Into the Blu

Rambo, Rambo: The Extended Cut, Rambo IV,John Rambo or whatever you want to call it is Sylvester Stallone’s follow-up, some 20 years later, to the successful Rambo franchise of the 80’s.  Unlike its predecessor, this film kicks a$$ in all four of my major action/war critical requirements: realism/believability, brutality, heart pounding action sequences and satisfying necessary emotional ties.  However, this time around, Lionsgate provides us Blu-ray customers with an alternate Director’s Cut version of what many peeps may call Stallone’s best entry into the franchise since the original film. Did we really need another cut of the successful 2008 film or should the question simply be did the fans really want another version?  I can’t speak for everyone, but in the case of the last question my answer would be a loud hell yeah, bring it on!  But perhaps the real question here is whether this new Extended Cut is really better than the theatrical presentation?  That was the firs thing that was on my mind as I sat down to watch/review this Blu-ray disc.  So give me a few minutes of your time and I will give you my two cents on this important issue/debate. Continue Reading

Brian G. Hutton made two very different world war ii movies in the late sixties/early seventies starring Clint Eastwood. Both of which are the subject of this review and have been recently released as a double feature Blu-ray for us to enjoy. Having enjoyed both films in the past and seeing the lack of worthwhile double feature Blu-ray’s out, Kelly’s Heroes & Where Eagles Dare have the potential to fill the void.  Continue Reading

One of the joys of being a movie reviewer is that it forces me to sit down and watch classic films that I just never seem to have the time to watch.  Therefore, I was thrilled when assigned to watch Doctor Zhivago, the legendary Academy award-winning epic from Sir David Lean.  Little did I know that back in the 1960’s an epic meant many things, including an epically long run time (just over 3:15)!

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? Continue Reading

Over time, there have been several upon several World War II and Vietnam films; some good, some not so good.  As the war on two fronts in the Middle East continues, we have seen a scattering of films here and there highlighting these new conflicts.  As time goes on, we will likely see more.  One such film that fills the current void and made it’s Blu-ray debut this week is The Hurt Locker.  In short, this picture follows an EOD team in Iraq.  What is an EOD team?  What do they do?  How dangerous is their occupation?  Read on to learn the answers to these questions and more. Continue Reading

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

Air America is loosely based on Christopher Robbin’s non-fiction book, by the same name. It follows the CIA financed airline that transported supplies and weapons throughout the Vietnam war. The film detaches from the book and follows more along the lines of political satire and covers subjects such as the drug trade. Continue Reading

Few stories are as profound as that of the diary that Anne Frank kept when she was 13 and 14 years old.  Anne was a Jewish girl hiding in the loft of a building with her family, trying to escape the persecution of the Nazis.  If you have been living in a cave for…well…forever, then let me just inform you that this is a true story that went on during World War II in Amsterdam, Holland.  It defines survival, family, fear and patience.  Continue Reading

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

Released in 2001 and partially based upon the book War of the Rats, tied in with the historical battle of Stalingrad in World War 2. While Jude Law’s character of Vasily Zaytsev is identified as a real person all other events of the film remain unconfirmed and have since almost become folklore. I find it hard to believe that Enemy at the Gates is 8 years old, and although it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it, every time since I watched it in the theater in 2001 it has seemed too deteriorated in quality and enjoy ability. Maybe that’s just me getting older and actual analyzing and comparing movies, or its appeal fading into a sea of like movies.  Regardless I look forward to watching Enemy at the Gates again, as I once considered it a great movie. Continue Reading

Too good to be true. You hear an incredible story and think that is just too good to be true. That is what I thought when I read the history of the Bielski brothers and their heroic efforts to save the lives of 1,200 Jews during WWII in Belarus. Is this story really true I kept asking myself. Yes it is and it makes for a very fine film. Continue Reading

I must admit, that I have not been a major fan of Spike Lee films. With him, it seems to be a hit or miss affair. While I really enjoyed Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and the very underrated Inside Man , I can’t really say that I enjoyed the rest of his films all that much. One can say without a doubt that Spike Lee has an edge to him that manifests itself in each of his films. It is because of that edge and my limited knowledge of James McBride’s book that forms the basis of this film, that I was surprised by the description of the film on the case accompanying this Blu-ray disc that it was a powerful and uplifting WW II epic. While it no doubt has some very powerful elements, uplifting is not a word that I would use to describe this film. Continue Reading

Did you hear that gasp?  That’s me trying to catch a breath after watching Peter Berg’s The Kingdom.  What a ride!  I gave myself three words or less to describe this movie and that’s what I came up with.  From the very moment the film starts, we the viewers are strapped in as we watch a video collage with narration briefly describing the history of Saudi Arabia (known as ‘the kingdom’) up through its uneasy-at-best relationship with the United States.  Immediately I was thrust into a sense of urgency as the quick opening showed just how sensitive of a situation it is in the Middle East.  Continue Reading