Tag: Blu-ray (Page 3 of 4)

Blu Tuesday: Greedy Studio, Hidden Agenda

July 14, 2009 /

In lieu of my weekly Blu-ray column, I wanted to take the opportunity to take a closer look at one of this week’s higher profile releases. Fans of Ang Lee’s martial arts epic, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” have been waiting for an HD version of the film for quite some time now, but no one could have imagined it would happen like this. Instead of being given the update it deserves – complete with new bonus material and a silly subtitle like The Green Dynasty Edition – the film limps onto Blu-ray as part of a three-pack with two other movies it has nothing in common with other than falling under the wuxia subgenre. That’s not a slight against the included Zhang Yimou films (both “House of Flying Daggers” and “The Curse of the Golden Flower” are quite good in their own right), but rather the studio for thinking they could get away with such a heartless scam.

While most fans of “Crouching Tiger” will likely enjoy the other two movies (no doubt Sony’s big selling point), what the studio has failed to consider is that those same people probably bought them on Blu-ray the first time around. An unfortunate oversight or a crafty scheme to force consumers to pay for an added value they don’t want? I’m going to lean towards the latter, especially when the “Crouching Tiger” disc has been treated so poorly. True, the movie looks absolutely stunning in high definition, but there isn’t a single new thing about the release other than the upgraded video and audio. The same three special features have been imported from the DVD, while the addition of access to BD-Live means very little in terms of ever seeing new extras. If you don’t own any of the films, you could certainly spend your money on worse things, but just know that by doing so, you’re only encouraging Sony to do more of the same in the future.

Action Movies, External Movie DVDs, Movie Dramas, Movie DVDs, Movies

Blu Tuesday: Friday the 13th, Dr. Strangelove and Morning Light

June 16, 2009 /

Those who saved up a little extra pocket change from the lack of Blu-rays released over the last few weeks will probably want to grab a hammer and break open the piggy bank, because there are a slew of must-own titles hitting stores today. Even better is the variety, from new horror films and old classics to cult television shows and HBO mini-series, this week features one of the best HD line-ups that you’re likely to see all year.

“Friday the 13th” (Warner Bros.)

The new adventures of Jason Voorhees may just be the latest in a long line of mindless sequels (in fact, one might even argue it’s little more than a compilation of greatest hits from the first three films), but it does serve as an excellent reboot of sorts that horror fans should appreciate. While Jason’s ninja-like stealth is a bit ridiculous, it’s but a minor obstacle in an otherwise entertaining slasher flick. The kills are just as inventive as they were 30 years ago (there’s even a Blu-ray exclusive featurette that takes an in-depth look at the seven most memorable ones), and at the end of the day, that’s all anyone really cares about. Whether or not it truly revitalizes the franchise is a whole another matter, but at least Warner Bros. is willing to stand behind their product. The Blu-ray release is one of the studio’s best yet, and includes an extended (but still R-rated) cut of the film, as well as a making-of featurette, deleted scenes and a picture-in-picture video track.

“Dr. Strangelove” (Sony Pictures)

Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 Cold War satire isn’t exactly the kind of film that benefits from high definition, but it still looks remarkably good for its age. Though I’ve never really been a fan of black-and-white cinema, “Dr. Strangelove” is one of the few exceptions. It’s probably because the movie would seem absolutely ludicrous in color. Not only are many of the characters (like George C. Scott’s General Turgidson and Peter Seller’s Strangelove) already so outlandish that they’re practically cartoons, but the monochrome effect lends a certain seriousness to the film that only makes the events that follow even funnier. The “Inside Dr. Strangelove” retrospective included on the disc – which covers everything from Kubrick’s original idea of making a serious political thriller to an 11th hour legal coup designed to delay the release of the similarly-themed “Fail-Safe” – should be of particular interest to fans of the film, while the addition of never-before-seen pages from the screenplay sheds new light on the infamously deleted cream pie fight ending.

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External Movie DVDs, External TV, Horror Movies, Lost, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movie DVDs, Movies, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas, TV DVDs

Blu Tuesday: Gran Torino, The International and Fired Up

June 9, 2009 /

It may be another slow week in the world of Blu-ray, but while you won’t find too many titles worth owning on the New Release shelf, there are a few movies that are at least worth a rental. Today’s catalog selection is also pretty lackluster (“Predator 2,” really?), so just consider this week another welcome opportunity to save up for the months to come.

“Gran Torino” (Warner Bros.)

Of course, one movie definitely worth purchasing is Clint Eastwood’s no-frills drama about a Korean War veteran whose neighborhood has become overrun by a community of Asian refugees called Hmong. Easily one of the best films of 2008, “Gran Torino” also managed to become a surprise hit at the box office. I’m not sure how (it’s a great movie, but it doesn’t exactly scream “mainstream”), but it’s just nice to see audiences embrace such a low-key drama. The movie also features Eastwood in one of his best performances to date – somehow making an unapologetic racist seem remarkably charming – but is biggest contribution is in casting of Bee Vang and Ahney Her, two relative unknowns who do an incredible job standing toe-to-toe with the acting veteran. The Blu-ray is pretty low-key itself, but fans will enjoy “The Eastwood Way,” an exclusive featurette about the making of the movie.

“The International” (Sony Pictures)

Though I still have yet to actually see the lukewarmly received crime thriller, it’s hard not to recommend “The International” based solely on the involvement of Clive Owen and Tom Tykwer, director of the cult film “Run Lola Run” and the hugely underrated “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.” Though it’s been called anti-climactic by many, it’s hard to deny the appeal of both men, not to mention the inclusion of Naomi Watts as Owen’s partner in crime. Still, movies don’t just get delayed or divide critics for any old reason, so you might want to approach “The International” with caution. If nothing else, at least you’ll get a decent collection of extras to browse through including a director/writer commentary, a making-of featurette and a look at recreating the Guggenheim for the film’s climactic shootout.

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External Movie DVDs, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movie DVDs, Movies

Blu Tuesday: A Bug’s Life, Batman and Terminator 2

May 19, 2009 /

The wealth of Blu-ray titles being released this week is actually pretty incredible (in fact, most of the month has yielded a nice selection for HD enthusiasts), but you’d be wise to get in on the fun now, because the future is looking pretty dim – at least in the short term. Nevertheless, there are plenty A-list titles to last you through the upcoming drought, and most of them are good enough to warrant headlining their own column.

“A Bug’s Life” (Walt Disney)

It may not be one of Pixar’s most popular films (in fact, it’s curiously missing from just about every marketing campaign of the last decade), but “A Bug’s Life” is still a solid entry in the studio’s 14-year history. A clever reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai,” the film features all of the usual Pixar trappings (humor, heart and charm), not to mention an awesome voice cast including the scene-stealing Kevin Spacey and Richard Kind as the villainous grasshopper and his dim-witted brother, respectively. Oh, and that cute little girl providing the voice of Dot? It’s none other than “Heroes” hottie Hayden Panettiere in one of her very first film roles. What’s ultimately so great about the new 10th anniversary Blu-ray release, however, is that it not only includes the previously released bonus material, but two brand new special features as well. The first is a 21-minute roundtable discussion with co-directors John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton and producers Darla K. Anderson and Kevin Reher where they reflect on the making of “A Bug’s Life” with stories about pitching the idea to Disney and screening the film for President Clinton at Camp David, while “A Bug’s Life: The First Draft” offers a never-before-seen look at the film’s original concept starring a completely different main character. It’s exactly the kind of fan service moviegoers don’t see enough of these days, but when it comes to a company like Pixar, you shouldn’t expect any less.

“Batman” (Warner Bros.)

It’s hard to imagine anyone that wanted a copy of “Batman” on Blu-ray didn’t pick up the anthology box set collecting the first four films when it was released a few months ago, but those holding out strictly for the Tim Burton original will be pleased with Warner’s new digibook release. Though the 1989 film doesn’t quite hold up when compared to Christopher Nolan’s reboot of the franchise, it’s still a solid entry in the history of comic book films that, if nothing else, offers a great performance from Jack Nicholson as a more classic version of the Joker. The set is also jam-packed with all of the special features from the 2005 DVD reissues including a director commentary, an in-depth look at the history of Batman, and hours of production featurettes about the making of the film. The digibook release also features slick packaging with a 48-page booklet filled with essays and a script excerpt, as well as a digital copy for those on the go.

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24, Action Movies, External Movie DVDs, External TV, Horror Movies, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movie DVDs, Movies, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas, TV DVDs

Blu Tuesday: The Wrestler, Frost/Nixon and Sin City

April 21, 2009 /

The Blu-ray community is positively obsessed with the technical specs of every high-def release, but that doesn’t mean you should only invest in movies that make the most of that technology. While there are some titles this week that look and sound great because of it, there are a few others that still belong in your collection – even if they don’t exactly benefit from the enhanced audio and video that Blu-ray delivers.

“The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

With each passing year, the Academy Awards become easier and easier to predict. There are so many awards given out by different organizations before the big night that by the time it finally arrives, the race has already been won. This year was a little different – Sean Penn stole the Best Actor prize when the Academy decided to make a political statement following the passing of Proposition 8, even if that meant denying comeback kid and frontrunner Mickey Rourke from completing the collection – but that shouldn’t take anything away from Rourke’s touching performance as an aging professional wrestler. Though the movie is pretty simple in terms of story and filmmaking (especially considering Darren Aronofsky is the one behind the camera), “The Wrestler” is a must-have for anyone searching for a good American drama. The included bonus features aren’t particularly enticing (the lack of a commentary is the biggest offense), but for a movie as gritty as this, it sure looks good in HD.

“Frost/Nixon” (Universal)

Another film that’s dependent almost entirely on the strength of its performances, “Frost/Nixon” was one of the 2008’s best movies, but you wouldn’t know it from the little attention it did receive during awards season. Ron Howard is the kind of director who isn’t as talented as the material he’s working with, but he sure knows how to pick a good story. Based on the Tony Award-winning play of the same name (which was in turn based on David Frost’s famous series of interviews with then former president Richard Nixon), “Frost/Nixon” blazes through its tension-filled 122-minute runtime so fast that you almost forget to breathe. Constructed like a boxing match where the opponents take jabs at each other with words instead of punches, Peter Morgan’s script is filled with the kind of dialogue-heavy scenes that you’d expect to find in a stage play, but wouldn’t expect to work as well on film. Remarkably, it does, but without Frank Langella and Martin Sheen in the lead roles, “Frost/Nixon” wouldn’t be quite as captivating. Add to that some pretty cool extras, and you’re looking at one of the unlikeliest films to prosper on Blu-ray.

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Action Movies, External Movie DVDs, Movie Dramas, Movie DVDs, Movies

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