Into the Blu

I cant say that I am a fan of extended edition films. Normally, the film as exhibited in the theater was the best version of the film. Extended material which is usually from the cutting room floor, was there for a darn good reason and really was better left unseen. It kind of reminds me of a poor answer to a college essay exam where you don’t really have a clear vision of what the answer should be, so you just regurgitate everything that you can recall about the particular subject of the question in the hopes that you hit upon just enough to get some credit. Continue Reading

Delivering a worthy portrayal as Charles Chaplin seems like an insurmountable task, but Robert Downey Jr. proved to be adroit and became the most talked about thing in Richard Attenborough’s film. Despite some critisisms that it skims over important parts of his life while focusing too long on others, this might be one of the best Hollywood Bio pics yet made. Continue Reading

I was surprised when I saw Jackass 3 on store shelves when it wasn’t released in 3D, considering the industry is hoisting 3D up as a savior for staggering box office performances I would assume that they would try and take that same approach with home media release. I’m guessing they’re going to wait a while and release the 3D Blu-ray down the road… So is the film worthwhile without the extra dimension?

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Every now and again, a real gem of a film is overlooked by the critics and the general public as well. These films feature a fine cast, fine performances and a very creatively presented story. Perhaps it is the creativity of the storytelling that is the problem or the subject matter, which may put off off too many. Whatever the case may be, these little gems deserve a wider audience. Just such a film is the subject of today’s review, De-Lovely. Continue Reading

I have always been skeptical of making Broadway hits into films. It seems that far too often, what works so well on the stage doesn’t always translate well to film. They are two very different mediums both for the actors as well as the audience. Far too often, too many changes have to be made to the script and the overall presentation to make the play work for the big screen. In doing so, some of the magic of the play, especially if you have seen it live, is lost. One of the exceptions to this rule is the subject of this review, Fiddler On The Roof, which takes on a whole new dimension on the silver screen. Continue Reading

At first glance Paranormal Activity 2 seems like an interesting blu-ray to review… I always tend to try and invest in titles that will flex the muscles of my home theatre and when we’re dealing with a film that is supposed to look like it was shot with a handheld camcorder it may seem like it’s a sure bet this will be getting a skip on the technical aspects, but if a film is valuable enough and caters to the right market it just might surprise us. Lets see how it does.

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It’s always great seeing a Steven Spielberg film get released on Blu-ray and although his sci-fi endeavors may seem better suited for the format it’s great to see his dramatic efforts get some attention. Does the re-release breathe new life into this classic film or was this simply a product of its time?

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All college hoop fans are surely aware of the Big 5, the collection of 5 Philadelphia area based colleges that have been playing basketball in their own association since the 1950′s. It is unique and there is nothing else like it in college basketball. There is another Big 5 out there as well, at least according to film historians and that is the 5 films that form the foundation of the Disney Empire. Those films are Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi and Dumbo. The first three of this so-called Big 5 have already made their way to Blu-ray. The fourth, Bambi, is finally making its debut on Blu-ray as well. Continue Reading

The good old days. I am sure that we have all at one time hankered back for what we think were the Good Old Days. You know, when life was simpler, the food better and the music too. Perhaps even films? The funny thing about the good old days is that we sometimes look back at them through a filter and they are not really as good as we thought them to be. I was giving this subject some thought before I popped the subject of this review, Dances With Wolves, into the Blu-ray player. Continue Reading

There is no doubt that is great that we are seeing all of there 20th and 30th and beyond anniversary releases of some truly classic films on Blu-ray. However, there is a downside for any of us, like yours truly, who were around when some of these films hit the theater for the first time. They really remind us how fast time is flying by, whether we are having fun or not. Holy cow, Batman, has it really been 20 years since Thelma & Louise first hit the screen? Has it been 20 years since Mr. Angelina Jolie i.e. Brad Pitt, first hit the screen and had all those ladies cooing in their seats? Well, unfortunately is is true. We are now all 20 years older. Just how does Thelma & Louise hold up all these years later? I am pleased to report, quite well. Quite well indeed. Continue Reading

If you’ve seen Talladega Nights with Will Ferrell you may recall a scene in which Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) makes reference to Highlander and talks about it winning the academy award for “The Best Movie Ever”.  Also having a brother whom is a huge fan of the films, I was excited to sit down and watch this movie with him and see Sean Connery in his hay day. Does the film hold up to time and does it deserve that fictional Oscar?

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The folks at Disney have sure been busy restoring and releasing some of their masterpieces on the Blu-ray format. Since the inception of the format, Disney has released classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs all of the which look spectacular and better than they ever have in the home environment by a wide margin. To that list of Disney classics you can now add Alice in Wonderland, which is coming to Blu-ray on its 60th Anniversary. Will it hold up to the other films in terms of picture and audio quality? Continue Reading