Film School Rejects » HD

Director’s Cut of ‘Watchmen’ Doesn’t Come With Intermission

Dr. Cole Abaius — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:40:08 +0000

When Watchmen came out just two months ago, wasn’t everyone walking out the theater wishing that it was even fucking longer than it was? Didn’t think so. However, I’m sure there were some of you that desperately wanted to see more Rorschach and maybe a few of the scenes from the graphic novel that didn’t make the cut.

Have no fear! Because the Director’s Cut of the film that’s winging its way onto DVD and Blu-ray on July 21st will have 25 more minutes of film including that ink-faced bastard and the sequence in which Hollis Mason meets his maker.

Even cool is the inclusion on the Blu-ray of the Maximum Movie Mode, where you can watch the film alongside some incredibly in-depth looks at the making of the film, the graphic novel popping up side by side, and commentary from the filmmakers. It’s the feature that made the Sin City Blu-ray the best we’ve seen this year (or ever), and it promises to be just as cool for Watchmen.

The DVD seems pretty standard, but the Blu-ray will also include:

A feature on the mechanics and science behind Watchmen.
A real-world timeline that examines our universe as compared to that of the film.
The 25 extra minutes.
Production stills and concept art.
A look at the psychology behind vigilantism and heroism.
A much-needed, revolutionary “Pause” feature which allows you to go to the bathroom or get a drink without missing a second of the movie.

It also comes with a music video from My Chemical Romance if you’re into that sort of thing.

I have no idea whether you should shill out money to buy this thing when it comes out, but I have a feeling that it will magically end up on the doorstep here at the Reject Office so that Neil can put his discerning eye to it for his Blu-ray Report Column. Until then, get excited or remember a simpler time not so long ago when no one could talk about anything except this movie.

What do you think?

Check out the full cover art below (click to enlarge)

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Packaging Revealed

Neil Miller — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:35:52 +0000

Anyone who picked up the Battlestar Galactica prequel release Caprica a few weeks back may have noticed an advertisement for what could be the coolest DVD collector’s set of the year: The Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series set. And if you are like me, that brief glimpse was more than enough to get your credit card out. But I would urge you to calm down, baby birds. This thing isn’t hitting shelves until July 28th.

Of course, that won’t stop you from drooling over the packaging, which can be seen below. The ambitious 20-disc Blu-ray Hi-Def set and a 25-disc standard DVD set contains every episode of television’s most original, thought-provoking series, together with extensive bonus materials delving deep into the richly imagined world of the hit SCI FI Channel original show.

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series is currently available for pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD over on Amazon.

Warner Bros. Wants to Paint Your HD-DVD Collection Blu

Neil Miller — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:25:06 +0000

As this site’s resident Blu-ray watchdog, I would be failing mightily if I didn’t mention a cool new program that Warner Bros. Home Video has started today. For only $4.95 per title plus shipping and handling, the folks at WB are offering you the chance to do something with those HD-DVD titles that you purchased back in the day. And if you’re like me, you’ve got more than a few titles. The program, which can be found over at Red2Blu.com, is executed in three simple steps:

Select Warner Bros. HD-DVDs that you want to upgrade to Blu-ray (Limit 1 per HD-DVD title)
Mail the original HD-DVD cover art (no copies) to their processing center
Receive your new Blu-ray discs of the same title within 4-6 weeks

At $5 plus shipping, this is a steal. Your average Blu-ray title is going to run you $25, so even if shipping is another $5, you’re still only looking at $10 to upgrade. I will be interested in seeing whether other studios pick and run with similar programs. Now I just need to go and dig out my copies of Blade Runner and Blazing Saddles on HD-DVD and send it in…

Do you still have a bunch of HD-DVDs laying around? If so, do you think you’ll be participating in this program?

Save the Date: Mad Men Season 2 DVD and Blu-ray on July 14

Neil Miller — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:24:00 +0000

Yesterday the folks from AMC revealed via Facebook the official details on the Mad Men season two DVD and Blu-ray releases, and I thought I would share them with you since we all know that everyone should be watching this show. According to the posting, the DVD and Blu-ray sets will be released on Tuesday, July 14, 2009, just in time for the show’s third season, which starts later this summer.

The special features will include:

Audio commentaries with cast and crew on all 13 episodes
“Birth of an Independent Woman, Part 1 and Part 2” – from housewives to working women, this featurette examines the rise of female independence in the Mad Men era
“An Era of Style” – this featurette explores the fashion of the 1960’s and its lasting influence on designers today
“Time Capsule” – interactive featurettes paying homage to historical events of the 1960’s and the daring generation that lived through them

The two sets are already available for pre-order on Amazon, with the Blu-ray currently retailing for $37.39 and the DVD selling for $44.99. I would chalk that up as a win for those of us who collect the HD format. You don’t see the Blu-ray coming in cheaper that often. You might want to get your pre-order on.

Snow White Re-Awakens in Oct. 2009, This Time It’s On Blu-Ray

Michelle Graham — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:20:15 +0000

It’s been a while, but Snow White is headed back for another high definition release and this one is set to eclipse the last by, well, Blu-ray proportions. The first Disney full length animated film ever made and Disney’s first ever DVD, not to mention the first DVD to ever sell 1 million copies in a single day, is returning this October, and it’s going for pure high definition bliss.

On October 6th, 2009, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be released in a special combination pack, similar to those released for Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio. This pack includes both Blu-ray and DVD versions of the movie, allowing those who haven’t yet traded in their old entertainment systems to invest in the Blu-ray version whilst it’s available, without having to purchase the DVD separately for current viewing. Since this will be Ms. White’s first appearance on the market since 2001, it makes sense to invest while she’s still around, as knowing Disney’s sales strategies, it’s not likely to be for long and when she’s gone, she’s gone.

I was lucky enough to buy this on DVD the first time around, and it was a pretty impressive DVD for the time it arrived at. After recently investing in the Sleeping Beauty combo pack and viewing it on a high definition tv, I have been completely convinced to buy all Disney releases in Blu-ray format from now on. Even though the movie was animated way back when (1959, for those that were wondering), the quality is fantastic and they’re bound to achieve the same thing with Snow White’s remastered print.

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter DVD and Blu-ray Details

Neil Miller — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:37:57 +0000

As expected, the folks at Warner Bros. Home Video have announced the details for the DVD and Blu-ray release of Tales of the Black Freighter, the companion film to Zack Snyder’s Watchmen. This supplemental release, which follows the major substory within the book by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, will be released on March 24, a few weeks after the Watchmen movie hits theaters on March 6. Included in the press release was this official synopsis:

They’re in the book. And on this disc. From the director of Watchmen and 300 come two tales from the celebrated graphic novel that do not appear in the extraordinary Watchmen Theatrical Feature. Tales of the Black Freighter (featuring the voice of 300s Gerard Butler) brings to strikingly animated life the novels richly layered story-within-a-story, a daring pirate saga whose turbulent events may mirror those in the Watchmen’s world. Stars from the Watchmen movie team in the amazing live-action/CGI Under the Hood, based on Nite Owls powerful first-hand account of how the hooded adventurers came into existence. Two fan-essential stories. One place to watch the excitement. Watching the Watchmen begins here.

There is also a small assortment of special features, including a first look at The Green Lantern:

DVD (MSRP $19.95)

Under The Hood (Hollis Mason’s Tell-All)
Story Within A Story: The Books of Watchmen
A First Look at Green Lantern

Blu-ray (MSRP $29.95)

Under The Hood (Hollis Mason’s Tell-All)
Story Within A Story: The Books of Watchmen
A First Look at Green Lantern
Digital Copy

WHV’s release did not include any official runtime, though this is expected to run around 30 minutes. Also, interestingly enough, WHV’s official website lists the Tales of the Black Freighter DVD with a rating of PG-13 and the Blu-ray as Not Rated. We had previously been told that it was going to be an R, so we are currently working to find out what the real story is. Of course, this is not the only DVD companion piece for the March 6 release of Watchmen. WHV is also releasing a Watchmen Motion Comic on March 3 in advance of the theatrical release. You can check it out on Blu-ray and DVD over at Amazon.com.

Awesome Deal: Amazon Goes 50% Off Over 200 Blu-ray Titles!

Neil Miller — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:09:56 +0000

It is time to break out all of those gift cards and that $20 you got from grandma and pick up some content for that sweet new Blu-ray player you opened yesterday morning, folks. At least my hope is that you all got a Blu-ray player — my expectation is that the readership in my Blu-ray Report weekly column will double this coming week. It’s an aggressive goal, I know, but where else are you going to go for great Blu-ray reviews?

Reviews aside, today is all about good deals. And it appears once again as if Amazon has the goods in the Blu-ray department. This morning they launched a 50% off sale on over 200 Blu-ray titles. And while these sales normally include older releases, Amazon is dealing on some of the best Blu-ray’s from the past few months. Here are a few specific highlights:

WALL-E (One of the Best BD releases of the year, if not ever) – $24.49
Lost: Season 4 – $49.99
A Clockwork Orange – $13.99
John Carpenter’s The Thing – $16.49

I have not yet had the chance to look through all of the titles, but just in skimming over the first 60-70 I’ve noticed that there are a ton of titles priced under $15. All of those are a great deal. For the full listing of Blu-ray titles on sale, just head over to Amazon.com’s Blu-ray Store.

Blu-ray Report: The Day the Earth Stood Still, Lost and More…

Neil Miller — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:01:36 +0000

This is yet another exciting week for the Blu-ray lovers among us, and not just because we finally get The Dark Knight to watch on our HDTVs. In fact, you would think that my entire column this week would be dedicated to Batman’s latest adventure, the single highest grossing film of the year. But it isn’t — thanks to Warner Bros. not sending me a copy to review, The Dark Knight has been relegated to the lower section of this week’s column, where BD discs go to live a lonely existence. That’s not to say that I won’t be out there buying it with the rest of you, I just can’t provide my regular insight ahead of time. Sad times for all of you. But I digress, there are a few releases to get really excited about this Tuesday, including one science fiction classic that hit stores last week and a ridiculously popular TV show’s fourth season…

The Day the Earth Stood Still (December 2)

Buy from Amazon.com

Perhaps one of my favorite science fiction movies of all-time and one of the few pre-1960 films that I’ve had the opportunity to see in a theater, The Day the Earth Stood Still will always have a special place in my movie loving heart. From its use of the Theremin to create the eery tones of the opening theme to special effects that were well beyond their years, its influence on the genre is unmistakable. So to see it finally come to Blu-ray and DVD in a special edition that is loaded with special features is a real treat, for fans of sci-fi and the curious cinephile alike. It’s the simple story of a human-like being who comes down to Earth to warn of an impending attack, one that carries weight and social relevance even today, a story that had the entire world standing still.

Sensory Experience: For those unfamiliar with this movie it is important to note that it was made in 1951. This comes into play in two areas, one being that it was filmed in black and white — which, in my opinion allows it to use shadows beautifully — and it has some rather archaic special effects. Then again, when you really think about it the damn movie was made in 1951 and so many of the effects still hold up today. That is part of the brilliance of this classic, it was so far ahead of its time in so many ways. And in the Blu-ray transfer it still looks very clean. Sure it’s in the 4:3 full frame aspect ratio, which is going to be uncomfortable for some, but for a movie that is 57 years old it doesn’t look bad at all. As well, there are several nuances to the Blu-ray release that are truly spectacular, one in particular being the isolated score track in Dolby DTS-HD surround. Never has the score to this film, one that is so revered, sounded so beautiful. The haunting tones of the Theremin, the sometimes intense and processional nature of the orchestral mix, it all adds to the emotionally captivating nature of the film.

Supporting Materials: The DVD and Blu-ray are full of special features, enough to have any fan of classic films or classic science fiction engaged for quite a while. The original DVD release for this film in 2003 was pretty bare, including only a 70-minute commentary track and a Fox Movietone newsreel from 1951 (which is also included on this release). This time around we get several behind the scenes featurettes that mix archival interviews with Robert Wise and Julian Blaustein with recent commentary from film historians to tell the whole story behind the creation of this classic. One of the overwhelming themes from the BTS features is how dedicated director Robert Wise was to keeping one of the film’s feet very grounded in reality, giving it a poignant balance between the very authentic and that fantastical. One thing that I picked up from the commentary track with Wise and Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn director Nicholas Meyer is Wise’s distaste for cameras that draw attention to themselves (a la the quick cutting, camera spinning directors of today). In Wise’s mind nothing should ever draw attention away from the story and characters. What an interesting concept, right? Who would have thought that a film could be so captivating and aesthetically advanced without all of those fancy effects of the modern day? Interesting.

In addition to the behind the scenes featurette focused on Robert Wise and Wise’s own commentary, there are a few other very interesting featurettes in this release. One is “Decoding Klaatu Barada Nikto: Science Fiction as Metaphor” which examines the film’s political relevance, both then and now. There is also a wonderful tribute to Harry Bates, the famed science fiction writer whose short story was the basis for the film. Both are not only interesting, but incredibly educational — a good watch for those of us who haven’t spent years studying film history.

Added Value: Along with the aforementioned isolated score track on the film itself, the Blu-ray release also sports a solid list of exclusive special features. There are two interactive features, one that allows you to create your own score with the famed Theremin and another simple Gort shooting game. Neither is incredibly complicated and both are rather fun diversions. For anyone who picks up this release, I will go on record and say that I got through the second level of Gort Command! before I became frustrated and quit. Beat that. Beyond that, there is some stock that should be put into the fact that the special features are in High Definition — they are, in many ways, breathtaking to watch.

Final Verdict: Before Star Wars or Star Trek, before all of the saucer men films of the late 50s and 60s, there was The Day the Earth Stood Still. Within this film you will find some of the real movie magic that inspired so many of the films, science fiction or otherwise, that we see today. It is more than worth it for any movie lover to pick up this release. As for the Blu-ray, it has enough little additions to make it worth a purchase, especially if you are already a fan of the film. Bottom line: go out and buy this release, right now.

Jet Li’s Fearless (December 9)

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When it comes to making martial arts films, the modern era has seen no brighter star than that of Jet Li. Over the course of 25-years in the movie business, Li has dazzled us with his incredible speed and entrancing fluidity on screen. And in Fearless, he not only shows us some of those cool kung-fuy moves but he also delivers an emotionally meaty performance. This was his last martial arts epic, at least according to the single behind the scenes featurette, and while I can’t say for certain that it’s his best, it sure isn’t his worst. In fact, Fearless is another in a long line of fine martial arts films from one of the genre’s greats. As for the Blu-ray release, the compliments might just end there.

Sensory Experience: This is a beautiful movie, no doubt about that, rich and full with great set pieces, plenty of great camerawork courtesy of director Ronny Yu and stunt coordinator Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix). And its beauty extends quite well to the HD medium, showing off gorgeous landscapes and fast motion in a way that is second only to the big screen. The sound mix is fabulous as well, the 5.1 mix engulfing the audience in a mixture of a big score and some brutal fight scene sound effects. As we’ve come to expect from wushu (martial arts) films, it is an aesthetically pleasing experience.

Supporting Materials: This release of the film is the “Director’s Cut,” housing three versions of the film itself. One is a 35-minute longer Director’s Cut, one is the unrated version of the film and the other is the theatrical version. The last DVD release to include so many versions of one film was Blade Runner, and last time I checked Jet Li’s Fearless wasn’t the sort of film that needed to be seen in three different versions. If you’re really a big fan then maybe you’ll enjoy the unrated and director’s cuts, but I can’t possibly imagine you’d be interested in studying all three. The real problem here is that these three versions are crowding the 50gb Blu-ray disc, leaving room for only one featurette. And while it is interesting to go behind the scenes of this film, the lone featurette is nothing more than a junket preview, something you might have seen in an HBO First Look before the film was released.

Added Value: There are no Blu-ray exclusive features on this disc, adding no value to the BD release.

Final Verdict: Chances are that if you’re that big of a Jet Li fan that you must own every single version of his movies, then you probably already have this in 2 different DVD editions and on HD-DVD. So why buy it on Blu-ray if the Blu-ray release adds nothing to the experience? I can’t think of a reason. If you find one, let me know.

Lost: Season 4 (December 9)

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There have been times in the past when I have been criticized for not watching Lost. And while I will admit that I don’t watch the show, it isn’t for a lack of interest. In reality, I just never got into it early enough and thus didn’t ever find the time to get caught up. I have committed though, to watching the first four seasons in between now and the time the show comes back on the air in January — a major task, yes. But one that I must accomplish if I am to retain the shreds of credibility that I have left. So how, if I’ve not watched all of the seasons, am I going to be able to review the Blu-ray release of the fourth season? Simple. I turned to the one person I know who loves Lost the most, my dear mom. You guys remember mom — she’s the one who loves Gerard Butler to the ends of the Earth. Well, she’s into Lost as well. And in order to get a beat on this release, I sat her down last week and had her run through season four.

Sensory Experience: As you will know if you watch Lost, it is one of the rare television shows that creates an environment akin to a major motion picture. The beautiful location shooting, the gritty authenticity of the island and the increasingly complex narrative are all there in season four. And the show, put simply, looks beautiful in high definition. It is one of the few television shows that truly looks and sounds great on Blu-ray, something that should not be overlooked.

Supporting Materials: This is where Mom’s insight really came in handy. It is always interesting to see how the average viewer responds to a set of special features. To give you some background, dear ‘ole Mom is normally a big fan of behind the scenes extras — she’s a big fan of the magic that goes into bringing great shows and movies alive. And while Lost: Season 4 sports an entire BD disc of behind the scenes features, it was interesting to hear her describe them as bland and boring. From a more technical perspective, this set is a pretty comprehensive look at season 4, with 8 full-length behind the scenes featurettes. And sure, J.J. Abrams doesn’t appear on the disc and give away all the show’s biggest secrets — something that I’m sure he’s saving for some all-encompassing series box set once the final seasons are done — but there are several great featurettes, many of which focus on the locations and set building, all of which should be interesting to die hard Lost fans.

Added Value: There are a limited amount of BD-exclusive features included in this release, but as we’ve come to learn in the past, even a limited amount can sometimes make all the difference. The most significant of the Blu-ray only features is the “Course of the Future: The Definitive Interactive Fast-Forwards,” a feature that shows off some script pages and additional insider information. It isn’t much, but it is something. As well, I found it funny that the box cover lists “Seamless Menus” under the Blu-ray exclusive features, as if to suggest that the standard DVD’s menus are clunky and frustrating.

Final Verdict: If you are one of those “Lost people” that I hear about all the time then you don’t need me telling you your business. Just go out and buy this season on the best possible format available to you. However, for fringe fans and other curious parties, the $13 difference between the DVD and the BD might be too much. Lost is a beautiful and intriguing show, but the lack of BD-exclusive special features are going to keep it off of my must-have Blu-ray list.

Also Out This Week:

Time to run down a few of the Blu-ray release this week that I did not have the opportunity to review. Click on any of the titles to see more details:

The Dark Knight – It saddens me deeply not to be able to provide an advanced review of The Dark Knight, but I have a feeling that you don’t need me to tell you to go out and buy it on Blu-ray. Perhaps one of the most visually stunning films of 2008, save for Pixar’s WALL-E, The Dark Knight is one of those flicks that belongs in your Blu-ray collection. If you loved the film you should go out and buy the Blu-ray. If you are still on the fence, hang around until next week’s column, when I will have a full write-up.

Dodgeball, Dumb & Dumber and The Mask – There is an upcoming epidemic of comedy favorites from the 90s and early 00s making their way onto DVD. The only issue I take with these releases is that of the ones that I’ve reviewed so far (which you will see in coming weeks) have been barren wastelands of special features. I can’t be completely sure that these releases fall into that same category, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they are just comedy favorites in HD and nothing more.

Horton Hears a Who – CG-animated films usually work pretty well on Blu-ray and I expect Horton Hears a Who to be no exception. Though I would warn you that purchasing and watching this Blu-ray release does make you the likely victim of an in-home pro-life protest.

I Am Legend (Ultimate Collector’s Edition) – From what I can gather there are a limited amount of special features in this, the second Blu-ray release of I Am Legend. So unless you are really hard-up for an additional commentary track then your money is probably better spent elsewhere.

The Blu-ray Report is the weekly column in which FSR’s HD-addicted Executive Editor Neil Miller rants and raves about the upcoming week’s Blu-ray releases. To buy or not to buy, that is always the question. Check back ever Monday to find the answers.

Blu-ray Report: Wanted, Prince Caspian and More…

Neil Miller — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:24:32 +0000

Another week gone by and another round of $35 DVD purchases await with the Blu-ray Report. Last week was a soft one, but the Blu-ray format comes roaring back this week with a few cool releases and some others with potential. First up, we have bullet-bending fun with Wanted, one of the most unique and creative action movies of the year. Then we move on to Prince Caspian, one of the most bland Lord of the Rings wannabe movies I’ve seen all year. And finally, some other Blu-ray releases that may or may not whet your appetite for 1080 lines of resolution.

Wanted (December 2)

View at Amazon.com

One of the most inventive and unique action films of the past few years — that is how I would describe Wanted, from director Timur Bekmambetov. It also contains some of the most fun gun play we’ve seen on screen in a while. And not to mention a little bit of Angelina Jolie, sans clothing, which is good no matter what. As audiences found out this summer, even some of the less mainstream comic books — in this case, from the twisted mind of Mark Millar — can be all sorts of fun. In fact, if it weren’t for all the bullet-bending action and the high-energy knife fighting, this movie would have been very run-of-the-mill. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

Sensory Experience: Inventive and unique might be the best way to describe Wanted, but that doesn’t mean that it is a film filled with overwhelming visuals. While it does look good, these aren’t the kinds of effects that really shine in HD — in fact, I had the opportunity to see the film on regular DVD and BD, and I didn’t notice much of a difference, at least not visually. There is a difference though, in the 5.1 surround mix. The mix on the Blu-ray copy is DTS-HD, which creates a much sharper audible experience. And as anyone who saw this film in theaters knows, it has a pretty solid soundtrack (effects and music) to begin with.

Supporting Materials: As you might expect, there are a lot of visual effects-driven special features on this disc, as this film is full effect breakthroughs that we haven’t seen since The Matrix. There is also a Wanted motion-comic, which will be very cool for anyone who has never read the book. What I found most interesting in all of the features is how much of this film’s vision came from director Timur Bekmambetov. As many fans of the book noted, there were many changes made from novel to screen, many of which came from the equally twisted mind of the director. In watching the interviews with producers and other crew, you can see why Bekmambetov is being touted as one of the most visionary directors working today.

Added Value: First up, the BD release includes a Blu-ray exclusive alternate opening which is very, very different from the one that actually made it into the film. It goes back to the Fraternity in the middle ages, complete with knights, kings and even a dude who can curve an arrow — curve a frickin’ arrow. That is ridiculous. It has me thinking that this Wanted sequel/prequel should be set in the middle ages. The BD release also includes a few solid U-Control features, which is becoming common with Universal releases. There are “Scene Explorers,” which are embedded behind the scenes featurettes — those are alright. There is also a pretty solid amount of picture-in-picture commentary, though it gets more sparse as the film moves along. And finally there are these “Assasin Profiles” that include dossiers on some of the characters, weapons profiles (Fox’s gun is a Custom-Engraved Safari Matchmaster, Semi-Automatic, in case you were wondering) and a global GPS locator, just in case you didn’t know that Wesley lives in Chicago. They make for some fun extras, if that is what you are in it for — and I am.

The Final Verdict: This release is worth it for the alternate opening alone that is BD-exclusive. The guy literally curves an arrow shot out of a crossbow. You have to see it to believe it. As well, the Blu-ray is pretty packed with a solid selection of special features that are unique to the HD platform, something that is becoming more and more important to BD connoisseurs.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (December 2)

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Having skipped Prince Caspian when it made its theatrical run in May of this year, I was rather excited to be able to review it on Blu-ray. And while I would usually be the first one to tell you that real movie experiences can only happen in a theater setting, the advances in home entertainment (especially with Blu-ray) have certainly come along way. So watching a movie at home isn’t so bad anymore. That said, I wasn’t really a fan of Prince Caspian and I don’t think it has anything to do with seeing it on a smaller screen. While the film was a little bit more action-packed than the first go-round, the franchise does appear to have lost some of the magic it had in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Everything from Ben Barnes’ odd accent, or as I like to call it his Mandy Patinkin impression — seriously, I wanted to hear him say “You killed my fadder..” — to a lackluster story, it just bothered me on several levels. On the basis of just the film, this is one that didn’t impress, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t something to love about the Blu-ray, right? Read on and find out.

Sensory Experience: As I mentioned above, Prince Caspian does turn up the action in Narnia, complete with several mini-Lord of the Rings sized battles and plenty of fun creatures. You might expect that these movies have great special effects, and this one doesn’t disappoint in that regard. In fact, the visuals in Prince Caspian might be one of the best reasons to pick it up on Blu-ray. That is, if you can live on slick HD visuals alone.

Supporting Materials: Like so many recent Disney DVD and Blu-ray releases, Prince Caspian is loaded with features. There is a blooper reel, plenty of deleted scenes and tons of behind the scenes featurettes. And perhaps it was my lack of engagement with the movie overall, but I found myself only mildly entertained with the behind the scenes stuff. To say the least, there was nothing that really jumped out at me. There was, however, one featurette called “Becoming Trumpkin” which featured a look into the world of Peter Dinklage. And we all know how big a fan of Dinklage I am — the man is brilliant. Wait, thats it, these special features just needed more Dinklage — then they would be awesome.

Added Value: What we found recently with WALL-E, we the faithful Blu-ray fans, is that Disney is one of the finest studios in the assembly of its HD special features. It is clear that they have committed to adding value to those of us willing to make the step up to the new tech. With Prince Caspian, there is a very cool feature called “Circle Vision Interactive” which shows some awesome behind the scenes footage from the creation of the castle raid scene. There is also a few BD-Live features, none of which were live prior to the release date (thus, they cannot be reviewed). And while there aren’t an abundance of BD-only extras, the Circle-Vision is pretty cool.

The Final Verdict: If you were a big fan of this movie in its theatrical run, then it is probably worth picking up on Blu-ray. Otherwise, I would toss this into the rental pile at best.

Also Out This Week:

Time to run down a few of the Blu-ray release this week that I did not have the opportunity to review:

Step Brothers – The John C. Reilly / Will Ferrell driven comedy about two 40-year old step brothers and their fight to do nothing with their lives finally makes its way to DVD. And that is where I would probably recommend picking it up, rather than on Blu-ray. In taking a quick look at the press release I received (rather than a BD review copy, of course) I noticed that they special features are almost a dead match on both formats — and lets face it, Step Brothers doesn’t have any brilliant visuals that can only be experienced properly in 1080p. Rent it or buy it on DVD, but do yourself a favor and steer clear of the Blu-ray.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Wait a minute, did this movie actually come out in theaters? Oh right, very few people actually saw it. That, to me, is usually reason enough to just add it to my Netflix queue and move on with my life. As well, there doesn’t appear to be much happening under the covers with this Blu-ray release, once again being matched quite well by the 3-disc DVD release. Though, with the price difference (at least on Amazon) only being $2, you might as well spring for the Blu-ray if you plan on picking this one up at all.

The Longshots – I was told by more than one person that this Ice Cube-led football movie wasn’t all that bad. In fact, it was one of the better movies in Ice Cube’s recent filmography. And as long as it is better than Are We There Yet?, then I’m willing to give it a shot. Though, I would like to put up the disclaimer that I am renting this on Blu-ray (thanks Netflix, here’s your extra $1 a month) and not buying it. So don’t take this as an endorsement, just an admission of curiousity and the existence of a Netflix queue.

The Shawshank Redemption – I don’t own The Shawshank Redemption, and instead of having to give up my movielovers card for being a total loser, I have a feeling that I will be picking this up on Blu-ray. Plus, it comes with a 38-page book of behind the scenes stuff — sounds fun.

The Austin Powers Collection – This is the “Shagadelic Edition Loaded With Extra Mojo.” No, thank you.

The Blu-ray Patrol is the weekly column in which FSR’s HD-addicted Executive Editor Neil Miller rants and raves about the upcoming week’s Blu-ray releases. To buy or not to buy, that is always the question. Check back ever Monday to find the answers.

BD Report: Hancock, Meet Dave and Other Releases to Skip

Neil Miller — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:15:32 +0000

This week is a very drab one here in the world of Blu-ray. First of all, I don’t mean to sound like a whiney reviewer, but I was not able to actually review any of the titles below. Why? Because I was not supplied a review copy of any of this week’s releases. And I was not about to go out and buy any of them because, well, I will explain that on an individual basis. But know this — had I received some review material I would be giving you the full, in-depth reviews that you are used to (all 4 of you that read my column). Instead you are getting the abbreviated version of the Blu-ray Report, colorful language and all.

Hancock (November 25)

Sure, Hancock wasn’t the biggest pile of dung to hit theaters all summer, but it certainly didn’t live up to its potential. Some onlookers were excited about the prospect of a superhero movie that centered on a flawed, dishonorable man of great power only to be met with a movie stuck in an identity crisis. One part failed comedy and another failed drama, Hancock was everything and nothing to anyone who saw it. Well, to be more specific, it was everything (some intense action) then nothing (completely forgettable). With that in mind, I wouldn’t put this any higher on my chart de recommendation than ‘rental.’ To buy such a mediocre film on Blu-ray, no matter how amazing the special features, would be a major waste of your hard earned money. With the economy where it’s at you might as well put that $30 into a savings account and hold it for a rainy day — also known as December 9th, the day The Dark Knight comes out on Blu-ray.

View at Amazon

Meet Dave (November 25)

Where to begin. First of all, there is nothing with the potential to annoy me more than an Eddie Murphy vehicle in which Eddie Murphy is, in fact a vehicle. In Meet Dave he plays a starship named Dave who has chased the galaxy’s most annoying bouncy ball to Earth and must retrieve it in order to save his planet full of little people — who also live inside of him, captained by another character played by Eddie Murphy. So for those not following along, we have Eddie Murphy inside of Eddie Murphy in a family-friendly, non-gay porno with clones sort of way. Did I mention that in order to find this lost thingamajig that Dave must infiltrate the lives of a cute single mom (Elizabeth Banks) and her quirky, space-loving son? Wait.. hold the phone. What in the name of Satan’s taint is Elizabeth Banks doing anywhere near this movie? Oh right, pay check. Ms. Banks, you need to develop some standards — working with Kevin Smith, good. Eddie Murphy’s zany space adventure, not so much.

The bottom line here folks is that this film is so abysmal that I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. In fact, even if this Blu-ray release included a video orgy of all 12 of last year’s Maxim cover models, I still wouldn’t raise its threat level above “Rent at Your Own Risk.”

View at Amazon

Space Chimps (November 25)

Andy Samberg was funny when he was sticking his dick in a box with Justin Timberlake. He was even funny when he was rolling around on a dirt bike getting his ass beat by Ian McShane in Hot Rod. But as the voice of a chimp named Ham III who travels into outer space, Samberg was not that funny. Samberg aside, Patrick Warburton is awesome and should be celebrated at all times as such. But even Warburton cannot resurrect Space Chimps from the bottom of the barrel. In this Pixar-dominated world of CG-animation, the folks at 20th Century Fox just can’t hang. Though, I will admit that the chimps in Space Chimps were far more entertaining than the CG monkeys in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. If you’ve got kids and they love cartoon monkeys, you might want to give this one a rent. But if you have any standards as a parent or as a moviegoer, you can easily find better ways to spend your money — see last week’s write-up of WALL-E if you are looking for one of those ways.

View at Amazon

Those are the big three releases this week, all of which I would recommend treating as if they come with a side of Sarin gas. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few Blu-ray releases that I will be checking out this week. And even though I didn’t get review material (most likely because they are releases that are way off the radar), I still might break into my FSR slush fund for them as they might be pretty awesome. Here is my Blu-ray shopping list for November 25:

BD Report: WALL-E and Tropic Thunder Explode in HD

Neil Miller — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:39 +0000

This week’s Blu-ray Report takes us all over the world, from the deepest parts of the universe to the jungles of Vietnam. We also see a set of release that feature some of the most memorable characters of 2008, from a lovable trash compacting robot to a hotshot Australian actor who undergoes a controversial transformation to play an African American army sergeant. It is fantasy and fun, silliness and absurdity — it is Pixar’s WALL-E and the ridiculous ride that is Tropic Thunder. Also, DVD guru Brian Gibson checks in with a review of MirrorMask on Blu-ray.

Up first, a cute little robot…

Wall-E (November 18)

Last week I got a chance to rap a little bit about one of my favorite animated films of the year, Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda. And this week I get to shed some light on the Blu-ray release for my other favorite animated film of 2008, Pixar’s WALL-E. For many, WALL-E will go down as another in a long line of successful projects from the amazing creative team at Pixar. Though to some it will go down as one of Pixar’s great achievements. Who would have thought that an entire movie could be based on a character who, like R2-D2 in Star Wars, can only communicate with bleeps and boops? But they did it – they pulled it off with style and grace as only Pixar can. The result was a beautifully animated, well-crafted story that could be one of the best films of the year.

Sensory Experience: To date there has not been a Pixar movie that has not looked spectacular in High Definition, and it does not appear as if WALL-E is going to break that trend. Everything about this film, visually and audibly, is incredibly beautiful. From the BD menus with their vibrant colors and intuitive design to the unique color palette designed by Ralph Eggleston it is a breathtaking visual experience – one that shines in glorious 1080p. But where you should really pay attention is the brilliant sound design. Both the score and the effects, most of which were designed by legendary sound man Ben Burtt are perfectly reproduced in the 5.1 Dolby HD track. This is the sort of film that is the reason why you purchased that big, badass surround sound system – trust me.

Supporting Materials: WALL-E’s BD and 3-disc DVD releases both include an amazing commentary from director Andrew Stanton. He spends a lot of time in the first part of the film talking about the “environmental message,” or intended lack thereof. What I find interesting is that he explains how the entire story was reverse engineered from the character of WALL-E. And once they started to think about it, a story of the last robot on earth, a very janitorial clean up robot, this is the sort of story that just makes sense. He adds that they never intended it to be so timely, but that it just sort of worked out that way. He also talked quite a bit about Luxo – the famous Pixar lamp – and the fact that the idea behind WALL-E was similar to the idea behind Luxo, with the challenge being that they wanted to bring a non-human object to life and allow us to connect with it as if it were human. Also, did you know that the Pixar creative team spent about a month debating whether or not WALL-E should have elbows? Fascinating.

In addition to the illuminating commentary from one of the business’ most talented individuals, this release also includes a ridiculous amount of behind the scenes and interactive features. It is rare these days to see a movie, let alone a DVD release, that is put together with so much care and thoughtfulness. Everything about the WALL-E special features have that creative, intuitive Pixar stamp of quality. By far the most impressive of the features is the feature-length documentary “The Pixar Story,” made in 2007 by director Leslie Iwerks. To my knowledge, this is the first time that this doc has ever appeared on DVD. It has played a bunch of film festivals over the course of the past year, but was not yet released on its own. In the doc, Leslie Iwerks shows us an in-depth look at how Pixar came to be and shows some never-before-seen footage from the Pixar archives. It is incredibly interesting, and it is included in both the BD and 2 and 3-disc DVD releases.

Aside from the second movie included in the set, we also get the two shorts – Presto, the short film that preceded WALL-E in theaters and BURN-E, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern-esque side story about a little repair robot whose world is also impacted by WALL-E and EVE. The latter is directed by directing animator Angus MacLane, who I predict could be the next big director from Pixar – cut from the same fabric as Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton. Of course, I haven’t really even mentioned some of the featurettes included in this release – I could write a 5,000 word report just on the releases second disc, so in the interest of time I will just say that you might want to take an entire Saturday or Sunday afternoon if you intend to get through all of them.

Added Value: There are a few very unique Blu-ray only features that really show off the geek-cred that the folks at Pixar have – they know that there are some die hard fans out there, and these features are meant for that particular group. First up is the fact that Andrew Stanton’s commentary includes Cine-Explore, which puts storyboards, animatics, behind the scenes pictures on screen as the movie goes along. You might not think so, but it is actually very interesting to see a pictures of the crew come up on screen as Andrew Stanton is mentioning them in his commentary. As you may be able to tell by now, this is one of the most impressive commentary tracks every seen on DVD or Blu-ray.

Along with Stanton’s commentary track there is also a track called “Geek Track,” which is a features some of the geeks at Pixar riffing about obscure references, little known trivia and other sci-fi related discussions. It is a perfect way to give viewers a peek into the geeky inner-workings of one of Hollywood’s most geek centric companies.

There is also a set of interactive features that are Blu-ray exclusive – “The Axiom Arcade,” which features a retro suite of video games, all of which are fun in a cheesy, DVD-game sort of way. There are also “3D Set Fly-Throughs,” which provide 3D, high definition looks at ten of the film’s most detailed locations. As someone who is constantly awestruck by the amount of detail in Pixar’s films, I was literally glued to my seat while exploring these set pieces. Like I mentioned above, it is literally a day’s worth of special features. The word “impressive” doesn’t even do it justice.

The Final Verdict: Normally this column is all about whether or not you should spend the extra dough to pick up the Blu-ray release instead of the standard DVD. WALL-E, however, is quite possibly the first Blu-ray release in a long time that could be your reason for buying a Blu-ray player. It is that good. A beautiful film and enough special features to keep you busy for an entire weekend – what more could you want?

Tropic Thunder (November 18)

After the gushing that I just gave to the WALL-E BD release above, how could I possibly find another movie worth recommending, right? Well hold on my friends, because while Tropic Thunder’s Blu-ray release might not be so good that you need to run out and buy an HDTV and a PS3, it is certainly a lot of fun. You may have been able to predict that though, as Tropic Thunder’s theatrical run showed us that it was destined to go down as one of the most absurd, ruckus moviegoing experiences of the year. From director Ben Stiller, who has shown us some chops with The Cable Guy and Zoolander, Tropic Thunder put on an all-fronts offensive – from Robert Downey Jr.’s transformation into an Australian Oscar-winner who in turn transforms into the film’s African-American lead character to Stiller’s Sly Stallone-esque action hero caught in his own oblivious nature, Tropic Thunder delivers. To say the least, it was the most effortlessly funny film of the year, needing only to let its character run wild in order to have us wetting our pants.

Sensory Experience: While it isn’t one of those movies with an incredible level of detail, as we saw with WALL-E, Tropic Thunder is a pretty kick-ass action movie. And nothing gets to that action-loving part of me better than some HD explosions. As well, during the theatrical run of Tropic Thunder I raved about its awesome soundtrack, which comes through quite well in 5.1 surround. Of course, it really isn’t a huge jump from the DVD to the BD, at least as far as the visual and audible quality are concerned. It’s a fun action movie, but not one of those “must-have” HD experiences by any means.

Supporting Material: Tropic Thunder is another all around impressive DVD release, loaded with special features. There are two full commentary tracks, one with Ben Stiller and the creative team (including writer Justin Theroux) and another with Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. Both are fun but not quite as fun as watching the movie itself. There are a few full-length behind the scenes featurettes that walk us through the production; one in particular showing off the incredible attention to detail that was paid to the production design and another dedicated simply to “Blowing Shit Up.” Fun times. As well, the film itself on DVD is the extended edition. And for once we find an extended edition to be more than just 3 min. of footage. The run time gets bumped from 107 min. to 120 min. thanks to an extended party scene in which Brandon T. Jackson, who plays Alpa Chino, steals the scene. We can easily see why it was cut, but it does deliver a few laughs nonetheless.

The release also includes the documentary Rain of Madness, which was released online just after the theatrical release. It is funny, but not quite as funny as it was upon viewing it back in August. The real meat of the special features is in the behind the scenes featurettes, which are all very well put together.

Added Value: This is where my theory about buying Blu-ray could come under some scrutiny. There aren’t a lot of BD-exclusive extras, but I would contend that this one still might be worth buying. The overall presentation of the BD release and the fact that all of the featurettes are in HD are reason enough to make this one worth picking up. But as for features that only exist on the Blu-ray release, Paramount has actually delivered a few cool BD-Live extras. There are additional “Full Mags,” which are basically longer deleted scenes; there are some additional “Dispatches from the Edge of Madness” which are extensions of the Rain of Madness documentary; and there are some relatively funny video rehearsals. Overall while it isn’t quite as good as the BD-Live content they included with Iron Man, it is a solid suite of additives.

The Final Verdict: In the end this one is really tough, as there is very little difference between the BD and 2-disc DVD release. If you can find it on sale or you are one of those folks trying to get the full value of their investment in Blu-ray then I would recommend picking it up. If you are one of those folks who is strapped for cash and looking to save a few bucks, you can’t go wrong either way. The point is that you should be buying Tropic Thunder, no matter which format you go with.

Mirrormask (November 18)

Review by Brian Gibson

If you are a child of the 1980’s you can probably remember the sometimes strange but magical world of Jim Henson’s creations. From Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal to The Muppets and Fraggle Rock, Henson’s creations were always original and mesmerizing. The world’s that he created were also as interesting, and could even be considered characters themselves. With Henson’s passing almost twenty years ago, it has been a long time since we have had a film like his roll around. Leave it to Neil Gaiman to create another Henson-esque world, inspired by Labyrinth, for us to get lost in. So just like with the 15 year old Sarah in Labyrinth, we are now asked to take a journey with a 15 year old Helena in MirrorMask.

Sensory Experience: As you could expect from a film that was shot nearly entirely with green screens and cg material, the film is a light visual overload. If you have seen the film, you know that the film’s entire foundation is in visual artistry. The story pushes along like a painting in motion, quite literally. The animation is very unique, as is the art of director Dave McKean. McKean’s art has splashed the pages of Neil Gaiman’s books, giving them a certain look. This is the same look that translates over to the film. There are some portions of the film which are a bit dark and muddy, but this could be for effect. Overall though, the picture quality is stellar. The audio hovers anywhere between standard to somewhat impressive. One of my original complaints with the movie had always been the music. Given that the film was produced by the BBC, I don’t think anyone would expect the score of the film to be impressive unless it was a period piece. There are a few spots in the film where the audio is slightly impressive, but overall nothing to write home about.

Supporting Materials: If you are the curious type, or type who wonders what goes into producing a green screen film…this release is stacked with a fair amount of supplements. You have a chance to jump into the minds of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, and follow the two to Q&A sessions at San Diego Comic Con and Sundance. The cast interviews are particularly interesting, even if to see what they think of the surreal experience of MirrorMask. One of the cooler features that I enjoyed was a time lapse video of an entire day of production, that is laced with fun facts about the time and effort put into the film.

Added Value: With this release, the exclusives are slim pickings. If you already own the DVD, there is not much of an incentive to purchase this release except for high definition. The disc is BD Live enabled, but there is not any specific content related to the film. Keep in mind, this is a re-release and not a brand new edition.

The Final Verdict: If you already own the movie, this Blu-Ray release is probably not for you…unless you are a superfan. I would call this one a rental, and a good one. Don’t get me wrong, MirrorMask is a good movie and worth checking out. However, the release is pretty bare-bones, and wouldn’t warrant a double dip purchase in my book.

BD Patrol: Kung Fu Panda Kicks and Punches in HD

Neil Miller — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:50:11 +0000

Now that the Presidential Election is over — which is what I was previously using as an excuse — it is time to get back on the ball with my own column, The Blu-ray Patrol. And in order to do that, we are going to be rocking a new format for the column, as well as moving it to a permanent home on Mondays. Every single week I will feature a few Blu-ray titles that are being released that week or have already been released, breaking them down with a simple set of criteria. But before we get to this Monday’s column, we have two special editions of the Blu-ray Patrol, one that features a Kung Fu-fighting Panda and another that features everyone’s favorite suave spy. We begin today with a look at Kung Fu Panda’s Blu-ray release.

Kung Fu Panda (2008) Rated G – On Blu-ray November 9th

I’ve said it before and I am not afraid to say it again, Kung Fu Panda is one of my favorite films of the year. And even though I will certainly be chastised by die hard Pixar loyalists, I am not afraid to say that Kung Fu Panda made a bigger impact on my yearly top ten list than WALL-E. Sure, WALL-E was another fantastic Pixar film, but we’ve come to expect that — Kung Fu Panda came from Dreamworks Animation, the studio who seemed content with rehashing the Shrek universe over and over just to earn a buck. As well, there are plenty of Jack Black naysayers out there as well, who would criticize him for just falling in line with every other comedic actor. Everyone wants their own animated franchise, complete with merchandising deals and three-picture contracts, but it isn’t every day that a comedian can get involved with a project that comes out as well-written, well-animated and fun as Kung Fu Panda.

Sensory Experience:

We begin with the sensory aspect of Blu-ray watching, something that should be constant, given the high quality output of the format. But lets face it, not every movie benefits from the transfer to HD video and 5.1 Dolby TrueHD sound. Take, for example, my review of Baby Mama on Blu-ray — that movie gained very little on HD. But in the case of Kung Fu Panda — as is true with so many animated films — we have a film that looks and sounds amazing. Almost as good as it did in IMAX. Then again, most of us don’t have 100-ft. televisions in our homes, so the experience isn’t exactly the same. But either way, the transfer is great on this title, allowing the vibrant colors and unbelievable sharp animation to come through in glorious 1080p. If I had a choice — and I do — I wouldn’t choose to watch a film like this any other way. In the realm of high definition home entertainment, this is the sort of film that you buy to see what your system can do.

Supporting Materials:

Next up is a look at the supplemental features included on this release. Kung Fu Panda features a ton of special features, most of which are geared toward the little ones in your home. And rightfully so, as kids are really the target demographic for this movie. But there is enough for big kids like me as well, including five full-length HD featurettes. As well, there are are some cool little interactive features such as ‘Dragon Warrior Training Academy’ and ‘What Fighting Style Are You?’ Personally, I tried to get through the Dragon Warrior Academy, but failed miserably. But while I didn’t have much luck with the mini-games, I have a feeling that your 10-year old will be able to figure it out.

One of the coolest and most interesting features is the ‘Land of the Panda’ submenu, which is filled with all sorts of interesting cultural featurettes. There is one with Iron Chef Alton Brown showing us how noodles are made, a feature that left me educated and hungry. Also, there is a kid-friendly feature on how to use chopsticks, which was also educational. One thing I learned was that chopsticks are for pinching, not stabbing — who knew?

Added Value:

While all of the above-listed features are fun, they can also be found on the standard DVD release. What interests me is some added value — what does the Blu-ray release offer that you can’t find in standard definition. And with Kung Fu Panda we don’t get a ton of extras, but what we do get is really awesome. In particular there is a feature called ‘The Animator’s Corner’, which runs along with the film in picture and picture showing off storyboards, little behind the scenes featurettes and interviews while you watch the movie. As a fan of animation, I always love to see how the animators created certain scenes — and with Kung Fu Panda, there are a few amazing sequences — most notably the first few minutes — that are really unique. Seeing how those were made was a real treat, definitely worth a second run through the film. As well, this release promises some BD-Live features, none of which were live when I sat down to review it. But as these things go, the BD-Live features are usually good for another hour of fun.

The Final Verdict:

If you haven’t figured it out by now, this review should stand as a glowing recommendation. Kung Fu Panda is one of those awesome animated films that should be seen in the highest quality possible — and that highest quality can only be obtained with Blu-ray. As well, there are a few great Blu-ray exclusive special features that make this one more than worth the jump in price.

The Incredible Hulk Smashes Up Your Blu-Ray Player

Neil Miller — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:38:07 +0000

For those who have been following along, playing that age-old game of analyze the analyzer, you will know that I am of the mindset that there are just some movies that you should buy on Blu-ray, no matter their comparison to their DVD counterparts. Because lets face it, some movies just look great in high definition. And as long as the Blu-ray release isn’t giving you less than the DVD release, there is no reason that you should pass up the chance to see it in glorious 1080p resolution. As well, I would find it hard to take anyone seriously who has put up the bucks to buy a Blu-ray player, only to follow that up by creating a catalog of standard definition titles — it just doesn’t make sense, my friends.

That said, The Incredible Hulk is one of those movies — the kind that you should probably be buying on Blu-ray either way. Though, it would certainly be the laziest review of my career if I were to just chalk this up to ’see it because its in HD’, so I will attempt to break it down a bit.

Hulk Want Fans to Interact

One of the new and interesting features that I found on The Incredible Hulk’s Blu-ray release the BD-Live chat function. Though, to be honest, I didn’t get to test it out as it was not live when I reviewed the film, I find it to be interesting that the studio put so much time and effort into trying to get fans to pop a Blu-ray movie into their player and log on to a chat room while watching the film. In theory this is a really fun idea, but I don’t know too many people who would like to take up 1/2 of the screen on their HDTV just to hear what someone half way across the country has to say about the film. Most fans would just as soon head over to their favorite movie website for a chat, or drop by their favorite fan forum. I know that studios are really trying to add value with the BD-Live content, but this just seems unnecessary.

Puny Director Talk About Hulk Too Much

Another major Blu-ray feature that I have been keeping a close eye on lately is the U-Control function that Universal has been very committed to. I believe I talked about how much I liked it in my Forgetting Sarah Marshall review — and with Hulk, it continues to impress. The various features include the Thunderbolt Files, a set of interactive dossiers that show maps of where the movie is supposed to take place, etc. That’s all well and good, but what really entertained me was the commentary from director Louis Leterrier and star Tim Roth. While it would have been nice to hear Edward Norton’s take on things, I thought Leterrier and Roth were interesting. Too often we see commentary tracks that are either non-existent or that feel very obligatory, but Leterrier’s passion for the project really shines through in this instance. As well, there are plenty of cool picture-in-picture featurettes that pop up during the film. Though, if there is anything that left me wanting, it is the fact that the U-Control jumps back and forth between the commentary and the picture-in-picture awkwardly. As well, if I am caught up watching one of the video features, I am missing out on the commentary. This overlap would normally cause me to watch the movie several times with different features turned on each time — and as much as I liked the film, that is quite tedious.

Hulk Show Puny Audience What is Under the Hood

If there is anything that really brought the Iron Man experience full circle with the release of its Blu-ray, it was that the special features on disc two were ridiculously in-depth. We got to see everything from Jon Favreau’s weight fluctuation to Robert Downey Jr.’s aches and pains during the testing phase of the suits. The same is true with The Incredible Hulk — everything from the story development with Edward Norton adding value as both screenwriter and star to the awesome facial motion capture techniques used to allow Norton to actually play the Hulk as well as Bruce Banner. I found all of the extra featurettes to be very focused and interesting, something that isn’t always a given on a DVD release — too often special features are just there to fill space, or not there at all. I think that fans will appreciate what this particular release has to offer.

In the End, Hulk Smash!

As anyone who saw this film in theaters could tell you, The Incredible Hulk was one of the most impressive movies of the summer — impressive, in part, because it was such a surprise. Marvel held off seemingly to the last minute before beginning their marketing push, leading fans to believe that there might be something wrong. But now that the film has been out and made plenty of fans happy, we know that it is a movie worth seeing again, and certainly one worth owning. As for the always important question of Blu-ray vs. Not Blu-ray, you know where I stand — the better exercise would be for you to try and explain to me why you wouldn’t buy The Incredible Hulk — an FX-filled movie that looks good and sounds good — on DVD when you have a Blu-ray player.

Are you picking up The Incredible Hulk on Blu-ray this week?

Indiana Jones Cracks His Whip in Glorious 1080p

Neil Miller — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:58:36 +0000

Of all the summer blockbusters that will ultimately make their way onto Blu-ray disc during the second half of the year, I did not count Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull among the ones that were sure to knock me off of my sofa. And it turns out, I was right and wrong, all at the same time. Don’t worry, this isn’t the first time — and yes, I plan on explaining myself. On one hand we’ve got a great release on our hands, one that is rich with special features and in-depth behind the scenes action. On the other, we have a Blu-ray release that doesn’t give us much more than the 2-disc standard edition DVD. And with a limited quantity of additional features, it makes it awfully tough to stomach the jump in price. Allow me to explain further…

No Time for Commentary, Dr. Jones

Before we get into the few differences between Indy 4 on Blu-ray and Indy 4 on DVD, it is important to talk about one of the most annoying omissions from this release. There is no commentary track. No Spielberg, no Lucas, no Ford, not even Shia LaBeouf showed up for an alternative audio track. It breaks my heart to think that this film could be in the making for 20-some years and that none of the folks involved saw fit to sit down and lay down some commentary. As well, in a world where companies like Universal are utilizing the Blu-ray U-Control feature to layer in picture-in-picture commentary, behind the scenes features ‘on the run’ and interactive graphic overlays, it is ridiculous to see a movie like this with absolutely nothing to distract us from watching the actual film. It isn’t limited to Blu-ray either — none of the formats sport a commentary track, leaving fans with nothing more than a movie to watch — and that’s just no fun.

The Aliens, Those Were All George Lucas’ Idea

Thankfully, despite the lack of commentary, there are plenty of behind the scenes featurettes to give us an in-depth level of knowledge on what it took to get the fedora-wearing adventurer back to the big screen. In one of the featurettes on disc one, entitled ‘The Return of a Legend,’ we get to hear George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and producer Frank Marshall explain the long road that led up to the start of production. Here, we see Spielberg explaining how the Indy’s interdimensional co-stars were, in fact, the work of George Lucas — and how it was Lucas who always seemed to be the main cog in the machine that spit out the film’s somewhat polarizing story. As well, it is fun to see some of the other titles that were thrown around before the creative bodies settled on ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull‘ — my personal favorite: Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men from Mars. In addition to this featurette on disc one, disc two is packed with 12 other decent length featurettes — exploring everything from the various location shoots to the life of the guy who was in charge of keeping tabs on the ‘Iconic Props,’ including Indy’s patented whip. All in all, it is a pretty comprehensive set of behind the scenes features, but as I mentioned before, it is the same lineup on the Blu-ray as it is on the 2-disc DVD set — the only advantage here is that they are all in HD, which is appreciated, but not overwhelming.

In Search of the Great Indiana Jones Timeline

The only special feature that is unique to the Blu-ray release is the ‘Indiana Jones Timeline’ on disc one. This mildly entertaining, but not so easy to use feature shows three different timelines: a production timeline that walks us through the key dates in the 20-plus year journey to get the film made; a story timeline that shows, in order, the events of the film (which is not as entertaining as actually watching the film, by the way); and a historical timeline that matches the movie up with real world events. Apparently, based on the information provided on this DVD, the U.S. was locked up in some sort of arms race conflict with the Russians in the 1950s; who knew?

Not Like It Used to Be, But Still Good Enough

Perhaps the one phrase that fully encapsulates the experience of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is that for many folks, it just isn’t the same as it was with the first three films. Then again, what did we really expect? What Steven Spielberg has made in the fourth film — one that he really wasn’t crazy about making in the first place — is an Indiana Jones adventure that is good enough. And perhaps the same can be said about the Blu-ray release as it compares to the 2-disc DVD, it is good enough. Sure, it doesn’t sport a ton of additional features, but this is a movie that looks and sounds good when delivered in HD. And it is a release that features all of its behind the scenes content in HD as well, which is something that is becoming more common, but certainly has not become standard just yet. In the end, not only is this a movie that is worth owning on DVD, it is also a Blu-ray release that is worth a couple extra bucks.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall Unloads Blu-ray Special Features All Over Your Face

Neil Miller — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:32:02 +0000

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Blu-ray, Release Date: September 30, 2008

In the world of reviewing Blu-ray releases, I am a lover, not a fighter. Therefore, it takes quite a lot to have me regretting picking up a Blu-ray release. And over the past few weeks, Universal has disappointed me once, but twice with the Blu-ray releases of Baby Mama and Leatherheads, two movies that were otherwise enjoyable. But their lack of Blu-ray special features was a serious killjoy — making them nothing more than overpriced DVDs.

But it appears that Universal isn’t giving up. They are going to quickly win back my affection by releasing Forgetting Sarah Marshall with a cornucopia of extras, including a little bit of karaoke, featuring Russell Brand himself. And for that, there is no substitute.

Lets Get Visual… And Digital

Two instantly striking features on the Sarah Marshall BD release are the visual commentary and the Digital Copy. As far as I can remember, this would be one of the first Universal releases to include the second ‘Digital Copy’ discs that has a version of the movie that can be downloaded to your PC or Mac. Just the thought of being able to watch the “Dracula’s Lament” sequence or the part with Jason Segel’s penis on my iPhone while driving my car is enough to drive me absolutely wild. As well, this release includes visual commentary that is all sorts of fun. Almost the entire principal cast, including Jason Segel and Russell Brand along with director Nicholas Stoller and producer Shauna Robertson, sits in for the picture-in-picture commentary which makes for an entertaining addition to the feature. These two features, while basic, are a great starting point for getting your moneys worth. Oh, and that Judd Apatow guy makes a picture-in-picture appearance.

Video Diaries… Like YouTube Gone Wrong

The only problem that I found in the special features was the behind the scenes video diaries, shot on set with the cast throughout principal photography. There are somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 diaries, all a few minutes long, only a handful of which have any substance. It is one of those tedious special features that could have been edited into one, maybe two featurettes and been more successful. Though, if you skip to the diaries that include 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer and Maria Thayer, you’ll find the ones that are entertaining. The others work in spurts, but they do have their moments.

Then Come the Musical Numbers

For those who saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall, you will know that some of the most entertaining parts of the movie are the musical numbers — Russell Brand as Aldous Snow singing “Inside of You” and the big puppet finale, “Dracula’s Lament.” With the Blu-ray disc, you can also sing-along with the musical numbers. As well, there is an extended music video for Aldous Snow’s “We Gotta Do Something” which extends the hilarity that is Russell Brand. The man is the driving force behind some of this film’s charm, and the special features only expand on that.

Gags, Drunk-o-Rama and More Bateman

Also included is a mildly entertaining gag reel, but it is easy to see why these scenes didn’t make the movie. There are also some unique compilations of scenes including the “Drunk-o-Rama,” the “Line-o-Rama” and the “Sex-o-Rama” which are compilations of scenes from the film into various categories — I would imagine that you could guess the content based on the titles. While they are funny, they are more of a gimmick than anything else, adding very little value to the special features. What does add value though, is more of Jason Bateman. As you might remember, the former Arrested Development star shows up for a moment as Sarah Marshall’s (Kristen Bell) co-star on television at the end of the film. In the special features, we see multiple different promos for various shows that involve Sarah’s character having all sorts of different supernatural detective skills. These promos are hilarious, and definitely worth a look.

Die, Die, I Can’t…

Sure, it has 1080p video and a DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio mix, but all of that is inconsequential with a movie like Forgetting Sarah Marshall. With a movie like this, special features are what make the difference between a Blu-ray release worth buying and one worth passing on. In this case, we have a Blu-ray release worth buying, for sure. For starters, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a movie worth owning. And based on the special feature buffet included on this disc, as well as the added benefit of the Digital Copy, this is one comedic film that is worth paying a few extra bucks for. It is proof once again that Judd Apatow and crew know how to pack a DVD full of additional fun. This is one Blu-ray that I would recommend picking up.

For more Blu-ray reviews, check out the Blu-ray Patrol Archive.

Click here to Buy Forgetting Sarah Marshall on Blu-ray at Amazon.com

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