Tangled is a great and perhaps slightly underrated film that shows that Disney is more than just Pixar and that their in-house studio can still produce quality work with interesting stories and humor that relates to both kids and adults alike. The Blu-ray meanwhile has excellent video and audio transfers while the features left much to be desired.
Aside from my issue with plot, Blow Out is a film that should be seen along with Coppola’s similarly themed The Conversation starring Gene Hackman which came out in 1974. This release continues The Criterion Collection’s success of outputting excellent video and audio transfers to some great classics that otherwise might not have made the high-def format.
Scream 3 isn’t a terrible film and in some ways has gotten a tad better over time but the killer reveal at the end will always keep it from being on the same playing field as the first two. I will say that the film never feels stale and only gets me excited for Scream 4 and maybe some of the elements the filmmakers will hopefully rectify.
As far as sequels go – and with horror sequels specifically –, Scream 2 is a success. Yes, it utilizes much of the same formula as the original transplanting high school for college and adding some depth to those who went through those events, but the suspense aspects more so than horror or cranked up a notch. The Blu-ray itself has a good, albeit uneven, video transfer and a well rounded audio track that makes this a worthwhile upgrade.
I can’t say it enough that the original Scream is right up there with Halloween and Friday the 13th with an amazing cast ensemble and a production that overcame the odds and made an iconic movie. Although the Blu-ray doesn’t quite measure up to expectations in both the video transfer and features department (would’ve been nice to include some of the material from the bonus disc), it’s still a slight upgrade over the original DVD.
Yogi Bear is a soulless picture with a terrible script and acting from people who knew they weren’t making high class family entertainment. The visual effects were at least half decent but everything else was either dumb or unfunny, a deadly combination for any comedy.
S.W.A.T.: Firefight isn’t a great movie by any stretch and in fact has a simple story, but for what it is and for my own expectations going in, I thought it was entertaining enough. Of course, this doesn’t mean it’s worth shelling out $25+ for this release but it may be worth the cost of a 1-night rental. The Blu-ray has fairly average picture and video (compared with other new releases) and a forgettable feature.
Faster is your standard revenge flick offering little new to the formula yet still succeeds thanks in part to a surprisingly good performance by Dwayne Johnson who is in his element while Billy Bob Thornton gives is usual off-kilter performance we all know and love.
Unstoppable may not bring anything new to the action-thriller genre and indeed Tony Scott’s direction does tend to be over-the-top but it’s still very entertaining thanks in large part to the cast headlined by Denzel Washing, proving once again the charm he brings to any production, and Chris Pine whose own star is on the rise.
All the President’s Men is one of those rare movies that stand the test of time in both quality and subject matter. Not only is the story fascinating but the components of the film itself top notch from the performances from the stars and supporting actors to the screenplay and direction, it’s just a film that should be seen for its nuances and drama.
Check out the Blu-ray review for the Disney classic, Alice in Wonderland. Is the Blu-ray version worth the upgrade over its DVD counterpart? Take the plunge down the rabbit hole to find out.. or you can just click the link below. Whichever will get you there, I’m sure.
This version of I Spit on Your Grave I felt was a little better than the original if only because the cast was far and away a step up though mainly because of a cultural and era difference. As far as exploitation movies go, for which I have said am not a big fan of, this is an OK movie that will certainly meet the approval of fans of the original.
I Spit on Your Grave is a movie you should decide for yourself whether you want to see it and if you do, whether or not it is a volatile piece of film or one of the best exploitation movies ever made, I can only say that it wasn’t to my taste (very few in the genre do) but I can say that the Blu-ray does has a good video transfer, adequate audio given its source and OK features.
Let Me In is a great film with solid performances all around and a story that, for someone not so enamored with the vampire subgenre, really worked. Matt Reeves as a director was also impressive establishing truly scary and creepy shots without going overboard. It’s kind of a shame the film didn’t do better here but now on DVD and Blu-ray it’s well worth at least checking out.
There’s no reason why I should love You’ve Got Mail as much as I do because there’s so much going against it. But I think it has to do with the old fashioned Hollywood chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan it could also be that so many other romantic comedies pair up some of the most obnoxious actors working today or actors with no chemistry.