Film School Rejects » Blu-ray Reviews

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)

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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)

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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.

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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

Baby Mama, Leatherheads Find Infertility on Blu-ray

Neil Miller — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:58:19 +0000

When you dive head first into the world of Blu-ray, as I have, you come to realize very quickly that the extra dollar isn’t always worth it. In fact, there are many occasions in which the 1080p video quality does nothing for a movie, and if it doesn’t come gift-wrapped with a copious amount of special features, it might just having you wishing you could get that extra $10-15 back. That is why I started this little column, known as The Blu-ray Patrol. It gives me the opportunity to keep an eye on your best interests, especially in the realm of high definition home entertainment. And in this round, we will take a look at two titles, both from Universal Home Entertainment, that will serve as perfect examples as to why Blu-ray isn’t always the better option.

Baby Mama, Blu-ray, Release Date: September 9, 2008

First up is Baby Mama, which stars Tina Fey as a single, well to-do organic foods executive who has caught the fever of motherhood. And instead of finding a man — a task which has proven both timely and difficult — she opts for surrogacy, in the form of a white trash money-grabber played by Amy Poehler. This is a film that I praised during its theatrical release, as it is a wonderful testament to the comedic duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler — together, they can make anything funny. As well, the film is cleverly written and features fun supporting performances from the likes of Greg Kinnear and Romany Malco. As a movie, it is certainly still amongst the best comedies of the year so far.

As a Blu-ray release though, Baby Mama and I are currently having some drama. The biggest problem, I suppose, is the fact that I sought to compare the special features of the BRD release with those of the standard DVD release — and the results left me sad and confused. The standard DVD features an alternate ending, a few deleted scenes, a featurette about Saturday Night Live, a featurette about the making of Baby Mama and “more.” The Blu-ray release — it has the fancy, but not overwhelming U-Control commentary with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, producer Lorne Michaels and director Michael McCullers — and that’s it. I’m not making this stuff up.

Sure, I get it — producing Blu-ray discs is not a cheap affair, so studios are now opting to use the BD-25 format, which stores 25 GB of information rather than the more expensive BD-50, leading to less space for special features. But with a film that sees no benefit from better video and sounds quality — it’s a romantic comedy, for heaven’s sake — what am I really getting if I spend the extra pesos for the Blu-ray? The answer — absolutely nothing. While U-Control and Picture-in-Picture commentary is a cool novelty that you can’t get with a regular DVD, I can’t in good conscience recommend buying this Blu-ray release.

Leatherheads, Blu-ray, Release Date: September 23, 2008

The period comedy Leatherheads, which features George Clooney as an aging 1920s football player trying to stay relevant in the ever-evolving world of pro football, all while fighting off a young, college hotshot (played by The Office’s John Krasinski) for the love of a tough-as-nails journalist (played by Renee Zellweger), is the same sort of deal as Baby Mama. As a film, this romantic comedy was well-made, but somewhat uneventful — I enjoyed George Clooney’s eye, as a director, for putting together the details of the 1920s time period and assembling an enjoyable cast. John Krasinski is, as always, very expressive and naturally funny; and Renee Zellweger is once again the perfect, tough dame for the 20s. The problem is that the story falls flat somewhere around the middle of the film, struggling to maintain focus on any one of its many core plotlines. Overall, the experience is potentially enjoyable, but generally underwhelming.

As a Blu-ray release, Leatherheads is even more underwhelming — if you can imagine such a thing. Where there should be copious amounts of special features, quirky little featurettes that tell the story of how Clooney the director built his 1920s world with a level of authenticity, there is nothing. In fact, once again we see the substitution of the Picture-in-Picture U-Control feature, with commentary from George Clooney and his producing partner Grant Heslov, for anything that would otherwise be construed as interesting. Once again, the U-Control feature can be flashy and interesting at times, but it is no substitute for a buffet of solid special features.

Overall, the message here is simple — some Blu-ray releases these days just aren’t cutting it. Sadly, these two come to us from the same studio. But that isn’t to say that Universal can’t hack it in the world of HD home entertainment — for a long time they were the best at producing engaging HD-DVD releases, and I am sure that they will come around in the near future. In fact, I am anxious to dig into the copy of Forgetting Sarah Marshall that just arrived the other day — it appears to have a metric ton of special features. But that’s for another day. Until then, you’ve been warned.

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

Iron Man is the Blu-Ray Release You’ve Been Waiting For

Neil Miller — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:51:47 +0000

Iron Man: Ultimate 2-Disc Edition, Blu-ray, Release Date: September 30, 2008

Sure, in July The Dark Knight came along and wiped every other summer movie off the board — leaving audiences to forget the ones that came before it. And sure, when The Dark Knight comes out on Blu-ray in December, it may just be the type of release that does something similar. But for now, from September 30th to that fateful day in December, it appears that Iron Man is ready to take back that crown with one of the most impressive Blu-ray releases yet.

Yeah, He Can Fly…

Perhaps it was the anticipation of not having seen the movie since my third trip to theaters back in May, but I was instantly ready to get to reviewing the Iron Man 2-Disc Blu-ray release the moment it arrived. As a reviewer, I feel that the film may have gotten short-changed, despite reeling in over $300 million at the box office. While it was the film that kicked off one of the best summer movie seasons in recent history, it also fell prey to a jam-packed release schedule in the month of May. So to see it again, in high definition no less, was a treat. And the transfer from theaters to my theater at home didn’t disappoint. The 1080p video and Dolby True HD sound pounded away as I was able to relive one of the most fun, exciting moviegoing experience of the year. In my book, there is no substitute for the seeing a film on the big screen, in a theater built for quality, but thanks to well-authored BD releases such as this one, we are certainly getting close. The only disappointment was the lack of a director’s commentary — which left me curious about the disc’s special features. But that curiosity and potential doubt was short-lived.

Putting the “Special” in Special Features

But by and large, the experience didn’t hit that next level until the movie was finished — and I was done fast-forwarding through the credits to see the Nick Fury scene at the end. In fact, seeing the movie again was great, but the special features that crowded both discs of this set really blew me away.

On disc 1 there is a special series of featurettes called “The Invincible Iron Man,” which provides an overview of Iron Man’s comic book origins. And even though it is an overview, it is certainly not without great substance. Through a series of interviews with Marvel creators such as Warren Ellis, Adi Granov, Joe Quesada and creator Stan Lee, the creative team behind 40-years of Iron Man gives us a detailed look at how the character has evolved over the years into the character that took center stage in Jon Favreau’s film. For the casual Iron Man fan — those who saw the movie before the comics — this is a wonderfully educational experience.

Also on disc 1 is a slew of deleted and extended scenes, including that infamous scene filled with half-naked, beautiful women that was seen in the trailer, but cut from the final film. As well, there is an extension of the street fight scene between Iron Man and Iron Monger that includes the involvement of James Rhodes that is pretty cool. Not War Machine cool, but cool nonetheless.

Of course, that is all just disc 1. On disc 2, there is hours of behind the scenes footage as part of the 7-part featurette entitled “I Am Iron Man.” Here, we get an up-close look at just about every single stage of the production. It begins with Jon Favreau taking us on a tour of the temporary production offices at Marvel, long before Robert Downey Jr.’s involvement in the film, when all there was to Iron Man was a dream and some cool pre-viz work. Then, we see a lot of the process from the folks at Stan Winston studios, including candid moments with the late Stan Winston himself, overseeing the creation of the 4 iron suits that would be used in the production. It continues by following the production to all of its sets, from Playa Vista studios in California to the Disney Concert Hall to Edwards Airforce Base in California. Then it is off to the Skywalker Ranch for a series of fly-on-the-wall moments during post-production. It all concludes with some very candid moments with Jon Favreau, where he opens up about his own anxiety about the film, weeks away from release. He talks about the response of fans, the response at Comic-Con and WonderCon, and the unknown response that would be had for the final product. As someone who worked the other side of the lines, following the production closely without ever seeing under the hood, I found this to be an amazing look into what that experience was like in the world of Jon Favreau.

And after that almost exhaustive experience, I wasn’t done yet. There were still plenty of other special features, including “The Actor’s Process,” which focused on Robert Downey Jr.’s preparation for the role — which in itself was intense. There was also a look at Downey’s screen test, as well as a Wired feature on the Visual Effects of Iron Man. And for good measure, the disc also includes the hilarious Onion News Network report about the famous Iron Man trailer being made into a full-length film. All-in-all, the insertion of disc 2 started what would end up being a multi-hour journey back through the entire Iron Man experience, one of which I was already very fond — and this only made it better.

And it just keeps getting better…

Even though I’ve completed my Iron Man experience enough to write about the Blu-ray release, there is still plenty more to be seen. There are BD-Live features that I am anxious to explore, as well as another viewing of the film in my near future. But even now, with features still left to be explored, I am secure in saying that there is a reason why they are calling this release the Ultimate 2-Disc Edition — it is pretty ultimate, indeed. I would also go as far as to give it another description, because it is perhaps the most definitive Blu-ray release of 2008. I can’t wait to see if The Dark Knight can top this one again.

Blu-Ray Review: Coyote Ugly

Neil Miller — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:00:47 +0000

Somewhere around 2001, I discovered the unsung beauty that is Piper Perabo. It all began, as you can imagine, with Coyote Ugly, arguably her most popular film. For a moment there in 2000, Piper was the centerpiece in one of the sexiest movies around.

Sexy is probably the best way to describe it, ultimately. In fact, Coyote Ugly is one of those movies that stuffy, pretentious film critics jump on – they are never short on ways to knock down the often shallow, but still entertaining works of Jerry Bruckheimer. Personally, I have always been someone who would rather be entertained – and sexy women dancing on a bar with a cliché love story and some cheesy dialogue is certainly entertaining, to say the least.

Thankfully, the folks at Touchstone must have read my subconscious, knowing that it was time for me to rediscover Coyote Ugly, this time in glorious high definition on Blu-ray. In this “Double Shot Edition”, the film gets turned up a notch to the unrated version, which is always a suspect claim. Too often I pick up the “unrated” or “extended” edition to find that the feature itself has had a few deleted scenes and maybe one or two harsh curse words added back in – but Coyote Ugly separates itself by throwing in the lost nude scene. Yes, you read that right – the Piper Perabo/Adam Garcia sex scene in the middle of the movie was cut for the family audience (to obtain the PG-13 tag, I’m sure) in the original theatrical version. In the unrated extended edition, we get the sultry scene, complete with more of Piper than we hoped to ever have, in full 1080p resolution. At that moment of my viewing, I was sold on this release – finally, a Blu-ray release that I can really get behind.

Other than that, I didn’t notice much else that was added, but do you really need anything else? I was satisfied. And sure, some of you might still be sitting on your pretentious laurels, thinking that this is a blitz of T&A layered over a poppy soundtrack, all strapped to the bar with a big leather belt – but I don’t think it was ever intended to be anything more. If you are like me (someone who is ok with having a little bit of fun), then you know that you can pick this one up, pop it into your Blu-ray player and enjoy yourself, just the way you did when you saw this film back the first time – only this time, it is in high definition.

Special Features

Like most Blu-ray discs that I have reviewed since the inception of the format, Coyote Ugly falls short when it comes to giving us something new in the bonus features. It is a frightening trend that often leads me to doubt the fate of the format – because eventually consumers will get wise and realize that movies from the late 90s in 1080p ain’t all that and a bag of chips. This release even had me digging out my original copy of the standard DVD, purchased in 2001, to see what had changed. I came to find out that while my DVD from 2001 was barren, the Special Edition released in 2005 included all of the special features that I found on my Blu-ray copy. So you would imagine that they would at least bring the special features up to speed by putting them in high definition, right? Not exactly. As my friends on the web would say, that is a major fail.

The High Definition Experience

As I mentioned before, it was great seeing the flashy, sexy film that I remember from 2001 back on a bigger screen in beautiful high-resolution glory, but the big draw here was the extended cut of the film. But while this film enamored me, I would have been okay seeing it in standard definition if it means saving a few bucks, especially considering the fact that all of the special features are in 480i resolution.
As well, I did experience some problems with the menu system – it was unnecessarily clunky and slow. At first, the menu would not load on my Sony BDP-300. I was forced to upgrade my firmware to version 3.8 in order to get it to load, adding about a half hour to my movie watching experience. Should you decide to pick this one up, make sure your player is updated or you will be cursing out some unwitting customer service rep at your local retailer the next day.

The Final Word

While I have already expressed my affection for this film, I don’t think I am too high on the Blu-ray experience that has been delivered unto me by this release. The menu problem was a bother, but hot women dancing on a bar took away the sting rather quickly. Had the special features been in high definition, it would be an easy recommend – but they weren’t, so its not. If you are a die-hard fan of the film and already have the previous DVD releases, there is really no need to run out and pick this up. But for those with Blu-ray players that have not discovered this wonderful guilty pleasure, I say take the chance – I wasn’t overly impressed, but I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy myself re-discovering this film.

On the Side: Michael Bay makes a cameo in the film as a photographer for the Village Voice. See if you can pick him out.

Blu-ray Review: The Simpsons Movie

Neil Miller — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:03:40 +0000

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Homer adopts a pig who’s run away from Krusty Burger after Krusty tried to have him slaughtered, naming the pig “Spider Pig.” At the same time, the lake is protected after the audience sink the barge Green Day are on with garbage after they mention the environment. Meanwhile, Spider Pig’s waste has filled up a silo in just 2 days, apparently with Homer’s help. Homer can’t get to the dump quickly so dumps the silo in the lake, polluting it. Russ Cargill, the villainous boss of the EPA, gives Arnold Schwarzenegger 5 options, forcing him to choose 4 (which is, unfortunately, to destroy Springfield) and putting a dome over Springfield to prevent evacuation. Homer, however, has escaped, along with his family. Can he stop the evil Cargill from annihilating his home town, and his family, who have been forced to return to Springfield?

THE MOVIE

158 drafts were written for The Simpsons Movie, a project that was almost 2 decades in the making. And finally after all that work, creator Matt Groening and his team of talented writers have finally brought Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and all the other denizens of Springfield to the big screen — and it appears that draft 158 was just right. The Simpsons Movie stormed into theaters where it was met with praise from die hard fans and critics alike, all appreciating the film as an extension of the television show. It is a film that gave us everything we expected from a 2 hour episode of The Simpsons — nothing more, nothing less. Thankfully, par for the course for Groening and Co. is still good enough to rank The Simpsons Movie among the top animated flicks of the year.

VIDEO QUALITY

With the sharpness and beautiful detail of Blu-ray, the animation of The Simpsons has never looked better. But then again, what do you expect? The transfer of the animation over to 1080p gives the film a visual pop, but it is not complex animation. With other releases this year, namely Pixar’s Ratatouille, the animation was lifted to the next level in High Definition. With The Simpsons on the other hand, there really isn’t much that separates HD from SD — as any viewer of the Fox network HD broadcasts can tell you.

AUDIO QUALITY

As with the video quality, the audio mix on Blu-ray version of this film works because there isn’t much to it. From the moment you hear The Simpsons theme song to the rendition of “Spider Pig” in the closing credits, there is nothing significant either way about this 5.1 audio mix. Every “Doh!” is delivered as crisply as it will ever be delivered, but that isn’t saying much. From an audio standpoint — there is nothing that separates the Blu-ray release from say, the standard DVD.

SPECIAL FEATURES

This is where things begin to go downhill quick for The Simpsons Movie Blu-ray release. Using common and simple logic, you would think that the Blu-ray release, with its massive storage capacity compared to a regular DVD, would have a few more special features for us to enjoy. In this particular case, it does not — a factor that may leave you staring at your receipt wondering why you paid the extra $15 to see Homer Simpson in High-Def. There are a few deleted scenes, all of which clearly deserved to be cut from the end product, and a few little clips in the “Special Stuff” section of the disc. One clip shows Homer filling in for Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, something we’ve already seen on YouTube a thousand times; and the other is a clip of a Simpson-ized American Idol show — lame.

Adding to all of that are the 6 trailers for the film that range from 30-second TV spots to the full theatrical trailer. Now don’t get me wrong here, I do think trailers belong on a DVD. But 6 trailers from a recent film? Seriously? I love seeing trailers for films like Mel Brooks’ The History of the World Pt. I and Monty Python’s The Life of Brian because it shows how the film was marketed in its day — but 6 trailers for The Simpsons Movie?! Come on Fox, you could have found something else to fill that disc space. Even a season 7 preview for 24 would have been sufficient.

THE HD EXPERIENCE

In the end, this is one of the most disappointing Blu-ray releases since the inception of the format. All of the special features mirror those of the standard release, and that is just plain unacceptable. When we pony up $30 for a Blu-ray movie we expect something different. We want something we can’t get in the $15 version of the film. Are you taking notes Fox? This reviewer certainly hopes so, because if this trend continues — if you continue to rush out releases with lackluster special features — then you will certainly continue to throw away your opportunity to help move the Blu-ray format along. If I didn’t enjoy this movie so much, I would surely be asking for my money back.

Grade: D

Film School Rejects » Blu-ray Reviews

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