Next, when the opening sequence started and stunned me into “oh my god I think I’m in love with this movie” mode, I flashed back to vague memories of seeing the box and thinking, “UGH another brain dead flick about cars and men and violence.”

I love being wrong. DO NOT tell that husband person.

This movie brings me to a place in my mind where entertainment really does take me away. I like that. The intentional pace, lots of quiet moments, characters I’m interested in, awesome performances, groovy 80′s style music, all swirled together and made me a happy comfy wife watching a good movie with the husband person. It does have a few cars, and there are men characters, and the violence rears its ugly head as a powerful ! throughout the story. The combination can cause me to be bored out of my mind, but not in Drive. I was interested in the lead character, a man. I had a somewhat annoyed reaction to his friend, a man character (happens to be Walt from Breaking Bad). The villains are all real assholes and played with enough quality moments to even make them part of the overall pleasureable experience.

I like brooding loner types when they are played with that delicate balance of brooding/loner and lovesick/loner at risk. It’s not new and my snotty tendencies could be prickled awake to be critical, but I won’t do it. Drive is good enough, moment by moment, line by line, intense breathing sequence to intense breathing sequence to get over the prickly skepticism.

This isn’t a movie for everyone. No kids, no easily rattled, no one who needs action and movement crammed in their face constantly. If you enjoy the less obvious types of movies, those with a hint of artsy directorial touches and that force you to do some of the thinking for yourself, Drive is right up your alley. (get it, drive, alley…yea)


Features: 7/10

• 4 Featurettes – Some pretty decent featurettes here, weirdly though Ryan Gosling is nowhere to be seen in the interview portions.
• Drive Without A Driver: Interview With Nicolas Winding Refn Documentary – I was initially disappointed that Director Nicolas Winding Refn was nowhere to be seen and there is no director commentary on this disc. Fortunately though you have this awesome interview that runs about 30 minutes. Refn is quite candid about the whole Hollywood process and talks about his earlier movies and funding Drive.

Cover Art and Menus: 2/10
Hate it, hate everything about the packaging. I would not have the cover as a poster. The only thing that is OK is the image on the disc, and even that is kind of just so-so.





Audio & Video: 9/10 (By Ascully)
Drive is an amazing movie, one of those rare movies that makes me think differently about film. Sony have a stellar Blu-Ray transfer here as well, with crisp blacks and superb detail in every scene Refn and Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel make great use of the Golden Hour to give the movie a real 80′s look. You will be hard pressed to find a better looking movie, as every shot is intentionally glamorous looking. Even the ugly violence in the movie looks great, and this movie has some really dark ugly violence.

Audio is presented using the DTS-HD Master Audio codec and is a showcase for sound design. The opening scene is an interesting mix of a ball game, a police scanner and the roar of a car engine, it’s so masterfully mixed together the sound literally puts you on the edge of your seat. The soundtrack deserves a special mention, I for one picked it up the second the movie was over.

it’s not often a movie like this comes along and Drive makes me glad to be a movie fanatic. You would be mad to miss this one.


Value: 5/10
It’s a great movie with enough extras to add to the experience but not over do it. I think it’s worth a rental, but not really the whole 20 bucks you will find it for online at the moment. It might turn out to be one of those movies you want to watch over and over and over, so that will make it a good purchase, but still, wait a while for some discounted pricing if you can.

Overall Score 8/10

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Directed by Michael Jai White, who was the main actor in the hysterical Black Dynamite, Never Back Down 2 is a shell of the original.  Even White’s performance as a washed up MMA trainer Case is uninspired in parts.  The movie focuses again on a few mixed martial arts students who are preparing for a new tournament, called the beatdown, and put together by Max  Cooperman (Evan Peters) from the original movie.

Case has a particularly checkered past, and he is trying to do everything he can to stay out of trouble.  In this type of movie, that will not happen.  The fighters are all dealing with their own issues, and are trying to jockey and prepare for the final competition, which is a big one.

While the sequel mirrors the original in many ways, the fact that it just feels like a copy really hurts its overall appeal.  We have seen this before, and with better actors.  The result is a movie with too much acting when its actors are mainly just fighters.  Less acting and more action might have been the right combination here.


Features: 4/10

• Commentary With Michael Jai White, Todd Duffee & Scottie Epstein - The commentary here is sparse and has a whole lot of dead silence.  There is little in terms of details about the movie, and while it is somehwat entertaining, it is a sub-par commentary.
• Deleted Scenes - There are only two scenes included on the disc, and they are not memorable.

Cover Art and Menus: 3/10
To me the cover for this movie looks just like a cover for a mixed martial arts competition.  It makes sense, but there is not a lot going on here.  The movie is about fighting, and so is the cover.  The cover is kind of reminscient of old Jean Claude Van Damme movies.  The menu is a static shot of the same guys in a different, albeit still angles, pose.  There is not even any background music playing during the menu.





Audio & Video: 5/10
I reviewed the standard DVD of Never Back Down 2, and while the widescreen presentation was adequate, it really lacks the feel of a top rated action movie.  Colors and details are decent, but the overall effect is pretty standard and lackluster.  It seems that they did not light the movie correctly in spots, which gives this a low budget feel.  The audio is the same way, with a lot of Surround sound usage that seems to be over the top for no real reason.  The dialogue in spots seemed to be mixed too low also.  And I feel that I have to mention the music, which is pretty bad overall.  It is knd of what you would expect for a low budget martial arts movie, but I had to mention it.  It is bad.


Value: 3/10
This straight to DVD release is fun as long as you are into MMA fighting.  The story is nothing new, and the overall result is a ho-hum martial arts movie with sub par character development and lackluster acting.

Overall Score 3/10

As a result, she quickly is forced to deal with the emotions that come with having to stop surfing, as well as learning to deal with the everyday challenges that obviously follow.  Her family is supportive to a fault, but as Bethany realizes that her true love is surfing, a new journey begins as she attempts to revive her love for the sport, and her competitive spirit.

Soul Surfer has its share of top notch stars, including Helen Hunt as Bethany’s mother, and Dennis Quaid as her father.  The story does tend to focus on Bethany’s faith, which obivously is responsible for a large part of her recovery and reemergence as a professional tour de force on the women’s surfing circuit, but it can be a bit preachy at times.  The movie looks great, but the CGI can also get a bit dicey in parts.

As for the look of the movie, it is simply gorgeous.  Filmed in Hawaii, the scenery is amazing, and the blue ocean just looks daunting.  How anyone can surf those waves, especially missing an arm, is amazing (granted, I am from the middle of America.)  The movie just looks gorgeous, and the surfing looks fun.

Soul Surfer surely is an uplifting story, and a decent movie.  It is kind of easy to give this one a pass due to the fact that it is based on a true story, and a true story that is so amazing, but overall I just ”liked” the movie.  I just didn’t ”like like” it, if you know what I mean.  I almost felt like a good documentary would be just as powerful and entertaining.


Features: 4/10

• Deleted Scenes - There are about 8 scenes that are included here, but none are noteworthy.
• 3 Behind The Scenes Featurettes - The behind the scenes extras focus on Annasophia Robb, as she explains her love for the story and movie, and her real life friendship with the real Bethany Hamilton, as well as a 12 minute standard behind the scenes making of feature, and a short feature on the Hamilton family and their love of the ocean and surfing.
• Heart Of A Soul Surfer Documentary - This massive, 30 minute documentary focuses on Bethany and her situation.  It is a great watch for fans of the true story here, and really well done.
• Bethany Hamilton On Professional Surfing Featurette - This is a highlight reel of Bethany as she competes.  Clocking in at about 5 minutes in length, this is a truly amazing video of Bethany competing at the highest level of professional surfing.
• DVD Version Of  The Movie - No digital version of the film is included, but the standard DVD is.

Cover Art and Menus: 8/10
The cover and menu for Soul Surfer are really pretty good actually.  Shockingly the main color used here is blue (ok, not shockingly) but it seems to work well.  The photo of Annasophia Robb, holding a surfboard with a giant bite out of it, infront of the Hawaiian waves is great.  The menu features shots of the movie, and while even the loop seems to show a few issues with the CGI, it is at least stylish and gorgeous.




Audio & Video: 7/10
I will start with the audio here, which was good, but nothing to write home about.  There were a few moments when I felt that the dialogue seemed out of sync, but the sound was generally decent.  The music was fun (and geared towards the young and young at heart.)

The video was really sharp and the colors of Hawaii are vibrant and dynamic.  The AVC encoded 2.35:1 aspect ratio was inpressive, and the only issue that I really had is that the picture is so sharp that it can make the  CGI errors seem much more blatant.  at times the missing arm and the shots of Bethany surfing can get a bit dicey.


Value: 6.5/10
Soul Surfer is a good movie, and a very impressive story.  Bethany Hamilton is surely a surf legend at this point, and her story presented here is inspiring.  The Blu-ray disc looks and sounds okay, and while the story is impressive, the film does tend to waiver a bit on just what it wants to be.  The shark attack scene is pretty scary and traumatic for very young kids, but overall this is a decent family movie, and with the religious overtones, this movie does send a nice message.  The religion aspect for me seemed a bit heavy handed at times, but I still enjoyed the story overall.  While this is not going to be a disc that gets watched in my house over and over, it is a good movie to at least rent.

Overall Score 7/10

The first part of Insidious does a fine job of making me feel uncomfortable. The sounds of the old creaky house, the innocence of the children who are obviously in harms way with all the spooky stuff happening, and enough ‘out of the corner of your eye’ sightings of odd things, all got me hooked. I was not at ease for most of the night scenes and even gasped a few times, that’s saying something. Because the ease up to some of the first action is effective, I’m in the story along with this little family. Even as we meet the ghost hunter types and some explanations of what’s happening come to light, I’m hanging on for the sake of my desire to have a fully satisfying horror flick from the 21st century. Unfortunately they introduce some comedy amidst the real horrific images and freights. The comedy interferes with the vibe that’s been set. I was pulled out of the dark attic I was willing to be afraid of and had too many chuckles at the expense of the believable but hokey experts.

I like answers to why crazy shit happens in movies. I like explanations and origins, the problem with Insidious is that the explanation gave me that “oh, that’s IT?” reaction. Then the rest of the movie, the local haunted house costumes, the over the top change from reality to a demon’s lair, going into ‘the further’, it all was a downhill slope from my tingly little fears that I had piled up. I did like the movie. It’s a fun and has enough creepy images to last me a while, however, they aren’t enough to hold it all together.

Some things hit me later and it made the story better, believe it or not. I let some of it soak in and had some “ah ha” moments, but it’s not enough to make me want to watch it again. I would recommend it to any horror fan, it definitely has enough to tickle the fearometer. I don’t believe it holds together well enough to make it memorable though. Then again, the guy pacing past the window in the dark and then right into the bedroom to terrorize the young woman, that’s an image and feeling I won’t forget anytime soon!


Features: 4/10

• Horror 101 The Exclusive Seminar – How do you make a horror movie that will get the audience hooked? Throw everything you know about ‘haunted house’, ‘possession’, and other types of horror flicks at the wall and see what sticks. This is the way the writer and director put together the story to manufacture the right balance of scares and creep factors.
• On Set With Insidious – Behind the scenes with the director.
• Insidious Entities – How do you make a modern horror movie without using CGI to fill the screen? Creating ghosts and demons with make-up, lighting, and trickery.

Cover Art and Menus: 5/10
The red boy’s face and the image of a house in the background isn’t much to get my horror seeking bones excited. I wouldn’t have this as a poster. There are so many other good image opportunities through the story I’m disappointed at the missed chance at a great new horror movie iconic cover/poster. The menu is OK, just the same image from the cover with a little action going on, but not much to talk about.





Audio & Video: 8/10
The moment the credit sequence started rolling I knew this was a special looking transfer on Blu-Ray. James Wan brings us the inkyist blacks with a washed out pallet that actually adds to the creepy mood. This is a grade A transfer from Sony. Insidious was filmed digitally and looks modern but at the same time has a 70′s vibe.

Sound really plays a huge part in most horror movies and Insidious is no exception. A scene where our hero/coward is turning off the house alarm actually pierces your ears it sounds so real and sharp. The haunting score which sounds like a demon making love to a shed full of pots and pans totally creeps you out and when played LOUD will make you jump out of your seat.

I like Insidious more now than I did when we viewed it on Sunday.  It’s one of those movies that will grow on you the more you think about it. It’s actually a well constructed horror film that has almost the right amount of scares to satisfy that haunted house fan in all of us.


Value: 4/10
The extras are slim and the movie only holds just enough of my good graces to warrant a recommended Rental status. So, rent it for a couple of bucks and add a few other scary movies to the evening to make it an event. Lock the doors to your house and to your dreams….mwaaahhahahahaha

Overall Score 6/10

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Cross is a straight to DVD release for a reason, and that reason is that the movie is not good.  Brian Austin Green plays Callan, who totes a mjagical green glowing cross that gives him special powers.  He is immune to bullets and can move objects, and Callan uses his cross, given to him by his father, for good.  When Los Angeles has a rash of missing females, Callan and his grouup of “weapons experts” take to the streets to use his magic powers to battle the crime boss Elrik (Michael Clarke Duncan) as he teams up with the Gunnar, an immortal Viking (Vinnie Jones).  The unbelievable story is only matched by the unbelievable dialogue and very weak story and character development.  The three main characters and Lori Heuring try their best to make this work, but given the source material, there really is just nor much here to grab onto.

I really wanted Cross to be a lower budget comic book movie that was full of guns and explosions, which it is, but the rest of the movie is just not good enough to make one want to sit through the whole thing.  The movie is stylistic, with some neat graphic text overlays that were used well to give this more of a comic book feel, but when the bad CGI was mixed in, it kind of killed the whole style.  There are lots of B level actors making cameos in the movie also, which is fun, but overall Cross as a movie is regretably forgettable.


Features: 2/10

• Commentary With Director Patrick Durham – This commentary consists of cast alllouts and location mentions, and is severely limited in terms of information and scope.
• Alternate Ending – This alternate ending is literally maybe a 25 second scene where a supposed comedic ending is used.  Basically Jake Busey’s character shows up after everything has gone down, which is supposed to be funny.  The movie’s real ending is more of a comic book, tough guy type of ending, which is at least better than this alternate.
• Deleted Scenes – There are several deleted scenes, including a different title sequence and a few forgettable scenes that were not good enough for the movie.
• Animatic – There is a animated storyboard for the opening sequence included also.

Cover Art and Menus: 4/10
The cover for Cross features a few of the main characters in verious “bad ass” types of poses, with the green cross prominently displayed on the chest of Callan (Brian Austin Green).  The mennu is the same cover shot, with absolutely no audio or music whatsoever.  I guess the cover photo is not completely horrible, but its not great either.





Audio & Video: 5/10
The video for Cross is a 1.85:1 widescreen presentation , which is very bland and suffers from the strange shot choices.  There are a few issues with uneven black levels thoughout the movie. and the cinematography is questionable at best.  The special effects here deserve a special callout, as they literally take you out of the scenes, as they really are not well done at all.

The sound was pretty decent though, with the 5.1 Surround Sound being heavily used here with decent effect.  The dialogue was at times a bit low, but overall the audio was okay.


Value: 1/10
I hate to pan a movie that seems to have such good intentions, but Cross is really just not very good.  The DVD has little to no real staying value, as this is not something you are going to want to watch again, if you make it through the first watch.  It is a shame, as Vinnie Jones is such a fun villian, and who doesn’t really love a comic book type of movie?  Cross is just not good, period.

Overall Score 2/10

Danny (Adam Sandler) is a succesful plastic surgeon who has been dumped at the alter, and has since become a pretty uncaring womanizer, until he meets Palmer (Brooklyn Decker).  Palmer is a gorgeous single lady who finds Danny’s old wedding ring in his jeans, which he normally uses to pick up women.  She freaks out and then Danny is left trying to explain away the ring so as not to lose this beautiful girl, who he feels might be “the one.”  Danny ends up enlisting his office assistant Katherine (Jennifer Aniston) and her two kids, by calling them his family, who he is divorced from, thus explaining the ring.

When a trip to Maui with Palmer and the entire fake family occurs, the facade ends up being just too much for Danny as he struggle to keep Palmer interested, as he discovers that perhaps his real focus should be elsewhere.

Just Go With It features a big cast of famous names in some pretty strange roles, with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Dave Matthews, Kevin Nealon, and Nick Swardson being some of the highlights.  The ensemble keeps the movie from draggin on , and offers some nice laughs and a change of pace, which is well needed here, as this would have been a tough movie to sit through if it was just Sandler and Aniston, who both are really pretty good.  Overall this is a decently funny Adam Sandler release, which is a nice no brainer type of movie.


Features: 8/10 – There are a lot of decent extras here, some that are actually pretty darn funny.

• Laughter Is Contagious – This is a short blooper reel, basically with Jennifer Aniston cracking up.   It also features a lot of the cast blowing lines, and just shows how hard it would be to act with Adam Sandler or Nick Swardson and keep a straight face.
• Blooper Reel – There is a short blooper reel that is actually kind of neat.
• Filmmaker & Cast Commentaries – Two full length commentaries are included on the disk.  The first is basically Adam Sandler and Nick Swardson, with a variety of Sandler’s friends who also appear in the movie.  The second is a commentary from Director Dennis Dugan.  Both are just average, and a bit much for ths type of movie.  Total Sandler fans might get a kick out of his commentary, but overall it really is just an average commentary.
• Deleted Scenes – There are several deleted scenes included on the disk, most of which are not that great.
• 9 Featurettes Including Decker’s First Role – There are a number of short features here including a 5 minute extra featuring the very funny Nick Swardson, as well as practical fart jokes with Brooklyn decker, and other practical jokes.  There are a few extras focusing on some of the actors like Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews.  The featurettes are short but fun.  There is also a short featuring Kevin Nealon in full bad plastic surgery” makeup walking around Los Angeles with a hidden camera.
• Kevin Nealon: The Plastic Man – This extra shows the extent of Kevin Nealon’s grotestque looking makeup as he pulls off a disturbing look for the movie.

Cover Art and Menus: 6/10
The cover for Just Go With It is pretty basic stuff and features Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston with a bikini clad Brooklyn Decker on a beach in Hawaii.  What is not to like, I guess.  It just seems a bit bland.  The menu is even more bland with shots of the movie playing over a sand looking background, with Hawaiian music.





Audio & Video: 8/10
It thought the movie looked and sounded great.  The colors and detail were spot on in this 1080p AVC encoded 1.85:1 widescreen presentation.  The audio was good also, with solid dialogue and a decent use of the surround sound, considering that this is a romantic comedy.  It is not overly bright, but decent for this type of movie.


Value: 7/10
Adam Sandler fans are rabid about his releases (even that nicky one) and this will be no exception.  The romantic comedy is like many of Sandler’s movies in this genre, with a decent bit of omedy mixed in with the romance, which is never over the top.  These are a bit more guy friendly, in terms of the romance.  As a case in point, this movie has Brooklyn Decker in a bikini, which seems to me to be a real selling point as they have her on the cover of the movie.  The story and movie are pretty decent, and the humor is sprinkled throughout.  It is not the best Adam Sandler movie, but the humor is pretty fun.  It is worth a watch at least, as it is a nice mix of talented actors with a fun, cute little story.  It is a nice little watch in the same vein as the rest of the Sandler presentations, so everyone knows what they are getting into.

Overall Score 8/10

Battle Los Angeles is a take on the idea from a different perspective, which I appreciate. A group of Marines in LA are called to action when an unknown enemy that’s otherworldly starts to attack the biggest ocean side cities on the planet. We don’t know why, we don’t know how, and that’s how it should be. Go along for the ride and the guts and the glory of it and you will have a good time. I did.

The cast varies from obviously expendable (as performers and as characters) to some really good moments. The main man, Eckhart plays a dude who’s on his way out of the Marines but is put back in to face this new enemy. He’s not in charge but clearly has has a troubled past as a leader, and he plays it all just right. He’s absolutely the best thing of the movie. Well, then there’s the dude from True Blood (He plays my favorite character on that show, Hoyt, falls in love with a teenage vampire virgin….oh, you haven’t seen it, unfortunate.) Jim Parrack is a young soldier with an obviously war torn past but we don’t have to see flashbacks or hear a long convoluted story. He does the emotions with little more than a flicker of his eyes and he brings a level of quality to every scene he’s in as we watch the battle of LA unfold.

The woman is uneventful for me. Bridget Moynahan is fine as far as her performance goes, but it’s a really tagged on character who is so conveniently plopped into the mix it’s almost comical. However, she’s also got enough umph of well thought out reactions and does her dialogue the service of not making it sound corny, so she gets a good score from me.

The special effects and sound are really the star of this show. I know it shouldn’t be true, but it is. Come on, it’s aliens from another planet coming to invade us with an unpleasant attitude. I want the action to match the sentiment. the aliens look awesome and the machines they bring are done so well I could have sworn they were props, but nope, all CGI. It’s a great time to be a movie lover. We can go on Netflix and watch movies from the beginning of cinema, over 100 years ago, and then plop in a disc that shows us a world in which modern day soldiers are battling interplanetary invaders and it looks amazing, real, believable, a spectacle to behold really. I’m not saying this movie is amazing on the whole. I did really enjoy it and add up all the elements it’s floating up there above average, teasing the idea of being a really good movie experience and  just tapping on the door this side of being a great summer action flick , it’s just that it will fade from my memory in time. It was fun while it lasted though.

If I were to explain why it’s such a middle of the road movie I would say because it is missing a few key elements that make my alien movies stand out in my mind. First, i didn’t feel a global threat, and I do like to feel we are ALL in danger. Second some of the stereotyped characters were too weak to mix in with the quite strong and solid characters. That cheapened it. Third, some of the ideas like a man about to retire but pulled back in, the lucky fortune to find a certain kind of civilian to fill in a belabored plot point about how to kill the aliens, and the annoying optimism of the characters always thinking they would be safe if they just get to that one place the government says to go…no people, you won’t be safe!!! That’s about it really, but those things drag it down just enough so that the best parts shine big time and then it averages out to be what it is, as I said before, a fun summer alien invasion movie with some stand out moments.


Features: 7/10

• Behind The Battle – A short behind the scenes look at all aspects of the production.
• Aliens In LA – A 17 minute look at the design and creation of the aliens used in the movie.
• Preparing For Battle – A few of the actors from the movie yapping about how hard it was to train for the physical roles. (maybe the millions of dollars they get paid will stop them whining :)
• Creating LA In LA – Most of the movie was filmed in Louisiana, so they had to use trickery to make it look like LA.
• Directing The Battle – A very interesting piece that allows you to see the Directors pre planning that got him the job on this movie.
• Boot Camp – Guess what? They sent the actors on a boot camp to train for the movie!!! (Didn’t see that one coming)
• The Freeway Battle – A behind the scenes look at one of the biggest set pieces in the movie.
• Command Control (PIP) -Almost like Warner’s now established Maximum Movie Mode. This feature uses PIP and full screen presentations to walk you through the making of the movie as it plays using Concept art and full featurettes. The featurettes are also available seperatly and are called Battle Points.
• Movie IQ – Sony’s service that uses Gracenote to look up facts about the movie while it’s playing. Ever sat there going what movie was he in, well now you can check with the click of a button.
• DVD Copy Of The Movie – It’s a DVD copy of the movie for those times when you would rather watch a low res version of the movie.
• Resistance 3 Playable PS3 Demo (non combo version only) – The combo pack does not feature the PS3 resistance demo, you need to get the single disc Blu-Ray to play this eagerly awaited demo.

Cover Art and Menus: 4/10
The cover is a bit confusing visually. The actual LA cityscape is lost in the bottom part of the image and we see just some big machine looking thing crashing? Maybe? It’s not terrible but this movie does have some very awesome effects and aliens that are fairly unique (as far as our vision of aliens goes) so why not slap them on the cover? I wouldn’t have this as a poster, but I would have a poster of the aliens or of Eckhart in full gear….he’s kinda cute. The menu is boring.





Audio & Video: 9/10
Sony have honored Battle LA with one of the best transfers I have seen in the last few months. This blockbuster action packed special effects extravaganza looks incredible on Blu-Ray.  The movie is mostly set in smoke filled suburban settings and is quite bland by design, colors are muted and the action seems like a war movie set in the middle east at times. The Blu-Ray transfer here is razor sharp and has amazing black levels, most of the movie takes place in broad daylight so little is left to the imagination. Sony have a knack of making other HD transfers look poor and Battle LA is no exception.

The audio on this release is also stunning, you will feel like you are in the middle of the action. Some stunning directional sound is present. One scene has explosions going off at various distances and you can actually feel where they are in relation to the picture just from the surround speakers. This is a very bombastic impressive track that you will show off to your friends.


Value: 7/10
You will get a lot of bang for your buck if you can find this movie for around $15. I think if you like this kind of action you will watch it many times and the extras are pretty hefty so you get your money’s worth. If you are just an alien watcher like me, rent it and enjoy it while you’ve got it on borrowed time and just a few bob (as the Brits say).

Overall Score 7/10

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I’m not a huge Jason Statham fan. I really did enjoy the Transporter, but since them it’s been a stretch to summon the same umph for the guy. He’s fine for what this story is telling us, a hard man, killer, organized, focused, loner. It’s that movie kind of character who is so precise and has such a perfect plan all the time that you need to check your bullshit radar at the door. I did that and enjoyed the action, the story, the bullshitty stuff, and the vibe of it all.

The story might not seem very original, and it is a retelling of another movie, but somehow it has enough elements that I have not seen to make it interesting. A son of a dude who the killer has crossed paths with is troubled and volatile. The killer needs to mentor him in the art of death. Sounds like a good tagline:) So, it has elements of intrigue and then the same old same old assassin tale stuck in for good measure. The thing is, I almost always like a good assassin movie. Why? Why do we find some kind of guts and glory in people who kill for money? Usually they are paid to kill people who we are told are unsavory so we can live with that, kind of super hero thing going on sometimes. Then again, we do have laws and courts….haha oh silly me, those are for movies like A Few Good Men and Liar, Liar.

Ben Foster takes the show for me. He’s got a tiny bit of over-acting here and there, but his character is troubled and lost in the world so that’s fine with me. He’s got a way about him that just makes each scene powerful and a little creepy at times because he’s so intense. If it wasn’t for Foster, I think this movie would have been a poor version of itself.

The fights in this movie are pretty intense and I didn’t get bored once. Oh, if you are just joining me on this review writing journey, I get bored when long fight scenes or car chases come along and it takes something pretty unique or powerful or high quality (stunts and effects) for me to keep my mind from wandering over to the “What’s going to be for supper” neighborhood of my brain. The Mechanic did not bore me for even one minute. I was into it from start to finish. It goes to show you that lots of fights, explosions, car bashing, troubled man tales of woe, they can stand up to the rigors of my threshold of what’s acceptable with testerosterony movie offerings.

This is a very violent movie, and it says so from the start. It’s brutal at at times. I would not let anyone under the age of 25 watch this..well, maybe 21, but definately not young men. I think it’s got a lot of that macho man bullshit riding along with the stuff that’s good and entertaining. I wouldn’t want to influence any young mind into thinking it’s ok to be an asshole killer with vicious tendencies.

Overall I enjoyed it. It was entertaining and severe at times to the point of almost putting my hand over my eyes…so that’s saying something.

Features: 3/10

• Tools Of The Trade Featurette – There isn’t much here, just how they did some of the stunts and effects.
• Deleted Scenes – One of these scenes could have changed the whole vibe of the movie so I’m glad it was cut.
• MovieIQ – Check on the details of people, places, things in the movie, just pause and search. It’s pretty cool for those bathroom breaks while you are waiting for your spouse to return to his/her seat.

Cover Art and Menus: 3/10
Blah blah blah…that’s what is here when I come to the review template week. It’s just a paragraph of blah blah blah…and that’s how I feel about this cover. Enough said? I would not have this cover as a poster. I think the gun pieced together with other red guns is more graphic and I might have a mini-poster of that to fill in a corner of a wall somewhere. The menu is live action of the big action scenes from the movie, not much more to it really.





Audio & Video: 8/10
The Mechanic has a strange overall visual style. They were either going for the 70′s bathed in golden sunshine look or someone over exposed the film accidentally. So given that The Mechanic is a hard movie to judge as a lot of the color balance seems to be off on purpose. What I can say though is Sony’s HD transfer here is nigh on superb, with inky blacks and no signs of DNR or edge enhancement. And for all you film grain fans The Mechanic has lots of film grain that adds to the gritty brutal nature of the movie.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is a sonic delight, everything in this soundtrack is amped up from gunshots to car chases. LFE is tight and appropiate and never seems overused. If you are a fan of action movies you are in for a real treat here.


Value: 4/10
I wouldn’t need to buy this movie but a rental for fans of action is just the right price. Rent it along with some other action flicks and make a night of it. The extras don’t beg to be lavished over either, so all in all, it’s not worth the purchase price to me.

Overall Score 6/10

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Part of why it didn’t capture my full attention, or fill my mind with great movie memories, was the shallow story. There’s a lot of flash over substance here, and the banter between the hornet and Kato is pretty good, but then venture beyond that with the politician story and the crime boss and it all comes out like bad mashed potatoes. We all know it’s hard to make bad mashed potatoes!!

The 3d element was lost on me. I can’t even imagine why they added it except to just get sucked into the trend of 3d. Some of the fight scenes had a nod here and there from what I could tell, but overall, it was not an important part of the movie.

The music is pretty good, a little heavy on the side of trying to be cool. The special effects were OK. There are some good fights, and everytime big rig cement mixers came on the screen it was awesome, but other than that a few of the FX came off cheesy and didn’t look polished enough for the promise of a 2011 super hero flick. Overall the look and sound of the movie was pretty straight down the middle for me. There was nothing that stood out and nothing that really looked/sounded bad enough to be a distractin. Hoo humm

Even though I did laugh and I did like the bad guy, OH and the opening scene with Christoff Waltz and James Franco is awesome, the hornet will remain forgettable for me. It was fun while it lasted, but it’s like empty Hollywood calories.


Features: 5/10

• Awesoom Gag Reel – Casual giggling and messing up lines is standard fare for a gag reel, surprise.
• Filmmakers Commentary – The director and writers are pretty enthusiastic about this movie so the commentary is more fun (potentially) than the movie on its own.
• The Black Beauty: Rebirth Of Cool – How do you live up to the expectations of a fan base of any established legendary comic story vehicle? Do it right, as close to the original as possible, of course.
• Writing The Green Hornet – A pair of writers always interests me because I am not a collaborator type. So, to get a whole script written with more than one cook in the kitchen is fascinating to watch.

Cover Art 3/10 and Menu: 5/10
Ascully fills each section of the template with “blah blah blah”. I suppose it’s a guide so I know precisely where to type stuff…come to think of it, that’s a little bit weird, but the point is that “blah blah blah” is how I feel about the cover of this DVD. The theme of average runs deep in this review. The cover, however, takes it’s place below average, way below actually. I might not have to note this, but I wouldn’t have it as a poster. The Green Hornet logo or a single shot of Kato doing something cool, yes, I might have that as a poster. This one is just not appealing, exciting, interesting, dynamic, creative, none of the things I would like to see from a big bold action wannabe flick. The menu is DVD stuff, but pretty good considering it’s now considered old technology, or whatever.





Audio & Video: 6/10
Unfortunatly we were not sent the Blu-Ray version of The Green Hornet so I can’t comment on the HD transfer of this movie. The 480P transfer on the DVD is fine and serviceable, it’s pretty soft on occassion and has some black crush but as far as DVD transfers go it is high up on the scale.

The 5.1 Dolby Digital audio was quite lackluster, I don’t know if it’s because I am used to the HD Uncompressed audio on Blu-Ray and have been spoiled, but the track here seemed a bit dull and lifeless.


Value: 4/10
Can you guess what I might say? I don’t want this in our movie collection. It doesn’t appeal to me beyond the one time viewing. Therefore, if it costs more than $1 I’m going to say it’s not really a good value for me. If you love Seth Rogan and have to have every single one of his movies, fine. If you have to collect every comic book hero movie, fine. If you just want a few laughs and a so-so movie on a Saturday night, rent this little green sucker and get it over with.

Overall Score 5/10

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• None – This is a low budget Australian release, so there are no extras featured on the Blu-ray.  After watching the movie, I kind of wish that some were included, as this really did not seem like a true low budget release.

The Movie: 8/10
I always am intrigued when I receive a movie like this for review.  They say that you should never judge a book by its cover, but maybe you can judge a Blu-ray by its cover.  Without knowing much about Red Hill, I was immediately drawn in by the artistic visauls form the cover.  What is the movie about?  Who are the actors?  Just what the heck has Ascully dropped on me to review?

The cover does state that “revenge just rode into town” and that is about all that I could take into this movie, which is just fine with me.  I like that excitement and development for a new review, and it is fun to go into a movie like this without any preconceived ideas.  Right from the start of the movie things seem a bit dark and mysterious, and while it was apparent that this is an Australian jaunt, it could have easily been set in a Western American town.  At the beginning we see the new town Constable Shane Cooper  (True Bloods’ Ryan Kwanten) as he shows up for work in the sleepy town where he has recently been assigned.  His arrival with his pregnant wife seems like a nice quiet assignment, with Cooper even showing up for his first day on the new job without his gun, which has been lost in the boxes for the move.  All chances at this being a peaceful little assignment fly out the window when the Sheriff  “Old Bill” Jones (Steve Bisley, who is great in this role) reads Cooper the riot act for taking his new assignment too lightly.   Things really shoot into action when the entire town is put on alert when word gets out that convicted killer Jimmy Conway (Tom E. Lewis) has escaped from a local prison, and is hell-bent on returning to the town.  It turns out that the town has a long lasting secret with regards to Jimmy and his conviction, and that just about everyone knows what is going on except for Shane Cooper, who is left to fend for himself and the town as this cold-blooded killer seeks some sort of revenge on just about everyone in sight.

One of the things that I liked about Red Hill was the fact that we are kind of left in the dark for most of the movie, much like Constable Cooper.  Ryan Kwanten does a good job of stumbling throught the movie just like we are, trying to figure out just what is going on.  The story and dialogue at times is a bit weak, but overall I think that this movie does a great job of telling the story without giving too much away too soon.  The suspense is palpable throughout the movie, and with the eery scenery and music, it is well done without going overboard.

At the end of the day I was impressed with Red Hill, and the movie lived up to the cover for sure.  This was a very different, and very enjoyable surprise.





Audio & Video: 8/10
There are a lot of scenes that are done in the dark in Red Hill, which amazingly does a great job with black levels and lighting for a small budget movie.  I was thoroughly surprised by the visuals, and when you consider that the movie was done by Patrick Hughes, and this was his directorial debut for a full length feature, it is even more amazing.  Hughes apparently has done only commercials and short films in Australia, so his eye for striking visuals truly served him well on this one.  It just looks and feels like a big budget release, and the 2.40:1 AVC encode is very well done.  The audio was decent as well, with eery mood music running rampant.  I was blown away by the gunfire and Surround Sound used here.  Again, this did not feel low budget in terms of presentation.


Value: 6/10
Red Hill is a niche film, in that it kind of sits somewhere between a Western and a murder movie.  I kind of liken it to an Australian No Country for Old Men, without the big credentials, actors or budget.  That does not mean that Red Hill is a bad movie, as it really was pretty darn good.   It just is a bit of a hard sell, especially when there is nothing but the movie on the disc.  For those who really enjoy either of the two genres that this is made up from, or those that like a bit of suspense and dark visuals, Red Hill is a great little movie.  It is not for everyone, but those who get it will really enjoy the uniqueness of this movie.  It is a little bit short on story and real character development, but it is a fun little movie.

Overall Score 7/10

The Tourist is a great experience while it’s happening. The cast is good, the setting is beautiful, and the story kept me interested from start to finish. I was made happy by the old school glamor attempts, those twings of 1950′s big Hollywood glam flicks. Depp is good. Jolie is good. The dialog is mostly fine. Do you hear neutrality in my voice? Do you see what I’m saying? The impact of the movie while it’s happening seemed bigger than the overall effect of a movie that I have seen. Oh, that doesn’t make sense outside of my head, but I know what I mean so that’s good enough for me.

I want more exotic movies with a European tone. I love the intrigue and the stylized notions of romance. What sucked a lot of the life out of the movie for me was the bad guy. I like the actor dude, but wow, he was not menacing or scary or crazy enough for me to get my teeth into his badness. If the bad guy in a movie like The Tourist isn’t intimidating enough, well, the danger melts away, the way the heroine and hero play off that seems almost cartoony and it slips into the forgettable territory, sadly. Jolie was properly afraid of the bad guy. Depp was clueless but when told of his terrible ways had the proper fear response….and then we meet the villain and I was left wanting more evil, more nutjob, more fear, but it didn’t happen. I don’t think it’s a matter of acting, but more a matter of how the bad guy was written, too chatty but with not enough horrible wretched things to say.

Need I speak of the hypnotic powers of Venice? I think not.

Wait! You know what? The more I think about it, the more I like it. It still suffers from a degree of forgetability, but as I run through several scenes in my mind, it is a unique modern movie with just enough flavor to linger maybe in the far back right corner of my brain. Hmmmm rethinking a movie is always tricky, but it’s good to find the best in a movie watching experience, accepting the flaws but letting the delicate goodness shine through. Profound.

The music is nice, again a throwback to movies from that era of intense drama. That’s what made going to the movies so exciting, the music, the spoonfed emotions, the hyped up theatrical grandeur of it all. I would love to see more movies that mix modern stories, moods, ideas with the attitude of film from the 30′s, 40′s, and 50′s.  I would recommend The Tourist to people who like to just sit back and let the red lips and Jack Sparrow as a normal dude wash over them. Get a glass of cheap wine, sit back, and enjoy.


Features:5 /10

• Outtake Reel - Giggling famous people.
• Alternate Animated Title Sequence - A Bondesque attempt at an opening, but after seeing the movie it seems a bit cheap and inappropriate.
• Director Commentary - This director likes to talk, so this is a value packed commentary.
• A Gala Affair -How to make modern times look glamorous….have a dancing ball.
• Bringing Glamor Back – Making Venice, Jolie, and spy-type adventure look glamorous…wow, that must be soooo difficult!! :)
• Action In Venice – The city that lives on the water, and how awesome it looks, how awesome it makes the cast and crew feel, and how hard it is to film there.
• Tourist Destination – More about Venice and how they all coped with boating to work, filming around the crowds, etc.
• Canal Chats – Oh, this is people talking about being in Venice, shocking!
• MovieIQ – Sony’s online extras for Blu-Ray. Pause the movie and look up stuff about the cast, the crew, the whole shebang.

Cover Art and Menus: 2/10
I do not like the cover. I wouldn’t have it as a poster. Venice is so amazing, why the hell do they put the faces of two people we have seen a bazillion times smack on the cover…oh right, people are idiots and need eye candy to convince them to watch or buy a movie. Not me, I would love to see a picture of the buildings, the boats, even just a close up of Jolie’s lips and Depp’s eyes. Have some creativity people!!! The menu is better with some effects like zooming in for a photograph, but it’s got live clips from the movie and I am never really a fan of that feature.





Audio & Video: 8/10
Keeping in line with Sony’s other recent Blu-Ray releases, The Tourist features an outstanding 1080P VC1 transfer that showcases the lush scenery of Venice. There is a lot of fine detail here, such as the close up of Angelina with her smoldering red lipstick, and the pockmarked face of the bad guy. Overall this is a fine transfer that fans of the movie will be very pleased with.

Interestingly, for an action type movie The Tourist has quite a laid back soundtrack. This is intentional and the great score really pull you into the romantic scenario we find our heroes in. When the action really starts the subwoofer gets a little action but it never overpowers the dialog which is what this movie is mostly composed of. While this lossless DTS soundtrack is not showcase material (due to content not the technical aspect) you won’t be disappointed.


Value: 5/10
This movie looks beautiful. The story is good for me. The extras are ho-hum. Overall it just doesn’t scream excellent value, unless you can get it for like 10 bucks. I have a feeling that might be possible in the months to come. I say rent it and get a hardcore spy movie along with a 50′s glamor flick and that’s a serious night of fun movie watching.

Overall Score 6/10

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• Alternate Ending – This ending does change the whole final vibe of the movie. It’s worth a watch, even if you are like me and found nothing but neutrality while watching the rest of the story. It would have opened it up to a whole different resolution, possible continue story in subsequent movies. Alas, they chopped it off.
• Deleted Scenes – There’s not much here that would make any difference to the movie. Billy Bob gets a few more seconds of time, but other than that they are scenes that are not missed.
• Criminals & Cops: The Cast Of Faster - The cast, finding the right faces for the job.
• Weapons & Wheels: The Guns, Cars & Stunts Of Faster – Hmmm can you guess what this is about?
• Anamatics - Some of the scenes are offered up in animated sketches with voice and sound effects. It’s pretty fun to see the action before it became part of the movie.
• MovieIQ – Watch with trivia and details about the cast at your finger tips.

The Movie: 5/10
Where do I begin? I love movie day at our house. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s a very satisfying Sunday activity that I look forward to from week to week. OK, that being said, some weeks it’s more satisfying and fun and exciting than others. This week, not so much. I am struggling with what to say about Faster. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t even strongly dislike it. I was bored a lot and by about 20 minutes in I was wishing we were watching something else. Why? I have narrowed it down to three simple things, the story, the dialog, and the action. Yea, that pretty much covers it.

The story is a revenge tale. Fair enough. I do enjoy a good revenge driven movie, if it has all the right elements. I didn’t care much about the lead character in Faster. I say Dwayne Johnson did a fine job, no complaints about that. It was kind of cool to see his bold brash focused vengeance seeking mission played out. That’s one of the things I DO like about this movie. This guy is driven and not to be distracted, a noble character trait. The problem for me is that he’s not even a little sympathetic. He had a hard life, he lost a loved one, he’s good at heart, etc. The thing is, he’s a criminal and most of what has happened is down to some of his own choices, so that makes me say, “OK, you made your bed, now lie in it.” His story doesn’t interest me enough to then take the leap to care about his vigilante justice. Some scenes, a bathroom fight at a night club, an operation gone very bad, these are some individual scenes I was perked up by, so there was enough to keep me interested. It was just hard to then wade through the parts I didn’t find interesting at all.

There is a thing in this movie that’s trying to hard to be “too cool for school”. They call their lead characters Killer, Driver, and Cop. Ok, trying to be cool negates the coolness, just so you know. Killer is completely a tagged on character who, while I understand his own struggles and why he is so focused on his professional assassin career, it’s like he could be plucked out and the movie would be better. I like the actor guy, he does a bit of the over-the-top dramatics, but it’s part of his cartoony character so I go with the flow. The biggest problem with this character is that he and his woman have some of the worse dialog in the whole movie. It’s pat, it’s dry, it’s blasé. I would rather read it in a graphic novel with cool drawings, and even then tweek it a bit to make it more intriguing. Talking is not one of the strong features of this movie, sorry to say, for any of the characters. I also understand that people don’t always like talking, so I know there might not be that audience who cares that a lot of what is said is mind-numbingly boring and plastic.

I dig action movies. The thing is, they come in many shapes and sizes and qualities. I didn’t like Death Race 2, but I liked Death Race (LIKED, not loved). I loved Kill Bill 1&2, Doomsday, and some obvious ones like Die Hard, The Rock, even if they are cheezy. I enjoyed the action, the explosions, the sweat, the cars, the weapons….but the combination in Faster was, again, flat for me. I did like Driver’s car, didn’t like the car chases. I appreciate the way everyone used their weapons, but wasn’t the least bit interested in the outcome of any situation they were in. Mixed bag.

I will say that even if they didn’t have great dialog to offer up, the women in this movie interested me the most. They all, making the most of what they are given, made their  moments interesting and memorable.

I can say there were surprise moments that I appreciated. Unfortunately they were few and far between and overall didn’t leave me with a good impression. Most of the time I was waiting for something more stimulating, and it was a long wait. I wouldn’t knock this flick though, it’s got guts sometimes, and that kind of overrides a lot of the weaknesses. Mostly I wish I had watched something else this movie day, something like Midnight Run or True Romance, old standards that always make me glad I love movies.

OH, and I’m completely neutral on Billy Bob Thornton’s performance and character. Nothing bad to say, nothing good. :)

Audio & Video: 8/10 (By Ascully)
Faster is a balls-to-the-wall action flick that looks great on Blu-Ray. Sony use a BD50 disc to showcase the visual panache the movie offers. According to IMDB the movie was filmed on Super 35MM film, because of this the movie has a few grainy scenes but nothing that makes the movie look bad. Director George Tillman Jr uses a strange golden cast filter on all but a few of his scenes, this comes through well in HD and adds a touch of style.

Audio is where the disc shines. Faster has a ton of LFE mostly derived from the films Chevelle & Ferrari. The chase scene down the highway at night really makes the sound-stage come alive. There are a couple of bad looping moments in the movie, where characters move there mouths and nothing comes out, but that is not the Blu-Ray’s fault. Overall it’s a great disc technically if you like the movie you will be pleased :)


Value: 4/10
You have read the rest of my thoughts, presumably, so you know I’m not a fan of this movie. I like a few parts but overall it’s a dud for me. I do know several people who would like it, so it has some value in the movie watching arena. I can’t pretend it was a good movie watching experience, it wasn’t really. The extras are irrelevant, and this isn’t even a case of the extras making me want to go back and watch again to give it a rethink. It’s not poorly made and I like the director and the few things I mentioned so I say it’s average, at best (and that’s pushing my good vibes for the day).

Overall Score 4/10

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• Audio Commentary With David Fincher – Fincher is a talker, so you get your time and money’s worth.
• Audio Commentary With Aaron Sarkin & Cast – Sarkin gives me more wishy washy feelings. I like him sometimes and then I am totally turned off by some of the Hollywood talk he digs in to. Overall it’s a good combo, writer and cast together.
• How Did They Ever Make A Movie Of Facebook? – This is a good feature. It’s got lots of interviews, talking heads, background on the story, that’s not THE Talking Heads by the way, just people talking to the camera fairly close up…..get it? It’s one of the best behind the scenes I’ve seen in a long time. I like seeing cast doing scenes from behind the camera behind the camera and see all the feedback they get from the director. Mr. Fincher has a few control issues:)
• David Fincher & Jeff Cronenweth On The Visuals – Fincher talks about giving The Social Network his own visual style. The greenish filter, the muted colors, the toned down brightness, these are his trademarks that need to be applied to each story a different way.
• Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter & Ken Klyce on Post – I don’t find post production very interesting but if you do here is a feature on that very subject.
• Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross & David Fincher On The Score – This is an excellent extra. Reznor and Ross show us their traveling studio full of all kinds of keyboards, music stuff, and computers that are their tools for making music. It’s more in depth than most score features. They talk about their process of recording, editing, and presenting the songs to Fincher.
• Ruby Skye VIP Room: Multi Angle Scene Breakdown – Multi-angle doesn’t excite me.
• In The Hall Of The Mountain King: Reznor’s First Draft – The music from one scene, before they reworked it for the final cut.
• Swarmatron – More music with Trent Reznor. This is one of his electronic toys.

The Movie: 9/10
Soon we will make movies about people who haven’t been born yet. Not fictional people, but real people. Their lives will be chronicled in movies and books before they are ever conceived. We seem to be losing patience with history being longer ago than yesterday. This is a story about a man who is being portrayed by someone a year older then himself. It’s got nothing to do with the movie itself, well, if you think about it enough it does, but it’s a fascinating commentary on our modern story telling.

On to the movie. It’s excellent. I don’t mean I think it’s excellent. I mean, it is an example of excellence. Movies come in many shapes and sizes, and then there are those that have their own little category. David Fincher happens to have made a few of those himself. There is a quality to The Social Network that I can’t describe with just a few words, so here are a lot of words.

First, is the story. It’s compelling, not because it’s about something as uninteresting as Facebook. I mean, let’s face it, for most of us it’s a website we go to everyday and see what our best friend fed their kids for breakfast, to read about so and so’s discovery of their latest favorite book, and to see photos of proms, weddings, boat restorations, parties, and sunsets by the beach. What’s interesting about it is the idea that we can all be linked and get linked and hoped to get linked to each other in ways we crave. In the movie a young man is heart broken, or spurned, or bitter, you choose. He decides to make a statement by being a jerk on the local Harvard network. Its’ motivated by a desire to be spiteful, to be cool, to do something that elevates him.

It grows, obviously, to become a global connection for the whole world. It’s fueled by more basic instincts, greed, friendship, selfishness, betrayal, more desire to be cool, be recognized, be in control, be the smart guy who can stick it to anyone who might hurt his feelings in the spur of the  moment. I won’t ever be convinced that any Hollywood version of “reality” is truth, so let’s put that idea to rest. This isn’t a documentary about the life and times of the people who started Facebook. It’s a telling of a story written by Hollywood writers, directed, performed, edited, scored, promoted, and delivered to our hungry little culturally mangled eyes. While I was watching I wasn’t even convinced any of it was based on truth, but that didn’t bother me.

The performances are fantastic. I don’t even think I can add to that, except to say I think David Fincher kicks the creative shit out of his performers and we get the benefit. The sets are detailed and make it rich with atmosphere for these people to mull around in and there are times when the college vibe is so perfectly depicted it almost made me miss my Mizzou days…almost. The music is an absolute charmer, and I mean that in the nicest way Mr. Reznor. It’s got some grit and guts, while having a touch of angst.

There are special effects in this movie you won’t even believe when you find out what they are. I won’t tell you, but you will be like, “oh wow” when you find out, trust me.  There is a rowing race scene that stands alone as a great short movie. The way it’s shot, the touches of cgi, the music, the style, it’s a lovely bit of filmmaking inside a bigger piece of substantial satisfying filmmaking.

For a society getting closer and closer to being online and in the public eye every minute of our lives, this movie taps into the start and heart of it all. We all want to be wanted. Some now refer to it as being “friended” but I don’t do that, yet. I will request a friend, and either deny or approve a friend. I won’t FRIEND someone, because FRIEND is not a verb!! :) It’s not the movie’s fault that we have this new adjustment in our language, so I won’t hold it against Hollywood, not this time.





Audio & Video: 9/10
The Social Network is an amazing piece of work from perfectionist director David Fincher. The Blu-Ray is also an amazing piece of work that I am sure Mr Fincher had a hand in. This is quite simply a stunning 1080P transfer that captures Fincher’s Red One camera work (the movie was filmed in 4K resolution) to the fullest. Most of the scenes in the movie capture Harvard with a dark look.  Only towards the end of the film, when we get to the Facebook offices, do things get brighter. This would be a problem for lesser Blu-Ray transfers but The Social Network holds up throughout a ton of difficultly lit scenes.

The 5.1 Uncompressed soundtrack does a great job of showcasing Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’s incredible surreal sounding score. From the opening credits you know you are in for a sonicly charged treat with Reznor’s swarmatron vibrating around all five of your speakers. There are a couple of occasions where the dialog and music are competing against each other, but I think those instances might be intentional (one is in a busy nightclub while the other is in a busy campus bar) Overall The Social Network captures 

Value: 8/10
If you can find this 2 disc blu-ray for around $15 I say it’s a good deal if you will watch it multiple times. I’m out of the buying DVD zone these days. If you can rent it, enjoy the movie and extras, you totally get your money’s worth. It is an excellent movie with some quality extras, so either way you will have a good evening at the movies.

Overall Score 9/10

• Progression Reel – The progression reel is a walk through of the opening sequence of the movie, from story board to finished product.  It is a neat progression, even if it is extremely short.
• Boog’s Cannon Blast Game – This is another of those strange DVD remote type of games that is not really a game, and loses interest within mere seconds.
• Interactive Rabbit Splat Mode – This is another strange inclusion, where you can thow rabbits (an integral part of the Open Season franchise is rabbit harassment) at the movie as it is playing, and then wipe the screen of the critters.
• DVD Version Of The Movie – Of course there is a DVD version of the movie, but interestingly not a mobile version.

The Movie: /10
Open Season 3 is a straight to DVD release, featuring very few of the original voice cast from the oringinal (or for that matter Open Season 3).  The revolving door for voice talent does not really take away to much from the movie itself thought, as the work here is just as good as the other two movies.

In this third Open Season Boog (Mathew J. Munn) finds himself kind of on his own, as most of his mates, including good buddy Elliot (Matt Taylor) are just a bit busy to head out for a guys night.  Boog, easily the most laid back bear since Baloo in the Jungle Book, has decided that he needs to find somewhere where he can find people like him, who understand what it is like to be a bear.  He ventures off and discover a travelling circus, and runs into Doug, who is basically a circus bear who wants out.  the two hatch a plan where Boog helps Doug escape from the circus, and Boog agrees to hang around while Doug goes off and promises to come back and get Boog when he discover Bearvana, when in actuality Doug just wants out, trapping Boog at the Circus.

Boog’s friends decide that they have to help Boog out, and run off to find him, as Boog at first struggles with the circus, only to discover that he actually kind of enjoys the group, even though they are a bit strange (see the spitting llama).

Open Season 3 is a lighthearted movie that is fun for kids, but perhaps not so fun for most adults.  The story is simplistic and the humor is straightforward, and it kind of works, even though we have a whole new set of voice talent, and a sub par straight to DVD release.  The movie is cute, but not great.  I will admit that the rabbits are hysterical, and that I can’t get enough of them.





Audio & Video: 7/10
I was very impressed with the video for Open Season 3.  This is not your average straight to Blu-Ray/DVD fare, as the presentation is pretty solid throughout.  The CGI is a little bit less than what you would expect from a full theater release movie, but it was up to par for what I expected with this type of movie.   The audio was decent as well, with the 5.1 DTS-HD sounding good throughout the comedy.  The overall audio experience was of a pretty good quality throughout.


Value: 5/10
This is another Open Season movie, and honestly who would have thought that there would be 3?  It is not a bad little movie, and my son is quite fond of it.  The story is easy to follow, and while it is not what you would call a strong story, it gets the job done for what it is.  The extras are pretty weak, and the overall movie is not going to keep many adults engaged, but for kids, this will work out perfectly.  The humor is pretty well done for this type of release as well.

Overall Score 6/10

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• Creating The Rileys - I will give a little tiny teeny bit of credit to the substance of this very brief extra. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at how the story came to be, interviews with the director, writer, and cast, which all seems really good. It’s just not enough. It’s worth watching to put your hand up to the screen and cover Jake Scott’s face from his nose down and say, “Damn he’s got his father’s eyes!” Not that I did that, but I’m just saying, you could if you wanted to.

The Movie: 9/10
I got lost in this movie. It drew me into the people completely. A young woman who’s survival is dependent on showing and using her body, hiding her pain with chaos. A middle age man who thinks his survival has been about routine and security, numbness, hiding his feelings in business and monatony. A middle aged woman who’s survival is dependent on staying away from the world, hiding all of herself to heal her pain. These are only observations I have made after thinking about this movie over and over and over. It’s all more subtle, real, cutting as you watch them all make decisions and have reactions to change.

The drama comes not just from the circumstance, but the performances are absolutely amazing. I can only say that young Kristen has a few moments of “actorly” intensity. I can’t fault her for that though, she has other moments of absolute brilliant telling of this character’s story. There are glimpses of true understanding of what she (the character) is going through. The same goes for Gandolfini and Melissa Leo.  There is not a hitch in any scene with the dialogue, the reactions, the physical behaviors of them all. In fact, the silence is often the most powerful portrayal of what they are feeling or need to say to each other and to themselves.

What I take away from this story the most is that it’s so gut wrenching when you have people in your life for whom  you care a great deal and they make choices that you know are painful, damaging, destructive and you can’t do anything about it. When do we let go? When do we hang on for dear life? I am sure that everyone has a loved one who haunts their thoughts. This story, and the telling of it in such talented hands, reminds me of all the times when I have worried about someone and it taken on their troubles but realizing in the end that I cannot make those decisions for them. I can’t solve their problems, and they can’t solve mine. I think in Jake Scott’s hands this movie cuts through a certain amount of sentimentality about how we all try to control each other, thinking we know best, and says we sometimes have to just take care of ourselves first and then hope for the best for everyone else.

As I think back on it the whole thing really does resonate with life, the hard and dirty side of things. How do we truly cope with overwhelming pain from loss? How do we learn to be in relationships when we are abandoned. It’s not something you can wrap up in one story, that’s for sure, or even in a whole lifetime. What comes to mind, if I’m brutally honest, are the the words of Buckaroo Banzai, “Where ever you go, there you are.”

Audio & Video: 7/10
Welcome To The Rileys is a mixed bag on Blu-Ray. On one hand the 1080P VC1 transfer looks great. On the other, some of the dark scenes fail to render shadow detail. On the good side though, when the image is bright there is a lot of detail (check out the bruises and acne on Kristen Stewart’s face on a lot of her close ups). Director Jake Scott films New Orleans in a brownish warm looking hue that really looks a lot different to the scenes at the start of the movie when the Rileys are at home.

The 5.1 soundtrack is distinctly “talky” just like most dramas. The dialog is crisp and clear and never distorts, not even with the booming music of the strip club playing in the background. The rear speakers and LFE channels are hardly used though. It’s very strange but not once did I notice them come alive. My sub woofer actually went into sleep mode at one point as the receiver thought it was off. I loved this movie and recommend it to all. I think it would be just as enjoyable on DVD though as the Blu-Ray is slightly lacking.


Value: 6/10
Value is a hard one to judge these days. I am not a big buyer of movies on disc. My husband is and he would say to BUY IT, because it’s such an awesome movie. I’m not that bold with the spending of the dollars. There are a few classics, things I will watch multiple times in my life, but other than that I’m a HUGE fan of Netflix, or other online rental/watching services. So, to buy this movie on Blu-Ray for over twenty bucks, no I’m not feelin’ it. To rent it online for $4 or $5, sure that’s totally worth it. To wait for a few months to see it on Netflix…..oh yes, and watch it many times :)

Overall Score 9/10

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• The Ultimate Female Action Hero - It’s the 21st century people, that means it’s time to start creating more women who rule the action world! Angelina is not my favorite, or at least hasn’t been in the past, but this little extra and this movie might sway me:)
• Spy Disguise: The Looks Of Evelyn Salt -She’s a woman of a few different looks, so we get the make-up and costume discussion.
• Radio Interview With Director Phillip Noyce - I like public radio, and this reminds me of those artsy shows and I like it. Who needs video when you have radio?
• Filmmaker Commentary – More from the director, talking, talking. If you love this movie you will be investing a lot of time with the 3 versions AND this commentary, but it might be worth it for the true SALT lover.
• False Identity Creating A New Reality -More packaged interviews and behind the scenes all about the special effects of a movie trying to skirt the line between a gritty reality and a certain fantasy action story.
• Salt Declassified The Making Of Salt – Produced DVD extra goodness, but the good kind of goodness. It’s all nicely packaged with interviews and some behind the scenes action. There is a lot of information and has the element of making me like the movie a bit more.
• The Real Agents – Movie people love to “learn” from the real people behind characters in their stories. How does a CIA agent really handle a gun, tuck and roll, look stern and sexy? Oh, all that research is so worth it.
• The Modern Master Of The Political Thriller: Phillip Noyce – A director who likes to dig his teeth into some dark twisty characters and stories. I like knowing about filmmakers and when they open up about their enthusiasm for their movies it’s that much better.
• Spy Cam PIP Track – More behind the scenes stuff you can gather into your brain by watching the movie, yet again.
• Movie IQ – While you watch the movie you can turn on this feature that offers you a database of all the details about the movie. Each scene can be examined by the push of a button. Find out what that song is, who that guy is, what other movies has that woman been in…pretty good, but only for a later viewing of the movie, not my first time through.

The Movie: 7/10
At this moment I am watching Antiques Roadshow and they are featuring a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot. What does this have to do with Salt? Well, in fifty years what item that Angelina Jolie wore in Salt or other movies will be valued at over $200,000.00? As the dude who owns the Marilyn dress stands there in shock I yell “Sell it!!” as my participatory Roadshow viewing event.

Do you reckon there is something about our generation of movie star icons that just loses a bit of that Hollywood shine, or glamor, or mystique? Will the many costumes, wigs, and weapons used in this movie be on Roadshow bringing that kind of money? Hmmm I don’t think so, but I’ll just have to keep watching.

As for the movie, I liked it. I had a really good time with the big action and intensity that Jolie brings to even the quietest moments. If you know me, you know it’s a little strange that I am saying anything so boldly positive about Angelina J. I am either maturing, or softening, or being brainwashed slowly to be more fond of her. I’ll chalk it up to maturity, both of us. For Salt she brings so many different ingredients to the mix that I was mesmerized at times. She’s subtle when the scene calls for tepid retrospection. She’s ballsy when she’s got to kick some ass. She’s got that overly Hollywood-Jolie-Ass-Kissing-Close-Up syndrome from time to time, but I won’t blame her for that. I might be closer to becoming a fan, tune in for later reviews to see if the love fest continues.

The story of Salt is a tad unique. It’s not crazy original, but there are enough twists and turns and unexpected moments that kept my eyes wide open and even a few gasps that surprised me. I pushed back in my seat a couple of times when they threw some stunts at us that just really stand out as new, something I haven’t seen before. That’s hard to do when your brain is so full of action movies from nearly four decades of watching movies.

The stunts and action sequences are really gutsy. I like hard hitting crashes and fights. I don’t need ultra reality, but when you feel like the sound is pumping out from a real life car crash or fisticuffs it’s visceral and satisfying. Good fights, I have to say. Even if I do like the story and the character a lot, it’s the action and the liveliness of the whole movie that make it such an event.

I won’t say it’s perfect, or even in my top range of movies, but it’s pushing up there as a fun experience with all those ingredients combined, liking Jolie more and more, the action, the story, the exciting visuals, it’s just a good time at the movies. If that black coat or fur hat Angelina wore in the movie show up on the Roadshow in 100 years and someone says it’s worth $200,000.00 bring me back from the great beyond so I can watch with shock and amazement and can yell “Sell it!!” at whatever viewing device that’s been invented by then.





Audio & Video: 8/10
The last Blu-Ray of the year happens to be one of the best when it comes to presentation. Presented in 2.40:1 widescreen using the AVC codec, some of the scenes here are jaw droppingly good. Check out the funeral scene inside the church to see the detail this disk offers.  Of course, if you are a fan of Jolie and are looking for lots of close up shots of those lips of hers in HD, this disc has you covered :)

The DTS-HD Master audio mix is really lively with lots of use of the rear surrounds.The motorcycle chase in particular really makes it sound like that bike is in the room with you. There are the occasional muffled lines (especially from Liev Schrieber) but those problems are few and far between.

I really enjoyed Salt, it’s the perfect popcorn movie for fans of Spy thrillers, I do feel at this point that you could put Angelina into any action movie (shes becoming the female Tom Cruise, does her own stunts as well) and it will be enjoyable. Recommended!


Value: 8/10
For just under 20 bucks you can get this Blu-Ray edition of Salt and that’s actually a pretty good bargain for what you get. I might not feel the need to own it, but it is a rewatchable flick, so consider the cost per view it might just work out to be a value for money. You do have the option to watch the movie about 5 times with all the versions and extras and so that’s only $4 per view, not bad. It’s a good deal for an entertaining movie and lots of extras.

Overall Score 7/10

• Featurette – The featurette that is referred to here is an in-depth look at the choreography of the movie, which in itself is very impressive.  They discuss the evolution of the second Stomp the Yard movie dance moves, and how the main characters had to train as they would in a fraternity to get the dance moves to look real and natural.  A pretty decent little extra in my opinion.
• Deleted Scenes – We get some very unneeded deleted scenes on this DVD as extras.
• Commentary – Finally we get a so-so commentary that features the main players in the movie.

The Movie: 4/10
The second in the Stomp the Yard Series, Homecoming features Collins Pennie as Chance, a new member of the Theta Nu fraternity at southern Truth University.  Chance is a college student and dancer who has recently lost a bet on a street dance competition to a group of thugs, for big money.  His return to Truth sees him excited to feature in a national Step competition against a rival fraternity for top honors.  Chance is sure that the Theta Nu’s need to change up their tired routines in order to win the national competition, and the friction between the upperclassmen is just one of Chance’s issues, as he deals with a new girlfriend, and ex who seems to not relish being an ex, as well as Chance’s father, who pushes Chance to excel at every turn.

Stomp the Yard Homecoming is one of those movies that seems to rely on forced drama to try to amp up the tension, when instead, it just makes the acting and story drag.  The dance moves in the second installment are quite well done, and they give a glimpse into the type of Step routines that are such an integral part of many of the African-American fraternities.  The dance moves are unfortunately not enough to make this mediocre movie shine, and while the whole thing kind of has an 8 Mile type of vibe (you know who is going to win in the end) the movie itself is just not that great.

The soundtrack was strong, and like I mentioned, the dance moves were pretty good.  I have not seen a step competition (more like presentation) since the mid 1990′s, and it was cool to see this type of routine.  The movie is just too predictable and the end result is not what it could have been.  Fans of the first movie may well overlook some of the movie’s shortcomings, but I have to say I was not overly impressed.

Audio & Video: 7/10
The video for Stomp the yard Homecoming, on regular DVD, was very crisp and colorful.  I was impressed, especially given the cover and menu quality.  the video was presented in 1.78:1 widescreen, and the DTS 5.1 Surround Sound was very well done as well.  The dialogue was mixed nicely with a booming soundtrack.


Value: 4/10
Stomp the Yard Homecoming may very well be a big hit with fans of the original, but the overall story and acting was just not all that great.  The DVD looked and sounded very nice, but overall this was just a ho-hum kind of movie, along the same lines as the Bring it On series for me.  I was just not overly impressed, even thought the stepping was quite well done.  The fake drama was just a bit too much for me, and the overall effect was not all that great.

Overall Score 4/10

• Behind The Scenes - This is a really good look at the making of the film from day one through the premiere opening. It’s got a lot of discussions with the director, writers, cast, and it’s not over produced at all. It’s got a bit of gritty movie making fun. I wish it was longer.
• Deleted Scenes - I don’t think any of the deleted scenes could have made the movie any better than it already is. Sometimes cutting scenes from the movie is a wise move by the director/editor and this is one of those times.
• Music Video – Ugh
• Making Of Featurettes - Following the makers around a bit more, lots of details, a great ‘getting to know the director/writer’ take on things, and still has that grassroots feeling which makes it seem more watchable.
• Short Film “Spider” – Probably the best short film I have ever seen! I think it’s worth picking up the movie just to see this little gem.

The Movie: 9/10
It’s lovely. It’s brutal and the tension is so thick that it made me FEEL it in my gut and that’s awesome. It is a cautionary tale that rattles through every culture, every society, every relationship. Forbidden love, bad choices driven by lust or love or breaking out of a stale unhappy life all comes together with frightening, revealing, and tragic consequences. In other words, keep your wanger in your pants! Or, if you are of the female persuasion, keep your knickers on!

The deliberate, tension filled scene after scene of drama and action is very exciting. It’s not exciting in an “in your face” kind of way. It’s that kind that puts a lump in your throat because you can’t bring yourself to swallow it’s so spellbinding. I really enjoyed it, a lot. From the opening quietness and hypnotic build to the lip biting moments nearing the end that all seem to come so naturally, it is an excellent movie watching experience.

The performances are all high quality. There isn’t a stinker in the bunch. There are rednecks and losers, business men and truck drivers, tormented individuals feeding on the torment of others, so on and so on. It really is a web of characters who feel so real it revitalizes my faith in the art of acting. Truly.

The music is subtle and perfect for the moments of sheer exhaustive nail biting. I make it sound like a horror flick, but it’s not at all. It’s a drama with some action, suspense, and more drama. It’s the combination of the believable dialogue, the circumstances the characters find themselves in, the tone of the movie, the rain, the music, the anger, the fear, the scheming, it just makes a perfect bundle of nervous energy that is thrilling without the gore and cheap scares.

There is a beauty to the film that settled in on my right away. It’s got a touch of the 70′s film making vibe, sort of gritty and real. While it’s also a sharp look at choice and consequence. I know it’s a drama, and there’s some action, but there should be a genre just for the “Choice and Consequence” stories of the world. Most human tales have that element, of course, we are all making choices and living with the consequences. However, The Square is basically a road map, turn left at THE BAD CHOICE, drive 1 mile and turn right at THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE. Some of it even gave me chills, the fallout from one misjudgement in our lives can have such relentless effects on so many people. The writing of this story doles out these characters’ decisions with precision and no apologies, which is part of the absolute emersiveness of them all. You won’t find much second guessing or hesitation when the shit hits the fan. Oh, I really am glad I got a chance to see this movie.

It is actually one of my favorite movies of the year (so far) and I’m not afraid to scream it from the roof tops. I recommend it highly. It’s a quiet surprise that comes from the Australian film world and I only wish I had more more more of the same to sink my nail biting teeth in to.

Audio & Video: 6/10
While the movie is an instant classic, I can’t say the 1080P AVC encoded transfer is going to raise any brows. It’s not that the movie looks bad, in fact, Brad Shield’s cinematography is actually awesome it just doesn’t come across as sharp and vivid as it should on Blu-Ray.

Thankfully the audio on this release is great using the DTS HD Master Audio codec the movie sounds great. This is a very quiet subdued kind of movie but the rear speakers are almost always alive with small ambient sounds. When action does kick in the soundfield really comes alive. The only complaint I have is there is not much in the way of room rumbling bass but hey it’s not that type of movie.

I really loved this little know Australian gem, if your in your (insert favorite DVD/Blu-Ray store here) store this week pick this up instead of the awful romantic comedy you were thinking of getting. Live a little!


Value: 9/10 (rental) 5/10 (full disc price)
You will pay more for this movie, just because it’s not a super popular release. The Square does have a lot of good extras packed in the deal, and I really did like it, but I wouldn’t spend more than $20 on it. That is because I”m a cheap chick. Therefore, I highly recommend renting it for a night in. It’s a pricey disc to buy because it’s one of those good tasty non-Hollywood flicks, so it’s well worth a few dollars, but not the 30 mark. It amazes me that they don’t seem to get the connection between price and sales. Lower the price and people will buy more for quality goods. I”m a genius.

Overall Score 9/10

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The menu is less appealing, but has a nice black and white background with moving scenes in color.


Features: 6/10

• Behind The Scenes – This behind the scenes is a bit heavy on the message,which starts off talking about the amount of teenage suicides that occur.  It is a strange little extra that focuses on the actual filming of the movie, intermixed with the actors talking about the experience, and each other.  It becomes apparent that the actors are not necessarily superstars, but that they took this seriously, which helps the movie.
• Deleted Scenes – The deleted scenes are a collection of some of the movies extended scenes, as well as a few scenes that just would not have added anything to the movie.  There are a few scenes that really show some bad acting, and they are not missed.  Most of the scenes are just extensions of scenes that are already in the movie.  Overall 9 deleted scenes are included.
• Music Video’s – There are two music videos included on the Blu-ray.  The first video is for Bounce, by J-Rus, and the second video is for Sunset Cliffs, but Paul Wright.  Bounce is a hip-hop song by J-Rus, who is a white guy who looks a bit like the guy with curly hair from That 70s Show.  Sunset Cliffs is a bit like Dave Matthews.  Both videos feature scenes from the movie intermixed with the artists.
• Gag Reel – The gag reel was categorized, and there were a few funny scenes.  The actors obviously had a good time making this movie, and some of the missed lines and flubs were pretty funny.
• & More – Also included on the Blu-ray are previews for other movies, including the new Karate Kid, as well as a commentary featuring the Director, the writer, and the producers.

The Movie: 4/10
To Save a Life is a strange little movie that starts off with drama.  Jake, a high school basketball star who has a seemingly great life.  He has a beautiful girlfriend, he is popular, and things just seem to go his way.  We see Jake at a funeral, and we learn that the funeral is for Jake’s childhood friend Roger, who has taken his own life with a gun inside the high school.  We get flashbacks to show us how close the boys were, and how Roger at one point saved Jake’s life by pushing him out of the way of a car, only to end up hurting his leg.  The injury ends up giving Roger a limp, and we get to see the two boys as they drift apart.  At some point, Roger ends up feeling abandoned and alienated, as we see Jake ignore Roger, even as other kids make fun of his disability.  Jake ends up seeing and speaking to Roger, right before he shoots himself, and this ends up haunting Jake for the rest of the movie, as he seeks to find out why, and he searches his own feelings to deal with the loss, as well as trying to understand how he could treat Roger in this way, and how people can treat others in this manner.

The rest of the movie shows Jake as he tries to find a balance between being the high school stud who drinks and parties without a care in the world, and being a centered, nice kid.  In his search for peace of mind, he runs across the preacher who was at Roger’s funeral, and he starts to find himself as he starts to attend church gatherings.  The preacher Chris is a laid back, understanding type of guy who seems to understand the difficulties that many of these kids are going through.  Jake ends up making friends with the kids at in the church group, and in doing so he finds himself alienated by his popular friends, including his confused girlfriend Amy, who feels as if she is being judged when she attends some of the gatherings.

To Save a Life does a nice job of being preachy, without going too far.  That is not to say that the drama and message are not at times overbearing, but at least we get to see the kids as being kids, doing what high schoolers do, by partying and hanging out, without there being too much made of it.  The acting itself is adequate, with Randy Wayne doing a decent job as Jake, and the rest of the cast being okay.  Chris, payed by Joshua Wiegel is probably the strongest actor in ths group, but they all seem to be genuinely into the movie, and it shows.

This movie is obviously a religious movie, and it is a tad over-dramatic.  The movie itself is not great, but it could have been a lot worse.  I am not sure that this is going to resonate with too many people, as it seems aimed at a very small target audience, which includes religious teenagers.  The message is better than the movie, even though the message is spelled out with a sledge hammer.

To Save a Life is a little bit of a surprise.

Audio & Video: 6/10
The video overall was very well done.  The high definition transfer is quite well done.  The colors and black levels were spot on, and my only complaint is that the lighting is a bit off.  Some of the shots just seems dark.  Overall though I was impressed with the presentation, especially when you consider that this is a low budget release.

The audio was pretty well done also, although this is almost exclusively a dialogue driven movie.  Again, it was well one for this type of release.

Value: 3/10
This is a very strange movie, and the Christian overtones can be at times a bit much.  I did not mind the movie itself, but I can see how some may find it a bit preachy.  This is just not a movie that one is going to want to watch over and over again.  The presentation was very well done, but the movie is a hit or miss, depending on your stance on religion.

Overall Score 4/10

• Deleted Scenes – There are 9 deleted scenes included here, and they are really not bad.  They include a talk between Michael Cera and Steve Buscemi while their two characters, a father and son, are tripping on mushrooms, and some animated scenes.  They are decent to watch and a nice break from some of the standard deleted scenes that are included in movies.
• Off The Chain Deleted & Extended Animated Sequences – I don’t know about being “off the chain,” but these are deleted scenes and some extended animated scenes from the movie.  The movie includes a few strange animated sequences that break up the movie, and add a bit of style to the movie.  Again, it seems a bit like something that would appear in a Napoleon Dynamite type of movie, or at least something from Michel Gondry, but it is cute and seems to fit this movie.  The extended scenes are fun to watch.
• Audition Footage – There are a bunch of audition scenes here, which are kind of fun to watch.  We get to see some readings and auditions for the main characters, which is always interesting.
• Commentary With The Director & Michael Cera – I didn’t love the commentary, as it was a bit dry, but at least it keeps moving and is informative.

The Movie: 6/10
Youth in Revolt is a tale about a 16 year-old boy, who is somewhat of an outsider.  Played by the perennial movie geek Michael Cera, the boy, named Nick Twisp, starts off the movie stating that he is a virgin, and while watching the character develop, there is no real question as to why.  Nick is a huge fan of Frank Sinatra, and his wardrobe begs for some help.  As a high school student, he is definitely not going to win prom king, not that he would want to.

Nick’s good friend Lefty is in the same boat, and also is obsessed with sex.  Lefty is  obsessed with a girl in their class, and has been for years, and we get the idea that he has about as much of a chance in getting this beautiful girl as Nick has of being a football star – it just is not going to happen.

Nick’s mother (Jean Smart) has been shacking up with bearded loser (Zach Galifianakis) who sells a car to some sailors who end up wanting a refund when the car explodes shortly after they have purchased it.  In order to avoid having his head taken off by the sailors, he takes Nick and his mother to a trailer park in Northern California, where by chance Nick meets the beautiful, and uninhibited Sheeni (played exceptionally well by Portia Doubleday).  The two start an interesting relationship, as Sheeni explains her obsession with all things French, right down to her imaginary boyfriend Francois, who she is convinced she will marry.  In real life Sheeni is dating the 6 foot Trent, or so she tells Nick.

Sheeni’s parents are religious nuts, which contrasts sharply to Sheeni’s seemingly uninhibited talk and actions.  Nick of course is smitten beyond belief, as this is perhaps the first girl he has interacted with at this depth.  The two are cute, and Nick creates an alter ego, or different version of himself, named Francois, who is cool and calculated, and is “bad” in a way that Nick is not.  This is apparently what Sheeni is looking for in a man, and Francois goes out of his way to help out Nick, whose only goal is to get the girl.

Youth in Revolt features some great actors in quirky roles.  Fred Willard is, like always, just a crazy character that adds much to the movie.  Buscemi and everyone else bring a real sense of depth and reality , in that even though the characters are bizarre, they feel real.

I liked Youth in Revolt for the most part, even though I thought the story was a bit light in parts.  This is a fun little movie, and if you can appreciate Juno and the like, this is a film that you will enjoy.  It would be nice to see Michael Cera break out from this geek role at some point, but he has a lockdown on it for now, and he might as well continue making this type of movie while he can.





Audio & Video: 7/10
I was pleasantly surprised by both the audio and the video on this standard DVD.  The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen is bright and cheerful throughout the movie.  The video itself was pretty crisp, and there were only a few moments when I noticed grain.  The presentation was nicely done, and the results was good.

The audio was also well done, as the Surround Sound was well used and the overall effect was nice.  The music was quite well done too, with a quirky selection, as to be expected.


Value: 7/10
I can see how the younger generation would take to this movie quite like they did to Juno and Napoleon Dynamite.  This is definitely a movie about those who are, or consider themselves an outsider, and so I can see that Youth in Revolt can hold some charm for that group.  It is probably one of those movies that grows on you.  The movie itself is not overtly funny, but there are some clever moments.  The movie is decent, but the disc is not full of extras like it could have been.  This is a rental, if you are into these types of comedies, and you know who you are if you are a big Michael Cera fan.  He essentially is the same character that he always plays.

Overall Score 7/10

• Gag Reel – A gag reel for a thriller movie?  seems a bit odd.  the actual reel itself is tolerable, but overall this was just odd.
• Commentary With Penn Badgley, Dylan Walsh,& Director Nelson McCormick – This was a light commentary, that was okay to listen to , even though it was devoid of any real gems.  Everyone seemed to enjoy making the movie, and doing the commentary, which at least makes is tolerable.  Again, not much depth here, but not horrible.
• Open House Making The Film Featurette – The making of feature was about 20 minutes long, and was actually pretty informative, with lots of information on the actual characters themselves.  They talk about the original 1987 movie that this was based on, and spend a good deal of time talking about the house which was built for the movie.
• Visualizing The Stunts Featurette – At 12 minutes, this extra talks about the way they tried to make the stunts realistic.  This is not the type of movie that seems to have a lot of stunts, but they spent a lot of time talking about few that were done.
• MovieIQ – This is a kind of pop up trivia that i thought we got rid of a few years ago.  I am not really a fan of this type of thing.  When the icon appears, you hit it and get info on the characters, actors, etc. in a pop up screen.

The Movie: 2/10
The Stepfather is one of those films that sounds better than it is.  Based on the 1987 film of the same name, the new version could almost have been a made for television movie, as it just lacks the bite and feel of a real movie release.

As the movie starts, we see David Harris (Dylan Walsh) enjoying some early morning coffee and toast as he leaves a house in some suburban area.  His casual demeanor clashes with the fact that the house is full of a dead family that he has apparently killed.  His cool exterior embodies a type of psychopath that we really don’t see fully for the rest of the movie.  We get to see a brief interlude where the authorities discuss the killer, and we get a warning that he may strike again.

Enter a new family, where mom (Sela Ward) is smitten by the dashing David, and we cut to six months later when her son Michael (Penn Badgley) shows up and gets a bit creeped out by the new guy who is trying to move into the family.  We all know where this is heading, and it seems to take ages to get there.  Michael’s girlfriend parades around in a bikini, adding further tension between Michael and David, and we just get to wait until David supposedly loses his mind and tries to kill everyone, which of course he has to do.

The Stepfather was one of those movies that  I wanted to scare me, or leave me questioning what was coming next, but it failed miserably on both accounts.  overall it was just a movie that was straightforward and monotonous, and therefore I was more than disappointed.  To me, this was a missed opportunity, as there was plenty that could have been done.  Skip the stepfather, and save yourself the long torture.  You know what is coming.

Audio & Video: 7/10
Well the Stepfather looked pretty good, and the sound was adequate.  The 2.39:1 MPEG-4 AVC encoded video is sharp and detailed, and looks good.

The audio was a bit muted for my liking, but seemed decent enough.  Overall both the audio and the video were average, but not spectacular.


Value: 2/10
This is supposed to be a thriller, but there is not much here that was not pretty obvious from the start of the movie.  The movie itself was just a slow walk to an ending that was pretty obvious (the showdown was in the cards from the start!)  I was underwhelmed by this Blu-ray, and can’t recommend this movie unless you are a big fan of this genre of film, but even then, there are better movies to watch that this.

Overall Score 3/10

• Deleted Scenes – A Couple of deleted scenes that really add nothing to the movie, these scenes are presented in 480P and look pretty rough.
  
• Filmmaker & Cast Commentaries – Here is where the disc really gets interesting with two full length commentary tracks, the first is slightly annoying with Duffy, Connolly, Reedus & Flannery making tons of in jokes that the unless you know these people you will not get anything from. Connolly is the best thing about this track and he is genuinely the only witty one in the room. The second track is helmed by Duffy and about half way through Willem Dafoe turns up, this track is more subdued and more focused on the actual movie.
• Unprecedented Access - A decent behind the scenes documentary that covers some of the onset antics, this is actually pretty good with lot’s of on the set footage.
  
• Billy Connolly & Troy Duffy Unedited – Connolly & Duffy sit down in a hotel room and reminisce about making the movies, Connolly knows how to tell a story and there are some genuinely funny moments here.
  
• Inside The Vault – The guy responsible for the weapons in Boondock 2 gives us a detailed rundown of the different guns in the movie, it’s about 8 minutes long and is fairly disposable.
  
• The Cast Confesses – Some secrets from the cast and crew, feels more promotional than anything.
  
• The Boondock Saints Hit Comic-Con – If you are a fan of both of the Saints movies this is a great extra, clocking in around the 1 hour mark this feature shows the Comic-Con panel session in full with all the main cast being interviewed. about half way through they let the crowd field the questions.
  
• MovieIQ & BDLive -As usual with Sony Blu-Rays this one comes equipped with MovieIQ and BDLive, not a lot here of interest unless you like watching trailers and looking at trivia tracks.
  

The Movie: 6/10
Two Irish brothers on a farm. Countryside stretching in all directions. Their father, an aging man has weathered life, harsh, unforgiving. While in Boston a crime is committed, a priest killed and left with two coins, a calling card. We quickly understand that the brothers are being framed for the murder and with a quick little montage they shave off their farmy beards, cut their hair, grab their guns and are off to the city for revenge, or to clear their name, or something like that. There is a slightly missed feel of grit and hardness to the opening sequences of the movie. The murder is gruesome, the farm looks cold, the long hair looks wiggy but a tad grungy. I tried to look past the hit and miss style and get on with the story, but it wasn’t easy.

As the brothers make their way to Boston they meet and acquire a side kick of sorts. He’s Mexican, without any kind of ethnicity at all, fair enough. There are enough wanna be offensive jokes about him being Mexican that you get the idea, even if it becomes boring after a while. This all sounds a little like I’m not liking the movie, but I did enjoy it, I didn’t love it.

The brothers are well played, as is the Mexican side kick. The accents could be totally wrong and I wouldn’t know the difference, so they sound good to me. They all seem to be having a great time and there are a lot of yucking it up kind of scenes that almost border on farce, but they all do it with enough umph that it doesn’t become silly (most of the time). As the brothers try to find the killer who is trying to frame them we meet an FBI Special Agent who has her own quirkiness, inherited from the first movie from her counter character played by Willem Defoe. She’s OK, but not very interesting. It all seems a bit flat and over fabricated. Overacting isn’t a crime in this movie, it’s everywhere, but she’s just not quite right for the grit level that is barely hanging on as it is.

There is too much comedy to keep this sequel true to the guts and glory of the first Boondock flick. I can’t help it, I’m comparing, yes…get over it. I loved the first film, looked forward to this second installment, and then as I watched I felt like the writer/director really missed the point. My point that is, he obviously has a vision for the Boondock world and I can’t change that. I just can’t help but be disappointed in the overt humor that takes away from the solid characters and situations they were in in their original story. That being said, as they say, Boondock Saints 2 holds up to something like a comedy, buddy, crime, farce kind of flick but with some moments of true brilliance. Those moments are few and far between, but they are there and it’s enough to keep me having a good time, overlooking the flaws, and saying that it isn’t a let down, just a bit of a nose wrinkling ‘awe, it’s not as good as I wanted it to be.” which isn’t a fair thing to saddle on a movie, but that’s how it works when you love an original and they tag on a sequel for whatever reasons.

The action sequences are just that, lots of action, slow motion gun fire, guys falling down, etc. It’s got some groovy music but it all feels over manufactured. I wanted to pluck the actors, the characters, the circumstances out and put them in a darker, more serious, more substantial movie, but I don’t have that kind of magic power, so I watched and let my brain just relax and enjoy the best bits. I would recommend both movies if you haven’t taken the time to enter the world of these brothers. If you become a super fan you will love them both. If you love the first one because of the heart, the guts, the slight darkness, well, you will enjoy the second one because it feels like an homage more than a sequel, which is weird and kind of interesting at the same time.





Audio & Video: 8/10 (By Ascully)
Boondock 2 has an awesome looking AVC encoded 2.35:1 transfer that really is in a league of it’s own. Skin tones are perfect and the transfer captures the grimy feel of the movie. Duffy chose to stylize many of the set pieces in this sequel and even the dream sequence with it’s Vaseline smeared lens looks top tier.

Audio is similarly impressive, the booming DTS-HD 5.1 mix almost drowns out the Irish mutterings of the actors  but not enough to get really bothersome. The soundtrack really comes into it’s own during the gunfights (which there are many) and you will be looking behind you from time to time to see if the Saint’s have decided to join you. Overall the movie isn’t as great as the first but I loved it all the same. If you are looking for some tough no nonsense gun battling on a movie watching weekend you can’t go much better than the Saint’s.


Value: 7/10
I think as a sequel this movie needs to go along for the ride wherever the first one goes. The problem is, I don’t think I need to own this one, it will just sit there on the shelf as a companion piece. I will watch it again someday when we pull them both out for a Boondock fest. If you haven’t seen either, well, rent them and see what you think about owning the set. It’s got some good extras, and it’s a good offering for the hard core fans.

Overall Score 7/10

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• Filmmaker & Cast Commentary – This is a pretty solid commentary, that really goes into depth about numerous aspects of the movie.  Led by Scott Sanders, Michael Jai White, and Byron Minns, the group does a good job of explaining the genre that they so dearly imitated.
• Making Of Featurette – This is a nice little making of featurette, that runs about 23 minutes long.  It shows how Michael Jai White came up with the idea and decided to present it in a  short clip.
• The Comic-Con Experience – The group had a get together at a San Diego comic-Con, and this 18 minute extra shows the moderated discussion.
• Deleted & Alternate Scenes – There are a lot of deleted scenes included, and most are not all that funny.

The Movie: 7/10
Black Dynamite.  What a wicked name, and when you couple that with the cover of this movie, you know you are in for something different.  Black Dynamite is a send-up of the classic low budget blaxploitation movies from the 1970s (think “Shaft.”)  While I am no expert, I have seen my share of these movies, and the fun in watching them now is seeing just how outrageous they look and feel.  You take a strong, powerful black actor, and place him in an action movie, mixed with 1970s clothes and styles, and it becomes pure fun.  They are fun and funny, and not necessarily funny on purpose.

Scott Sander’s Black Dynamite features Michael Jai White as Black Dynamite, an ex-CIA, Karate loving local who takes on the drug dealers in his town when his brother is murdered.  Black Dynamite is the perfect hero for our story, in that he is above all else a full fledged bad-ass.  He beds numerous women (sometimes at the same time) and is able to fight like a superhero.  His moral compass is dead center, and nothing enrages him more that learning that the local dealers have been giving smack to orphans (he himself was an orphan damnit.)

The movie is a total homage to the genre, complete with soulful background singing that mirrors what is happening in the movie, as well as outfits and Afros that scream the time of Marvin Gaye and the Commodores.  The acting and story are over the top, as they should be, and while the movie itself is a fun ride, it can drag on in areas.

There are cameos from black comedians like Arsenio Hall and Tommy Davidson that are just plain bizarre, but funny.  Many of the shots use some crazy 70′s camera movement that just adds to the overall feel of the movie, and black Dynamite does its very best to stay true to the genre while being funny and over the top.

There are moments where it gets too absurd and runs the risk of ruining the whole vibe, and there are definitely areas that run on way too long, but overall Black Dynamite is a good little movie.  Michael Jai White and Byron Minns (as Bull Horn) are funny as they go full force into their characters.  (At times I can’t imagine how many takes must have occurred, as they must have been close to laughing for many of the scenes, but they maintain their hard-core exterior.)

Overall Black Dynamite was fun to watch, and a great parody of a somewhat forgotten film genre.  It is not done to mock the genre as much as it is to entertain and remind of those  types of movies.  To me Black Dynamite was to blaxploitation movies what Austin Powers was for 1970′s spy movies.  The cast and crew were obviously passionate about this project, and while it is over the top, it has to be.  To me Black Dynamite was fun for what it is, and well worth a watch.

Audio & Video: 8/10
Black Dynamite was filmed on 16mm film, in order to recreate the feel of the classic 1970′s Blaxploitation films, and so the Blu-ray presents that look expertly.  In the extras they discuss the way they wanted the movie to have that grainy feel along with the over-saturated colors, and the result is perfect.  It feels like a 70′s movie, and the video is unique and very well done.  The Blu-ray presentation is great, even though it is not really high definition, which is weird, considering you pay a bit more for the Blu-ray version of any movie.  It is still sharp and pretty, and while it stays true to the genre, you have to wonder how it would have been in pure digital glory.  Having said that, the feel is perfect, and I would have done the same thing – shot in 16mm.

The audio is solid gold also.  The effects are crisp in this lossless 5.1 DTS-HD Lossless presentation, and while it sounds as if they might have used old school microphones (the dialogue feels totally mid ranged at times) the surround is used nicely.  I love the overdone sound effects as the fights occur and the gunshots are deafening.  A very nice modern version of the 1970′s action movies.

Value: 6/10
Black Dynamite is a tough call.  It is great fun, and a really original, funny movie.  I am not sure that I will watch it over and over, just because the laughs are subtle, but what a cool type of movie.  It is an homage to those 1970′s Blaxploitation movies, without while still being funny and relevant.  It was fun to watch and is a good little movie, but it is not a great comedy in my book.  I liked it a lot, but I didn’t “like like” it, if you know what I mean.  Black Dynamite is worth a watch, but maybe not a buy.

Overall Score 6/10

• A Recipe For Success: The Making Of Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs – In this 11 minute long, semi-behind the scenes short, we get to hear from the co-writers Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, as they describe how the movie was made.  These two goofballs are a riot to listen to, and they really make the extras that they are involved in enjoyable.
• Raining Sunshine Music Video -Here we have a music video for the song Raining Sunshine, by Miranda Cosgrove.  Music videos  for these kids movies are a mystery to me, but they all seem to have them now, and it seems that Sony has taken the Disney cue and added their own.
• Interactive Raining Sunshine Sing-A-Long – This is just a karaoke version of the Miranda Cosgrove song.
• Behind The Scenes Of Miranda Cosgrove’s Raining Sunshine Music Video – We also get a short 2 minute behind the scenes of the music video.  Enough said.
• Key Ingredients: The Voices Of Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs – Bill Hader, Anna Faris, and Mr. T in the studio, shown recording their parts.  This is a very funny little extra, that runs about 12 minutes long.  They also give some insight in to the roles and how they voiced them.
• Extended Scenes – There are 2 extended scenes that are shown here, with the first being a bit from the elevator ride up to the lab.  The second scene has to do with the spaghetti tornado that ravishes the island.  Both are presented in high definition, even though some of the video is not finished and is shown as a rough cut.
• Progessive Reels With Introductions – This extra shows us the development that goes into making a movie like this.  We are presented with an introduction by the head of the visual FX department Rob Bredow, as he walks us through the development of the CGI.  A very interesting look at the making of this type of movie.
• Early Development Scenes – In this 6 minute storyboard progression, we are shown some of the early ideas for the movie.  We get to see some of the ideas that didn’t make it into the final movie, and we get some insight into the direction and progression of the story as it was fleshed out.
• Blu-ray Exclusive: Interactive Splat Button/Flint’s Good Fight Game- This is a strange extra, where you can throw food at the movie with your remote.  There is also a DVD game involving food antics, which is fun for a few minutes.
• DVD Version Of The Movie – We also get a DVD version of the film, and like I have said before, this is excellent for kids movies, as most of us have numerous DVD players, and maybe only one Blu-ray.  This ensures that my boy can watch this movie anywhere in the house, and at his grandparents, who think Blu-ray is some sort of alien invasion warning system.
• Digital Copy – I have really come to enjoy the prospect of digital copies of my movies, especially kids movies, which can be a great thing for long trips with my 4 year-old, and my sanity.  While we do get a digital copy, this one only plays on your PSP.  I don’t see the point in having this be so narrowly focused.  I want this to play on my i Phone.  Just a strange choice in my opinion.

The Movie: 7/10
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a strange type of movie.  It is loosely based on the book of the same name by Ron and Judi Barnett, and I mean loosely.  The story centers on Flint Lockwood (enthusiastically voiced by Bill Hader), who lives on an island where fishing is not only the norm, but the source of the island’s entire existence. Sardines are life, and when Flint seems more interested in inventing, his fisherman father is less than enthused.

Flint’s experiments begin at an early age, and they are not necessarily what you would call successful.  His intentions are good, but the follow through just seems a bit off, like his spray on shoes, that work great, but unfortunately flint has not taken into account the fact that there is no way to remove them.  Another example of an invention gone awry is his rat-bird hybrid animal, that escapes and randomly flies in and nabs and carries off random kids in the movie.  Overall Flint is looking for that one big invention that he will nail, proving his worth to Swallow Falls and more importantly, his father.

Flint finally comes up with what he feels is a winner of an invention, that converts water into any type of food that you might want, and when he tries to give it more power (at the same time the new Sardine Land amusement park is being unveiled), his invention not only destroys the celebration, but rockets up into that clouds.  Flint ends up being the focus of everyone’s disdain, and he also finds himself bumping into rookie newscaster Sam Sparks (Anna Faris).  The two start an odd relationship, and things turn around when Flint’s machine actually starts to work, as food begins to drop from the sky.

When Flint starts to control the menu as it were, he transforms from loser to hero, as his invention brings fame and fortune to the sleepy little fishing village.  The mayor and others end up placing orders through Flint, and while he attempts to juggle the fame and the new-found responsibility, the machine is pushed to the limit, and it ends up controlling Flint.

Overall Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a fun, very clever animated movie.  the voice acting is very well done, and the video and audio are superb.  I was impressed with all of the one-liners and quips that keep this fun for adults and kids, and the story, while not 100% true to the book, is very well fleshed out.  While I was not as blown away by Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs as I thought I would be, it is a solid animated movie that stands up with any of the other big releases that we have seen in recent years.





Audio & Video: 10/10
Eye candy, mixed with ear candy, at its finest.  Like many of the CGI movies that I get to review, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs looks and sounds amazing.  The picture is crisp and bright and simply stunning, and the audio pops with an amazing range that really lights up the room.  Presented in 2.35:1 1080p, the details that you can see on the screen are stunning.  The colors are (of course) bright and smart, and the whole experience is beautiful.  The 5.1 Surround Sound is used with great effect, and the rear speakers get a thorough workout throughout the movie.  Overall this is one of those movies you use to show off your home theater and Blu-ray set-up.

Value: 7/10
There is a lot to like here, and I highly recommend anyone with kids see this movie.  Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is fun and entertaining, and well worth a watch.  I did find it interesting that my 4 year-old liked the movie, but has no desire to see it again, which I find strange and telling.  I am not sure of the reason, but he really doesn’t want to see this one again, which for him is odd.  I liked the movie, and I think he did also, but perhaps it was just odd enough that for a 4 year-old, it is over his head.

Overall Score 7/10

• Movie IQ – Movie IQ is basically trivia about the movie that is accessed as the movie is playing.  It feels like it is straight out of 1993, and it is not what I would really call a great extra, especially for a Blu-ray release.

The Movie: 6/10
Last Action Hero is a 1993 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie that was made after he had cemented his name as one of the biggest action movie stars of all time.  Made after the Terminator craze, as well as Total Recall, and other big money making movies, Last Action Hero was made as a kind of lampoon of his own movies, and I don’t think that people really caught the joke.  Arnold basically is playing Arnold in the movie, who is playing Jack Slater, a character in a string of action movies.  The catch is that 12 year-old Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien), who just happens to be a Jack Slater fan, is  launched into a movie from a magical movie ticket that was given to Danny’s friend, who hands it on to the young boy as he sits down to preview the latest Slater blockbuster.  The result is that Danny becomes Slater’s sidekick, and while Danny seems to know everything about Jack Slater and his world (from watching the movies), Slater is incredulous as to the idea that he is just a movie character.

The two are forced to take down a mob boss and his assassin who Danny knows about from seeing the beginning of the movie.  Danny seems to know Slater’s every move, as well as half of his dialogue, which is kind of funny way of mocking Arnold and the entire action movie genre.  The two seem to launch through the rest of the film, battling cliche after action movie cliche, which is not nearly as funny as they seem to think it is.  While there are twists as the movie inside a movie tries to escape in to the “real world,” overall the end result is just a big mash up of explosions, one liners, and cliches.

Fortunately for me, it has been long enough that this almost takes a nostalgic leap for me, and I ended up not really minding the movie.  Taken with a grain of salt, the action sequences and the fact that they seemed to making fun of the entire genre kind of made me like this movie.  It is not a great movie, or a good movie for that matter, but it was enjoyable to watch, and while mindless, it was fun to kind of reminisce to a time when all we seemed to want on the screen was explosions and dumb quotes from our so-called actors.  To me, this type of movie was throw away, and this seemed to come at the end of that time period, when action movies were starting to lose their following.  A perfect example is the fact that in 1993 when this movie was released, it was beaten  to the theater by a little movie called Jurassic Park, which of course did extremely well.  When contrasting the two movies, it is easy to see that audiences were ready for something new, and Last Action Hero was kid of the last of a dying breed.  Overall I had fun, but I can still say that Last Action Hero is not a great movie by any stretch.





Audio & Video: 7/10
The video for Last Action Hero is actually decent for a 1993 release.  It is a bit grainy in spots, but overall the colors and detail are pretty decent.  Presented in 1080p AVC encoded MPEG-4, with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the transfer looks good overall.  There are some issues that seem to crop up in some of the darker scenes, but out in the sunlight, this movie looks sharp and crisp.

The audio was kind of a surprise to me, considering how the video was only decent.  As this is an action movie, the explosions and sound effects were very bright, and that really adds to this type of movie.  While at times the dialogue was a bit weak, overall the sound was really well done with lots of use of the rear speakers.  While better than the video, the audio is still not spectacular, but pretty decent for a 1993 release.


Value: 5/10
You have to be an Arnold Schwarzenegger fan to want to pick up your own Blu-ray copy of Last Action Hero.  I am sure that there are a few people like me who have not seen this release in ages, and for a popcorn, check your mind at the door kind of movie experience, Last Action Hero might be worth a rental.  The lack of extras, and the fact that the movie is less than stellar make this hard to really recommend for your Blu-ray collection, but having said all that, it was a fun little watch.  It is kind of sad to say that this might have been the end of Arnold’s action career, so perhaps this title should have been  “Last Action Role” instead.  Still, I had fun watching it, if for no other reason than to remember a time when big name action heroes ruled the movie theaters.  A few explosions and some bad one liners can be really fun.

Overall Score 5/10

This is one of those covers that really does tell enough of the story of the movie to be useful, and it looks cool. The menus are themed as well. You can choose from the human or the alien versions and each has a whole different look, which is a thoughtful touch I appreciate even more after seeing the movie.


Features: 9/10

• Deleted Scenes – Movies with a lot of special effects probably are more economical when it comes to cutting scenes out for whimsical reasons. There are a few, here that they simply didn’t add the CGI to before cutting, which has got to be the cheapest way to do it. There are several and some of them are quite amusing, but nothing that would impact the story.
  
• Director’s Commentary – I like listening to this director, even though he has a touch, just a little hint of pretentious young film maker attitude, but that’s to be expected. After all, he is a young film maker :)
  
• The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log — Three-Part Documentary – The director and other cast and crew talk fairly extensively about making the movie. It’s a really well made, not too flashy, not overly produced bit of background information. I enjoyed hearing about how the movie even came to exist on the back of the debunked Halo movie by Peter Jackson. It’s a good extra, one of the most watchable ‘documentary’ type things I’ve seen in a while.
  
• Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus – How do we make a man look like a transforming alien? Lots of latex, glue, make-up, and time in a chair early in the morning. It’s kind of the same old story as we have seen before with this topic, but I like the people so it’s a fun one to watch.
  
• Innovation: Acting and Improvisation – How do you make a science fiction movie with a very strict storyline, but with room to add a line or two here and there? A director with an open mind and a cast that’s really good at making quality changes to what’s on the script.
  
• Conception and Design: Creating the World of District 9 – What does an alien ship look like? How do you design an alien that’s not like all the other aliens we have seen in the past few decades of sci-fi movies? This is the kind of stuff that gets tossed around at those brainstorming creative meetings. I wonder if they watch the movie and think, “Hmmm wish I’d added another tail to that alien, or eyeball, or more buttons on that weapon.”
  
• Alien Generation: Visual Effects – Well, it’s one of the best modern examples of CGI added to a real live actor to make them into something completely different…but even this can and will get better and better….seen that little flick called Avatar yet? OH, and there are explosions, bodies blowing up, a man transforming into an alien…etc.
  
• Joburg From Above: Satellite and Schematics of the World of District 9 – A map of where you are in the city during the story. I like the details, but to be honest it’s not that interesting to me. We’ve seen this extra before and I do appreciate the effort, it’s a bulky extra for an extended experience, it’s just not my thing.
  
• God Of War III playable PlayStation 3 Game Demo and unlock an exclusive making-of the game – Ask Ascully, oh he’s busy replaying the demo, again and again:)
  
• MovieIQ And More! -This would be the pop up information you can read during a re-watch of the movie, which is cool if you plan to watch it a few times. I will watch it again, but I don’t need any trivia or information. I just want to watch the movie again and again:)
  

The Movie: 8/10
Science Fiction is becoming my genre of choice as I hit middle age. I can’t explain why, but movies like District 9 are paving the way for sure. From the first minute of the movie I was there, sucked in by the opening documentary style and intangible vibe.  You know that vibe, the thing that makes you get all tingly inside when a movie starts that you just lock eyes and mind with and never let go.

The story isn’t new or shocking, not at the heart of it. It’s the details, those things that make it not like other stories with the same ideas. Aliens come to earth and humans are not fully prepared to deal with the situation…..ok, not new or innovative, right? What about an alien ship that hovers over a large city in South Africa that doesn’t open, no one comes out and no one can get in until some humans force their way in and discover a group of aliens starving, on the brink of death? Is it an invasion? Is it a trick? Is it a ship stolen by the beings left on board who have no idea how to work the technology? Is it the crew who are stuck on board after their leaders are dead and who can’t figure out what to do stranded over the surface of a far away planet? This is what makes District 9 interesting, that and a few other things :)

The overriding theme is one of my favorites in story telling. That theme is that. I love anything that makes fun of and points out the ineptness of paper-pushing and bullshit over-regulation of rules and procedures. An office worker with a clipboard is thrust into the mix of a highly volatile situation. He is a robot, in essence, of his job and follows the rules so as to further his own promotions and status in his department.

The cast is awesome, every single person convinces me that they are in that story. Another thing I notice as I get older is that I can spot a half-assed performance from an actor from a mile away and it’s very irritating, unless it’s intended….this movie has none of that. Everyone seems committed, taking their roles seriously and making it that much higher quality. I would say the lead guy is the stand out, and he is, however, everyone is the same caliber so it’s a group effort really even from peripheral characters there is no lack of effort.

I won’t go into the special effects too much. I mean, if you are a review reader and listen to anything about movies you will already know it’s an awesome looking movie. Other reviewers might have a better grasp of the technical side of things. I do know this, I love the bright lighting on the all CGI characters. It’s a new age of movie watching that’s for sure. We can have anyone be anything and in the right hands (Wetta) it looks incredible on the big screen. True fantasies come true in our movie watching minds with modern tricks of the trade and District 9 is one of the new shining examples. There are a few little seconds here and there where the movements of the aliens have that weirdness that reminds me they are computer generated creatures attached to real live humans, but 99.9% of the movie is engrossing because it’s that convincing.

Overall I LOVE this movie. It’s exciting, it’s got a statement (even though the director says it doesn’t). It’s in a place I’ve never really seen before. It’s got compelling characters and amazing visual effects. It’s a must see for me, the rising Queen of Science Fiction.





Audio & Video: 10/10
What an amazing movie to start 2010 with. If we had reviewed this movie last week it would have made my best of 2009 list. Perhaps it will make my 2010 list, it’s that good. District 9 is brought to us by Sony on Blu-Ray in 1.85:1 Wide Screen image that is stunning from start to finish. Neil Blomkamp used the RED HD camera for most of the movie and the results are spectacular. The only complaints I have about the transfer are some dark shots are slightly underwhelming but this could be intentional to fit in with the guerrilla film-making style.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is equally stunning with some amazing surround separation (the very first scene of Wickus being interviewed is a good example, it sounds like the interviewer is actually sat behind you). The battles towards the end of the movie really will give your speakers a workout. This soundtrack really works and pulls you even further into the world of District 9.

Overall District 9 on Blu-Ray is a no-brainer, if you like Sci-Fi in even a small way you will find something here to like. If you love Sci-Fi you will see a very different movie from anything that has come before it!!!!


Value: 6/10
I love the movie. I don’t love the Blu-Ray price. That’s the way of the world for a cheapskate like me. I don’t like paying more than 20 bucks for any movie. It seems a bit vulgar to have it sitting on the shelf forever. I would recommend this as a rental for movie watchers, and it’s a purchase for collectors of Sci-Fi, or Peter Jackson fans, or whatever other niche you can slip it in to.

Overall Score 9/10

The menu is very nice for a standard DVD.  Choices are presented along the bottom of the screen, with scenes from the movie rotating across the middle.  Nice music, and nice presentation.

Features: 6/10

• Deleted Scenes - The deleted scenes for Seven Pounds are short, but some of them were pretty good.  One included a piece about how Ben was able to pull of his amazing feat, and in my opinion it should have definitely been in the movie.
• Seven Views On Seven Pounds -In this interesting behind the scenes short, seven different crew members talk about their own views about the movie.  It includes interviews with the writer, the producers, and people like the location manager, and it covers a variety of things about the movie that kind of offer a different insight into the making of the movie.  I really liked the way this was presented, and it gives a unique view of how movies get made.
• Creating The Perfect Ensemble -In this piece the casting director explains what went into getting  the right actors for the movie.  Of course the main focus is on Will Smith and Rosario Dawson, and I have to say that the chemistry between the two was excellent.  This extra then talks about how the rest of the cast was picked.
• The Box Jellyfish: World’s Deadliest Co-Star -A very strange inclusion, this extra is all about the box jellyfish, one of the main focuses of the movie.  This is basically an interview with a scientist who talks about the deadly creature and where it comes from, how it kills, and everything else you could want to know about the beautiful creature.
• Emily’s Passion: The Art Of The Printing Press -This short goes through various printing presses from the past, and talks about the progression over the ages of the art.  Of course in the movie Emily has a few of these old machines, so this ties in nicely with the story.  A bit of a strange inclusion, but if you are going to talk about the jellyfish, might as well go into detail on the printing presses.
• Director Commentary -This is a very nice commentary done by director Gabriele Muccino.  Having worked with Will Smith before on the Pursuit of Happiness, this commentary talks about Will and all of the actors and how they fit his vision of what the movie was going to be.  Muccino does a good job of describing what he was trying to achieve, and he is passionate about this movie, which this commentary shows.

The Movie: 8/10
Before I begin talking about the movie itself, I have to explain that Seven Pounds is the type of film that is not easy to talk about without giving away too much of the plot, which in essence could ruin the movie.  I do not want to ruin the movie itself, so I may have to be a bit vague in talking about it.

To that tend, I can tell you that Seven Pounds starts off with Ben Thomas (Will Smith) making a 911 phone call to report a suicide.  After the person on the other end asks who is the victim, Ben answers “I am.”  A nice start to a movie, and a nice way to jump headfirst into a mystery that leaves the viewer asking “what is gong on here?”  Ben talks about how he has shattered his own world in seven seconds, and we are left trying to decide how and why, and just what he trying to do as he focuses his attention on seven different individuals who seem to all be broken or impaired for one reason or another.

Ben is not a nice person, and Will Smith does a good job of portraying a tortured individual who is focused on his main goal, even though we are not sure about what that goal really is.  The movie plays hide the ball very well, and while we are given glimpses into Ben’s past, we don’t really get an up-front view of what he is planning.

Eventually Ben, who states that he is an IRS representative, gets to know a few of the individuals that he has been following, and one in particular is Emily (Rosario Dawson) who has an issue with her heart.  Emily also owes the IRS money, and Ben promises to help her out.  Slowly Ben ends up becoming close with Emily, who seems a bit down on her luck due to her inability to do her work as a printer, as her condition makes it difficult to exert any real physical effort, and one of her antique printing presses is on the fritz.  Ben ends up getting very close to Emily, whose need for a transplant grows as the movie goes on.

Like I mentioned before, we are given glimpses into Ben’s past, but it is tough to figure out just where the movie is going at times.  The acting by Will Smith and Rosario Dawson is very good, and as the relationship grows, the acting just gets better and better.  The supporting cast was good also, with solid performances by Barry Pepper (who won a Razzie for worst actor in 1997) and Woody Harrelson, as well as others.

Overall I liked Seven Pounds, and I thought that the journey was really fun.  The acting was really good, and I can see how some people would not like being made to wait for the ending, but overall the movie was good.  Unlike the Pursuit of Happiness, Seven Poundsis not quite a feel good movie, but it definitely is worth watching.

Audio & Video: 7/10
There was really not much that I noticed good of bad for the video and audio.  I reviewed the standard DVD, and it looked fine.  The cinematography was good, but not remarkable, and the image was again decent.  The movie is presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen.

The audio was also good, but not mind blowing.  Presented in 5.1 Surround Sound, the dialogue was good, and there was only a slight bit of use of the rear speakers that I noticed.

In saying that both the audio and video was unremarkable, I want to stress that in this type of movie it was a good thing.  It really meant that I was not distracted by the images and audio, and was able to focus on the meat of the movie, which was character development and the twisting story.  The audio and video did not distract me from the movie, which was a good thing.


Value: 5/10
Seven Pounds is an interesting movie that is definitely worth watching.  Will Smith and especially Rosario Dawson were extremely enjoyable to watch, but at the end of the day, this movie is an experience that most will be able to enjoy only one time.  It is a hard movie to watch, and the ending, once learned, is the main focus of the movie.  Once you experience it, there is no going back.  For that reason, to me Seven Pounds is a rental for sure, but I can’t imagine many will watch it over and over again.

Overall Score 7/10