Gardner Fox won't be rolling over in his grave...
Parallel earths, an evil Justice League, and Batman being badasss... JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS gives the people what they want, and that this flick touts a PG-13 rating is yet one more treat. I've missed the Justice League since the series went off the air, and the solo adventures of Bats and Superman, Wonder Woman and GL are great, but I miss all the interaction.
The plot could've been convoluted, but the clear storytelling makes things easy to follow. It starts with a bare-nekkid Lex Luthor seeking help from the Justice League. Luthor claims to be from an alternate universe, one in which that version of the Justice League calls itself the "Crime Syndicate," and not because someone was trying to be ironic. The Justice League agrees to cross over to put a stop to their crooked doppelgangers, even though everyone's pretty suspicious, especially Superman (because it's still friggin' Luthor) and Batman, who decides to stay behind. I think I'll stop right there with the plot breakdown, other than to mention that, as it falls out, the stakes are much, much higher than mere world domination. The main bad guy spits at world domination.
The pace really moves. The story's good, and it's big in scope. I'm a sucker for mirror universes. But the highlights are the action sequences, thanks to some sharp animation and a pretty good voice cast (although, I miss Kevin Conroy's iconic timbre and I'm still not sure about Mark Harmon as Supes). There are several awesome battle royales, pitting the League against folks who can match and sometimes surpass them in power. Three pick of the pack moments for me: Aquaman actually not being a sissy; Wonder Woman demonstrating crunching warrior skills in her scuffle with Superwoman; and Batman's extended contest of brawn and wits with Owlman. Owl Man, by the way, is about as dangerously unbalanced as they come and in him, Batman finally meets someone who not only can outfight him but is even more detached than he is. James Woods is superb as Owlman. I mentioned earlier that I love that the Dark Knight comes across as a bad mofo here, clearly the underdog in his tussle with Superwoman and then with Owlman, until he applies the underhanded technique of trickeration on them. And - maybe a SPOILER alert here for the rest of this sentence - for someone who doesn't believe in killing, Batman sure has no qualms about offing off two of the more noticeable villains.
It's fun, also, to see how familiar faces are presented in this alternate reality, and can you identify each side character? That's not a Barsoomian; that's an alternate J'onn J'onzz with four arms. On the other side of that coin, I like that they've put the "real" Martian Manhunter in his more updated, much cooler threads. But poor Harley Quin...
Other than the absence of Kevin Conroy and perhaps the presence of Mark Harmon, the only other beefs I have - and they're very minor - concern Ultra Man speaking like a two-bit thug. I dunno, maybe I expected more gravitas coming from the most powerful despot on the planet. And I don't know that the unlikely romance which surfaces halfway thru the film doesn't feel like a filler.
Also on this DVD is the first in a series of animated shorts which will hopefully go on to feature the more obscure DC superheroes. DC SHOWCASE, in its debut, presents the Specter. This 12-minute-long short reeks of that film noir vibe, bolstered by a first person narrative and a funky 1970s-type opening score. Set in Los Angeles, police detective Jim Corrigan investigates the murder of a film producer. If you're not familiar with the Specter and his gristly brand of justice, then you're in for a treat and for a great reveal at the end. Even if you're already down with the supernatural, pasty-skinned Spirit of Vengeance, this short is still very well done, with excellent near-anime and sometimes purposely scratchy visuals and outstanding voice work done by Gary Cole and Alyssa Milano, who plays a femme fatale role.
What I've got is the two disc set. Disc 1 has the feature film, the Specter short; an exclusive first look at the next direct-to-DVD film from DCAU, BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD, and previously released first looks at three other DC Universe Animated Original Movies: GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT; SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES, and WONDER WOMAN: THE AMAZON PRINCESS. There are also trailers for HALO LEGENDS and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE. Disc 2 has: "DCU: THE NEW WORLD" - a 26-minute-long segment in which several of DC's creative forces discuss the evolution of the modern-age superhero and the relevance of a shared superhero universe, from when Superman first appeared with Batman & Robin on the same cover in 1940 to ALL-STAR COMICS #3 and the JSA's debut, from CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS to IDENTITY CRISIS and onwards. Also here are two bonus episodes from the JUSTICE LEAGUE television series, the pivotal classic two-parter "A Better World," a parallel Earth story in which Superman finally frags Luthor and what happens after that.
Reviewed by H. Bala
Thursday, February 25, 2010
(500) Days of Summer [Blu-ray] with Digital Copy (2009)
This is not your typical `boy meets girl' kind of story...
One of those rare films where style and originality don't take away from heartfelt poignancy; `(500) Days of Summer' is a beautifully composed and constructed love story. Yes, I know that it makes you painfully away in the first few seconds that it is NOT a love story, but if you believe that then you're a sucker for a tall tale. This is not a conventional love story, sure, but when all is said and done, `(500) Days of Summer' is one of the most splendidly accurate depictions of love put to film.
The film jumps sporadically through the 500 day whirlwind romance between Tom and Summer. The film actually begins in the middle, after a nasty breakup, and then jumps back to when they met and so on and so forth. This filming style has been used by quite a few filmmakers and it's a style that either works extremely well or completely butchers a movie. This is one instance where the style is almost necessary. Sure, this tale could have been told in a straight forward canonical fashion, but the film really drags us in by teasing us with future events, keeping us completely engaged as we contemplate what led up to what we are witnessing.
It was a smart move that I applaud.
One thing that I really admired about the film is that fact that Summer Finn is basically presented as a blank canvas. One of my friends noted that the film fails to really give us any reason for Tom to become so obsessed with her. In the film his sister Rachel even comments that Tom only loves her because they like the same band. The thing to remember is that the story is being told from Tom's perspective. We are not getting two sides of the story here, and so what we see is what Tom sees, and not all of it is accurate. Even the film acknowledges that, as can be seen from what Rachel says to Tom. This is a story about how we can blind ourselves to the faults and missteps of the ones we love. Tom thinks everything is perfect, everything is wonderful and so we, the audience, see everything as wonderful. Summer's outbursts and significant `pulling away' seems almost out of place and unwarranted because all we can see are the blinders that Tom has put up. It's a very bold and brutally honest move, and I really admire the film for not taking the generic route of creating a faux love hate relationship.
Nothing about this film feels `done before'.
One aspect of the film that really embraced me was the beautiful way in which it was shot. The film feels so crisp, with beautiful lighting that gives the film an almost sun drenched appearance. It's a nice compliment to the fanciful idea of everlasting love, which Tom entertains throughout. In particular is the scene towards the end, where high expectations and bitter realities are delivered side by side on split screen. The sequence is probably my favorite in the film.
The performances are all very good, Joseph Gordon-Levitt once again delivering a stunning performance, one that is much different than anything he's ever done before. He proves that he can fuse the funny aspects of his acting style with the dramatic and make it believable. He is the perfect love-sick puppy here. Zooey Deschanel (who has always been one of my favorite actresses) is the perfect doll to dote over. She is beautiful and charming and witting and interesting, and even here, when playing a near figment of Tom's imagination, she is stunning and completely commanding.
`(500) Days of Summer' has it all. It has romance, drama, comedy and it even sports a sublime musical scene that just gives the entire film a facelift. It is a very, very smart film that never sacrifices honesty for art. This is certainly one of the best films of the year, and maybe even the decade.
Reviewed by Andrew Ellington
One of those rare films where style and originality don't take away from heartfelt poignancy; `(500) Days of Summer' is a beautifully composed and constructed love story. Yes, I know that it makes you painfully away in the first few seconds that it is NOT a love story, but if you believe that then you're a sucker for a tall tale. This is not a conventional love story, sure, but when all is said and done, `(500) Days of Summer' is one of the most splendidly accurate depictions of love put to film.
The film jumps sporadically through the 500 day whirlwind romance between Tom and Summer. The film actually begins in the middle, after a nasty breakup, and then jumps back to when they met and so on and so forth. This filming style has been used by quite a few filmmakers and it's a style that either works extremely well or completely butchers a movie. This is one instance where the style is almost necessary. Sure, this tale could have been told in a straight forward canonical fashion, but the film really drags us in by teasing us with future events, keeping us completely engaged as we contemplate what led up to what we are witnessing.
It was a smart move that I applaud.
One thing that I really admired about the film is that fact that Summer Finn is basically presented as a blank canvas. One of my friends noted that the film fails to really give us any reason for Tom to become so obsessed with her. In the film his sister Rachel even comments that Tom only loves her because they like the same band. The thing to remember is that the story is being told from Tom's perspective. We are not getting two sides of the story here, and so what we see is what Tom sees, and not all of it is accurate. Even the film acknowledges that, as can be seen from what Rachel says to Tom. This is a story about how we can blind ourselves to the faults and missteps of the ones we love. Tom thinks everything is perfect, everything is wonderful and so we, the audience, see everything as wonderful. Summer's outbursts and significant `pulling away' seems almost out of place and unwarranted because all we can see are the blinders that Tom has put up. It's a very bold and brutally honest move, and I really admire the film for not taking the generic route of creating a faux love hate relationship.
Nothing about this film feels `done before'.
One aspect of the film that really embraced me was the beautiful way in which it was shot. The film feels so crisp, with beautiful lighting that gives the film an almost sun drenched appearance. It's a nice compliment to the fanciful idea of everlasting love, which Tom entertains throughout. In particular is the scene towards the end, where high expectations and bitter realities are delivered side by side on split screen. The sequence is probably my favorite in the film.
The performances are all very good, Joseph Gordon-Levitt once again delivering a stunning performance, one that is much different than anything he's ever done before. He proves that he can fuse the funny aspects of his acting style with the dramatic and make it believable. He is the perfect love-sick puppy here. Zooey Deschanel (who has always been one of my favorite actresses) is the perfect doll to dote over. She is beautiful and charming and witting and interesting, and even here, when playing a near figment of Tom's imagination, she is stunning and completely commanding.
`(500) Days of Summer' has it all. It has romance, drama, comedy and it even sports a sublime musical scene that just gives the entire film a facelift. It is a very, very smart film that never sacrifices honesty for art. This is certainly one of the best films of the year, and maybe even the decade.
Reviewed by Andrew Ellington
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Iron Man (Ultimate Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray] (2008)
The 2-Disc Ultimate Edition Delivers!
The first disc features 11 deleted and extended scenes. There's more of the opening ambush with Tony Stark being more proactive. We also see more footage of Rhodes and it quickly becomes apparent that he was the character with the most scenes cut from the film. We also see Tony and Pepper Potts attend another party.
The second disc starts off with the impressive "I Am Iron Man," a 108 minute making of documentary that can be viewed in seven segments or altogether, taking us through various aspects of the production. For example, we are taken step-by-step through the construction of the Iron Man armor with Robert Downey Jr. cracking jokes while being fitted for it. It's amazing how much of the suit is practical and looks really good in person. This is due in large part to the genius of the late-great Stan Winston and his company. Also included is plenty of soundstage footage of scenes being filmed.
"The Invincible Iron Man" is a six-part documentary on the comic book, tracing the history of the character. Stan Lee says that he modeled Stark after Howard Hughes, for the most part. He also mentions that he was never fully satisfied with the look of the armor - hence its many changes over the years. This doc also covers various key characters and storylines in excellent detail with several people who worked on the title over the years talking about their contribution to the mythos. This is a very well done overview of the comic book.
"Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man" examines the CGI work that went into realizing Iron Man's powers, like flying, his repulsors, and so on. Director Jon Favreau says that he likes to use practical effects whenever possible, which is wonderfully refreshing to hear, and in this film he mixed the practical with CGI.
"Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test." Incredibly, the actor had to do a screen test because the studio deemed him a risky proposition and this footage shows that he had a handle on the character very early on.
"The Actor's Process" features fascinating footage of Jeff Bridges and Downey rehearsing a scene with Favreau. It's great to see these guys at work and offers insight into how they put together a scene from the film from an acting point-of-view.
"The Onion's Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full-Length Film" is a funny satire where a newscaster "breaks" a story of how the Iron Man trailer will be made into a film that pokes fun at the rabid nature of the hardcore fanbase of the character.
Finally, there are "Galleries," featuring concept art, technology stills, behind-the-scenes photographs, and poster art.
Reviewed by Cubist
The first disc features 11 deleted and extended scenes. There's more of the opening ambush with Tony Stark being more proactive. We also see more footage of Rhodes and it quickly becomes apparent that he was the character with the most scenes cut from the film. We also see Tony and Pepper Potts attend another party.
The second disc starts off with the impressive "I Am Iron Man," a 108 minute making of documentary that can be viewed in seven segments or altogether, taking us through various aspects of the production. For example, we are taken step-by-step through the construction of the Iron Man armor with Robert Downey Jr. cracking jokes while being fitted for it. It's amazing how much of the suit is practical and looks really good in person. This is due in large part to the genius of the late-great Stan Winston and his company. Also included is plenty of soundstage footage of scenes being filmed.
"The Invincible Iron Man" is a six-part documentary on the comic book, tracing the history of the character. Stan Lee says that he modeled Stark after Howard Hughes, for the most part. He also mentions that he was never fully satisfied with the look of the armor - hence its many changes over the years. This doc also covers various key characters and storylines in excellent detail with several people who worked on the title over the years talking about their contribution to the mythos. This is a very well done overview of the comic book.
"Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man" examines the CGI work that went into realizing Iron Man's powers, like flying, his repulsors, and so on. Director Jon Favreau says that he likes to use practical effects whenever possible, which is wonderfully refreshing to hear, and in this film he mixed the practical with CGI.
"Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test." Incredibly, the actor had to do a screen test because the studio deemed him a risky proposition and this footage shows that he had a handle on the character very early on.
"The Actor's Process" features fascinating footage of Jeff Bridges and Downey rehearsing a scene with Favreau. It's great to see these guys at work and offers insight into how they put together a scene from the film from an acting point-of-view.
"The Onion's Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full-Length Film" is a funny satire where a newscaster "breaks" a story of how the Iron Man trailer will be made into a film that pokes fun at the rabid nature of the hardcore fanbase of the character.
Finally, there are "Galleries," featuring concept art, technology stills, behind-the-scenes photographs, and poster art.
Reviewed by Cubist
Black Dynamite [Blu-ray] (2009)
Blu-ray: DY-NA-MITE!! Definitely recommended! Awesome PQ, AQ and better than I was expecting.
It all began when actor Michael Jai White ("Spawn", "The Dark Knight", "The Underground Bounty Hunter") was listening to "Superbad" by James Brown on his iPod and suddenly he came up with an idea to have a film spoofing '70s blaxpoitation films (1970's exploitation films targeting urban Black audiences). White got together with a few friends and began taking photos of himself in '70s outfits and hooked up with director Scott Sanders ("Thick as Thieves") and their friend and fellow actor Byron Minns ("Undisputed", "South Central") to help craft "Black Dynamite".
The low budget independent film was screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by Sony Worldwide Acquisitions for distribution and now is being released on Blu-ray and DVD.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Black Dynamite" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1). What the film does well is capturing the look of a 70's film by shooting via 16mm color reversal which brought in more grain and contrast. Blacks are deep and gave the film an older look. Thus when combining 70's classic footage (such as scenes from "Charlies Angels", "Swat", etc.) from the Sony Library, it works with this film. The grain is intentional and so the colors are definitely not natural but it works for this film as yellows and brown colors definitely stick out and blacks are much deeper. Also, the Blu-ray manages to capture the detail of the clothing, the hair, the hardware, the walls and surfaces. It's a very cool looking film on Blu-ray.
As for the lossless audio presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, again...I was very surprised and impressed by the audio. It helps when they brought in Adrian Younge, a musician who still plays 70's music and brought in that 70's style of feel for the film. Dialogue is clear through the center channels, music and action come on strong as well. There are many action scenes from fighting to car chases, car explosions, gun shots, especially near the end of the film that takes advantage of the surround channels.
I suppose for a low budget independent film, I was not expecting too much from the audio. So, to hear the lossless audio being utilized with crystal clear dialogue, music and special effects, I was very pleased with the film's soundtrack!
Subtitles are in English, English SDH and French.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Black Dynamite" comes with the following special features in standard and high definition with English stereo. Included are:
*
* Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Scott Sanders, Actor/Co-Writer Michael Jai White and Actor/Co-Writer Byron Minns - A fun and hilarious commentary as the three creators of the film talk about certain scenes and how it came about, what they were trying to achieve and more.
* Deleted and Alternate Scenes - (25:15) Featuring 17 deleted and alternate scenes.
* Lighting the Fuse - (22:48) The making of "Black Dynamite". How the film came to be, the music, the costumes, the look on film and more.
* The 70's Back in Action - (14:13) Michael Jai White, Scott Sanders, cast and crew talk about utilizing styles and lingo from '70s blaxpoitation films in "Black Dynamite" and what they enjoyed about the films and the talents back then.
* The Comic-Con Experience - (18:03) The "Black Dynamite" panel at San Diego Comic Con with Scott Sanders, Byron Minns, Michael Jai White and Salli Richardson Whitifeld.
* Trailers - Trailers for upcoming releases from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
* BD- Live enabled with movieIQ - This BD-Live feature can connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie! Also includes an interactive playlist where you can bookmark your favorite songs featured in the film and email yourself a customized playlist! NOTE: You need a profile 2.0 Blu-ray player (that connect online) to access movieIQ.
JUDGMENT CALL:
At first, I was a bit skeptical about "Black Dynamite" but after watching the film, I can tell you that I absolutely enjoyed this film.
The storyline spoofs '70s blaxpoitation and Kung-Fu films but where a lot of those films back then were cheesy and were being pumped out like crazy because they were what was making money for the film companies during that time, "Black Dynamite" manages to capture the good from those films and make it a hilarious, action/comedy film. What makes this film work is the costume design, the afro's, the slang, the jive talk, utilizing '70s footage, along with finding homes that still have maintained the '70s look (yes, shag carpets and all) and of course, the use of '70s style funk and soul music. For characters, you got the jive-talking pimps, the militants, the crooked cops and politicians, the whores, the drug dealers...all integral to the film with dialogue filled with'70s expletives and ethnic slurs. An obvious nod to "Shaft", "Superfly", "The Mack", "Return of the Dragon" and "Foxy Brown" and other films and the talents of that era.
Just a tremendous job by the filmmakers and performances that worked for this film. The fact that it was done for under $3 million is quite impressive!
From the naked women, to the militant and his men armed with machine guns, the talent made this film quite believable as if it was a '70s film. The choice by director Scott Sanders to use the Super 16 Color Reversal film stock was a perfect choice as the film literally looks and feels like like a '70s film. For a low budget independent film, the Blu-ray manages to enhance the look and feel of this film as you can see a good amount of grain and the colors are just vibrant. Audio quality from the dialogue, music and the special effects are well-done and also a good amount of special features are included as well.
If there was one thing that I felt wasn't impressive was the studio's handling of the distribution for the film for its theatrical release. There have been a lot of small, absolutely dumb comedy films that have received decent screenings across America and for once, we have a creative and enjoyable African American comedy film written and directed by African-Americans with a multi-ethnic cast and a film that has received positive reviews from film critics but yet it received a very limited screening nationwide. Definitely not cool. But fortunately we get a solid Blu-ray release for "Black Dynamite" and if you have any interest in this film, I can easily recommend this film to be included in your collection.
"Black Dynamite" is a film that just makes you laugh from beginning to end. For those with familiarity with blaxpoitation and even old Kung-Fu films, you can't help but be amused and impressed by what the filmmakers were able to accomplish. Even for those who aren't familiar with the films back then, there are enough jokes that viewers can still enjoy. It's a well-crafted, very creative film that is worth checking out and worth owning, especially if you enjoy comedy films. And yes, I am hoping that there is a sequel.
"Black Dynamite" is a solid Blu-ray release and definitely recommended!
Reviewed by Dennis A. Amith
It all began when actor Michael Jai White ("Spawn", "The Dark Knight", "The Underground Bounty Hunter") was listening to "Superbad" by James Brown on his iPod and suddenly he came up with an idea to have a film spoofing '70s blaxpoitation films (1970's exploitation films targeting urban Black audiences). White got together with a few friends and began taking photos of himself in '70s outfits and hooked up with director Scott Sanders ("Thick as Thieves") and their friend and fellow actor Byron Minns ("Undisputed", "South Central") to help craft "Black Dynamite".
The low budget independent film was screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by Sony Worldwide Acquisitions for distribution and now is being released on Blu-ray and DVD.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Black Dynamite" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1). What the film does well is capturing the look of a 70's film by shooting via 16mm color reversal which brought in more grain and contrast. Blacks are deep and gave the film an older look. Thus when combining 70's classic footage (such as scenes from "Charlies Angels", "Swat", etc.) from the Sony Library, it works with this film. The grain is intentional and so the colors are definitely not natural but it works for this film as yellows and brown colors definitely stick out and blacks are much deeper. Also, the Blu-ray manages to capture the detail of the clothing, the hair, the hardware, the walls and surfaces. It's a very cool looking film on Blu-ray.
As for the lossless audio presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, again...I was very surprised and impressed by the audio. It helps when they brought in Adrian Younge, a musician who still plays 70's music and brought in that 70's style of feel for the film. Dialogue is clear through the center channels, music and action come on strong as well. There are many action scenes from fighting to car chases, car explosions, gun shots, especially near the end of the film that takes advantage of the surround channels.
I suppose for a low budget independent film, I was not expecting too much from the audio. So, to hear the lossless audio being utilized with crystal clear dialogue, music and special effects, I was very pleased with the film's soundtrack!
Subtitles are in English, English SDH and French.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Black Dynamite" comes with the following special features in standard and high definition with English stereo. Included are:
*
* Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Scott Sanders, Actor/Co-Writer Michael Jai White and Actor/Co-Writer Byron Minns - A fun and hilarious commentary as the three creators of the film talk about certain scenes and how it came about, what they were trying to achieve and more.
* Deleted and Alternate Scenes - (25:15) Featuring 17 deleted and alternate scenes.
* Lighting the Fuse - (22:48) The making of "Black Dynamite". How the film came to be, the music, the costumes, the look on film and more.
* The 70's Back in Action - (14:13) Michael Jai White, Scott Sanders, cast and crew talk about utilizing styles and lingo from '70s blaxpoitation films in "Black Dynamite" and what they enjoyed about the films and the talents back then.
* The Comic-Con Experience - (18:03) The "Black Dynamite" panel at San Diego Comic Con with Scott Sanders, Byron Minns, Michael Jai White and Salli Richardson Whitifeld.
* Trailers - Trailers for upcoming releases from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
* BD- Live enabled with movieIQ - This BD-Live feature can connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie! Also includes an interactive playlist where you can bookmark your favorite songs featured in the film and email yourself a customized playlist! NOTE: You need a profile 2.0 Blu-ray player (that connect online) to access movieIQ.
JUDGMENT CALL:
At first, I was a bit skeptical about "Black Dynamite" but after watching the film, I can tell you that I absolutely enjoyed this film.
The storyline spoofs '70s blaxpoitation and Kung-Fu films but where a lot of those films back then were cheesy and were being pumped out like crazy because they were what was making money for the film companies during that time, "Black Dynamite" manages to capture the good from those films and make it a hilarious, action/comedy film. What makes this film work is the costume design, the afro's, the slang, the jive talk, utilizing '70s footage, along with finding homes that still have maintained the '70s look (yes, shag carpets and all) and of course, the use of '70s style funk and soul music. For characters, you got the jive-talking pimps, the militants, the crooked cops and politicians, the whores, the drug dealers...all integral to the film with dialogue filled with'70s expletives and ethnic slurs. An obvious nod to "Shaft", "Superfly", "The Mack", "Return of the Dragon" and "Foxy Brown" and other films and the talents of that era.
Just a tremendous job by the filmmakers and performances that worked for this film. The fact that it was done for under $3 million is quite impressive!
From the naked women, to the militant and his men armed with machine guns, the talent made this film quite believable as if it was a '70s film. The choice by director Scott Sanders to use the Super 16 Color Reversal film stock was a perfect choice as the film literally looks and feels like like a '70s film. For a low budget independent film, the Blu-ray manages to enhance the look and feel of this film as you can see a good amount of grain and the colors are just vibrant. Audio quality from the dialogue, music and the special effects are well-done and also a good amount of special features are included as well.
If there was one thing that I felt wasn't impressive was the studio's handling of the distribution for the film for its theatrical release. There have been a lot of small, absolutely dumb comedy films that have received decent screenings across America and for once, we have a creative and enjoyable African American comedy film written and directed by African-Americans with a multi-ethnic cast and a film that has received positive reviews from film critics but yet it received a very limited screening nationwide. Definitely not cool. But fortunately we get a solid Blu-ray release for "Black Dynamite" and if you have any interest in this film, I can easily recommend this film to be included in your collection.
"Black Dynamite" is a film that just makes you laugh from beginning to end. For those with familiarity with blaxpoitation and even old Kung-Fu films, you can't help but be amused and impressed by what the filmmakers were able to accomplish. Even for those who aren't familiar with the films back then, there are enough jokes that viewers can still enjoy. It's a well-crafted, very creative film that is worth checking out and worth owning, especially if you enjoy comedy films. And yes, I am hoping that there is a sequel.
"Black Dynamite" is a solid Blu-ray release and definitely recommended!
Reviewed by Dennis A. Amith
The Hurt Locker [Blu-ray] (2009)
Forget Politics - "The Hurt Locker" is a film about the ugliness of war
Katherine Bigelow seems an unlikely choice for the directorial helm of Matt Boal's script for a war-themed independent film, "The Hurt Locker" (and the title's unlikely, too). Boal was last seen penning "In the Valley of Elah" , in which he turned a laudable screenplay from a hauntingly true story he had written for Playboy. I personally think that Boal was arm-wrestled into many of the aspects of the screenplay by powerful director and co-writer Paul Haggis during "In the Valley". That, in fact, might be why Boal sought out someone who was more concerned about seeing the realism of the war in Iraq as it is, and not trying to politicize a story. The story, simply, is one of every day Americans confronted by the need to put their lives on the line in a country that is as hellish as the Iraq in 2004, in the wake of our great adventure there.
Hand-held camera shoots in "The Hurt Locker" give the gritty, real appearance of Iraq in the film. Bigelow shot in Jordan, when she could not overcome obstacles to filming in Kuwait, and the camera scenes can make one weary, in 137 minutes of film, But most of the film is so gripping, and the scenes portrayed do have a tendency to make everyone involved weary, weary of the war. Bigelow and Boal don't have to preach that war is hell, they just portray it in the realism of the film. We get it.
The story line involves a 3 person EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) unit, charged with finding and clearing explosive devices that seemingly litter the landscape in Iraq. I've done some fiction and non-fiction reading about bomb techs in metropolitan areas in the US, and recognize that the specialty is populated with people who live their lives knowing that the next assignment could cost them those self-same lives. Not a vocation for the weak at heart. As the film begins, the trio in the EOD Hummer includes the bomb tech, Sgt. Thompson (Guy Pearce in a good cameo), the driver, Sgt. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie, largely unsung before this film), and the Specialist, who acts as the lookout and the turret gun in the Hummer, Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). The three work well together.
In shocking and violent order, Thompson breathes his last, and is replaced with Staff Sgt James (Jeremy Renner who was cast as Dahmer early in his career in the film of the same name. Renner has kicked around film and TV since then - he appeared as a lead in "The Unusuals" in this TV season, opposite Amber Tamblyn. It was not renewed.). As James, Renner has turned in a performance so finally nuanced, that his name will no doubt come up at Oscar time.
Sanborn and Eldridge don't know what to make of the new bomb tech, who is silent and somewhat reckless, a contrast to the confident Thompson, who was a team player. Over the course of their time with him, you can sense the two of them swinging into his rhythm, learning to anticipate his quirky style and the aplomb with which he's handled 800 explosive devices. Attribute this to the strong delivery Renner brings to the "silent cowboy" type. The unit has only 39 days left on their tour.
With Eldridge, and to a lesser degree, Sanborn, your sense is that they are waiting on the edges of their chairs for the tour to be over, so that they can escape with their lives and revisit the hellish assignment in dreams. With James, you get the feel that the 39 days is not enough; that only when he is pursuing his special trade does he feel at one with the world. There are sidelines to James' story; one in his relationship with a young Iraqi boy, and one in his inability to shoulder his homelife with wife and young son.
Because of their vocation, and because of the reality of the fear in the Iraqi streets, the intensity in this film makes time pass swiftly, absorbs the viewer in the reality. The actual bombs are stark in their violence, the feel of the streets is that of underlying deception. There is a scene in the last half of the film where the unit encounters a group of contractors (cameos by Ralph Fiennes and David Morse), that potentially could have come out in editing, but it serves as a contrast of what the different dangers are when EOD units are exposed in the open desert, and not in the city streets.
And "the hurt locker" of the title? It stands for a collection kept by James of items found at the bomb scenes; items that immediately call each scene to mind in the collection of nightmares that he's grown addicted to. And he is addicted; never doubt that.
Realistic and timely, "The Hurt Locker" may be one of the best movies you can see this year.
Reviewed by L. Quido
Katherine Bigelow seems an unlikely choice for the directorial helm of Matt Boal's script for a war-themed independent film, "The Hurt Locker" (and the title's unlikely, too). Boal was last seen penning "In the Valley of Elah" , in which he turned a laudable screenplay from a hauntingly true story he had written for Playboy. I personally think that Boal was arm-wrestled into many of the aspects of the screenplay by powerful director and co-writer Paul Haggis during "In the Valley". That, in fact, might be why Boal sought out someone who was more concerned about seeing the realism of the war in Iraq as it is, and not trying to politicize a story. The story, simply, is one of every day Americans confronted by the need to put their lives on the line in a country that is as hellish as the Iraq in 2004, in the wake of our great adventure there.
Hand-held camera shoots in "The Hurt Locker" give the gritty, real appearance of Iraq in the film. Bigelow shot in Jordan, when she could not overcome obstacles to filming in Kuwait, and the camera scenes can make one weary, in 137 minutes of film, But most of the film is so gripping, and the scenes portrayed do have a tendency to make everyone involved weary, weary of the war. Bigelow and Boal don't have to preach that war is hell, they just portray it in the realism of the film. We get it.
The story line involves a 3 person EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) unit, charged with finding and clearing explosive devices that seemingly litter the landscape in Iraq. I've done some fiction and non-fiction reading about bomb techs in metropolitan areas in the US, and recognize that the specialty is populated with people who live their lives knowing that the next assignment could cost them those self-same lives. Not a vocation for the weak at heart. As the film begins, the trio in the EOD Hummer includes the bomb tech, Sgt. Thompson (Guy Pearce in a good cameo), the driver, Sgt. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie, largely unsung before this film), and the Specialist, who acts as the lookout and the turret gun in the Hummer, Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). The three work well together.
In shocking and violent order, Thompson breathes his last, and is replaced with Staff Sgt James (Jeremy Renner who was cast as Dahmer early in his career in the film of the same name. Renner has kicked around film and TV since then - he appeared as a lead in "The Unusuals" in this TV season, opposite Amber Tamblyn. It was not renewed.). As James, Renner has turned in a performance so finally nuanced, that his name will no doubt come up at Oscar time.
Sanborn and Eldridge don't know what to make of the new bomb tech, who is silent and somewhat reckless, a contrast to the confident Thompson, who was a team player. Over the course of their time with him, you can sense the two of them swinging into his rhythm, learning to anticipate his quirky style and the aplomb with which he's handled 800 explosive devices. Attribute this to the strong delivery Renner brings to the "silent cowboy" type. The unit has only 39 days left on their tour.
With Eldridge, and to a lesser degree, Sanborn, your sense is that they are waiting on the edges of their chairs for the tour to be over, so that they can escape with their lives and revisit the hellish assignment in dreams. With James, you get the feel that the 39 days is not enough; that only when he is pursuing his special trade does he feel at one with the world. There are sidelines to James' story; one in his relationship with a young Iraqi boy, and one in his inability to shoulder his homelife with wife and young son.
Because of their vocation, and because of the reality of the fear in the Iraqi streets, the intensity in this film makes time pass swiftly, absorbs the viewer in the reality. The actual bombs are stark in their violence, the feel of the streets is that of underlying deception. There is a scene in the last half of the film where the unit encounters a group of contractors (cameos by Ralph Fiennes and David Morse), that potentially could have come out in editing, but it serves as a contrast of what the different dangers are when EOD units are exposed in the open desert, and not in the city streets.
And "the hurt locker" of the title? It stands for a collection kept by James of items found at the bomb scenes; items that immediately call each scene to mind in the collection of nightmares that he's grown addicted to. And he is addicted; never doubt that.
Realistic and timely, "The Hurt Locker" may be one of the best movies you can see this year.
Reviewed by L. Quido
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Up in the Air [Blu-ray] (2009)
A Brave, Compassionate, Brilliant Film: Examining the Now
Jason Reitman (director and co-writer with Sheldon Turner based on Walter Kirn's novel of the same name) is a bright light among the new directors of important stature. He has a style: he makes comedy films touching on serious matters (JUNO deals with teen pregnancy, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING deals with the dangers of tobacco); his films open with significant and elaborate sequences; his main characters offer highly subjective narrations and tend to be self-confident people who end up re-thinking their lives; he tends to favor continued using of a troupe of ensemble actors (here JK Simmons, Sam Elliott, James Bateman). UP IN THE AIR shares all of these traits and more. It dares to talk about firing people in a time when everyone in this country is frightened about the job market and somehow manages to show the compassion for both the victims and the perpetrators. It is a challenge of the first order and Reitman makes it work very well. This is not a feel good comedy; this is a drama with comic relief that addresses serious issues and people's responses to them - employment, relationships, marriage, and apparent self-sufficiency.
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends his time in the air, flying to companies across the USA whose CEOs don't want the job of informing employees they are no longer needed. Ryan manages to make these encounters as human as possible and he is an artist in his work. His personal life is rather arid: his love needs are met by women on the run, he has distanced himself from his family, electing to maintain a sterile one room apartment in Omaha which he uses the few days out of the year when he is not flying. He meets a very beautiful, smart, and seductive woman Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) and a crazy courtship ensues as they meet in different cities - both being traveling business people.
Things change when Ryan's boss Craig (Jason Bateman) takes on a fresh graduate student with big ideas for reducing the costs of the company. Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) is smart, a focused designer of telecommunications who has sold Craig on the idea of doing the firing remotely rather than spending the money to fly Ryan et al around the country. Ryan bristles and demands that Natalie accompany him on his personalized interview firings before the company goes Skype. The two - Ryan and Natalie - are paired for an excursion of real life jobs terminations and both learn from each other. Ryan continues to have trysts with Alex and eventually Ryan, Alex and Natalie party together. Natalie discovers the human side of Ryan's work and finds the person to person contact difficult. At the same time Natalie challenges Ryan's inability to form realistic relationships with women. Hurtful things happen to each to the three fliers, causing each to re-think their career goals as well as their personal needs.
Clooney, Farmiga, and Kendrick deliver first class performances (very obviously Oscar worthy), but then so do the many cameo actors in the film: Amy Morton, Melanie Lynsky and Danny McBride as Ryan's needy family, and a long list of very brief but deeply moving cameos of people being fired by an extraordinary group of actors (casting director Mindy Marin deserves an Oscar also). The gorgeous cinematography is by Eric Steelberg and the music score is by Rolfe Kent (with a special nod to the composer and singer and guitar player who ends the movie credits with a song that summarizes the ideas of the film). And shining over all of these factors is the superlative, flawless direction of Jason Reitman. This film may have unpopular themes, but it is most assuredly on of the best films of 2009. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Grady Harp
Jason Reitman (director and co-writer with Sheldon Turner based on Walter Kirn's novel of the same name) is a bright light among the new directors of important stature. He has a style: he makes comedy films touching on serious matters (JUNO deals with teen pregnancy, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING deals with the dangers of tobacco); his films open with significant and elaborate sequences; his main characters offer highly subjective narrations and tend to be self-confident people who end up re-thinking their lives; he tends to favor continued using of a troupe of ensemble actors (here JK Simmons, Sam Elliott, James Bateman). UP IN THE AIR shares all of these traits and more. It dares to talk about firing people in a time when everyone in this country is frightened about the job market and somehow manages to show the compassion for both the victims and the perpetrators. It is a challenge of the first order and Reitman makes it work very well. This is not a feel good comedy; this is a drama with comic relief that addresses serious issues and people's responses to them - employment, relationships, marriage, and apparent self-sufficiency.
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends his time in the air, flying to companies across the USA whose CEOs don't want the job of informing employees they are no longer needed. Ryan manages to make these encounters as human as possible and he is an artist in his work. His personal life is rather arid: his love needs are met by women on the run, he has distanced himself from his family, electing to maintain a sterile one room apartment in Omaha which he uses the few days out of the year when he is not flying. He meets a very beautiful, smart, and seductive woman Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) and a crazy courtship ensues as they meet in different cities - both being traveling business people.
Things change when Ryan's boss Craig (Jason Bateman) takes on a fresh graduate student with big ideas for reducing the costs of the company. Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) is smart, a focused designer of telecommunications who has sold Craig on the idea of doing the firing remotely rather than spending the money to fly Ryan et al around the country. Ryan bristles and demands that Natalie accompany him on his personalized interview firings before the company goes Skype. The two - Ryan and Natalie - are paired for an excursion of real life jobs terminations and both learn from each other. Ryan continues to have trysts with Alex and eventually Ryan, Alex and Natalie party together. Natalie discovers the human side of Ryan's work and finds the person to person contact difficult. At the same time Natalie challenges Ryan's inability to form realistic relationships with women. Hurtful things happen to each to the three fliers, causing each to re-think their career goals as well as their personal needs.
Clooney, Farmiga, and Kendrick deliver first class performances (very obviously Oscar worthy), but then so do the many cameo actors in the film: Amy Morton, Melanie Lynsky and Danny McBride as Ryan's needy family, and a long list of very brief but deeply moving cameos of people being fired by an extraordinary group of actors (casting director Mindy Marin deserves an Oscar also). The gorgeous cinematography is by Eric Steelberg and the music score is by Rolfe Kent (with a special nod to the composer and singer and guitar player who ends the movie credits with a song that summarizes the ideas of the film). And shining over all of these factors is the superlative, flawless direction of Jason Reitman. This film may have unpopular themes, but it is most assuredly on of the best films of 2009. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Grady Harp
Monsters, Inc. (4-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] (2001)
MONSTERS, INC. has an unrivaled release on Blu-ray that is chock full of bonus material
Pixar's 2001 hit, MONSTERS, INC., continued the studio's tradition of creating wonderfully fantastical worlds of incredible imagination in design utilizing the very best in computer animation. What is the hallmark though of a Pixar film is the fact that the development of character is always at the forefront and is never relegated to existing on a superficial level in order to showcase the many hours of hard work that went into creating the animation. MONSTERS, INC. is of course a great buddy picture, pairing two opposites together, and setting them forth on their adventure. Just as Buzz Lightyear and Woody were teamed up to create such a memorable pair in the TOY STORY movies, so too does MONSTERS, INC. couple the diminutive and always frenetic and full of energy Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), with his enormous friend Sulley (John Goodman), the leading scarer at Monsters, Inc., a company that exists to provide electricity for Monstropolis by collecting the screams of children as the monsters pop out of the kids' closet doors at night. When a toddler, Boo, inadvertently follows Sulley back through the doorway and into the monsters' own world though, Sulley and Mike must set out to try and get her back to her own world while battling those in the company that have ulterior motives. The result is a wildly funny and dynamically original movie that exudes a tremendous amount of heart from its characters.
The voice casting of Crystal and Goodman is phenomenal, and the two play off of each other so well that they create some hilarious moments on screen. Both though are allowed to fully develop their characters, and the relationship between Mike and Sulley is given the freedom to grow and change throughout the film, and this is key to the story's success. Had the enormously talented Crystal's Wazowski only been seen as the comedic sidekick of Sulley, and never given the liberty to go through his own personal character arc, a much weaker picture would have emerged. Directors Pete Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich though do not go for the easy gag, but rather stay true to each of the character's own motivations, thus allowing their relationship with one another to organically grow throughout the film. By doing so, the team of Mike and Sulley become one of the most memorable from the Pixar catalogue.
Seeing the film in HD at home with the Blu-ray release of the film is in a word, breathtaking. Even though the film is now almost nine years old, the animation in MONSTERS, INC. is still beyond compare. Not only is the world of Monstropolis so completely artistically original and populated with such unique interpretations of monsters, but the level of detail in the animation is staggering. Looking at some of the skin textures of some of the monsters will quickly illustrate how much time and attention to detail went into animating the film, but by far, the scene that best exemplifies just how good the animation in MONSTERS, INC. is involves Mike and Sulley being banished to the Himalayas. Here, the thick blue and purple fur that covers Sulley's body can be seen blowing in the winter storm as small pieces of snow become stuck within it. The animation in this scene alone ranks as among the best, and serves as a milestone in computer animation excellence. Being able to see it in HD at home will bring an entirely new level of admiration for what the filmmakers were able to achieve with the movie.
For the Blu-ray release, Disney is including four discs that include the Blu-ray version of the film, a DVD version, a digital copy and a Blu-ray disc of bonus features. There is so much value with this set, that it, along with the similar edition of UP that is being released on the same day, will prove to be must have Blu-rays for everyone's collection and are rightly sure to be one of the most popular gifts given this holiday season.
The bonus material included with MONSTERS, INC. is simply amazing, and will keep a viewer engaged for hours discovering the vast amount of supplemental material on the film. The bonus features include:
Disc One
Filmmakers' Roundtable (22:00)
MONSTERS, INC. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan (7:58)
"For the Birds" Academy Award® Winner for Best Animated Short in 2001 (3:21)
"Mike's New Car" Academy Award® Nominated for Best Animated Short in 2002 (3:46)
Audio Commentary
Disc Two
Roz's 100 Door Challenge-A fun game that will place you in what job you would be best suited for at Monsters, Inc.
Pixar Fun Factory Tour (3:34)
Story is King (2:00)
Monsters are King (1:29)
Original Treatment (13:40)
Story Pitch: Back to Work (4:36)
Banished Concepts: Intro to Banished Concepts, Assistant Sulley (2:15), End of Day (2:22), Bad Scare (2:51), Scream Refinery (1:06), Original Sulley Intro (1:00)
Storyboard to Film Comparison: Storyreel (5:14), Final Color (5:14), Split Screen Comparison (5:14)
Art Gallery
Designing Monstropolis (4:48)
Set Dressing Intro (3:24)
Location Flyarounds
Monster File: Cast of Characters (5:51), What Makes a Great Monster (1:24)
Animation: Animation Process (3:11), Early Tests (8:02), Opening Title Animation (2:06), Hard Parts (4:58), Shots Department (2:16), Production Demonstration: Intro, Storyreel (1:50), Layout (1:50), Animation (1:50), Final Color (1:50)
Music and Sound: Monster Song (4:13), Sound Design (3:15)
Release: The Premiere (:56), Trailers and TV Spots, International Inserts (1:06), Multi-Language Clip Reel (3:45), Toys (1:29), Outtakes and Company Play (7:00)
Wrap-Up (:42)
New Monster Adventures: Monster TV Treats (1:09), Ponkickies 21, "If I Didn't Have You" Music Video (1:11)
Behind the Scenes: On the Job with Mike and Sulley (2:31)
Orientation: Welcome to Monsters, Inc. (:58), Your First Day (3:34), History of the Monster World (1:36)
Reviewed by allangiven.com
Pixar's 2001 hit, MONSTERS, INC., continued the studio's tradition of creating wonderfully fantastical worlds of incredible imagination in design utilizing the very best in computer animation. What is the hallmark though of a Pixar film is the fact that the development of character is always at the forefront and is never relegated to existing on a superficial level in order to showcase the many hours of hard work that went into creating the animation. MONSTERS, INC. is of course a great buddy picture, pairing two opposites together, and setting them forth on their adventure. Just as Buzz Lightyear and Woody were teamed up to create such a memorable pair in the TOY STORY movies, so too does MONSTERS, INC. couple the diminutive and always frenetic and full of energy Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), with his enormous friend Sulley (John Goodman), the leading scarer at Monsters, Inc., a company that exists to provide electricity for Monstropolis by collecting the screams of children as the monsters pop out of the kids' closet doors at night. When a toddler, Boo, inadvertently follows Sulley back through the doorway and into the monsters' own world though, Sulley and Mike must set out to try and get her back to her own world while battling those in the company that have ulterior motives. The result is a wildly funny and dynamically original movie that exudes a tremendous amount of heart from its characters.
The voice casting of Crystal and Goodman is phenomenal, and the two play off of each other so well that they create some hilarious moments on screen. Both though are allowed to fully develop their characters, and the relationship between Mike and Sulley is given the freedom to grow and change throughout the film, and this is key to the story's success. Had the enormously talented Crystal's Wazowski only been seen as the comedic sidekick of Sulley, and never given the liberty to go through his own personal character arc, a much weaker picture would have emerged. Directors Pete Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich though do not go for the easy gag, but rather stay true to each of the character's own motivations, thus allowing their relationship with one another to organically grow throughout the film. By doing so, the team of Mike and Sulley become one of the most memorable from the Pixar catalogue.
Seeing the film in HD at home with the Blu-ray release of the film is in a word, breathtaking. Even though the film is now almost nine years old, the animation in MONSTERS, INC. is still beyond compare. Not only is the world of Monstropolis so completely artistically original and populated with such unique interpretations of monsters, but the level of detail in the animation is staggering. Looking at some of the skin textures of some of the monsters will quickly illustrate how much time and attention to detail went into animating the film, but by far, the scene that best exemplifies just how good the animation in MONSTERS, INC. is involves Mike and Sulley being banished to the Himalayas. Here, the thick blue and purple fur that covers Sulley's body can be seen blowing in the winter storm as small pieces of snow become stuck within it. The animation in this scene alone ranks as among the best, and serves as a milestone in computer animation excellence. Being able to see it in HD at home will bring an entirely new level of admiration for what the filmmakers were able to achieve with the movie.
For the Blu-ray release, Disney is including four discs that include the Blu-ray version of the film, a DVD version, a digital copy and a Blu-ray disc of bonus features. There is so much value with this set, that it, along with the similar edition of UP that is being released on the same day, will prove to be must have Blu-rays for everyone's collection and are rightly sure to be one of the most popular gifts given this holiday season.
The bonus material included with MONSTERS, INC. is simply amazing, and will keep a viewer engaged for hours discovering the vast amount of supplemental material on the film. The bonus features include:
Disc One
Filmmakers' Roundtable (22:00)
MONSTERS, INC. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan (7:58)
"For the Birds" Academy Award® Winner for Best Animated Short in 2001 (3:21)
"Mike's New Car" Academy Award® Nominated for Best Animated Short in 2002 (3:46)
Audio Commentary
Disc Two
Roz's 100 Door Challenge-A fun game that will place you in what job you would be best suited for at Monsters, Inc.
Pixar Fun Factory Tour (3:34)
Story is King (2:00)
Monsters are King (1:29)
Original Treatment (13:40)
Story Pitch: Back to Work (4:36)
Banished Concepts: Intro to Banished Concepts, Assistant Sulley (2:15), End of Day (2:22), Bad Scare (2:51), Scream Refinery (1:06), Original Sulley Intro (1:00)
Storyboard to Film Comparison: Storyreel (5:14), Final Color (5:14), Split Screen Comparison (5:14)
Art Gallery
Designing Monstropolis (4:48)
Set Dressing Intro (3:24)
Location Flyarounds
Monster File: Cast of Characters (5:51), What Makes a Great Monster (1:24)
Animation: Animation Process (3:11), Early Tests (8:02), Opening Title Animation (2:06), Hard Parts (4:58), Shots Department (2:16), Production Demonstration: Intro, Storyreel (1:50), Layout (1:50), Animation (1:50), Final Color (1:50)
Music and Sound: Monster Song (4:13), Sound Design (3:15)
Release: The Premiere (:56), Trailers and TV Spots, International Inserts (1:06), Multi-Language Clip Reel (3:45), Toys (1:29), Outtakes and Company Play (7:00)
Wrap-Up (:42)
New Monster Adventures: Monster TV Treats (1:09), Ponkickies 21, "If I Didn't Have You" Music Video (1:11)
Behind the Scenes: On the Job with Mike and Sulley (2:31)
Orientation: Welcome to Monsters, Inc. (:58), Your First Day (3:34), History of the Monster World (1:36)
Reviewed by allangiven.com
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2009)
It's Raining Burgers and Fries
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is sunny with a clear opportunity for fun and entertainment. I saw it in 3D at an Imax theater, and the special effects were stunning in this animated film. A boy named Flint wants one thing out of life--it would be peaches and cream to be a famous scientist and inventor. When he's given a lab coat, he really goes bananas and invents some weird things. Later, grown up, how he acquired such an expensive and elaborate lab in his backyard is never explained. His widowed father (voice of James Caan) couldn't be nicer and more supportive. The dad's eyebrows are so thick and bushy we seldom see his eyes.
They live on an island in the Atlantic (not far from the letter A in Atlantic on a map) where the chief occupation used to be catching and canning sardines. The sardines were canned under the "Baby Brent" brand, and Baby is now a big overgrown oaf who wears diapers for promos. When sardines go out of style, off the radar for people's tastes, the gluttonous and avaricious mayor wants to make the island into a tourist attraction as Sardineland with Baby as part of the promo campaign.
Flint invents a machine that can seed the clouds and make all kinds of food rain down on the town. It starts with what looks like Big Macs. They are delicious and eagerly consumed by the residents, but they don't always come down neatly and splatter around like garbage. The kind of food varies as all sorts of goodies including rich desserts flop down. The amount of food and the size of the food proliferate so that a giant food dump held back by a dam has to be built.
A TV weather girl, Sam Sparks, comes to the town to record the cascading food, and she and Flint fall for each other like two peas in a pod. The mayor, as he gets fatter, promotes the food drops as a tourist attraction, and cruise ships loaded with hungry sightseers crowd the island. Soon, though, the food flood becomes a problem. The town is in a stew when huge helpings of oversized spaghetti and meatballs descend from on high. Flint and Sam have to go up in the clouds to stop Flint's machine from producing the food glut.
Indirectly the film could be an attack on overeating and bad eating habits. Also, it says, be careful what you wish for, because your wish may be granted. It's a very funny, exciting movie. Be on the look-out for a sequel. All ages will enjoy the food mayhem and have a feast with this one.
Reviewed by John F. Rooney
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is sunny with a clear opportunity for fun and entertainment. I saw it in 3D at an Imax theater, and the special effects were stunning in this animated film. A boy named Flint wants one thing out of life--it would be peaches and cream to be a famous scientist and inventor. When he's given a lab coat, he really goes bananas and invents some weird things. Later, grown up, how he acquired such an expensive and elaborate lab in his backyard is never explained. His widowed father (voice of James Caan) couldn't be nicer and more supportive. The dad's eyebrows are so thick and bushy we seldom see his eyes.
They live on an island in the Atlantic (not far from the letter A in Atlantic on a map) where the chief occupation used to be catching and canning sardines. The sardines were canned under the "Baby Brent" brand, and Baby is now a big overgrown oaf who wears diapers for promos. When sardines go out of style, off the radar for people's tastes, the gluttonous and avaricious mayor wants to make the island into a tourist attraction as Sardineland with Baby as part of the promo campaign.
Flint invents a machine that can seed the clouds and make all kinds of food rain down on the town. It starts with what looks like Big Macs. They are delicious and eagerly consumed by the residents, but they don't always come down neatly and splatter around like garbage. The kind of food varies as all sorts of goodies including rich desserts flop down. The amount of food and the size of the food proliferate so that a giant food dump held back by a dam has to be built.
A TV weather girl, Sam Sparks, comes to the town to record the cascading food, and she and Flint fall for each other like two peas in a pod. The mayor, as he gets fatter, promotes the food drops as a tourist attraction, and cruise ships loaded with hungry sightseers crowd the island. Soon, though, the food flood becomes a problem. The town is in a stew when huge helpings of oversized spaghetti and meatballs descend from on high. Flint and Sam have to go up in the clouds to stop Flint's machine from producing the food glut.
Indirectly the film could be an attack on overeating and bad eating habits. Also, it says, be careful what you wish for, because your wish may be granted. It's a very funny, exciting movie. Be on the look-out for a sequel. All ages will enjoy the food mayhem and have a feast with this one.
Reviewed by John F. Rooney
Ponyo (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2008)
A world of pure imagination
The mother Lisa has the most poignant line in "Ponyo," saying the equivalent of "When you find yourself surrounded by magic and wonder, you don't try and understand it you just enjoy it."
To me, that is the theme and lesson of "Ponyo" ("Gake no Ue no Ponyou" or "Ponyo on the Cliffs"). After dabbling in darker themes and more adult-orientated fare like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, Miyazaki has returned to the lighter, simpler themes of the magic and mystery of childhood as found in his groundbreaking My Neighbor Totoro. One can always tell the target audience for a Miyazaki film by the age of the main character: "Spirited Away" was made for 10-year olds, "Princess Mononoke" was made for teenagers. The lead characters in "Ponyo" are 5 years old.
Like "My Neighbor Totoro," "Ponyo" is a film based on a childlike sense of joy and imagination. There is no need for a "villain" or some arbitrary conflict or threat for the children to overcome. Like Satsuki and Mei, Sosuke and Ponyo are pure at heart, and open to exploring the wonders around them. They feel their emotions without cynicism or thought, instead living in the moment and experiencing its joys, sorrows and fears.
Which is not to say there is no depth here. In "Ponyo," Miyazaki has blended two unlikely sources; Richard Wagner's pounding opera Die Walkure from Der Ring Des Nibelungen and Hans Christian Anderson's melancholy fairy tale The Little Mermaid. The essential set-up comes from "Die Walkure," where the god Wotan holds the goddess Freia captive, and is also the possessor of the Rhinegold Ring which grants vast magical powers so long as one gives up all possibility of love. As a nod to this, the name Ponyo is giving by her father is Brünnhilde, one of the Valkyrie who feels the power of the Ring and must make the choice between love and paradise. This story is skillfully blended with Anderson's "Little Mermaid," about a sea creature who must win the love of a human or be reduced to soulless sea foam.
Miyazaki essentially presents two movies. The front film is basic, colorful and easy to understand for children. The animation in "Ponyo" is some of the best that I have ever seen, with Miyazaki personally drawing much of the underwater and ocean scenes, utilizing the influence of classic Japanese ukiyo-e pictures. Miyazaki has said that "Ponyo" is his most technically complicated film, using more unique images than any previous film.
The second, deeper story is something that can only be assembled from fragments and snatches of conversation. For example, the wizard Fujimoto, Ponyo's father, was a human being who fell in love with the ocean goddess Gran Mammare, and struggled for centuries to burn away his humanity and become consort and protector for the entity he loved. More than anyone, he understands the sacrifices and struggles awaiting Ponyo when she loves someone not of her world. These story/sub-story elements are one of the things I love so much about Japanese film, where more expectations are put on the audience to read between the lines and to give thought to the unspoken as well as the spoken
I am not sure how much of this deeper story survived the translation into English, as I watched the film in Japanese. There are some nuances that probably went missing, and I am curious as to how some of the scenes were handled, such as when Lisa sings Sosuke a part of the theme song to "My Neighbor Totoro" to cheer him up when his father is not home. Some other things, such as the significance of tunnels in Japanese folklore (considered the realm of female Mountain Gods who are prone to jealousy, it is assumed that the tunnel would not take kindly to a water deity passing through. However, outside the tunnel is a statue of Jizo, the protector of children, which sends a visual clue to the audience that Sosuke and Ponyo are going to be alright.) also might pass unnoticed or appear confusing to Western audiences, although every Japanese person would inately understand this without needing to be told.
Miyazaki proved in "Ponyo" that he is still the greatest director of animated films alive. I am so thrilled to have seen this movie, and I know I will watch it again and again.
Reviewed by Zack Davisson
The mother Lisa has the most poignant line in "Ponyo," saying the equivalent of "When you find yourself surrounded by magic and wonder, you don't try and understand it you just enjoy it."
To me, that is the theme and lesson of "Ponyo" ("Gake no Ue no Ponyou" or "Ponyo on the Cliffs"). After dabbling in darker themes and more adult-orientated fare like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, Miyazaki has returned to the lighter, simpler themes of the magic and mystery of childhood as found in his groundbreaking My Neighbor Totoro. One can always tell the target audience for a Miyazaki film by the age of the main character: "Spirited Away" was made for 10-year olds, "Princess Mononoke" was made for teenagers. The lead characters in "Ponyo" are 5 years old.
Like "My Neighbor Totoro," "Ponyo" is a film based on a childlike sense of joy and imagination. There is no need for a "villain" or some arbitrary conflict or threat for the children to overcome. Like Satsuki and Mei, Sosuke and Ponyo are pure at heart, and open to exploring the wonders around them. They feel their emotions without cynicism or thought, instead living in the moment and experiencing its joys, sorrows and fears.
Which is not to say there is no depth here. In "Ponyo," Miyazaki has blended two unlikely sources; Richard Wagner's pounding opera Die Walkure from Der Ring Des Nibelungen and Hans Christian Anderson's melancholy fairy tale The Little Mermaid. The essential set-up comes from "Die Walkure," where the god Wotan holds the goddess Freia captive, and is also the possessor of the Rhinegold Ring which grants vast magical powers so long as one gives up all possibility of love. As a nod to this, the name Ponyo is giving by her father is Brünnhilde, one of the Valkyrie who feels the power of the Ring and must make the choice between love and paradise. This story is skillfully blended with Anderson's "Little Mermaid," about a sea creature who must win the love of a human or be reduced to soulless sea foam.
Miyazaki essentially presents two movies. The front film is basic, colorful and easy to understand for children. The animation in "Ponyo" is some of the best that I have ever seen, with Miyazaki personally drawing much of the underwater and ocean scenes, utilizing the influence of classic Japanese ukiyo-e pictures. Miyazaki has said that "Ponyo" is his most technically complicated film, using more unique images than any previous film.
The second, deeper story is something that can only be assembled from fragments and snatches of conversation. For example, the wizard Fujimoto, Ponyo's father, was a human being who fell in love with the ocean goddess Gran Mammare, and struggled for centuries to burn away his humanity and become consort and protector for the entity he loved. More than anyone, he understands the sacrifices and struggles awaiting Ponyo when she loves someone not of her world. These story/sub-story elements are one of the things I love so much about Japanese film, where more expectations are put on the audience to read between the lines and to give thought to the unspoken as well as the spoken
I am not sure how much of this deeper story survived the translation into English, as I watched the film in Japanese. There are some nuances that probably went missing, and I am curious as to how some of the scenes were handled, such as when Lisa sings Sosuke a part of the theme song to "My Neighbor Totoro" to cheer him up when his father is not home. Some other things, such as the significance of tunnels in Japanese folklore (considered the realm of female Mountain Gods who are prone to jealousy, it is assumed that the tunnel would not take kindly to a water deity passing through. However, outside the tunnel is a statue of Jizo, the protector of children, which sends a visual clue to the audience that Sosuke and Ponyo are going to be alright.) also might pass unnoticed or appear confusing to Western audiences, although every Japanese person would inately understand this without needing to be told.
Miyazaki proved in "Ponyo" that he is still the greatest director of animated films alive. I am so thrilled to have seen this movie, and I know I will watch it again and again.
Reviewed by Zack Davisson
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Surrogates [Blu-ray] (2009)
Human Replicants in a Sci-Fi Thriller
"Surrogates" is a futuristic tale of divided identity, treachery, and murder. Based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, "Surrogates" stars Bruce Willis as FBI agent Tom Greer, who lives in a world where robotic surrogates stand in for people, protecting them from violence, disease, and the appearance of aging. These picture- perfect replicants -- fit, good-looking, remotely controlled machines that assume their operator's life role -- enable the population to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes, giving a sci-fi spin to the notion of "couch potato."
Greer and partner Agent Peters (Radha Mitchell) are called in to investigate the mysterious death of a college student whose life ended when his surrogate was destroyed. When Greer's surrogate is damaged in the investigation, he ventures out of his apartment for the first time in decades. He must decide who is real and who can be trusted.
Now that James Cameron has provided movie the final word on human duplicates in "Avatar," the subject may not resonate as dramatically in "Surrogates," but it's a well-made action picture with Willis center stage in his familiar lone-warrior stance. The theme harks back to one that Stanley Kubrick used memorably in "2001: A Space Odyssey" -- depending too much on technology can have dire consequences. Despite the fact that "Surrogates" takes place in the future, the world depicted by director Jonathan Mostow resembles a contemporary city, but the combination of sci-fi, action flick, and mystery work well and provide an entertaining ride.
DVD bonus extras include director commentary and the music video "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin. The Blu-ray edition contains these and the featurettes "A More Perfect You: The Science of Surrogates" and "Breaking the Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes to Life," and four deleted scenes.
Reviewed by The Movie Man
"Surrogates" is a futuristic tale of divided identity, treachery, and murder. Based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, "Surrogates" stars Bruce Willis as FBI agent Tom Greer, who lives in a world where robotic surrogates stand in for people, protecting them from violence, disease, and the appearance of aging. These picture- perfect replicants -- fit, good-looking, remotely controlled machines that assume their operator's life role -- enable the population to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes, giving a sci-fi spin to the notion of "couch potato."
Greer and partner Agent Peters (Radha Mitchell) are called in to investigate the mysterious death of a college student whose life ended when his surrogate was destroyed. When Greer's surrogate is damaged in the investigation, he ventures out of his apartment for the first time in decades. He must decide who is real and who can be trusted.
Now that James Cameron has provided movie the final word on human duplicates in "Avatar," the subject may not resonate as dramatically in "Surrogates," but it's a well-made action picture with Willis center stage in his familiar lone-warrior stance. The theme harks back to one that Stanley Kubrick used memorably in "2001: A Space Odyssey" -- depending too much on technology can have dire consequences. Despite the fact that "Surrogates" takes place in the future, the world depicted by director Jonathan Mostow resembles a contemporary city, but the combination of sci-fi, action flick, and mystery work well and provide an entertaining ride.
DVD bonus extras include director commentary and the music video "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin. The Blu-ray edition contains these and the featurettes "A More Perfect You: The Science of Surrogates" and "Breaking the Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes to Life," and four deleted scenes.
Reviewed by The Movie Man
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Michael Jackson: This Is It [Blu-ray] (2009)
Blu-ray: On Blu-ray, fans can expect beautiful visuals but most of all, spectacular lossless audio! FANTASTIC!
Fantastic! For Michael Jackson fans who love his music, "This Is It" represents Michael Jackson's commitment, his passion and his dedication to his music, sharing his love and a message to those around him but most importantly reaching out to his fans. On Blu-ray, fans can expect beautiful visuals but most of all, spectacular lossless audio and also enjoyable and inspiring special features. Highly recommended!
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1). It's very important to emphasize that this was not a documentary that was planned and they had cameras for the sake of making a movie. These are films that Michael Jackson had taped for his own personal video of the planning to the actual creation of his concerts and of course the rehearsals.
This film was put together within a few months of going through hours upon hours of raw footage and then editing the various film stock (the footage is a mix of High Definition and Standard Definition footage) from the rehearsals and other footage behind-the-scenes.
Fortunately, the majority of the footage used are from the high definition source and picture quality for those scenes are just awesome. You get to see the detail of Michael Jackson's clothing, the various vibrant lighting during the rehearsals including the stage effects and even closeups of Michael Jackson clean shaven to a man with stubble. Personally, with Michael Jackson having a talented crew, the coverage featured in this film is great and to watch on Blu-ray is very impressive.
But where this film shines on Blu-ray is its lossless audio presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA. My first impression was "Wow!". Granted, these are rehearsal footage but it's one thing to hear the crystal clear dialogue through the centers and the music from the front channels but to hear sound being utilized through the surround channels and nice, clean bass thumping from the subwoofer was very cool!
You can hear Jonathan Moffet's drums jamming while Michael Jackson starts dancing to "Billy Jean", Orianthi Panagris jamming on the electric guitar for "Black and White" and "Beat It" along with Tommy Morgan on guitar and of course, all the musicians and vocalists played a part in this film and it's awesome audio. Music is just crystal clear and you can hear the nice separation at times with certain instruments on the surrounds but also hear the dancers and whoever is offstage just cheering on Michael Jackson as he's jamming on stage to the interaction with Michale and his backup vocalists or musicians.
"It Might Get Loud" may be my favorite guitar-driven Blu-ray release for its soundtrack but "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" just sounds fantastic. Blu-ray fans will not be disappointed. This is one of the better sounding musical documentaries I have seen on Blu-ray and heard via lossless yet.
As for subtitles, "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is featured in English, French and English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" comes with the following special features presented in 1080p High Definition and audio in English 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Stereo. Included are:
* movieIQ - Featuring the "This Is It" Playlist and BD-Live connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie! Also includes an interactive playlist where you can bookmark your favorite songs featured in the film and email yourself a customized playlist! NOTE: You need a profile 2.0 Blu-ray player (that connect online) to access movieIQ.
* Thriller Vignettes - presented in 5.1 audio - (3:50) The full new short film for "Thriller" used as a vignette for the concert which was shown on a big LCD screen and would transition to the main performance of "Thriller". This is a Blu-ray exclusive.
* Smooth Criminal Vignettes - presented in 5.1 audio - (3:58) The full new short film for "Smooth Criminal" used as a vignette for the concert which was shown on a big LCD screen and would transition to the "Smooth Criminal" performance. This is a Blu-ray exclusive.
* Making Smooth Criminal - (11:08) Shooting the short film content for "Smooth Criminal" for "This Is It". How they integrated Michael into a noir film using footage from "Gilda" (starring Rita Hayworth) and another film with Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson and how it was created. Also, showing how Michael Jackson was very involved in the production.
* Staging the Return - (40:46) A special program on Michael Jackson planning his return to the stage. From clips of Michael Jackson announcing his return, to behind-the-scenes footage of the creation of the concert, set design to the "Earth Song" video and interviews with director Kenny Ortega and the crew and their memories of Michael Jackson.
* The Gloved One - (15:11) A look at the costumes created for "This Is It" featuring costume designers Michael Bush and Zaldy. The creation of the outfits and taking them to a new level and Zaldy explains how the costumes came about including an outfit filled with crystals and a metallic studded outfit inspired by samurai uniform to the shoes and more.
* Memories of Michael- (16:19) Director Kenny Ortega, the producers and musicians talk about their experience working with Michael Jackson and how they were all inspired by him and how he was a great friend, father and performer.
* Auditions: Searching for the World's Best Dancers - (9:50) A look at the auditions for the best professional dancers who would take part in Michael Jackson's "THIS IS IT".
* Theatrical Trailer - (2:30) The original theatrical trailer.
JUDGMENT CALL:
After watching "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT", I have to agree...this was the great concert that never happened. I have never seen production design this incredible in my life and I have watched and reviewed many concerts from artists worldwide and have seen expensive concerts with extravagant to jaw dropping effects. But after seeing this film and what they had planned, I don't think anyone has come close to the amount of work that was done for "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT".
Aside from the awesome vocals, music and choreography that you would expect from a Michael Jackson concert, just seeing the short films that were created for the concert was impressive, the props such as a giant motorized robotic-like spider to a bulldozer coming on stage was amazing to seeing fire going around stage and even a Kevlar jacket that Michael Jackson would wear that would catch on fire.
Michael Jackson and his entire team who were working on this concert definitely set the bar higher than anyone in the world has done for their concert and that is why it was so important to have this documentary to be seen. This was a documentary that showed a man who was involved in the entire process of the creation of the concert, immersing himself in getting prepared and ready but most of all, making sure that because this was his final curtain call, these concerts were definitely his way of going out with a bang.
The concerts may not have happened but because of what we see in this film, although the main people watching him were the crew, dancers and technicians, now the entire world has a chance to see the greatest concert that never happened. But most of all, a chance to see the King of Pop one final time and see how much sweat tears they put into this production.
The Blu-ray release of "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is fantastic. A good number of special features that will make fans happy and again, this is one of the best music films/documentaries in HD for its incredible lossless audio. Again, this was a film that was created by putting hours of footage together and editing it to make a film. The footage was never intended to be used for a feature film or documentary.
The fact that director Kenny Ortega and crew not only had it ready for the theater, there was not one scene where I got bored, nor was there a scene which I felt could have been left out.
Overall, "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is one Blu-ray release that fans of Michael Jackson and his music should own. Absolutely fantastic and highly recommended!
Reviewed by Dennis A. Amith
Fantastic! For Michael Jackson fans who love his music, "This Is It" represents Michael Jackson's commitment, his passion and his dedication to his music, sharing his love and a message to those around him but most importantly reaching out to his fans. On Blu-ray, fans can expect beautiful visuals but most of all, spectacular lossless audio and also enjoyable and inspiring special features. Highly recommended!
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1). It's very important to emphasize that this was not a documentary that was planned and they had cameras for the sake of making a movie. These are films that Michael Jackson had taped for his own personal video of the planning to the actual creation of his concerts and of course the rehearsals.
This film was put together within a few months of going through hours upon hours of raw footage and then editing the various film stock (the footage is a mix of High Definition and Standard Definition footage) from the rehearsals and other footage behind-the-scenes.
Fortunately, the majority of the footage used are from the high definition source and picture quality for those scenes are just awesome. You get to see the detail of Michael Jackson's clothing, the various vibrant lighting during the rehearsals including the stage effects and even closeups of Michael Jackson clean shaven to a man with stubble. Personally, with Michael Jackson having a talented crew, the coverage featured in this film is great and to watch on Blu-ray is very impressive.
But where this film shines on Blu-ray is its lossless audio presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA. My first impression was "Wow!". Granted, these are rehearsal footage but it's one thing to hear the crystal clear dialogue through the centers and the music from the front channels but to hear sound being utilized through the surround channels and nice, clean bass thumping from the subwoofer was very cool!
You can hear Jonathan Moffet's drums jamming while Michael Jackson starts dancing to "Billy Jean", Orianthi Panagris jamming on the electric guitar for "Black and White" and "Beat It" along with Tommy Morgan on guitar and of course, all the musicians and vocalists played a part in this film and it's awesome audio. Music is just crystal clear and you can hear the nice separation at times with certain instruments on the surrounds but also hear the dancers and whoever is offstage just cheering on Michael Jackson as he's jamming on stage to the interaction with Michale and his backup vocalists or musicians.
"It Might Get Loud" may be my favorite guitar-driven Blu-ray release for its soundtrack but "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" just sounds fantastic. Blu-ray fans will not be disappointed. This is one of the better sounding musical documentaries I have seen on Blu-ray and heard via lossless yet.
As for subtitles, "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is featured in English, French and English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" comes with the following special features presented in 1080p High Definition and audio in English 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Stereo. Included are:
* movieIQ - Featuring the "This Is It" Playlist and BD-Live connect you to real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie! Also includes an interactive playlist where you can bookmark your favorite songs featured in the film and email yourself a customized playlist! NOTE: You need a profile 2.0 Blu-ray player (that connect online) to access movieIQ.
* Thriller Vignettes - presented in 5.1 audio - (3:50) The full new short film for "Thriller" used as a vignette for the concert which was shown on a big LCD screen and would transition to the main performance of "Thriller". This is a Blu-ray exclusive.
* Smooth Criminal Vignettes - presented in 5.1 audio - (3:58) The full new short film for "Smooth Criminal" used as a vignette for the concert which was shown on a big LCD screen and would transition to the "Smooth Criminal" performance. This is a Blu-ray exclusive.
* Making Smooth Criminal - (11:08) Shooting the short film content for "Smooth Criminal" for "This Is It". How they integrated Michael into a noir film using footage from "Gilda" (starring Rita Hayworth) and another film with Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson and how it was created. Also, showing how Michael Jackson was very involved in the production.
* Staging the Return - (40:46) A special program on Michael Jackson planning his return to the stage. From clips of Michael Jackson announcing his return, to behind-the-scenes footage of the creation of the concert, set design to the "Earth Song" video and interviews with director Kenny Ortega and the crew and their memories of Michael Jackson.
* The Gloved One - (15:11) A look at the costumes created for "This Is It" featuring costume designers Michael Bush and Zaldy. The creation of the outfits and taking them to a new level and Zaldy explains how the costumes came about including an outfit filled with crystals and a metallic studded outfit inspired by samurai uniform to the shoes and more.
* Memories of Michael- (16:19) Director Kenny Ortega, the producers and musicians talk about their experience working with Michael Jackson and how they were all inspired by him and how he was a great friend, father and performer.
* Auditions: Searching for the World's Best Dancers - (9:50) A look at the auditions for the best professional dancers who would take part in Michael Jackson's "THIS IS IT".
* Theatrical Trailer - (2:30) The original theatrical trailer.
JUDGMENT CALL:
After watching "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT", I have to agree...this was the great concert that never happened. I have never seen production design this incredible in my life and I have watched and reviewed many concerts from artists worldwide and have seen expensive concerts with extravagant to jaw dropping effects. But after seeing this film and what they had planned, I don't think anyone has come close to the amount of work that was done for "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT".
Aside from the awesome vocals, music and choreography that you would expect from a Michael Jackson concert, just seeing the short films that were created for the concert was impressive, the props such as a giant motorized robotic-like spider to a bulldozer coming on stage was amazing to seeing fire going around stage and even a Kevlar jacket that Michael Jackson would wear that would catch on fire.
Michael Jackson and his entire team who were working on this concert definitely set the bar higher than anyone in the world has done for their concert and that is why it was so important to have this documentary to be seen. This was a documentary that showed a man who was involved in the entire process of the creation of the concert, immersing himself in getting prepared and ready but most of all, making sure that because this was his final curtain call, these concerts were definitely his way of going out with a bang.
The concerts may not have happened but because of what we see in this film, although the main people watching him were the crew, dancers and technicians, now the entire world has a chance to see the greatest concert that never happened. But most of all, a chance to see the King of Pop one final time and see how much sweat tears they put into this production.
The Blu-ray release of "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is fantastic. A good number of special features that will make fans happy and again, this is one of the best music films/documentaries in HD for its incredible lossless audio. Again, this was a film that was created by putting hours of footage together and editing it to make a film. The footage was never intended to be used for a feature film or documentary.
The fact that director Kenny Ortega and crew not only had it ready for the theater, there was not one scene where I got bored, nor was there a scene which I felt could have been left out.
Overall, "Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT" is one Blu-ray release that fans of Michael Jackson and his music should own. Absolutely fantastic and highly recommended!
Reviewed by Dennis A. Amith
True Blood: The Complete Second Season (HBO Series) [Blu-ray]
HBO's True Blood breaks free and stands on its own
If you're a fan of Charlene Harris' Southern Vampire series, you were probably a little disappointed by the first season's adaptation. The problem with season 1 was that it tried to follow too closely to the actual written word, but the translation from page to screen is always hard to do successfully. With Season Two, the True Blood cast took a well needed step apart from the written cannon and struck out on its own, while still remaining faithful to the spirit of the novel series.
Season Two takes its time to step away from the main characters of Sookie and Bill and really starts to focus on the other cast members. Deciding whether to bill Jason or Tara or Sookie as the lead would be a hard choice in this season if you were to judge on screen time alone.
There are three main plots in Season Two: Sam's past and the true nature of Maryann Forrester; Jason and the Fellowship of the Sun Church; Eric and the disappearance of Godric (Sookie's trip to Dallas). Minor subplots include Hoyt and his vampire girlfriend (the newly-turned-by-Bill, Jessica Hamby), Sam and Daphne's "similarities", Andy Bellefleur's fall from grace, Lafayette's "business" catching up with him, and Tara/"Eggs"/Lettie Mae (Mom) relationship issues.
Where Season One had a bad habit of lagging along in the storyline, leaving quite a few "ho-hum" moments, Season Two maintains a fleet-footed pace and maintains it through the entire season. You'll love having this season on DVD since you won't have to wait week-by-week for new episodes. Needless to say, the cliffhanger at the end of the final episode will probably elicit a few choice words directed at HBO for taking a year in order to air new episodes.
Having watched True Blood in it's native HD resolution as well as in non-HD, the Blu-Ray investment is worth every penny. The HD quality truly allows the dank, bog-ridden feel of the swamp really shine through, and the music from the series adds a lot to the overall atmosphere.
If you weren't able to watch True Blood live on HBO and were on the fence about buying this set, go for it! You won't be disappointed.
Reviewed by Naomi (Storm)
If you're a fan of Charlene Harris' Southern Vampire series, you were probably a little disappointed by the first season's adaptation. The problem with season 1 was that it tried to follow too closely to the actual written word, but the translation from page to screen is always hard to do successfully. With Season Two, the True Blood cast took a well needed step apart from the written cannon and struck out on its own, while still remaining faithful to the spirit of the novel series.
Season Two takes its time to step away from the main characters of Sookie and Bill and really starts to focus on the other cast members. Deciding whether to bill Jason or Tara or Sookie as the lead would be a hard choice in this season if you were to judge on screen time alone.
There are three main plots in Season Two: Sam's past and the true nature of Maryann Forrester; Jason and the Fellowship of the Sun Church; Eric and the disappearance of Godric (Sookie's trip to Dallas). Minor subplots include Hoyt and his vampire girlfriend (the newly-turned-by-Bill, Jessica Hamby), Sam and Daphne's "similarities", Andy Bellefleur's fall from grace, Lafayette's "business" catching up with him, and Tara/"Eggs"/Lettie Mae (Mom) relationship issues.
Where Season One had a bad habit of lagging along in the storyline, leaving quite a few "ho-hum" moments, Season Two maintains a fleet-footed pace and maintains it through the entire season. You'll love having this season on DVD since you won't have to wait week-by-week for new episodes. Needless to say, the cliffhanger at the end of the final episode will probably elicit a few choice words directed at HBO for taking a year in order to air new episodes.
Having watched True Blood in it's native HD resolution as well as in non-HD, the Blu-Ray investment is worth every penny. The HD quality truly allows the dank, bog-ridden feel of the swamp really shine through, and the music from the series adds a lot to the overall atmosphere.
If you weren't able to watch True Blood live on HBO and were on the fence about buying this set, go for it! You won't be disappointed.
Reviewed by Naomi (Storm)
True Blood: The Complete First Season (HBO Series) [Blu-ray] (2009)
True Blood is Television at Its Bloody Best.
"Thou Shall Not Crave Thy Neighbour."
True Blood ponders the question: Why do good girls fall for bad boys? Alan Ball is perhaps best known for his originality and aesthetics in writing the Academy-Award-winning screenplay for American Beauty, and for creating the HBO television show Six Feet Under. Based on Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, Ball's new HBO series, True Blood (which recently premiered on HBO on September 7, 2008), is another good reason to own a television these days. Set in Bon Temps, Louisiana, the Southern Vampire television series tells the gothic love story of Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress, who falls in love with the town vampire, Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Sookie is a virgin, "cursed" with the ability to hear people's thoughts. Bill is a 173-year-old vampire who, despite his Southern charms, has only one thing on his mind when it comes to Sookie. Meanwhile, as religious leaders and government officials debate the safety issues surrounding the co-existence of vampires and humans, "Bad Things" (as the show's theme song suggests) are happening to the residents of Bon Temps. The show's soundtrack (by Gary Calamar) is equal parts "swampy, bluesy and spooky." Ryan Kwanten plays Sookie's brother, Jason Stackhouse, a sex addict who is also addicted to "V" (vampire blood) for its viagra-ecstasy-like effects. William Sanderson and Chris Bauer play the small town's rather inept investigating law enforcement officers. Much like Six Feet Under, True Blood reveals Alan Ball's genius for original storytelling. True Blood is not only television with fangs, it is television at its bloody best.
12/12/08 Update: True Blood received a Golden Globe nomination this week.
Reviewed by G. Merritt
"Thou Shall Not Crave Thy Neighbour."
True Blood ponders the question: Why do good girls fall for bad boys? Alan Ball is perhaps best known for his originality and aesthetics in writing the Academy-Award-winning screenplay for American Beauty, and for creating the HBO television show Six Feet Under. Based on Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, Ball's new HBO series, True Blood (which recently premiered on HBO on September 7, 2008), is another good reason to own a television these days. Set in Bon Temps, Louisiana, the Southern Vampire television series tells the gothic love story of Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress, who falls in love with the town vampire, Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Sookie is a virgin, "cursed" with the ability to hear people's thoughts. Bill is a 173-year-old vampire who, despite his Southern charms, has only one thing on his mind when it comes to Sookie. Meanwhile, as religious leaders and government officials debate the safety issues surrounding the co-existence of vampires and humans, "Bad Things" (as the show's theme song suggests) are happening to the residents of Bon Temps. The show's soundtrack (by Gary Calamar) is equal parts "swampy, bluesy and spooky." Ryan Kwanten plays Sookie's brother, Jason Stackhouse, a sex addict who is also addicted to "V" (vampire blood) for its viagra-ecstasy-like effects. William Sanderson and Chris Bauer play the small town's rather inept investigating law enforcement officers. Much like Six Feet Under, True Blood reveals Alan Ball's genius for original storytelling. True Blood is not only television with fangs, it is television at its bloody best.
12/12/08 Update: True Blood received a Golden Globe nomination this week.
Reviewed by G. Merritt
Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic [Blu-ray] (2009)
Amazing, beautiful animated film - but gory! Not for kids!!!
Dante's Inferno is an incredible animated film! One of the best animated movies I've seen in a very long time, and I watch a lot! Especially anime, been watching it since I was little. Be careful though, I have kids, and I wouldn't let any kid under 12 watch this!!
This is a beautiful film to behold, with amazing animation and a story that is exciting, moving and deeply layered. A knight searches for the soul of the woman he loves... and what we perceive as a hero at first, changes til we realize Dante is really a bad person, not the hero we think from the begining.
Everyone should check this out. It's really good for an animated film!! One of the best I've seen in a long time, and I'm not even a big video game fan!! Warning: It does have lots of gore and nudity. Adults only. I don't usually watch gory stuff, but I really liked this.
Dante's Inferno is also made me think. About evil, morality, the nature of god, all that stuff. It is thoughtful and smart, with a story that makes sense. A lot of the animes you watch make no sense whats so ever, but this made perfect sense all the way through. There was a bit too much fighting, and it seemed to move a bit too breakneck fast for me. But I was watching every moment in anticipation.
This film is interesting because it's all about point of view. Dante is in his own hell. Beatrice is in her hell, and even the devil has a point of view here. He feels betrayed by God. He thinks god is the true evil, because it made him, then punished the devil... but God made evil knowing it would rebel. It made me think quite a bit, which rarely anything does.
An AWESOME film! A bit gory for my tastes, but it was very moving, exciting, and just plain COOL!!!
Reviewed by Anthony Mchume
Dante's Inferno is an incredible animated film! One of the best animated movies I've seen in a very long time, and I watch a lot! Especially anime, been watching it since I was little. Be careful though, I have kids, and I wouldn't let any kid under 12 watch this!!
This is a beautiful film to behold, with amazing animation and a story that is exciting, moving and deeply layered. A knight searches for the soul of the woman he loves... and what we perceive as a hero at first, changes til we realize Dante is really a bad person, not the hero we think from the begining.
Everyone should check this out. It's really good for an animated film!! One of the best I've seen in a long time, and I'm not even a big video game fan!! Warning: It does have lots of gore and nudity. Adults only. I don't usually watch gory stuff, but I really liked this.
Dante's Inferno is also made me think. About evil, morality, the nature of god, all that stuff. It is thoughtful and smart, with a story that makes sense. A lot of the animes you watch make no sense whats so ever, but this made perfect sense all the way through. There was a bit too much fighting, and it seemed to move a bit too breakneck fast for me. But I was watching every moment in anticipation.
This film is interesting because it's all about point of view. Dante is in his own hell. Beatrice is in her hell, and even the devil has a point of view here. He feels betrayed by God. He thinks god is the true evil, because it made him, then punished the devil... but God made evil knowing it would rebel. It made me think quite a bit, which rarely anything does.
An AWESOME film! A bit gory for my tastes, but it was very moving, exciting, and just plain COOL!!!
Reviewed by Anthony Mchume
Up (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live) [Blu-ray] (2009)
An emotional triumph
Here's a movie for dog lovers, the elderly, children of divorce, FOBs (Friends of Birds), former Boy Scouts, people yearning for adventure, and anyone who has ever loved... and lost. Up is for everyone. It made me laugh out loud, and it made me cry.
I thought it would be tough for Up to match the emotional power of Wall-E. The two Pixar films are similar in their lack of dialogue in the first act, which helps deepen the emotional impact. Up begins with Carl, a shy young boy star-struck by a famous explorer; and kookie Ellie, who has a similar obsession. The two kids become fast friends, and vow to one day travel to Venezuela's Paradise Falls. After getting married, they buy their dream home and fix it up, hoping to fill it with children. Carl and Ellie's life together from childhood through old age is depicted, silently, with delicacy and subtlety. The first 15 minutes is like a celebration of a happy marriage, and you truly feel Carl's pain when he is left alone. He sits slumped in his chair, talking to the house as if it is the missing Ellie.
When developers close in on Carl's beloved home, he decides to fulfill his promise to Ellie and travel to Paradise Falls. A former balloon vendor, Carl lifts his home with hundreds of colorful balloons. Stowing away on the porch is Russell, a plump, plucky kid trying to earn a scouting badge.
After landing in Paradise Falls, the old man and the little boy are joined by a golden retriever named Dug who can talk with his collar, and a huge rare bird that bonds with Russell (he names her "Kevin"). Dug is priceless: spot-on for every dog that ever lived, including an obsession with squirrels. Through a series of close calls and adventures, the quartet vanquishes a villain and saves the day. And Russell earns his scouting badge.
In the process, Carl learns to let go of his mourning for Ellie, and live life again. When this happens, a magical thing happens. Before, Carl's craggy face is gray and monochromatic. At the moment of his transformation, Carl's face is awash in color, and he is surrounded by beautiful hues. It reminded me of The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy steps out of her gray world and into a candy-colored Munchkinland. Carl, too, enters a whole new world.
Up is an emotional movie, full of truth. It's one of the year's best films. Score another triumph for Pixar.
Reviewed by Julie Neal
Here's a movie for dog lovers, the elderly, children of divorce, FOBs (Friends of Birds), former Boy Scouts, people yearning for adventure, and anyone who has ever loved... and lost. Up is for everyone. It made me laugh out loud, and it made me cry.
I thought it would be tough for Up to match the emotional power of Wall-E. The two Pixar films are similar in their lack of dialogue in the first act, which helps deepen the emotional impact. Up begins with Carl, a shy young boy star-struck by a famous explorer; and kookie Ellie, who has a similar obsession. The two kids become fast friends, and vow to one day travel to Venezuela's Paradise Falls. After getting married, they buy their dream home and fix it up, hoping to fill it with children. Carl and Ellie's life together from childhood through old age is depicted, silently, with delicacy and subtlety. The first 15 minutes is like a celebration of a happy marriage, and you truly feel Carl's pain when he is left alone. He sits slumped in his chair, talking to the house as if it is the missing Ellie.
When developers close in on Carl's beloved home, he decides to fulfill his promise to Ellie and travel to Paradise Falls. A former balloon vendor, Carl lifts his home with hundreds of colorful balloons. Stowing away on the porch is Russell, a plump, plucky kid trying to earn a scouting badge.
After landing in Paradise Falls, the old man and the little boy are joined by a golden retriever named Dug who can talk with his collar, and a huge rare bird that bonds with Russell (he names her "Kevin"). Dug is priceless: spot-on for every dog that ever lived, including an obsession with squirrels. Through a series of close calls and adventures, the quartet vanquishes a villain and saves the day. And Russell earns his scouting badge.
In the process, Carl learns to let go of his mourning for Ellie, and live life again. When this happens, a magical thing happens. Before, Carl's craggy face is gray and monochromatic. At the moment of his transformation, Carl's face is awash in color, and he is surrounded by beautiful hues. It reminded me of The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy steps out of her gray world and into a candy-colored Munchkinland. Carl, too, enters a whole new world.
Up is an emotional movie, full of truth. It's one of the year's best films. Score another triumph for Pixar.
Reviewed by Julie Neal
2001: A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray] (1968)
Possibly the grandest, most transcendent achievement in film history2001:A Space Odyssey is an absolute marvel to behold. I doubt there is a more pure visual film in existence. It was released 40 years ago, and it still sets the standard for any sci-fi films to follow. It gets better with each viewing.
But it's also easy to understand any criticism. This movie is slow-paced with very little dialogue. It relies on some theories of evolution that some might have qualms with. Plus it advances with an allegorical complexity that is not always easy to decipher. Here's my interpretation--
It explores the very essence of life, manifesting first somewhere way back through the layers of our existence. In this pre-Cambrian timeframe, some hairy ape-humans make a startling discovery--a bizarre, rectangular shaped object or monolith. This vast statuesque piece seems most likely extra-terrestrial.
This entire opening scene is supremely odd. These creatures harness a distinct inclination for violence, which notably reflects our current tendencies.
Then the story abruptly takes a gargantuan leap through time and space, to the year 2001. It is amazing the imagination and the foresight this film envisions. It shows the spaceship crew in orbit using hi-tech computers, debit cards, and picture phones. Granted there are some things a little far-fetched, but still it's an incredible visionary semblance.
Soon there are dillemmas introduced that are relevant in real life. Lies, government cover-ups, people becoming prisoners of truth. Plus we're introduced to one of the most evil, calculative villans ever--the supercomputer named HAL. BTW, that name is an amalgam of "heuristic" and "algorithmic", the two main processes of learning.
HAL is designed to navigate the ship and keep the crew safe, but inevitably it turns against them in terrifying fashion. The desperate plea "Open the pod bay doors HAL" strikes a horrific nerve as the men all seem doomed at the hands of their own invention.
Kubrick does such a great job with this screenplay, which was adapted from Arthur Clarke's short stories. He doesn't feel the need to explain everything or fill in the blanks with pointless gibberish. Plus the camera work is absolutely phenomenal. There are people often times apparently defying gravity, it is mind-boggling how these feats were shot. It all has Kubrick's cold, antiseptic feel with vibrant contrast of colors. AND THE MUSIC!?!?! It escorts, sways, and entices the viewer through this wondrous exploration of space.
Now, the end of this story is up for much debate. A common interpretation is that a mortal man embarks on a journey, both physically, mentally, and spiritually, which changes him forever. I like to think he takes the next step of evolution, becoming....?
Reviewed by C. Christopher Blackshere
But it's also easy to understand any criticism. This movie is slow-paced with very little dialogue. It relies on some theories of evolution that some might have qualms with. Plus it advances with an allegorical complexity that is not always easy to decipher. Here's my interpretation--
It explores the very essence of life, manifesting first somewhere way back through the layers of our existence. In this pre-Cambrian timeframe, some hairy ape-humans make a startling discovery--a bizarre, rectangular shaped object or monolith. This vast statuesque piece seems most likely extra-terrestrial.
This entire opening scene is supremely odd. These creatures harness a distinct inclination for violence, which notably reflects our current tendencies.
Then the story abruptly takes a gargantuan leap through time and space, to the year 2001. It is amazing the imagination and the foresight this film envisions. It shows the spaceship crew in orbit using hi-tech computers, debit cards, and picture phones. Granted there are some things a little far-fetched, but still it's an incredible visionary semblance.
Soon there are dillemmas introduced that are relevant in real life. Lies, government cover-ups, people becoming prisoners of truth. Plus we're introduced to one of the most evil, calculative villans ever--the supercomputer named HAL. BTW, that name is an amalgam of "heuristic" and "algorithmic", the two main processes of learning.
HAL is designed to navigate the ship and keep the crew safe, but inevitably it turns against them in terrifying fashion. The desperate plea "Open the pod bay doors HAL" strikes a horrific nerve as the men all seem doomed at the hands of their own invention.
Kubrick does such a great job with this screenplay, which was adapted from Arthur Clarke's short stories. He doesn't feel the need to explain everything or fill in the blanks with pointless gibberish. Plus the camera work is absolutely phenomenal. There are people often times apparently defying gravity, it is mind-boggling how these feats were shot. It all has Kubrick's cold, antiseptic feel with vibrant contrast of colors. AND THE MUSIC!?!?! It escorts, sways, and entices the viewer through this wondrous exploration of space.
Now, the end of this story is up for much debate. A common interpretation is that a mortal man embarks on a journey, both physically, mentally, and spiritually, which changes him forever. I like to think he takes the next step of evolution, becoming....?
Reviewed by C. Christopher Blackshere
The Wizard of Oz (Three-Disc Emerald Edition) [Blu-ray]
Wizards, Witches and Oz, oh my!
See it again for the first time -- introduce it to a child. Oz is as magical today as when L. Frank Baum first told the tale. Who does not want to go "Over the Rainbow?"
The thrill of watching Dorothy fight to keep Toto, then running away just as a storm is brewing is drama that children can feel. Discovering a magician who is able to "see" Dorothy's past, and remind her of Aunt Em's love for her is a message for all generations.
Although we know much more about the effects of tornadoes now than when we were children through the child's eyes we can still find that we are caught up in the storm. The swirling images that pass Dorothy's window as the house whirls and finally lands was filled with special effects were magical in 1939; they still are.
The magic of sharing that moment when Dorothy opens the door into a world of color still makes children shiver with enchantment. I remember one night when my parents were out, and I sneaked into the living room. I kept the volume on the black and white TV low so that no one would come for me. It was nearly midnight when that door to OZ opened. I was keenly disappointed that Oz was not in color, I was sure that this moment would fill my world with color. That is the wonder of childhood.
A child will tremble at the Wicked Witch of the East, and be enthralled as Glenda, the good witch of the North, floats to the ground in an iridescent bubble. Children are frequently called "Munchkin" and they are surprised to discover Munchkinland.
It is so easy to forget that Judy Garland is acting because her big eyes, wide smile, innocence, and voice are Dorothy. Jack Haley as the Tin Man, Bert Lahr's Cowardly Lion, and Ray Bolger, who is the scarecrow, has given a legacy to film and heritage that is a genuine treasure. Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch of the East, has terrified children for more than six decades, and continues to do so.
There is no place like home. 5 stars.
Reviewed by Victoria Tarrani
See it again for the first time -- introduce it to a child. Oz is as magical today as when L. Frank Baum first told the tale. Who does not want to go "Over the Rainbow?"
The thrill of watching Dorothy fight to keep Toto, then running away just as a storm is brewing is drama that children can feel. Discovering a magician who is able to "see" Dorothy's past, and remind her of Aunt Em's love for her is a message for all generations.
Although we know much more about the effects of tornadoes now than when we were children through the child's eyes we can still find that we are caught up in the storm. The swirling images that pass Dorothy's window as the house whirls and finally lands was filled with special effects were magical in 1939; they still are.
The magic of sharing that moment when Dorothy opens the door into a world of color still makes children shiver with enchantment. I remember one night when my parents were out, and I sneaked into the living room. I kept the volume on the black and white TV low so that no one would come for me. It was nearly midnight when that door to OZ opened. I was keenly disappointed that Oz was not in color, I was sure that this moment would fill my world with color. That is the wonder of childhood.
A child will tremble at the Wicked Witch of the East, and be enthralled as Glenda, the good witch of the North, floats to the ground in an iridescent bubble. Children are frequently called "Munchkin" and they are surprised to discover Munchkinland.
It is so easy to forget that Judy Garland is acting because her big eyes, wide smile, innocence, and voice are Dorothy. Jack Haley as the Tin Man, Bert Lahr's Cowardly Lion, and Ray Bolger, who is the scarecrow, has given a legacy to film and heritage that is a genuine treasure. Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch of the East, has terrified children for more than six decades, and continues to do so.
There is no place like home. 5 stars.
Reviewed by Victoria Tarrani
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] (2009)
Put Me Down For An Accelerator Suit, Please!
If you need a movie that doesn't try to be anything other than what it is, that's also a pure action movie, then you've just described G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra perfectly. Coming from Director Steven Sommers, who after 'Van Helsing' stopped taking himself seriously, doesn't really take anything seriously in this movie. There is a plot, that tries to take itself seriously, but towards the middle of the movie I think it just gives up and throws in Cobra's story every once and a while. And yes, if you try to give the bad guys motivation, 9 times out of 10 it fails, and watching this film it's a 4 out of 4.
Channing Tatum, that "cute" guy with the Army haircut takes on the burden of playing G.I. Joe, sure, it's technically an organization, but he's basically an action figure in this movie, and his acting attests to that. But even with all this, I did find his character somewhat interesting in that he's this super soldier, but no matter what he does he's a screw-up. He tries to help his friend, his face gets Vadarized. He tries to save the Eiffel Tower, it's partially intact when it topples over and kills a ton of people. If the filmmakers care about character development in the sequel, this feature to the character would be very interesting to expand on. The rest of the Joe team is pretty good, but a little unmemorable. Except in a bad way for Marlon Wayans, who stayed away from his brothers' crappy movies, but gets saddled with all these awful jokes. Also, even though Dennis Quaid is shown in all the trailers and is given high billing, he mails it in for all of the five minutes he's there.
But wait, then there's Snake Eyes. Channing Tatum is the "star" of this film, but Snake Eyes is the most bad-a** dude here. First, he doesn't talk because he's taking a lifelong vow of silence, and he's an awesome fighter. Really, some of his sword-fighting sequences are some of the best I've seen in years. Even the child version of him is kicks butt. Snake Eyes looks cool, gets the job done, and is the film's breakout character.
Action-wise, it's like a best-of summer action films. There's chases in vehicles, underwater, in the air, with swords, with guns, with fists & feet. Did I miss any? Basically if you ask what kind of action this film has, I say all the above. For the most part, all of it works, it's all pretty cool, and it never overstays its welcome. Also, at home Blu-Ray & an awesome home theater system will mean everything to this movie, and it increases the experience ten-fold. And yes, perhaps the film's best sequence, and one of the best action sequences I've seen in a while is the Paris chase with the accelerator suits. It's incredibly self-indulgent with slow motion, but I loved every minute of it.
There are also two great unique elements to the movie I found enjoyable.
1. The movies makes very heavy use of the flashback sequence to give the backstory for all the main characters, and while it does slow it down some because there's not really any action to them, I applaud the effort and I found them pretty engaging.
2. Having seen a lot of these future technology weapons on the History Channel, it's pretty cool seeing the movie making heavy use of this advanced technology working the way it would really work, and not a Hollywood version of it. Somers says all the tech will be in use in 20 years, and I highly doubt it, but it's cool to see these futuristic weapons grounded in reality for once.
Overall, I enjoyed the film quite a bit, the action-phile I am, and it's a great way to lose two hours. It never loses it's welcome, and it provides a lot of satisfactory bones thrown to the audience. It never takes itself seriously, as it shouldn't, and you shouldn't either, because you'll wind up disappointed. For the G.I. Joe fans, if you're a fans of 60s/70s Joe, it's in name only unless you count the scar on Channing Tatum. As for the 80s cartoon Joe fans, you'll most likely find yourself highly pleased since the movie takes most of its universe from the cartoon series.
Reviewed by Flap Jackson
If you need a movie that doesn't try to be anything other than what it is, that's also a pure action movie, then you've just described G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra perfectly. Coming from Director Steven Sommers, who after 'Van Helsing' stopped taking himself seriously, doesn't really take anything seriously in this movie. There is a plot, that tries to take itself seriously, but towards the middle of the movie I think it just gives up and throws in Cobra's story every once and a while. And yes, if you try to give the bad guys motivation, 9 times out of 10 it fails, and watching this film it's a 4 out of 4.
Channing Tatum, that "cute" guy with the Army haircut takes on the burden of playing G.I. Joe, sure, it's technically an organization, but he's basically an action figure in this movie, and his acting attests to that. But even with all this, I did find his character somewhat interesting in that he's this super soldier, but no matter what he does he's a screw-up. He tries to help his friend, his face gets Vadarized. He tries to save the Eiffel Tower, it's partially intact when it topples over and kills a ton of people. If the filmmakers care about character development in the sequel, this feature to the character would be very interesting to expand on. The rest of the Joe team is pretty good, but a little unmemorable. Except in a bad way for Marlon Wayans, who stayed away from his brothers' crappy movies, but gets saddled with all these awful jokes. Also, even though Dennis Quaid is shown in all the trailers and is given high billing, he mails it in for all of the five minutes he's there.
But wait, then there's Snake Eyes. Channing Tatum is the "star" of this film, but Snake Eyes is the most bad-a** dude here. First, he doesn't talk because he's taking a lifelong vow of silence, and he's an awesome fighter. Really, some of his sword-fighting sequences are some of the best I've seen in years. Even the child version of him is kicks butt. Snake Eyes looks cool, gets the job done, and is the film's breakout character.
Action-wise, it's like a best-of summer action films. There's chases in vehicles, underwater, in the air, with swords, with guns, with fists & feet. Did I miss any? Basically if you ask what kind of action this film has, I say all the above. For the most part, all of it works, it's all pretty cool, and it never overstays its welcome. Also, at home Blu-Ray & an awesome home theater system will mean everything to this movie, and it increases the experience ten-fold. And yes, perhaps the film's best sequence, and one of the best action sequences I've seen in a while is the Paris chase with the accelerator suits. It's incredibly self-indulgent with slow motion, but I loved every minute of it.
There are also two great unique elements to the movie I found enjoyable.
1. The movies makes very heavy use of the flashback sequence to give the backstory for all the main characters, and while it does slow it down some because there's not really any action to them, I applaud the effort and I found them pretty engaging.
2. Having seen a lot of these future technology weapons on the History Channel, it's pretty cool seeing the movie making heavy use of this advanced technology working the way it would really work, and not a Hollywood version of it. Somers says all the tech will be in use in 20 years, and I highly doubt it, but it's cool to see these futuristic weapons grounded in reality for once.
Overall, I enjoyed the film quite a bit, the action-phile I am, and it's a great way to lose two hours. It never loses it's welcome, and it provides a lot of satisfactory bones thrown to the audience. It never takes itself seriously, as it shouldn't, and you shouldn't either, because you'll wind up disappointed. For the G.I. Joe fans, if you're a fans of 60s/70s Joe, it's in name only unless you count the scar on Channing Tatum. As for the 80s cartoon Joe fans, you'll most likely find yourself highly pleased since the movie takes most of its universe from the cartoon series.
Reviewed by Flap Jackson
Law Abiding Citizen [Blu-ray] (2009)
Clever, Entertaining Thriller
"Law Abiding Citizen," the new thriller with Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx, is an interesting revenge thriller that takes the viewer to some unexpected places and provokes thoughtful conversations and introspection. Regardless of any drawbacks that the film may have, and it is certainly not perfect, it makes valid points about the sometimes arbitrary nature of the criminal justice system.
Gerard Butler stars as an engineer whose seemingly peaceful life is shattered when two men break into his house, injure him, and kill his wife and daughter. Grieving, but obviously believing that his case is clear cut, he is stunned when the young assistant DA prosecuting the case, played by Jamie Foxx, makes a deal that allows a reduced sentence for the killer of the wife and child in exchange for his testimony against the other man.
Ten years later, as the man convicted of murder is facing lethal injection, Butler's long-planned revenge plot begins to unfold. We find out that Butler is not who he has seemed to be, and that the now senior assistant DA Foxx has his hand full with a clever resourceful advesary.
This film is not for the squeamish, has several shocks and surprises, and is meditative and thoughtful. It is a suprisingly good thriller considering how bad it could have been with a lesser cast, script, and direction.
Reviewed by Terence Allen
"Law Abiding Citizen," the new thriller with Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx, is an interesting revenge thriller that takes the viewer to some unexpected places and provokes thoughtful conversations and introspection. Regardless of any drawbacks that the film may have, and it is certainly not perfect, it makes valid points about the sometimes arbitrary nature of the criminal justice system.
Gerard Butler stars as an engineer whose seemingly peaceful life is shattered when two men break into his house, injure him, and kill his wife and daughter. Grieving, but obviously believing that his case is clear cut, he is stunned when the young assistant DA prosecuting the case, played by Jamie Foxx, makes a deal that allows a reduced sentence for the killer of the wife and child in exchange for his testimony against the other man.
Ten years later, as the man convicted of murder is facing lethal injection, Butler's long-planned revenge plot begins to unfold. We find out that Butler is not who he has seemed to be, and that the now senior assistant DA Foxx has his hand full with a clever resourceful advesary.
This film is not for the squeamish, has several shocks and surprises, and is meditative and thoughtful. It is a suprisingly good thriller considering how bad it could have been with a lesser cast, script, and direction.
Reviewed by Terence Allen
Sherlock Holmes [Blu-ray] (2009)
Oddly Faithful!
I really enjoyed this movie, much more that I was expecting. I went to see this with my wife. I knowing next to nothing about the source material, my wife having read all the stories. We both enjoyed the movie. I think part of the problem that people have with this movie is the baggage that comes with Sherlock Holmes. People have this image of the man, that is burned into our brains, which is also largely the invention of the BBC ages ago, and not what the character really was in the stories. I would highly suggest that you leave your image of Sherlock Holmes at the door if you decide to see this movie.
After watching the movie I picked up my wifes copy of "A Study in Scarlet" and found surprisingly that the performances in this peace worked nicely in the original stories. In the first story Watson is introduced to Holmes from a mutual friend. The first thing Holmes does is maniclly explaining a test he just developed to spot a small trace of blood, then say he needs a roommate, and followed by Holmes rattling off why he makes a horrible roommate. Watson finds it refreshing, but the mania that Downey shows in his performance fits in very well with this description.
So to put it bluntly, I have a feeling people who don't like this movie because it's "not Sherlock Holmes" probably haven't read the source material with a critical eye, and the image of Sherlock in their mind is from the media. Now given I read the first part of the first story so I'm hardly an expert here, but just some food for thought.
As for the movie I found it to be very well done. The script is very clever and none of the dialogue or characters made me cringe. Downey portrays Holmes as he was in the stories, addicted to drugs, manic depressive, odd, and far to blunt for his own good. Jude Law is also very good as a very witty able Watson. Most people think Watson to be a fool (again due to the old BBC show), but in the stories after a time Watson does become a good investigator in his own right. The bit in the middle of the movie were Watson decides that the owner of a watch must be an alcoholic is lifted straight from the stories.
The plot kept me guessing the whole time, and was presented in such a way as to not be to obvious. The ending got a little action movie, but I forgave it. The soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is amazing and is something I am going to pick up when it is released. For an action movie with four action sequences, I was highly entertained. Go see it.
Reviewed by Grissium
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I really enjoyed this movie, much more that I was expecting. I went to see this with my wife. I knowing next to nothing about the source material, my wife having read all the stories. We both enjoyed the movie. I think part of the problem that people have with this movie is the baggage that comes with Sherlock Holmes. People have this image of the man, that is burned into our brains, which is also largely the invention of the BBC ages ago, and not what the character really was in the stories. I would highly suggest that you leave your image of Sherlock Holmes at the door if you decide to see this movie.
After watching the movie I picked up my wifes copy of "A Study in Scarlet" and found surprisingly that the performances in this peace worked nicely in the original stories. In the first story Watson is introduced to Holmes from a mutual friend. The first thing Holmes does is maniclly explaining a test he just developed to spot a small trace of blood, then say he needs a roommate, and followed by Holmes rattling off why he makes a horrible roommate. Watson finds it refreshing, but the mania that Downey shows in his performance fits in very well with this description.
So to put it bluntly, I have a feeling people who don't like this movie because it's "not Sherlock Holmes" probably haven't read the source material with a critical eye, and the image of Sherlock in their mind is from the media. Now given I read the first part of the first story so I'm hardly an expert here, but just some food for thought.
As for the movie I found it to be very well done. The script is very clever and none of the dialogue or characters made me cringe. Downey portrays Holmes as he was in the stories, addicted to drugs, manic depressive, odd, and far to blunt for his own good. Jude Law is also very good as a very witty able Watson. Most people think Watson to be a fool (again due to the old BBC show), but in the stories after a time Watson does become a good investigator in his own right. The bit in the middle of the movie were Watson decides that the owner of a watch must be an alcoholic is lifted straight from the stories.
The plot kept me guessing the whole time, and was presented in such a way as to not be to obvious. The ending got a little action movie, but I forgave it. The soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is amazing and is something I am going to pick up when it is released. For an action movie with four action sequences, I was highly entertained. Go see it.
Reviewed by Grissium
Gone with the Wind [Blu-ray] (1939)
Gone with the Wind" is good cinema!
Victor Fleming ended up directing two of the most entertaining films ever made: "Gone with the Wind," and "The Wizard of Oz."
"Gone with the Wind" is a masterpiece of mass entertainment, a world apart from "Children of Paradise." Here, the period is conceived in luxuriant and romantic terms, calculated to serve the intentions of escapism... The picture is set in the most turbulent and romantic era of American history, the years during and after the Civil War, providing the viewer with a big epic world of fantasy...
But the true key to the film's success is the adventures of one character named Scarlett O'Hara whose actions, motives, emotions, joys and pains make her the perfect element for a rich romantic film... Her obsession to rebuild her plantation Tara, to "never to be hungry again", to re-create the splendor and romance of a "land of cavaliers and cotton fields in the Old South," is figured out to stimulate the audience with her many faces...
From the opening scene with the 16 year-old beauty on the steps of Tara through war, marriage, poverty, reconstruction, birth, death, attempted rape, miscarriage and lost love, until the final image of the tear-stained face of the 28 year-old Scarlett, who refuses to recognize defeat in Rhett's rejection of her, promising to return to Tara and to "think of some way to get him back," Vivien Leigh is magnificent... She carries the picture, and dominates it... She reproduces the character of Scarlett in all its eloquence complexity...
Clark Gable is fascinating... He is the perfect of the American male movie star to play the gambler and lady-killer... The motion picture marks the climax of his career as a sex symbol... The dramatic high point of Clark Gable's performance in the film is the scene of Rhett Butler crying in Melanie's presence over Scarlett near death from her miscarriage...
The love scenes between Scarlett and Rhett give the picture a vibrancy that is one of its main attractions... The film begins with their first stormy meeting in the library at Twelve Oaks and intensifies at the Atlanta bazaar, when Rhett shocks the confederacy by bidding $l00 "in gold," to dance with the newly widowed Mrs. Hamilton, and Scarlett scandalizes the town by accepting...
The richest characterization of the entire film is given by Hattie McDaniel as Mammy, the sly only person, besides Rhett Butler, who is never fooled by Scarlett's airs and tears...
Butterfly McQueen portrays Scarlett's shrill servant girl, Prissy...
Thomas Mitchell plays Gerald O'Hara, master of Tara and father of Scarlett... He teaches his daughter that "Land is the only thing that lasts."
Ona Munson plays Belle Watling, the leading madam of Atlanta's red-light district... Belle's scenes are brief but effective, and, for the time, quite frank in letting the audience know that she is Rhett's mistress... Munson's finest moment was her scene with Melanie...
"Gone with the Wind" is good cinema. We see very little in the way of important scenes but definitely much less than in Griffith's "Intolerance," and yet we feel as we have seen a lot: The shot of Scarlett and her father looking out over the fields of Tara; Scarlett's search for Dr. Meade 'climbing' over piles of rubbles under the top of a ruined building; Atlanta on fire; bleeding twilights; and the swirling montage of Sherman's troops marching through Georgia...
"Gone with the Wind" contains no battles, but it gives an impression, quite strong, of the Civil War by its one really grand scene, the thousands of wounded lying about the Atlanta railroad station...
The idealization of the Old South is beautifully described: the shot of the Mississippi riverboat; the barbecue at Twelve Oaks; the Atlanta bazaar; the Confederate battle flag waving bravely over a small remaining part of the Army in the last, gray days of the 'Lost Cause.'
"Gone with the Wind" is different with the outstanding achievement in the use of color: The O'Hara family at evening prayer; Rhett's farewell to Scarlett on the McDonough Road; the green teapot, symbol of gossipy; the delicate dawn scene of Scarlett and her father at Tara, when she discovers her father has lost his mind; and when Rhett proposes to Scarlett in Aunt Pity-pat's parlor as the late-afternoon sun spreads the room with a golden autumnal light...
With a memorable music score by Max Steiner, "Gone With the Wind" is an instant classic, winner of eight Academy Awards...
Reviewed by Roberto Frangie
Victor Fleming ended up directing two of the most entertaining films ever made: "Gone with the Wind," and "The Wizard of Oz."
"Gone with the Wind" is a masterpiece of mass entertainment, a world apart from "Children of Paradise." Here, the period is conceived in luxuriant and romantic terms, calculated to serve the intentions of escapism... The picture is set in the most turbulent and romantic era of American history, the years during and after the Civil War, providing the viewer with a big epic world of fantasy...
But the true key to the film's success is the adventures of one character named Scarlett O'Hara whose actions, motives, emotions, joys and pains make her the perfect element for a rich romantic film... Her obsession to rebuild her plantation Tara, to "never to be hungry again", to re-create the splendor and romance of a "land of cavaliers and cotton fields in the Old South," is figured out to stimulate the audience with her many faces...
From the opening scene with the 16 year-old beauty on the steps of Tara through war, marriage, poverty, reconstruction, birth, death, attempted rape, miscarriage and lost love, until the final image of the tear-stained face of the 28 year-old Scarlett, who refuses to recognize defeat in Rhett's rejection of her, promising to return to Tara and to "think of some way to get him back," Vivien Leigh is magnificent... She carries the picture, and dominates it... She reproduces the character of Scarlett in all its eloquence complexity...
Clark Gable is fascinating... He is the perfect of the American male movie star to play the gambler and lady-killer... The motion picture marks the climax of his career as a sex symbol... The dramatic high point of Clark Gable's performance in the film is the scene of Rhett Butler crying in Melanie's presence over Scarlett near death from her miscarriage...
The love scenes between Scarlett and Rhett give the picture a vibrancy that is one of its main attractions... The film begins with their first stormy meeting in the library at Twelve Oaks and intensifies at the Atlanta bazaar, when Rhett shocks the confederacy by bidding $l00 "in gold," to dance with the newly widowed Mrs. Hamilton, and Scarlett scandalizes the town by accepting...
The richest characterization of the entire film is given by Hattie McDaniel as Mammy, the sly only person, besides Rhett Butler, who is never fooled by Scarlett's airs and tears...
Butterfly McQueen portrays Scarlett's shrill servant girl, Prissy...
Thomas Mitchell plays Gerald O'Hara, master of Tara and father of Scarlett... He teaches his daughter that "Land is the only thing that lasts."
Ona Munson plays Belle Watling, the leading madam of Atlanta's red-light district... Belle's scenes are brief but effective, and, for the time, quite frank in letting the audience know that she is Rhett's mistress... Munson's finest moment was her scene with Melanie...
"Gone with the Wind" is good cinema. We see very little in the way of important scenes but definitely much less than in Griffith's "Intolerance," and yet we feel as we have seen a lot: The shot of Scarlett and her father looking out over the fields of Tara; Scarlett's search for Dr. Meade 'climbing' over piles of rubbles under the top of a ruined building; Atlanta on fire; bleeding twilights; and the swirling montage of Sherman's troops marching through Georgia...
"Gone with the Wind" contains no battles, but it gives an impression, quite strong, of the Civil War by its one really grand scene, the thousands of wounded lying about the Atlanta railroad station...
The idealization of the Old South is beautifully described: the shot of the Mississippi riverboat; the barbecue at Twelve Oaks; the Atlanta bazaar; the Confederate battle flag waving bravely over a small remaining part of the Army in the last, gray days of the 'Lost Cause.'
"Gone with the Wind" is different with the outstanding achievement in the use of color: The O'Hara family at evening prayer; Rhett's farewell to Scarlett on the McDonough Road; the green teapot, symbol of gossipy; the delicate dawn scene of Scarlett and her father at Tara, when she discovers her father has lost his mind; and when Rhett proposes to Scarlett in Aunt Pity-pat's parlor as the late-afternoon sun spreads the room with a golden autumnal light...
With a memorable music score by Max Steiner, "Gone With the Wind" is an instant classic, winner of eight Academy Awards...
Reviewed by Roberto Frangie
Inglourious Basterds (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray] (2009)
Tarantino's brilliant WWII anti-Nazi fantasy dares you to look away
Quentin Tarantino has taken his anti-Nazi fantasy to new heights with this engrossing dark comedy/fantasy that has "The Basterds" (led by BRAD PITT) out for Nazi scalps to add to an ever growing collection. But first and foremost, he has constructed a screenplay that never lets up veering between tension and laughter, and gives several members of his cast a chance at Oscar-winning performances.
Foremost among these is CHRISTOPH WALTZ who waltzes off with all of his scenes by playing the "Jew Hunter" with subtle bits of characterization that remind me of a young Conrad Veidt at the height of his powers. He never misses an opportunity to give greater depth to his character's personality quirks and sudden changes of mood that always heighten the tension. The farmhouse scene that starts the story rolling is one of the greatest pieces of sustained suspense I've ever seen any director pull, even Hitchcock.
My only quibble with the film, in fact, would be the extended bar scene in which a clever plot to trap some Nazi officers goes awry. The director could have tightened the whole sequence with a cut of some ten or more minutes.
But who's going to voice complaints when the film is fiendishly clever from start to finish, and so well executed that you leave the theater after being spellbound for the duration of the lengthy story. All of the performances surrounding BRAD PITT and CHRISTOPH WALTZ are pitch perfect and Pitt himself is mighty amusing as the Southern lieutenant who likes to cut Swastikas into the skulls of his German foes.
DENIS MENOCHET is superb as the farmer in the film's opening scene, matching the convincing performance of CHRISTOPH WALTZ every step of the way. Not enough praise can be said for the performances Tarantino has gotten from his entire cast and that includes MELANIE LAURENT who has a key role as the only woman who manages to escape the massacre that opens the film. Her interaction with a German officer (DANIEL BRUHL) who is attracted by her is a fascinating one, especially since she has no intention of succumbing to his courteous flirtations.
This is definitely putting Tarantino's best foot forward--and if it doesn't end up with several Oscar nominations in both acting and technical categories, I'll be very surprised.
Just brilliant.
Reviewed by Neil F. Doyle
Quentin Tarantino has taken his anti-Nazi fantasy to new heights with this engrossing dark comedy/fantasy that has "The Basterds" (led by BRAD PITT) out for Nazi scalps to add to an ever growing collection. But first and foremost, he has constructed a screenplay that never lets up veering between tension and laughter, and gives several members of his cast a chance at Oscar-winning performances.
Foremost among these is CHRISTOPH WALTZ who waltzes off with all of his scenes by playing the "Jew Hunter" with subtle bits of characterization that remind me of a young Conrad Veidt at the height of his powers. He never misses an opportunity to give greater depth to his character's personality quirks and sudden changes of mood that always heighten the tension. The farmhouse scene that starts the story rolling is one of the greatest pieces of sustained suspense I've ever seen any director pull, even Hitchcock.
My only quibble with the film, in fact, would be the extended bar scene in which a clever plot to trap some Nazi officers goes awry. The director could have tightened the whole sequence with a cut of some ten or more minutes.
But who's going to voice complaints when the film is fiendishly clever from start to finish, and so well executed that you leave the theater after being spellbound for the duration of the lengthy story. All of the performances surrounding BRAD PITT and CHRISTOPH WALTZ are pitch perfect and Pitt himself is mighty amusing as the Southern lieutenant who likes to cut Swastikas into the skulls of his German foes.
DENIS MENOCHET is superb as the farmer in the film's opening scene, matching the convincing performance of CHRISTOPH WALTZ every step of the way. Not enough praise can be said for the performances Tarantino has gotten from his entire cast and that includes MELANIE LAURENT who has a key role as the only woman who manages to escape the massacre that opens the film. Her interaction with a German officer (DANIEL BRUHL) who is attracted by her is a fascinating one, especially since she has no intention of succumbing to his courteous flirtations.
This is definitely putting Tarantino's best foot forward--and if it doesn't end up with several Oscar nominations in both acting and technical categories, I'll be very surprised.
Just brilliant.
Reviewed by Neil F. Doyle
The Twilight Saga: New Moon [Blu-ray] (2009)
Outstanding Fantasy/Romance/Horror Hybrid
The second chapter of the horror/fantasy/romance Twilight saga is every bit as great as the first. The obvious development in the story is that it's no longer exclusively the Bella (Kristen Stewart)/Edward (Robert Pattinson) love story, but the Jacob (Taylor Lautner)/Bella/Edward love triangle. The other major development though, is that it's beginning to move from a localized story centering of a few main characters in a corner of Seattle, to a much larger, globe-spanning tapestry that brings in new characters (Alice, played by Ashley Greene, also gets a larger part, which is welcome) that delves into the larger world of the vampires and the werewolves and their history.
Both of these developments are set in place by the departure of the Cullen family from Seattle early in the movie, a move set in place by Edward, after another incident where Bella's life is put in danger. Feeling that their very prescence is a danger to her, the Cullens leave, and Bella is alone and devastated. She's also unprotected when Victoria and Laurent - two of the vampires from the first Twilight, who, unlike the Cullen clan, feed on human blood - return to the area seeking revenge for the death of one of their compatriots in the first movie. Or at least, it would seem she's unprotected - here's where the wolf legends mentioned briefly in the first Twilight start coming into play.
Bella develops a deeper friendship with Jacob, and begins to come out of the shell she entered into when the Cullens left. It's obvious early on that Jacob wants them to be more than friends, and while Bella seems to have at least some of the same feelings for him, she's torn by her enduring loyalty to the departed Edward. She then realizes that Edward continues to watch over her from afar, appearing to her when she's in danger, which prompts her to seek out increasingly more dangerous situations, making the already threatening status with Victoria and Laurent more deadly. The development of the relationship between Bella and Jacob is never forced or rushed and progresses naturally over time, although Bella still remains reluctant to get too close.
In the later stages of the movie the action increases and the scale of the tapestry does likewise with the introduction of the Volturi, the Italy-based vampire aristocracy that maintains an informal control over the vampire race worldwide, and whose own ruling elite wield incredible powers. The acting is excellent, and Kristen Stewart particularly impresses with an award-worthy performance. She captures Bella's peculiar mix of shy awkwardness and feisty boldness, and her fierce capacity for total love, perfectly.
New Moon is imaginative, visually gorgeous, and emotionally powerful. Touches at least briefly (and in some cases indepth) on a vast array of movie genres - fantasy, romance, horror, mystery, drama, adventure, thriller - and does good credit to each of them. Excellent.
Reviewed by Stephen B. O'Blenis
The second chapter of the horror/fantasy/romance Twilight saga is every bit as great as the first. The obvious development in the story is that it's no longer exclusively the Bella (Kristen Stewart)/Edward (Robert Pattinson) love story, but the Jacob (Taylor Lautner)/Bella/Edward love triangle. The other major development though, is that it's beginning to move from a localized story centering of a few main characters in a corner of Seattle, to a much larger, globe-spanning tapestry that brings in new characters (Alice, played by Ashley Greene, also gets a larger part, which is welcome) that delves into the larger world of the vampires and the werewolves and their history.
Both of these developments are set in place by the departure of the Cullen family from Seattle early in the movie, a move set in place by Edward, after another incident where Bella's life is put in danger. Feeling that their very prescence is a danger to her, the Cullens leave, and Bella is alone and devastated. She's also unprotected when Victoria and Laurent - two of the vampires from the first Twilight, who, unlike the Cullen clan, feed on human blood - return to the area seeking revenge for the death of one of their compatriots in the first movie. Or at least, it would seem she's unprotected - here's where the wolf legends mentioned briefly in the first Twilight start coming into play.
Bella develops a deeper friendship with Jacob, and begins to come out of the shell she entered into when the Cullens left. It's obvious early on that Jacob wants them to be more than friends, and while Bella seems to have at least some of the same feelings for him, she's torn by her enduring loyalty to the departed Edward. She then realizes that Edward continues to watch over her from afar, appearing to her when she's in danger, which prompts her to seek out increasingly more dangerous situations, making the already threatening status with Victoria and Laurent more deadly. The development of the relationship between Bella and Jacob is never forced or rushed and progresses naturally over time, although Bella still remains reluctant to get too close.
In the later stages of the movie the action increases and the scale of the tapestry does likewise with the introduction of the Volturi, the Italy-based vampire aristocracy that maintains an informal control over the vampire race worldwide, and whose own ruling elite wield incredible powers. The acting is excellent, and Kristen Stewart particularly impresses with an award-worthy performance. She captures Bella's peculiar mix of shy awkwardness and feisty boldness, and her fierce capacity for total love, perfectly.
New Moon is imaginative, visually gorgeous, and emotionally powerful. Touches at least briefly (and in some cases indepth) on a vast array of movie genres - fantasy, romance, horror, mystery, drama, adventure, thriller - and does good credit to each of them. Excellent.
Reviewed by Stephen B. O'Blenis
Zombieland [Blu-ray] (2009)
Blood, Guts, and Humor oh my
Right from the start Zombieland is in your face. The opening sequence alone is just great and recalls Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide. Also, it doesn't try to copy Romero's Dawn of the Dead or any of the other countless zombie movies.
It's a very direct film that doesn't waste time with needless character buildup, that would only slow the pacing. Characterization is achieved in between humor and action sequences and that approach works well.
Zombieland starts by introducing the overly cautious and neurotic, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) who reminds me of Woody Allen back in Allen classic comedy films of the 70's.
Columbus is the quiet geeky guy who probably spent his high school years over thinking every detail and was quite possibly bullied by jocks. Now in a zombie infested world, he is forced to become more manly and athletic when taking on the undead.
Then there's Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) who is the gung ho bad ass. I think every zombie movie needs a Tallahassee type because they are so much fun to watch. Harrelson really steals the show in Zombieland. I don't think I've seen him this good since Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. He looks like he could have fun in any situation in life pre or post zombie infected. I like the scene where Tallahassee is standing next to a bright yellow Hummer and just randomly firing a machine gun.
Next up are the manipulating sisters, Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Emma Stone) who are both cute and annoying. I was annoyed with their characters at first and as their characters developed they became a little more tolerable. You also need sisters like this in a post zombie world because they will keep you on your toes. They are fun in their own ways and have both survived tough times together. Their strong bond makes them believable and you accept them for who they are.
With all the wonder characters and backgrounds aside, this is really about killing zombies. Who doesn't want to roam America's highways shooting zombies?
It's the ultimate road movie, as the four travel together and fight hundreds of zombies along the way.
As much fun as that is, the ending sequence at the amusement park, cranks up the fun a lot higher. The combination of rides, amusement park games, and shooting zombies is very entertaining.
Director Ruben Fleischer does a tremendous job directing action in the last half of Zombieland.
That's what these movies are all about to me. The cheap thrills of just going for it and taking out all that pent up aggressive shooting, stabbing, running over, hammering, and beating the undead any way you can.
Overall Zombieland is a lot of fun and a good way to kick off this Halloween season. I hope more horror movies come out this good in Halloween.
Some of my favorite Zombie movies are Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Zombi 2, Undead, Shaun of the Dead, Return of the Living Dead, Cemetery Man, Tokyo Zombie, Braindead, and The Dead Pit.
Zombieland deserves its place in the upper echelon of the Zombie movie canon.
Reviewed by Jason T. Fetters
Right from the start Zombieland is in your face. The opening sequence alone is just great and recalls Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide. Also, it doesn't try to copy Romero's Dawn of the Dead or any of the other countless zombie movies.
It's a very direct film that doesn't waste time with needless character buildup, that would only slow the pacing. Characterization is achieved in between humor and action sequences and that approach works well.
Zombieland starts by introducing the overly cautious and neurotic, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) who reminds me of Woody Allen back in Allen classic comedy films of the 70's.
Columbus is the quiet geeky guy who probably spent his high school years over thinking every detail and was quite possibly bullied by jocks. Now in a zombie infested world, he is forced to become more manly and athletic when taking on the undead.
Then there's Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) who is the gung ho bad ass. I think every zombie movie needs a Tallahassee type because they are so much fun to watch. Harrelson really steals the show in Zombieland. I don't think I've seen him this good since Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. He looks like he could have fun in any situation in life pre or post zombie infected. I like the scene where Tallahassee is standing next to a bright yellow Hummer and just randomly firing a machine gun.
Next up are the manipulating sisters, Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Emma Stone) who are both cute and annoying. I was annoyed with their characters at first and as their characters developed they became a little more tolerable. You also need sisters like this in a post zombie world because they will keep you on your toes. They are fun in their own ways and have both survived tough times together. Their strong bond makes them believable and you accept them for who they are.
With all the wonder characters and backgrounds aside, this is really about killing zombies. Who doesn't want to roam America's highways shooting zombies?
It's the ultimate road movie, as the four travel together and fight hundreds of zombies along the way.
As much fun as that is, the ending sequence at the amusement park, cranks up the fun a lot higher. The combination of rides, amusement park games, and shooting zombies is very entertaining.
Director Ruben Fleischer does a tremendous job directing action in the last half of Zombieland.
That's what these movies are all about to me. The cheap thrills of just going for it and taking out all that pent up aggressive shooting, stabbing, running over, hammering, and beating the undead any way you can.
Overall Zombieland is a lot of fun and a good way to kick off this Halloween season. I hope more horror movies come out this good in Halloween.
Some of my favorite Zombie movies are Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Zombi 2, Undead, Shaun of the Dead, Return of the Living Dead, Cemetery Man, Tokyo Zombie, Braindead, and The Dead Pit.
Zombieland deserves its place in the upper echelon of the Zombie movie canon.
Reviewed by Jason T. Fetters
Star Trek (Three-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] (2009)
It does right by the 'Star Trek' name
I spent two hours on a wonderfully sunny Saturday afternoon to see Star Trek and it was worth every minute/penny. Color me impressed. If you're familiar with the series then you'll probably see several characters you know, just in a younger form:
If you haven't seen the series though then fear not because that's definitely not a pre-requisite. Other than saying that this movie is a pre-quel to the popular old school iteration of the series, there's not much I can say that without spoiling the really fun plot. Having only seen a few episodes of the original series though, I walked out not only pretty impressed and satisfied but I actually wanted to look up old episodes (which are available legally online at Hulu and TV.com and others) because it got me really interested in the show's storyline. From talking to my friend who was a fan of the series, I'm not sure how well the plot fits in with the series that succeeds it, but I have a theory that I can't share without spoiling the movie. Anyway, there were several nods to the series to give fans that giddy nerdgasm that you can only get from being in the know on the series.
Every aspect of this movie was really enjoyable. They all came together to make a genuinely fun movie experience. I think almost every actor fit their role very well - especially newcomer Chris Pine as James T Kirk and Zachary Quinto (Sylar) as Spock. By the way, don't look at the IMDB cast list because it has a few spoilers. The plot had a few minor issues, but I didn't find any of them to be dealbreakers. The script was strong, but had a few minor issues (mainly a couple of scenes I didn't think needed to be in there) that I didn't think were very noticeable. Even though it was more than 2 hours long it really didn't feel that long and there was an ample amount of welcome comic relief sprinkled throughout the film. Oh, and the visuals were tasteful and well done. You have to expect a lot of CG in a movie like this, and that's probably the only real downside to the movie. If you're one of those purists who hates seeing CG, then you'll definitely take issue with this.
I highly recommend running to your nearest theater to see this one. I'm actually probably going to pre-order it on Blu-ray, in fact, so that I can watch it again. It's one of those movies where I can't recall all the scenes because there were so many great scenes and they were quite dense. I'd say it's a solid A movie and appropriate for the whole family. There was almost no nudity and no bad language, although the plot may be too complex for some kids.
Reviewed by Elton V. Pinto
I spent two hours on a wonderfully sunny Saturday afternoon to see Star Trek and it was worth every minute/penny. Color me impressed. If you're familiar with the series then you'll probably see several characters you know, just in a younger form:
If you haven't seen the series though then fear not because that's definitely not a pre-requisite. Other than saying that this movie is a pre-quel to the popular old school iteration of the series, there's not much I can say that without spoiling the really fun plot. Having only seen a few episodes of the original series though, I walked out not only pretty impressed and satisfied but I actually wanted to look up old episodes (which are available legally online at Hulu and TV.com and others) because it got me really interested in the show's storyline. From talking to my friend who was a fan of the series, I'm not sure how well the plot fits in with the series that succeeds it, but I have a theory that I can't share without spoiling the movie. Anyway, there were several nods to the series to give fans that giddy nerdgasm that you can only get from being in the know on the series.
Every aspect of this movie was really enjoyable. They all came together to make a genuinely fun movie experience. I think almost every actor fit their role very well - especially newcomer Chris Pine as James T Kirk and Zachary Quinto (Sylar) as Spock. By the way, don't look at the IMDB cast list because it has a few spoilers. The plot had a few minor issues, but I didn't find any of them to be dealbreakers. The script was strong, but had a few minor issues (mainly a couple of scenes I didn't think needed to be in there) that I didn't think were very noticeable. Even though it was more than 2 hours long it really didn't feel that long and there was an ample amount of welcome comic relief sprinkled throughout the film. Oh, and the visuals were tasteful and well done. You have to expect a lot of CG in a movie like this, and that's probably the only real downside to the movie. If you're one of those purists who hates seeing CG, then you'll definitely take issue with this.
I highly recommend running to your nearest theater to see this one. I'm actually probably going to pre-order it on Blu-ray, in fact, so that I can watch it again. It's one of those movies where I can't recall all the scenes because there were so many great scenes and they were quite dense. I'd say it's a solid A movie and appropriate for the whole family. There was almost no nudity and no bad language, although the plot may be too complex for some kids.
Reviewed by Elton V. Pinto