fairly front heavy. It is the rugby action sequences where the audio really shines, with active and aggressive use of the surrounds, placing your right in the stadium the stadium with the crowd watching the action. Other than these action sequences, the audio presentation or should I say the audio design, is rather pedestrian.

Special Features 

Invictus is presented as a two disc combo pack, with the high def presentation on the Blu-ray disc and a second disc containing a DVD as well as a digital copy of the film. While the extras are rather standard fair, I did find them to be interesting and informative. The extras include an interview with Clint Eastwood presented via PIP during the running of the film, where he explains what attracted him to the film and his thoughts concerning the construction of the film.

Also included is a featurette “Mandela Meets Morgan” which provides a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, including meetings between Morgan Freeman, the producers of the film and Nelson Mandela where Mr. Mandela gives his blessing to the selection of Morgan Freeman for the title role. Also included is a featurette entitled “Matt Damon Plays Rugby” which features an interview with Matt Damon as well as Francois Pienaar where they both discuss Matt Damon’s preparation for his performance. Also included is a featurette “The Eastwood Factor” which is a condensed look at an upcoming feature length film chronicling Clint Eastwood’s career at Warner Brothers Studio.

Final Thoughts 

Invictus is a fine film that tells the very important and moving story of Nelson Mandela’s use of sport to united a deeply divided South Africa. The film features two memorable performances by both Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon and is well worth a look. This release is highly recommended.

Film

I always associated BBC programming with quality; with their nature documentaries that have some of the most impressive cinematography in any genre and some of their original programming to be hilarious or intriguing. Their production of Hamlet is definitely up to par.

Originally David Tennant, of Doctor Who fame, and Patrick “Captain Piccard” Stewart starred in recent rendition of the stage play, which was praised by critics and Patrick Stewart won a Olivier award, which is Britain`s highest stage honour. Thus BBC decided to pick it up and make a medium budget film adaptation. The film is a modern telling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet that is shot on location, rather than on stages and it definitely adds to the production value, adding an authentic quality to the film.

In comparison to the other screen adaptations of Hamlet, this version pales slightly in comparison to some of the other screen adaptations, but this one does get by with Patrick Stewart’s performance and it’s outside of the box approach. Hamlet was always a favourite Shakespeare play and I do enjoy when it’s done different, this modern retelling brings some middle ground between Gibson’s portrayal and Hawke’s portrayal.

When dealing with a Hamlet adaptation, a good leading man is required, I found that David Tennant was very passionate in his role, but at times it felt like he was overacting. There were times when I was left thinking about previous adaptations and thinking to myself, “I should be watch that instead of this”, however those thoughts were few and far between.

Hamlet has been done hundreds of times in different mediums and while this version may not be the best, it definitely has merit. It’s contemplative and bleak, which suits the story and while bringing Hamlet into a more modern time, we’re given an interesting take on the classic play.

Video

Hamlet’s video is displayed in 1.78:1 aspect ratio using the MPEG-4 AVC codec, but unfortunately we have yet another BBC Blu-ray release with 1080i resolution… Due the fact that most of the recent BBC Blu-rays with this resolution that have been released are all films and documentaries that were meant for television, thus 1080i is a reasonable alternative.

However, when you hear that the resolution is 1080i, that may put you off of the Blu-ray, but BBC has always delivered great looking blu-rays even with the limitations of the resolution. This film was actually shot on the RED one camera which to those who are familiar with it know that we’re dealing with one of the best cameras around.

It’s a very clean print and transfer, with little to no grain and absolutely no artefacting at all. There’s some interlacing lines that pop up once in a while, but nothing that takes away from the video quality looking anything but flawless.

Audio

Hamlet’s audio comes at us using the PCM 2.0 codec, which is a real bummer. Like I mentioned in the video section, the recent BBC releases are of movies and documentaries that were meant to be on TV and so quality standards are lower, thus we get PCM 2.0 codecs being used. However, unlike other companies that go back and remaster the films using higher resolution and remix their audio to include surrounds, we’re given the inferior quality.

Clearly the mix is front heavy, I had my receiver set to emulate surround using the 2.0 mix, so having the faux surround feel helped slightly, but overall the audio is very plain. Being dialogue heavy the centre channel works the hardest trying to separate all the elements, and the result is underwhelming.

It’s definitely disappointing to see a stereo mix on this film, for it had potential, especially with all the big rooms and set-pieces that the actors perform in. Surrounds could’ve been used to add atmospheric qualities, but instead we’re left with a fairly flat mix, not to mention muffled dialogue.

Special Features

The special features of Hamlet include a audio commentary by the director, producer and director of photography and a behind-the-scenes featurette. I found the commentary covers similar ground as the behind-the-scenes feature of the making of the movie. The featurette includes great interviews with the director, cast, art department, set designers, etc; I actually found that it was one of the more insightful featurettes I’ve seen. It covered recreating this new vision of the story and giving its own unique character; definitely a worthwhile watch.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a Shakespeare guy then this right up your alley, although it may not be the best representation of the source material, how many times can you watch the Kenneth Branagh version? If you’re a student who wants to try and get a leg up on the material, this may be a good way to do so, this is a fresh take on the play and it may help your understanding. I feel comfortable saying this a solid rental or a purchase to Shakespeare fans.

Film

David Caruso’s film career is an awesome story and I always loved involving Jade in the microcosm when I dissect it. Caruso used to play a cop on TV, not CSI: Miami, but rather NYPD Blue. When the ratings for the show were huge and reviews praised Caruso, he did what everyone would’ve done… Quit.

Caruso figured his star had risen and that the TV screen was no place to limit his possibilities, so he went to the silver screen arena to try and see if he could make it. Unfortunately, Caruso couldn’t establish a himself as leading man. ‘Kiss of Death’, a Nicholas Cage film, and Jade both flopped at the box office and Jade was critically blasted.

So in a nutshell, this is the film that nearly killed Caruso’s career… The same man who was on TV Guide’s “Stars to Watch” in 93-94, a mere year before Jade’s release. Let’s take a closer look at the film.

Jade is a murder mystery in which a D.A. is put in a conflicting situation when the suspect to a murder he’s investigating is an old girlfriend of his. The plot thickens when incriminating photographs of a politician turn up in the victim’s safe.

The main selling point of the film is the car chase, which once you’ve seen a semi transform into a robot and smash into a bus… It better be spectacular. Now you might think that’s an unfair comparison because Jade came out at a time where chase scenes couldn’t be made “awesomer” (it’s a word that I made up) using CGI. But when you compare the car chase to something like The French Connection’s chase, which came out in the 70’s, Jade seems more dated and lame… I’m not even sure how that’s possible.

Overall the acting and plot are fairly dull and jaded (pun intended), notably David Caruso, which if you’ve ever seen ’40 Year Old Virgin’ when Steve Carrel impersonates his character to hit on a chick, then you’ll know exactly how stiff this guy can be. The film is simply another 90’s cookie cutter studio regurgitation that almost borders on being campy, but instead of it’s being amusing or entertaining due to its silliness, it’s just boring and long winded. The score of the film is pretty interesting however, and I found myself enjoying the audio delivery of it more so then the rest of the film, but even the score felt dated. It’s not necessarily as dated as the saxophones in Lethal Weapon, but it’s still a far cry from the timeless pieces of films that are three times this film’s age.

Video

Jade’s video transfer uses the AVC-encoded 1080p codec and is displayed in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The video quality is pretty lackluster when compared to the awesome catalog titles that have recently gotten a Blu-ray release. The film looks rather hazy, which always brings to mind the 90’s film trick of fogging the set to add production value, but in the end we’re given a soft image.

The colors are a bit muted and the black levels tend to turn grey at times, not to mention occasionally artefacting and grain issues. The detail and skin tones are decent but when you add all of other issues to it, the quality is pretty poor.

Audio

Jade’s audio comes at us using the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track codec and is as underwhelming as the video quality. I found the overall mix to be unbalanced at times, the dialogue has some emphasis on which is great considering the film is a drama, but I felt the overall tone of the film was kind of weak.  The surrounds barely get used besides during the car chase scene, which as I mentioned before seems to be the only selling point to this movie and even the mix during the chase didn’t feel dynamic.

Special Features

Alas the cherry on top of the poorly made cake is that the only special feature on this release is a SD version of the trailer. Even the VHS copy had the advantage by including the Unrated cut of the film, but that might’ve been a bad thing if that cut was longer.

Final Thoughts

Simply avoid the film unless you’re looking for a laugh. Even the filmmakers have wiped their hands of this flop. With dull video and audio quality and a lame story, this film is better left in Lionsgate vault rather than on your movie shelf.

Film 

I will confess that I have enjoyed most of the films dealing with the British Royal family, especially those that are as historically accurate as Elizabeth. The same is true for The Young Victoria that provides us with a view of Queen Victoria as she ascended the throne after the death of her uncle King William IV when she was but 18 years of age.

The film focuses entirely on the first few years of her reign which lasted for 64 years. The first few years of her reign were quite tumultuous with her feeling the wrath of the populace and the political class over the handing of matter of state, including the composition of her court. The public’s wrath even boiled over to an attempt on her life while riding to an event in the royal coach with her husband Price Albert. Price Albert was shot in the shoulder during the assassination attempt while trying to protect Victoria.

The Young Victoria touches on all aspects of the young Queen’s reign, from her estrangement with her mother, to the intrigue surrounding the various suitors for her hand and the power that would result from it to her political maneuverings. Despite all of that, most of the film deals with her budding love affair with her future husband, Prince Albert, who was sent by the King of Belgium to win her hand to prop up his standing and who instead, fell in love with her, eschewing his king’s directives.

Their 20 year marriage produced 9 children, many of whom were married off into the other European royal families and who ascended to the thrones of countries like Denmark and Russia, just to name two. As a result, Queen Victoria came to be known as the mother of European royalty. Unfortunately for her (and Albert naturally), Prince Albert died at the age of 42 suddenly catching Typhoid. Losing her love sent Queen Victoria into a funk. She began to wear nothing but black clothing the rest of her life mourning her beloved Albert and going so far as to set out his clothing each night until the day that she died.

The Young Victoria features elaborate sets, costumes and a fine cast, including Jim Broadbent, Miranda Richardson, Paul Bettany and Mark Strong. While not quite up to the level of Elizabeth, I really enjoyed The Young Victoria and it is the type of film that is certainly worth a look, at least as a rental.

Video 

The video on The Young Victoria certainly has its moments as the film features some lavish sets and costumes. The film features a rather natural color palette and excellent skin tone rendition. However, I found the film to be rather soft throughout, lacking the detail, clarity and depth of the better looking films on Blu-ray. As a result, the film looks rather flat. While the softness of image permeates the entire film, it is much worse during the dark night time interior scenes which are very very soft, lacking much in the way of any detail at all with facial detail almost non existent looking almost of DVD quality. Fortunately, these scenes are few and far between but do mar an otherwise pleasant looking film.

Audio 

The real star of the film, at least on the audio side is the musical score which features quite a collection of classical music that simply sounds fantastic, with a rich, smooth and open sound with deep bass and excellent dynamics which is really a treat for the ears. The musical score notwithstanding, I was a bit disappointed with the rest of the sound design, which was too front heavy for my taste.

While the surrounds were active throughout the film, they were at a much lower level than I would have preferred adding only minimal amounts of room ambiance during most of the film. At times, the surrounds were more aggressively engaged, but not enough to warrant a higher score. On the plus side, the dialogue is well recorded and well placed in the mix and always intelligible. I just wish that a more aggressive sound design would have been employed as the fidelity of the audio presentation is otherwise excellent.

Special Features 

While I enjoyed the film, I was rather disappointed with the extras, which on the whole, are rather standard faire. The extras include some extended and deleted scenes and four featurettes: Making of The Young Victoria. The Real Queen Victoria, The Coronation and The Wedding. Each of the featurettes features interviews withy the cast and crew. I was particularly disappointed with the featurette on the real Queen Victoria which consists of impressions of the cast members rather than photographs of Queen Victoria and interviews with historians familiar with her reign and those of her 9 children.

The extras also include Lavish History: A Look at the Costumes and Locations which takes a look at those aspects of the film. The film did receive three well deserved Academy Award Nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Makeup. Watching the film, it is easy to see why. The release is also BD-Live enabled and includes Sony Pictures’ movieIQ+sync. The release does not include a digital copy.

Final Thoughts 

If you are a fan of films featuring the British Royal family you will no doubt enjoy The Young Victoria, which includes a fine cast and script although somewhat less than reference video and a mediocre sound design. The Young Victoria is well worth a look, at least as a rental.