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

I had seen the trailer for Unknown and thought that it looked rather interesting. Clearly, Liam Neeson has become something of an action suspense stars what with his riveting performance in Wanted in a role that is rather similar to the one he has in Unknown. While I was intrigued by the story line for the film as revealed in the trailer, I was quite surprised by the film, which while keeping one’s attention for a time , is nothing more than a remake of another film, set in Berlin rather than on Mars. Continue Reading

When it comes to films produced by Michael Bay, I can’t say that I really expect all that much in the terms of quality. You know, a quality screenplay, quality dialogue and character development. There are plenty of quality special effects, CGI and wiz bang sound effects, but not that much else. If you have seen Transformers or even worse, Transformers 2, you know the score. I was therefore expecting more of the same when the subject of this review, I Am Number Four, showed up on my doorstep. While not directed by Michael Bay, would I Am Number Four follow the Michael Bay playbook? 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?

Continue Reading

At least for this reviewer, one of the most anticipated new releases on Blu-ray is The Incredibles. In addition to being a great movie, it was long regarded back in BBR days (before Blu-ray) that The Incredibles had reference audio and video presentations. I frequently saw The Incredibles DVD being used in many high end and low end home theater demonstrations at CES and other home theater confabs and it was to say the least used very effectively. Well, after a long wait, The Incredibles has finally made its way to Blu-ray. Was it worth the wait? Does it regain its spot at the top of the reference audio and video heap. Oy my, yes it does! Continue Reading

I guess you can say that I was pulled into the world of Happy Potter against my will. One of my kids was a fan as was my wife so when the first film was released, I was dragged along. Much to my surprise, I enjoyed the film. I kept hearing how the films were faithful to the books and how detailed the books were and that I should really read the books as well. The books are rather long and for quite awhile, I was very content to just visit the cinema with the family and get the whole gist of the book in a couple of hours. It was not until a trip to of all places, the UK, where I first grabbed a copy of The Half Blood Prince which I was able to finish on a long trip. I enjoyed the book and really found it interesting to see how the book was brought to the screen. Continue Reading

I always wince a bit when I hear that a particular film, TV show or record is a “Cult favorite”. After all, a particular piece of “media” can’t be anywhere near a commercial hit or it wouldn’t have “cult” status. Therefore, for me, cult status and commercial bomb are often times synonymous. Often times there is a very good reason why a particular piece of media is a bomb, and that is because is wasn’t very good in the first place. That isn’t always the case, as certain films and albums are simply ahead of their times and had they been release later in different times, would have struck more of a chord with the mass audience. Continue Reading

When you look over the mass marketplace of entertainment, it is amazing to see the lack of totally original content that seems to be available these days. From films to TV to music, the mass market seems to regurgitate the same things over and over again, looking to cash in on what they think has been popular in the past or looking to create content on the cheap. You see it in TV with the upsurge in reality TV shows which seem to gather high ratings at low cost. You see it the non reality genre as well. I mean, have many versions of CSI or Law and Order Do you really need? Then there is the recycling of old TV shows that haven’t been on in decades. The same is true for popular music, where act after act does nothing but imitate another. After all, isn’t Lady Gaga nothing but a clone of Madonna? Continue Reading

There is little doubt that life’s greatest mystery doesn’t involve life at all but what happens when you die, as life’s curtain is drawn to a close. There are those who believe that when the lights go out, that is it. There are others who believe that that is not the end, that there is another side. The problem is that it is really just a matter of faith, as there is no definitive proof one way or the other, despite the claims of those who have had near death experiences. While those with near death experiences may have compelling stories to tell, there are scientists who will tell you that those experiences, i.e. the light at the end of a tunnel pulling you towards it, are simply methods developed by the brain over the years to prepare you for the end and do not portend an afterlife. I for one am hoping that there is. I am sure you are wondering why I am getting so philosophical. Well, that is because this very issue, about whether there is life after death, is the issue that forms the heart of the film that is the subject of this review, Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter. 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.

Continue Reading

Some directors go to the same well over and over again, making films with the same basic formula with different settings and actors but the same basic plot. Once a film is successful, the natural inclination is to repeat that formula so long as it remains box office gold. Whether the films are any good or not is irrelevant. The only issue is will it make money. Well, that is the case with the film that is subject of this review, Due Date, which is brought to us by the same team that brought us the widely successful (at least at the box office), The Hangover, looking to repeat that box office gold. Continue Reading

I was reading an article on the web the other day asking why anyone casts Jennifer Anniston in a movie anymore given that she is box office poison these days. The question asked was just how many more bombs would it take before she has a hard time getting any work. Given that she continues to get work, we clearly haven’t reached that point yet. Maybe soon give the trailer I have seen for her new film with Adam Sandler “Just Go With It”. In pondering this issue, which is not exactly one of the great issues of the day, it quickly dawned on me that Jennifer Anniston was far from the only one to ask this question about. Continue Reading