Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
Ghostbusters is a fantastic sci-fi/supernatural comedy which has stood the test of time quite well and is just as entertaining when I first saw it back in the 1980s. As far as this “Mastered in 4K” re-release, I will say the video is most certainly a big improvement over the original Blu-ray release.
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Spider-Man is an OK superhero movie, satisfying enough debut for the web-slinger but that’s not to say it didn’t have more than one flaw. As far as this new re-release goes, the “Mastered in 4K” transfer is wonderful providing rich video and audio transfers but unfortunately, as with the others, none of the features have been ported over.
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Total Recall “mastered in 4K” Blu-ray, as with the others, provides both excellent and top notch video and audio transfers so if you like the movie and have the proper equipment, maybe it’s worth the premium price, but that’s a big maybe as the current price is around $25.
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This “Mastered in 4K” Blu-ray release does offer excellent audio and video transfers but it’s not that much better versus the original Blu-ray release. Add to that this version fails to port over any features so you’re really losing out and if you do already own it, the nearly $30 is REALLY not worth it…
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This 4K mastered release of Angels & Demons is certainly an upgrade over its Blu-ray counterpart, HOWEVER, it’s not a huge one nor something worth the $15 price point for a release that didn’t bother porting over the features (even if they were placed on a second disc). Still, if you have the proper equipment you’ll see a good difference.
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This WWII film noir features splendid performances from Gary Cooper and Lilli Palmer and good cinematography by Sol Polito and direction by legendary filmmaker Fritz Lang.
Although Olive Films’ releases tend to be pricey especially since they tend not to contain any features, they do often put out, relatively speaking, obscure titles. So for those Humphrey Bogart fans out there, or fans of film noir in general, this is a good pick-up even in the $20-25 range.
Charlie Zone has its problems from a low budget which lends to cheaper production values and a so-so supporting cast and a predictable script, but the two leads are both excellent and the story itself is presentable and worth sticking with for the 100-minute duration. Despite the film’s problems, it’s still worthy of a rental.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter had an interesting and different premise but from the beginning it never quite found its footing. For one thing, I didn’t buy Renner and Arterton in their roles although the script didn’t help matters so their performances are somewhat forgivable. All told, sadly this is a downright forgettable movie with nothing to offer except for Famke Janssen’s hammy, yet fun, performance.
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While the “Tin Man” miniseries isn’t bad, this budget release however isn’t very good. Although it is nice all of the features were ported over, placing a 4+ hour show on one disc really dilutes the video and audio presentation to average levels compared with the original RHI release which was far better and still available for purchase on Amazon.com for (at the time of this writing) only a couple bucks more.
The 8-part documentary is fascinating and should be viewed by anyone interested in the historical elements of John F. Kennedy from childhood, his run in politics to become President and ultimately, his assassination. It’s a well produced series. This Blu-ray/DVD set also includes some great archival footage so it’s well worth checking out.
Vegas Vacation is the weakest in the series but still somewhat fun thanks in large part to the energy and chemistry between Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. Given it is rated PG, it is a safe movie yet there are some scenes that will get a chuckle so it’s not a complete loss.
Bedazzled is one, wait for it, Devil of a good time… Actually, it’s a showcase for both Brendan Fraser’s physical comedy with “SNL”-bits strewn together with a fun, if not thin, premise.
Simply Irresistible is an average romantic comedy headlined by then starlet Sarah Michelle Gellar who was at the height of her fame from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and to some extent, I Know What You Did Last Summer; but even though Gellar is charming, the rest of the movie falls flat.
My Super Ex-Girlfriend never quite fulfills the potential of the storyline but the movie still is fun propelled by entertaining performances by Uma Thurman, Anna Faris and, to a certain extent, Luke Wilson.