The Green Hornet: Blu-ray (2011)

I enjoyed roughly 30 seconds of The Green Hornet's two hour runtime. At least someone made the fine decision to include Sam Cooke's "Twistin' the Night Away" on the soundtrack. Other than that, there was nothing redeeming about this mess. I had very low expectations going in and still came away disappointed. The movie focuses as much on comedy as action but is too filled with bad visual gags lame one liners and fake awkward dialogue to actually be funny. Director Michel Gondry has a nice flair for interesting visuals but there's very little of that on display here with a focus on standard action movie quick cuts. Seth Rogan is a good comedic actor (and since he co-wrote it that explains a lot of the films failed attempts at humor) but not an action hero. Christoph Waltz is utterly wasted as the paper thin villain and Cameron Diaz is really annoying. I guess Jay Chou isn't terrible and for this movie that's pretty high praise.

Well at least the blu-ray is pretty sweet. Being a new release action movie one would expect the presentation to feature great visuals and a booming soundtrack and the disc does not disappoint on a technical level. If you have completely different tastes than me and liked this piece of trash you should feel free to enjoy it in all it's horrible hi-def glory.

The Green Hornet may be the worst movie of the year so far and will most likely go down as one of the worst superhero movies ever made. I mean at least Catwoman had Halle Berry in that tight black suit, Elektra had Jennifer Garner in whatever she was wearing (sidenote: I never saw Catwoman or Elektra) and Batman and Robin had.........well alright, The Green Hornet is better than Batman and Robin.

Ratings:

Movie: 1
Blu-ray: 5

Drive Angry: Blu-ray (2011)

Lets just get this out of the way right now, Drive Angry is not a "good" movie. It's actually pretty terrible and not in a schlocky low budget way. That said, I enjoyed watching it and think it's one of the better ridiculous Nic Cage movies to come out in a while.

Cage is John Milton, a recent escapee from hell who is out avenge the murder of his daughter at the hands of cult leader, Jonah King (Billy Burke) who has also kidnapped Milton's granddaughter and plans to offer her up to Satan as a human sacrifice. Along for the ride is random waitress Piper (Amber Heard) with The Accountant (William Fichtner) giving chase along with a slew of cops. Oh yeah David Morse shows up for a while too, even though he doesn't actually do anything.

If all that sounds pretty stupid, it is but director/co-writer Patrick Lussier (My Bloody Valentine) pretty much acknowledges the stupidity right up front and gives the movie a rather non serious tone that makes the film hard to hate. They're certainly not attempting to make Shakespeare here. Cage gives his usual overacting performance (with requisite terrible haircut) that seems to drive people crazy but it works for the material presented here. He probably kills at least 50 people singlehandedly and in one fantastic scene of insanity, manages to knock off at least 8 opponents all the while still chugging whiskey, smoking cigars AND never removing his penis from the waitress he's pleasuring while still clothed ("I never disrobe before a gunfight"). Heard isn't given too much to do besides look pretty in skimpy clothes and attempt to kick some ass with varying results. Fichnter gets most of the best lines ("Whoa, those are fucked!" before sticking a pole into a dudes shot out kneecap) and is the real highlight of the film. With his ridiculously terrible southern accent Burke manages to outdo Cage in level of overacting and his is the only performance I found to be distracting but I guess when you're playing a David Koresh like figure, overacting is really the only way to go.

The blu-ray is a new release action movie so naturally it looks and sounds great. It probably looks too good at times because the incredible fakeness of a lot of the CGI is readily apparent but mostly that just adds to the films tone. This was also a movie shot in 3D so there are numerous times when things fly at the screen or are obviously meant to be 3D affects that just look really stupid while watching it in 2D but that's not really the fault of the disc. It's as good as Drive Angry will ever get. The audio is a constantly booming track well worth the price of admission in itself. High quality stuff.

Drive Angry is not the type of film thats going to hold up with any sort of scrutiny. You're either going to be into it or not. I fell for it almost immediately and wouldn't hesitate to visit it again. Obviously it's not for everyone but anyone who enjoys Cage, over the top scenes of violence, ridiculous dialogue and general "so bad it's good" type action, Drive Angry is pretty sweet. Just don't think about it too much.

Ratings:

Movie: 3.5
Blu-ray: 4.5

Blow Out: Blu-ray (1981)

Brian DePalma's career has been filled with movies that often have met criticism for containing more style than substance as well as too much in the way of homage. While both of these things are true, when a man as talented as DePalma makes a film as good as Blow Out, it really doesn't matter.

Low budget movie soundman, Jack Terry (John Travolta), just wants to record some new natural sound affects when his night is interrupted by a tragic car accident. While the driver is beyond rescue, he does manage to save the woman passenger (Nancy Allen). Little does he realize the dead man is the current Governor of Pennsylvania and a front-runner for the upcoming presidential election. What follows is part conspiracy movie, part inside look at filmmaking and one of the finest thrillers of the 80's.

DePalma's visual flourishes are in full force in large a number of scenes throughout Blow Out. His ability to use the camera as a free flowing device capable of showing both beautiful and horrific images simultaneously is matched by only a few other directors in history and in Blow Out he has characters that make it mean all that much more. I don;t think Travolta has ever been considered a remarkably skilled thespian, but his performance here is a good argument against that theory. Jack Terry is a man of great conviction and Travolta caries that through to the very end but also shows off the characters soft side as well. Allen's character seems to be just a old fashioned damsel in distress at first but her ability to transcend that is a key to her and Travolta's on screen relationship and ultimately the film itself. Add in a couple fine supporting turns from John Lithgow and Dennis Franz and you have a film that works on a personal level as well as a visual one.

No one is ever going to confuse the blu-ray transfer of Blow Out with a new release blockbuster but as usual the folks at Criterion have done an outstanding job with this release. Colors are very well represented, there are no issues of dirt or specking and the films grain structure is full intact. Detail is generally excellent but Blow Out was filmed to be a little soft and that comes through on the transfer. The audio is nothing fancy as the only options is a 2.0 uncompressed mono track but dialog is always clear, Pino Donaggio's score is full and there are no issues of cracking or popping. The blu-ray isn't going to blow anyone away but it's a very good representation of the film.

Blow Out just might be the finest film Brian DePalma has ever made. It's certainly one of his better ones and well worth picking up on Blu-ray without hesitation. I was a big fan of this film the first time I saw it years ago and seeing it again has been a revelation. It's a fantastic film.

Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 4.5

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Criterion Edition Blu-ray (1998)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a tough film to review since it's not really a film as much as it is an experience. There is no plot, little character development and no discernable structure. It's basically 2 dudes doing a lot of drugs, having adventures, running into a lot of recognizable actors making cameo's and generally fucking around. It's also a whole lot of fun.

There's no point in trying to describe the plot because, as stated, there isn't one. Director Terry Gilliam uses Hunter S. Thompson's source material as a jumping off point but never really explains the motivations of Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo like the book does. That's fine because the film he presents is a journey of two whacked out guys who's motivations probably wouldn't matter all that much in the end. What does matter is the visual trickery Gilliam uses, the often hilarious dialogue Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro spew and their drug induced actions. This isn't a film that's going to hold up well to intense scrutiny, it's best just to give up and go along for the ride.

Fear and Loathing is far to soft of a film to ever be considered a demo choice but the Criterion version is far better than the original blu-ray. Colors are strong, detail is pretty good and in general there is little to complain about. There are two different lossless audio options available, a 2.0 track and a 5.1 mix. I watched with the 5.1 while switching over to the 2.0 on occasion. Neither one is going to blow anyone away but they are both solid choices. The film is almost entirely dialogue based and on both tracks that comes through loud and clear. This just isn't a film with a great surround track mix and that's fine.

While It's hardly for everyone, Fear and Loathing is a fun, weird and dark trip that is unlike almost any other movie I've ever seen. Instantly quotable, visually impressive and just plain fucked up is the best way to describe it. There's nothing wrong with that.

Ratings:

Movie: 4.5
Blu-ray: 4.5

The Man From Nowhere: Blu-ray (2010)

I've long maintained that in music you don;t have to be overly inventive to be awesome and I believe that to be true with films as well (though to a lesser extent). There's something to be said for making something that stylistically has been made before but as long as you do it well, it will be well worth checking out. The Man From Nowhere is further proof of that theory. There's very little on display here that hasn't been done before but everything is done with a style and energy that is impossible to not get caught up in. This South Korean film is a dark, violent and moving film. It may take it's cues from films such as Leon as well a host of revenge flicks but there's enough style and substance to make it stand out as far more than a generic, bloody, affair. It's not a perfect film -- most of the bad guys are stock types and often cross the line into bumbling fool territory -- but it's one the finer ones to come out of South Korea in a long time.

The blu-ray transfer is quite strong. The film was shot with a heavy blue tint to everything and while that color scheme may not result in an overly colorful look, it fits the film well. Detail is strong and focus is sharp. The film looks about as good as it ever will. The audio track is quite dynamic. The numerous action scenes come alive with both heavy low end and consistent surround usage. Directionality and dialogue are excellent throughout the movie. This is a fine way to view The Man From Nowhere.

The Man From Nowhere may not be the most original movie you'll ever see but it's still a very good one. Dark, violent, stylish and with a surprising amount of heart, it's a worthwhile way to spend a couple hours.

Ratings:

Movie: 4
Blu-ray: 4.5

Taxi Driver: Blu-ray (1976)

I don't really have a favorite movie. I do have a list of a bunch that are in the running and Taxi Driver is certainly a contender. It's not often that all the focal points of a film come together in perfect synergy but Taxi Driver is one of those times. Paul Schrader's screenplay, Scorcese's direction, Bernard Hermann's score, and the actors performances are all perfectly captured of film and the result is dark, mesmerizing, and yes beautiful.

If you've never seen Taxi Driver, it's basically the story of isolated loser and cabbie, Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro). Bickle has no friends, a bad case of insomnia, a hatred of what he perceives as "scum" and all the time in the world to dwell on these factors. Bickle's story is simultaneously a tragedy, a black, black comedy, a statement on the media and 70's culture and ultimately, a totally engrossing film experience.

So much of the credit for Taxi Driver's ability to hold up so well 35 years later has to go to Schrader and Scorsese. The themes of isolation and disgust at the world are pretty universal and are captured in both the screenplay and the dreamlike quality of film itself. DeNiro gives perhaps the finest performance of his career (in a career filled with at least 5 life changing roles) as Bickle. He plays naive, angry, frustrated and emotionally needy as well as anyone in film history and he is the complete center of the film. The supporting cast is just as excellent and another reason Taxi Driver will forever stand the test of time. Jodie Foster is fantastic as the child prostitute who will become Bickle's obsession (his obsession to save her from her life and not sexual). Harvey Keitel is both goofy and menacing as her pimp. Cybill Sheppherd does more than just look beautiful as a early potential (doomed to fail) love interest. Peter Boyle and Albert Brooks also mange to hold their own as the seemingly (and incorrectly so) wise veteran cabbie Wizard and Albert Brooks -- in his first dramatic role -- holds his own as both comic relief and a impediment for Bickle's success with Sheppherd.

It would be easy to go on and on about the virtues of Taxi Driver but anyone who's a fan of the film will know all this already and really this should be about whether or not the blu-ray is worth upgrading to. The answer is a resounding, YES!! One of the biggest dangers of releasing a film like Taxi Driver on blu-ray is that the temptation to clean it up and erase a lot of what makes the film work is huge. It would be easy to erase grain, scrub out too much of the dirt and end up with a waxy, bright look that would totally destroy the feel of the film. Thankfully none of those things have happened here. The movie still looks as dirty, grimy and ugly (in a very good way) as ever. The blu-ray does bring out a level of detail never before seen and the color scheme is much more full and strong. This is all done while staying true to the source material. In short the film has never looked better. The audio track isn't quite the upgrade that the video is but the lossless soundtrack is still quite impressive for a dialoueg based film from the 70's. Surround usage is mostly active in establishing atmosphere but in the few action scenes they come alive. Same thing with the films low end. It's never real strong but has just enough oomph to give certain scenes an extra boost. Dialogue is always clear and fully understandable as well.

Taxi Driver is one of the greatest films of all time. Period. The blu-ray looks and sounds great while still being true to the source material. There are a lot of interesting bonus features to keep fans busy for hours. I haven't talked about the packaging but it's really cool looking and has some sweet still photos included. It also costs about $12.99 pretty much everywhere. There is absolutely no reason for everyone to not own this. It's fantastic.

Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 5

The Incredibles: Blu-ray (2004)

It comes down to this, if you don't like The Incredibles, there is probably something wrong with you. It's a fantastic mix of beautiful animation, superhero movie spoof, family drama, coming of age story and a thrilling action flick. I won't say this is my favorite Pixar movie but it's right up there on the list.

I'm not going to waste anybody's time (especially my own) by summarizing the plot of the film but writer/director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille) created a perfect blend of all the styles listed above that is simultaneously smart, funny, touching and true to life (except ya know, for the superhero stuff). The voice cast is excellent. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee and Sam Jackson are all perfect for their respective roles with Nelson in particular giving fantastic voice work as a man torn between his love for his family and his desire to relive the glory years. There's not enough good things to say about this film. At almost two hours in length, it does seem to be a little long for an animated film on paper but it certainly doesn't feel that way when watching it.

As with every Pixar blu-ray release to date, The Incredibles is an absolutely perfect transfer. It seems that most new release movies and recent big budget animated films are barely worth reviewing in regards to their blu-ray quality. They're all demo worthy. The Incredibles features a beautiful visual look and a stunning audio track. It's a five star transfer all the way.

The Incredibles is another in a long line of great Pixar films that have received great blu-ray releases. The film is almost perfect and the blu-ray quality certainly is. This is a must own blu-ray.

Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 5

Tron Legacy: Blu-ray (2010)

I won't lie, I've only seen the original Tron once in my life and I hardly remember anything about it other than not being overly impressed. The good new is you don't really need to have seen the original to understand Tron Legacy. The movies likely not going to make complete sense to anyone anyway and it's probably better off that you just shut up and enjoy the ride. The whole point of the movie seems to be a to wow the viewer into submission with a visual style that is both hyperactive and incredibly impressive. I could go into a long list of things that are lacking in this movie but really there's not point. Even with Jeff Bridges in the cast, anyone expecting high quality acting, character depth, sensible plotting or emotional attachment should really check their expectations at the door. The movie sets out to provide pure entertainment and in that regard it largely succeeds.

As expected the blu-ray quality is perfection. Imagine a perfect looking and sounding disc and that's what you get here. There's really not much to say, as a A/V experience Tron Legacy on blu-ray is as good as it gets. I foresee many many demo's of Tron LEeacy in people's homes and retail stores for quite a long time.

It's hard to criticize Tron Legacy the movie sets out to be a great experience and it accomplishes just that. Sure there are a lot of shortcoming in the plot, acting and depth departments but I doubt too many people will care while they're watching it all play out.

Ratings:

Movie: 3.5
Blu-ray: 5

Sweet Smell of Success: Blu-ray (1957)

I've been sitting on this review for over a week now trying to find a way to convey how great the Sweet Smell of Success is. I finally decided that the best way is to just keep this short and let the film speak for itself. It's a fantastic tale of morality and power and the things that can happen when you sacrifice the former for the latter.

Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is a press agent who has had his clients blacklisted in ultra-powerful J.J. Hunsecker's (Burt Lancaster) newspaper column. Hunsecker's sister (Susan Harrison) is dating a musician (Martin Milner) that Hunsecker thinks is beneath her and Falco is put in charge of breaking them up. Until he does so, Hunsecker will not talk about Falco's clients which is a serious financial drain in the the ultra competitive New York scene.

Sweet Smell of Success is largely known for it's rapid fire dialogue and for good reason. It's snappy, inventive, stylized and a whole lot of fun to listen to. Curtis was known for exclusively playing easy nice guy roles and Sidney Falco is not a nice guy. In fact there is hardly a nice guy to be found in Sweet Smell of Success. Falco is conniving and willing to do almost anything for money. Hunsecker is portrayed as the evil overlord of New York, willing to crush anyone who goes against him. The rapport between Curtis and Lancaster is phenomenal and the stuff of movie legend. Harrison and Milner manage to hold their own against the two heavyweights. Harrison is sweet and vulnerable but far from innocent and Milner is the voice reason and represents a moral center that everyone else lacks. Director Alexander Mackendrick shoots the movie in a effective noir style. The use of shadows and lighting is fantastic and the hustle and bustle of New York is fully captured From the busy streets to the jazz clubs of the 1950's, the city itself is an effective character.

As usual with Criterion titles, the film has gone through an extensive restoration process and the results are fantastic. Black levels are extremely important to Sweet Smell of Success and they are represented beautifully. They are deep when they need to be deep, gray when they need to be gray and there is no crushing anywhere to be seen. Detail is excellent as well. The ridges in Lancaster's face are apparent and while they may not be overly flattering to the actor, they add a lot to the character. The audio is presented in a straight mono track that is clean and always understandable. For a film that's almost entirely dialogue driven, that's a very good thing.

Sweet Snell if Success is a treat to watch and even just to listen to. Curtis and Lancaster are great, the visuals are only outdone by the dialogue and it's morality tale remains relevant to this day. My plans to keep this short fell apart while writing and I could have gone on for much longer, this film is that good. As with almost every Criterion disc ever released, the blu-ray is top of the line. If you've never seen Sweet Smell of Success there is no better time than now.

Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 4.5

The Fighter: Blu-ray (2010)

I had The Fighter fourth on my list of the best movies of 2010 and after watching it again, I think that's still about right. It's a fantastic movie film that in a lot of other years would have likely been number one but 2010 was a strong year for films. The story is gripping and triumphant, the acting is absolutely phenomenal (Christain Bale and Melissa Leo won Oscars while Amy Adams easily could have, Mark Wahlberg is steady and gives the film it's grounding) and David O Russel's direction is straight forward and rock solid. I have a few small nitpicks but they're hardly worth getting into and none of them bothered me at all the second time through. I'm not going to go much deeper since I assume anyone who reads this has either already seen it, or is going to very soon. It's just a fantastic film.

The blu-ray presentation of The Fighter is a great representation of the theatrical experience without being a knock your socks off home theater experience. The transfer shows great detail, proper color scheme and consistent grain. It looks almost exactly like I remember it from the theater  and that's really all one can ask for in a blu-ray. The Audio track is largely dialogue driven and that dialogue comes through loud and clear. When the soundscape does open up in the boxing scenes and for the soundtrack, it does so with great clarity and just enough oomph to keep the viewer satisfied.

If you saw The Fighter in theaters and loved it, there's no reason not to pick up the blu-ray. It was just as good the second time watching it and I suspect replay value for this film will remain high. If you haven't seen The Fighter, what is wrong with you?

Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 4.5

Unstoppable: Blu-ray (2010)

See train, see train run, run train run. That's pretty much the gist of Unstoppable. I'd love to tell you that the movie is an allegory for the financial crisis or a deep exploration of corporate greed and it's affects on the common man. It'd be great to say that the characters are wholly developed people who's emotions and plights you will live and die with. All those things have their place in a deep and serious film. Unstoppable is not that film. What it is, is a highly entertaining movie about a fast moving, unmanned train and our everyman hero's attempts to stop it.

I won't lie, I rather enjoyed Unstoppable. Director Tony Scott is not known for high art films but the man knows how to direct an action sequence. His mix of fast-cuts, faux documentary shots and hyper camera movements can be overbearing at times but in the context of a runaway train movie, they work great. Denzel Washington and Chris Pine are likable actors and that likability is another key to the success of the film. It's not as if the roles they're playing are overly challenging -- and I suspect that Denzel in particular could play this role in his sleep -- and without the characters being overly developed it's important to have actors that the audience is pre-disposed to caring for. Likewise the supporting cast is full of recognizable actors (Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Corrigan, Kevin Dunn) who really aren't given much to do except stand around and watch the train in action. Talking about these types of things seems a bit superfluous (just like using superfluous in a movie review!) as really the train is the star and its acting is tremendous.

Unstoppable seems to be tailor made for blu-ray. Scott's overblown visual style generally works very well in high-def and this is no exception. The stylized color's pop, detail is excellent and the films grain structure is always present but never overbearing. It looks fantastic. The audio track is equally impressive. The LFE is in full force almost constantly. My house shook plenty and the dog got freaked out on multiple occasions (always a good sign of a high end audio track). Surround sound is also in a constant state of usage with superb directionality and high fidelity. Dialogue is never buried and always clear. The whole blu-ray package is fantastic.

Assuming someone is not expecting high art when attempting to view Unstoppable, I can't imagine anyone coming away disappointed. It's a fun popcorn film with acceptable acting, stylized direction a really fast train and a kick-ass blu-ray presentation. Really there's not too much more to say.

Ratings:

Movie: 3.5
Blu-ray: 5

Memento: Blu-ray (10th Anniversary Edition) (2000)

If I were to ever make a list of my 25 favorite movies, there is no doubt that Memento would be on it. This is one of the movies that showed me there was more than just Hollywood blockbusters out there and opened my eyes to a whole new world of film exploration that I'm still obsessed with finding. It's hard to believe that it's been ten years already but here we are. I've watched Memento multiple times over the years and while it's rewatchability would seem to be a giant question mark, it has never been an issue for me. I still get lost into the hazy world of Leonard Shelby and look for new clues that director Christopher Nolan has scattered throughout the film. I won't get into the storyline as I assume everyone has either already seen Memento or probably has no interest in doing so. The important thing is answering if the new blu-ray version is worth the upgrade from DVD for existing fans of the film.

Memento has already been released on blu-ray once before and while I did not ever see that disc, I have read in numerous places the quality was no better than a good dvd upconvert. Thankfully this 10th anniversary edition gives a blu-ray presentation that is worthy of the film. The films color sequences are a full of life, with detail being excellent and colors being crisp and lifelike. The black and white sequences are a little more intentionally stylized but again detail is excellent and while they're a little softer than the best quality transfers, a lot of that has to do with how Nolan shot them. The audio track is top notch as well. Dialogue is always well balanced and understandable. Gunshots carry some serious low end heft. Surround usage isn't constant but there is a lot of good atmosphere going on and when they do come alive, it is with superb directionality.

Even after multiple viewings and many other fantastic films, Memento remains my personal favorite from Christopher Nolan. It's a genius work of writing, direction, editing and acting. The 10th anniversary blu-ray is spectacular and fitting of the film itself. This one is well worth a double dip.


Ratings:

Movie: 5
Blu-ray: 4.5

Faster: Blu-ray (2010)

First things first, the main characters in Faster are named "Driver," "Cop" and "Killer." I would guess just by that piece of information you will know if Faster is the type of movie you will enjoy.

The minute Driver (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) gets out of prison after a ten year sentence, he's off and running to get revenge on the people who led to his imprisonment. Along the way way he is tracked by Cop (Billy Bob Thornton) and Killer (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) for various reasons.

Faster is about what I expected it too be. There are some good car chase scene's, some violent gun fights and a bunch of overacting. There's a higher emphasis placed on character development and more twists in the screenplay than I expected but it's not like either one is done with a lot of quality or surprises.

It's nice to see The Rock doing adult action roles again after his recent foray into children's entertainment. The guy is obviously not a superbly gifted actor but he does have a commanding screen presence that is best used in roles exactly like what he plays here. Thornton is fine as the drug addicted Cop but really it's a fairly straight forward role and it seems like his fake hair does more acting than he does. The rest of the cast (Jackson-Cohen, Carla Gugino, Tom Berenger, Mike Epps, Moon Bloodgood, Maggie Grace) all deliver performances that don't add too much to the film but they don't take anything away from it either.

As for the blu-ray quality, lets just say it's a new release action film. The movie looks and sounds fantastic. There's not too much to say, it's a fantastic and demo worthy presentation.

Faster is a pretty good action film but is far from a must see film. The Rock's return to adult entertainment is the highlight of the film and it's better than a lot of recent action movies. The blu-ray features a fantastic transfer and people who are more inclined to like this type of film than I am should not hesitate to pick up a copy for at least a rental.

Ratings

Movie: 3
Blu-ray: 5

It's Kind of a Funny Story: Blu-ray (2010)

Kind of funny is about right. It's also kind of heartwarming, kind of poignant, kind of insightful, kind of annoying and a lot of mediocre.

When 16 year old Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist) checks himself into a mental hospital for being depressed and suicidal, he thinks it's only gonna be for a few hours. Turns out he's stuck there for at least a week and in that time he's probably going to learn a lot about life from the other patients and maybe will come to appreciate the things he has rather than focusing on the things he doesn't.

Writer/directors Anna Bolden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson) adapted It's Kind of a Funny Story from the Ned Vizzini novel of the same name and as noted, the results are decidedly mixed. Gilchrist is a likable enough guy and when the movie focuses on lighthearted fun with "crazy" people he's up to the task but he also lacks to dramatic chops to pull off the heavier material that the script requires. The supporting cast is talented (Emma Roberts, Jim Gaffigan, Lauren Graham, Jeremy Davies) but apart from Zach Galifanakis they aren't given too much to do. Even though he's most associated with his wacky character from The Hangover, Galifanakis is a talented dramatic actor and he gives the best performance in the film, he's funny and touching and if the rest of the movie was up to his level it would be fantastic.

The blu-ray is solid but this is not the type of movie that's overly impressive on a technical level. The video transfer fits the film well but apart from some fantasy sequences, there's just nothing visually impressive about a movie that takes place almost entirely in a mental hospital. Likewise the audio track is practically all dialogue. Apart from a few scenes when the soundtrack takes over, there's just not much to do.

It's Kind of a Funny Story is kind of a hard movie to hate. It's heart is in the right place and there are some great moments scattered throughout. Unfortunately those moments never add up into a completely winning film. I'd say it's worth a rental to see Galifanakis' talents on display in a more subtle manner but it's not much more than that.

Ratings:

Movie: 3
Blu-ray: 3.5

The Next Three Days: Blu-ray (2010)

What would you do if your wife was arrested for murder, had overwhelming evidence against her and even though you truly believed she was innocent, it looked like she was spending her life in prison? Would you try to break her out? Accept the fact that the justice system is flawed? Get yourself a hottie mistress? These are the questions asked (albeit very superficially) in Paul Haggis' The Next Three Days.

Fist the good; there are a lot of talented people involved in The Next Three Days. Haggis (Crash, In the Valley of Elah) is a very good writer and a good director who shows that he can make an action scene pop here. Russell Crowe and Elisabeth Banks both give strong performances and the supporting cast has a lot of familiar and talented faces that briefly pop up throughout the film (Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy, Olivia Wilde, Daniel Stern, Kevin Corrigan, RZA). The movie starts out asking some important questions and gives us some very strong characterizations. Crowe's descent into criminality and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get his wife out of jail is intriguing.

Now the bad; while the first half of the movie features that strong character work, it ultimately descends into generic action-thriller territory. Suspension of disbelief is a giant plus to have when watching The Next Three Days. There are quite simply numerous highly implausible situations that constantly stack on top of each other. There's also the issue of runtime. 132 minutes is just too long to sustain the tension required for the film to work really well without a strong character focus in the second half. The Next Three Days really could have been both a strong character piece and a sweet action film but it settles for a good but not great version of each.

As expected of a new release film the blu-ray quality is excellent. Visuals are very strong, with a great amount of detail, excellent black levels, and a consistent color scheme. There are no complaints with the The Next Three Days video quality. Likewise the audio track is top notch. Dialogue is always balanced, surround usage is constant but not overwhelmingly so and there's enough low end to shake the walls when the movie calls for it.

There's a lot to like about The Next Three Days. The cast is great and the action sequences are engrossing. Ultimately the film fails to deliver on the character aspects that are so promising in the first half of the movie and there's a lot of implausibility in the story. The Next Three Days is surely good enough for a rental but with the talent involved in the film, it's a slight disappointment.

Ratings:

Movie: 3.5
Blu-ray: 4.5

Get Low: Blu-ray (2009)

Get Low is the type of film that major film studios just don't make anymore. It's a quirky character study that relies on a strong cast and workmanlike direction to succeed rather than flashy set-pieces and bombast. While the film will not go down in history as a masterpiece, it is a fine showing for the still relevant talents of Robert Duvall and Bill Murray's subtle comedy.

Felix Bush (Duvall) has lived life as a hermit in Tennessee for almost 40 years. The people in the nearby town are all familiar with him but the only thing they really know about Felix are based on the outlandish tales that have told about him for years. A couple of personal realizations strike Felix and he decides to give himself a living funeral. Enlisting the help of the local funeral home owner and worker (Murray and Lucas Black) Felix sets out to bring people together to tell his story and let the townspeople tell him theirs.

Get Low is almost entirely dependent on Robert Duvall's lead performance and he more than delivers. He's equally adept at playing a stodgy old recluse and at eventually opening the character up to more emotional revelations. Murray is great as serio-comic relief and the rest of the cast (Black, Sissy Spacek, Bill Cobbs) are up to the task as well. While Get Low is a small scale film, it's themes are far from simple. The movie touches on redemption, love, suffering and forgiveness in a very affective and heart warming way.

The blu-ray features a strong audio/video transfer but Get Low isn't the type of movie to really showcase your blu-ray player. The distinct visual look director Aaron Schneider brings to the movie features a healthy dose of brown and gray colors and the transfer represents them perfectly. Being far from a big-sale film the overall look is a bit subdued and not very flashy but it does fit the movie perfectly and the transfer represents that. Likewise Get Low is an almost entirely dialogue driven affair with a healthy sprinkling of Appalachain music. The audio track is again solid but nothing fancy.

I really enjoyed Get Low. It's got a great cast, a interesting story and a fantastic lead performance from Duvall. It's themes of love, redemption and forgiveness are universal and it should appeal to anyone who likes quirky small scale dramas.

Ratings:

Movie: 4
Blu-ray: 4

Lebanon: Blu-ray (2009)

While there have been hundreds of first hand accounts of war mad into films over the years, very few feel as personal as Lebanon. Writer/director Samuel Maoz has been carrying around memories of his experiences in the 1982 Lebanon War and finally found the perfect outlet to release them.

Lebanon is a very small scale film that takes place entirely in the confines of a tank. There are four young Lebanese Solders inside, all with varying degrees of combat experience and differing personalities. The physical and emotional toll that their war experience takes on them is both harrowing and profound.

While the ground the Lebanon covers is nothing new, the skill and heart it covers it with more than makes for any shared experiences with past films. The four main actors and the few others who play supporting roles all nail their performances. There's a wide range of emotions that each character goes through and the actors all ring true. It's easy to tell that Moaz has a personal relationship with his film. The characters are fully developed people and there's obviously a lot of care that went into them. While the characters are the main draw of Lebanon, the technical skill that comes with filming entirely inside a tank is impressive as well. The sense of claustrophobia is ever present and only adds to the unusual circumstances and the character reactions.

The blu ray features a fantastic transfer. While there's not all that much going on visually since every scene is either a shot of inside the tank or through the gunsight, what is shown comes across very well in high def. The color scheme is basically just greens and blacks but there is no crushing going on and detail is excellent. The audio track is about as good as it gets. There are numerous battle scened depicted in Lebanon and since you can't visually see what is going on it's very important for the audio to give you the idea of what it's like in the tank. Surround usage, directionality and low end are all fantastic and dialogue is never lost in the shuffle. The quieter scenes use are just as good, the creaks and moans of the tank add a lot of atmosphere to the experience. This is the kind of small scale movie a good audio track can really make or break and thankfully it only adds to the experience in Lebanon.

I haven't seen too many war films that have this level of personal touch. Living with memories of things that happened while serving your country (no matter what country it is) can be a painful experience. Lebanon not only works as a release for Moez, it's a fantastic character study of men placed in an unusual circumstance and their reactions to those events. Anyone who is a fan of war films that work on a human level more than just as a bombastic visual experience are highly encouraged to rent Lebanon.

Ratings:

Movie: 4.5
Blu-ray: 4.5

Out of Sight: Blu-ray (1998)

Out of Sight is one of my all time 25 favorite movies. It's a fantastic blend of crime drama, romance, comedy and a has tone that fits the source novel by Elmore Leonard (my favorite author) perfectly. Everything from the Scott Frank Screenplay to Stephen Soderbergh's direction to the pitch perfect cast came together amazingly well during the making of Out of Sight. It may not have been a huge box office success but it did establish Soderbergh's ability to make a successful mainstream movie. It also brought George Clooney's movie star credentials to the fray as well as representing Jennifer Lopez's best work (by far).

Jack Foley (George Clooney) is a very prolific bank robber serving time after getting busted on a robbery gone wrong. During an escape from prison he "kidnaps" female Federal Marshall, Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). The two have an obvious physical and emotional chemistry but their chosen professions make acting on that chemistry next to impossible. There's a lot more to the movie than that but revealing more would take all the fun away from first time viewers.

The most obvious reason Out of Sight works so well is the amazing cast. At this point in his career, Clooney was still best known for his role on E.R. and for being a terrible Batman. This was the film that proved he was capable of playing a cool, sexy and suave male lead with the best of them. While it's really easy to make fun of Jennifer Lopez now, back in 1998 she was viewed as one of the brightest young actresses in Hollywood. Karen Sisco is not an easy role to play and Lopez displays a great blend of sex appeal and toughness. As great as the two leads are, it's the supporting cast that puts the movie over the top. Don Cheadle is awesome as the primary antagonist, Ving Rhames is rock solid as Foley's partner, Albert Brooks is barely recognizable as a patsy and Steve Zahn's comic relief is impeccable. There are numerous other recognizable actors that show up in smaller parts (Luis Guzman, Katherine Keener, Isiah Washington, Dennis Farina, Michael Keaton) that only add to the fun and make the cast of Out of Sight one of the best of the last 20 years.

While the cast is the obvious highlight, it's Soderbergh's direction that gives the film it's shape. He uses a lot of different tricks to convey the mood and tone the script requires to work so well. Flashbacks, freeze-frames, jump cuts, a non linear story line and various lens filters are all used to perfection. There's a lot of different tones, styles and storylines to juggle here and without a strong director, Out of Sight could easily have been a giant mess. Lots of credit has to go the Scott Frank as well. Elmore Leonard novels are infamously hard to successfully adapt to the screen and between Out of Sight and Get Shorty, Frank proved extremely capable of doing so.

The blu-ray is a pretty big upgrade from the standard dvd. Color is a very important aspect of Out of Sight and the transfer really brings those colors out. The bright blown out scenes in Florida really pop and are a great contrast between the blue tinted, washed out look that occurs when the setting moves to Detroit. Detail is good for a catalog title but isn't overly strong. Some of the casts faces seem a bit waxy as well and I suspect there was a little more DNR used than I would like to see. It's still a very good video image that should appeal to fans and newcomers alike. The audio track is very good as well. Out of Sight is a largely dialogue driven affair and that comes through loud and clear. The jazzy soundtrack is well represented and on the occasions when the film moves into action territory, the track presents strong surround usage, good directionality and just enough low end.

Out of Sight is easily one of the best movies of the 90's. It's got everything that movie lovers should want in spades. There is no reason to not pick up the blu-ray of this film. It's pretty cheap (and only available at Best Buy until March 1st) and needs to be in everyones film collection (yes I'm a bit biased).

Ratings

Movie: 5
Blu-ray 4

Almost Famous: The Bootleg Cut: Blu-ray (2000)

Although Cameron Crowe has been involved with many fine films in his career (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Jerry Maguire, Say Anything), he has never made a better one than Almost Famous. To be fair, a film about a teenage kid who gets to go out on the road with a band and writes a story about them for Rolling Stone is going to greatly appeal to a guy who writes about music for fun but Almost Famous is one of the best movies of the 2000's. This Bootleg cut is about 44 minutes longer than the theatrical version and I wish this blu-ray included both versions -- a lot of the extra footage is very good but unnecessary for either the story or the characters -- but it's certainly better than not having it on the format (not including imports).

While the main plot of the story is simply, "kid gets job as reporter, follows a band on the road, has adventures," Almost Famous works on multiple levels. The film is a great coming of age story, an honest look at romance, a character study and most importantly to me, a celebration of what music -- specifically rock and roll -- can do for people and what it means to truly love it.

The characters are all well written, fully flawed, people brought to life by a great cast. Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Jason Lee and Kate Hudson have never come close to being this good in a movie since and fantastic actors like Francis McDermott and Phillip Seymour Hoffman give their usual terrific performances. The movie is alternatingly funny and touching and always honest. Maybe it's because it's based on Crowe's real life experiences but Almost Famous does what a lot of movie strive for and not many achieve, creating a world that feels real and giving us people that live in it the way people live in real life. It certainly helps to have a love affair with rock and roll but Almost Famous should appeal to everyone else just the same based on these qualities.

The blu-ray (available only at Best Buy) quality is solid but not overly fantastic. Detail is lacking in a lot of spots but the color scheme is strong, grain appears natural and overall it works. The same can be said of the audio track. Aside from the few concert sequences and the music soundtrack, Almost Famous is entirely dialogue based. There are never any issues understanding what the actors are saying and the music sounds great. There's just not a whole lot of sonically impressive stuff to work with here.

While the bootleg cut of Almost Famous is a little superfluous, it's still one of the best movies of the last decade or so. It's also one of the finest movies about rock and roll ever made. I can't recommend this film high enough, even if the blu-ray is not quite up to the standards the movie deserves, it's still a film that should be in every movie (and music) lovers collection.

Ratings:

Movie: 4.5
Blu-ray: 3.5

Red Hill: Blu-ray (2010)

I was going to write this review about 5 days ago and I got lazy and didn't. I knew I had some good stuff to put down and now I've forgotten it all. That means this will be short and sweet.

Red Hill is a highly enjoyable Australian western. You should watch it. It's really good entertainment. Jason from True Blood (who I had no idea was an Aussie) is in it. The villain doesn't speak a word the entire film and with his half burnt face he imposes a pretty menacing figure. The plot is a pretty standard revenge tale with a few twists and turns and most of the characters aren't really developed much (if at all) but those flaws are easily overlooked. Red Hill features some great visuals, the acting is passable and overall it's just a good time.

The blu-ray is very good as well. The picture quality isn't reference grade but for a low budget film it is excellent. The audio track is full of surround usage, proper dialogue placement and strong low end.

Red Hill isn't a overly original western or do much that hasn't been done before but it's a really good movie nonetheless. Don't let the fact that I half-assed this review make you think it's not worth your time because it most certainly is.

Ratings

Movie: 4/5
Blu-ray: 4.5/5