Tag: Blu-Ray

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY – Review

 

 

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is award-winning British independent film, a romantic drama set in a windswept rural landscape of northern England, where a young gay man struggles with working the family farm and angrily drifts through life, until an immigrant arrives as a temporary hired hand and changes the young farmer’s view on life. In this contemporary film set in the sheep farming area of rural northern England, GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is a tale of self-discovery and unexpected love.

The film, the first from writer/director Francis Lee, debuted at Sundance in 2017 and was well received at other film festivals, winning awards for the film, its script and lead actor Josh O’Connor. It is being released in theaters in Britain on Jan. 29 but it is available in the U.S. on Blu-ray, DVD and digitally starting the same day from Lionsgate and Picturehouse Entertainment.

Johnny Saxby (Josh O’Connor from THE DURRELLS) resents his life of constant routine, tending to the family farm on his own since his father Martin became disabled while his grandmother Deidre cares for him. At night, Johnny gets drunk at the local pub and engages in casual sex. It is hard to tell if Johnny is a teen or young adult in his hoodie, driving a 4-wheeler to care for the cows, and getting drunk in town every night. Johnny gets the work done, but his grandmother scolds him in the morning about the drinking and his partly disabled dad criticizes him about how he does the chores. There is a sense of anger and resentment among all the family members who nonetheless know they need each other to run the farm.

When dad tells Johnny he has hired an immigrant as a temporary worker during lambing season. it is one more thing for Johnny to resent. When he picks up the hired hand, Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu), at the bus station, Johnny is surly and he quizzes him about where he’s from. When the polite newcomer says Romania, Johnny promptly calls him a Gypsy, not a promising start. Later, when the two men are sent off a remote part of the farm to work with the lambs being born, things change.

The immigrant changes the life of young Johnny but not because he discovers he is gay – he already knows that, as well as some friends in the village, and no one seems to pay much attention to that. The casual sex he has is with other young men, but he makes no emotional connection with them. He really connects emotionally with no one. When he runs into an old school friend outside the pub where he gets drunk nightly, a woman who has left for college but is back on break, he resists her friendly invitation to join her and friends, a conversation indicates she knows he’s gay. When he refused, she says he used to be fun but Johnny snarls that was before he had to deal with the real world.

No, it is not his sexuality that Johnny discovers but love and a grown-up perspective. What the newcomer changes for Johnny is his view of his life, breaking him out of prolonged adolescence and letting him grow up and take charge of his life as adult, one who can meet responsibilities as well as have control of his life’s direction. It is the kind of life-changing experience that finding love can be for anyone, gay or straight.

 

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is two films, in a way. On one hand, this film is a beautiful romance, full of sweeping vistas and two attractive people falling in love, like any love story, just that this couple happen to be gay. On the other hand, it is a voyage of self-discovery, a kind of coming-of-age story, in which a young man helping his aging family begins to see what he is doing from an adult’s rather than child’s viewpoint, seeing his situation with new eyes. The way that story is resolved is refreshing, because it has Johnny taking on a new role rather than just leaving and running away to a new life, as many films do. Instead, the immigrant helps him see what he already has and changes the whole picture for everyone.

Beautiful photography of a brooding, windswept landscape, which is showcased in several scenes. The gorgeous scenery is one reason to see this film. An attractive cast is another reason, and there are a few gay sex scenes and frontal male nudity.

The acting is strong. Josh O’Connor is the main focus but all four primary cast members creating rounded and ultimately sympathetic characters. We learn less about Gheorghe than Johnny but we do sense a gentleness and a sadness in him. He also grew up on a farm, and enjoys the work but something changed that forced him to leave. Gheorghe treats the animals with an affection and concern Johnny does not always show towards them, at least at first. Asked if he will go back home, Gheorghe says no, and adds “My country’s dead. You can’t throw a rock in most towns without hitting an old lady crying for her children who have gone.” It is a poignant moment.

One difficulty some American audiences might have is understanding the thick northern English accents, but generally the meaning of scenes comes through, even if you do not catch every word. The DVD and Blu-ray include some extras, deleted scenes or extended scenes from the film as well as the trailer.

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is a film that exceeds the expectations of just a gay romance in a windswept, ruggedly romantic location, by offering fine performances and a touching tale of self-discovery.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT – The Blu-ray Review

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THE FILM

I first watched Ana Lily Amirpour’s directorial debut in November at the St. Louis International Film Festival. Her heavily stylized “vampire-western” set in the fictional crime-ridden Bad City impressed me immensely. I even went so far to call it “the best vampire film since LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.” I still stand by that conviction. But to go a step further, upon watching the film a second time for this review, I feel that the film has a unique power that forced me to see the events that unfold from a different viewpoint. During the first viewing I found myself relating more to the male lead Arash. He’s cautiously optimistic but a little green behind the ears. More or less, he’s still figuring out what Bad City is. The second time I watched A GIRL WALKS HOME… I found myself viewing the film more from the perspective of the nameless “Girl.” You are aware of what the city is capable and what you have to do to survive in it. This power shift is intriguing and just adds another layer to a film that relies on more than just its unique style.

Amirpour gives us a vampire that is more akin to the indie, shoegaze, romantic hipster that you would see at Urban Outfitters or what might be a trend among the youth in Iran. The retro new wave music combined with Ennio Morricone flourishes gives the film a slight air of self-awareness without feeling like just conceit. Though an emphasis is placed on maintaining a disquieting mood through music and lush black & white photography, A GIRL WALKS HOME… is not without an ample amount of subtext.

Throughout the history of horror cinema, women are frequently shown as victims, potential victims, or just bat-shit crazy. So to hear of a girl being helpless and alone at a time of the day when she (traditionally speaking) shouldn’t be, turns much of what Amirpour is presenting into a feminist statement against the idea of the “girl” in our culture. Her motives are simply to survive and do what she has to to live through another night. It just so happens in her situation that survival is dependent on the death of another. Amirpour mirrors this with the damage the male gangsters and drug dealers do to the citizens of Bad City. A barren creek bed is frequently shown from a distance with bodies piled in it. The fact that no one mentions the strange killings or even utters the word vampire in the film illustrates the real world problems Amirpour is speaking about. Death is abundant and always present regardless of the presence of a supernatural creature. Showing a girl walking alone at night, fearless even with death all around her, is a foreign concept to the idealized image we often see in a horror movie.

I have no doubt that A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE… will only grow in stature as others begin to discover the beauty and power of this film. Thankfully Kino Lorber and Vice Films has composed a proper Blu-ray to further appreciate this horror gem.

 

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*Still is not representative of Blu-ray quality

 

THE BLU-RAY

The Blu-ray release of A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT features a striking 1920x1080p video transfer with an aspect ratio: 2.35:1. The rich photography is presented perfectly, showing a wide range of grey skin tones and textures, with deep black levels and warm white highlights. Details come across and yet there’s still the stark contrast that Amirpour incorporates in some shots.

Audio is presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Music and sound effects often take precedence over dialogue, making some of the dialogue sound softer than it should. The film is all about the music though, and with that in mind, the audio soars. “Death” by the band White Lies never sounded so good as it does here in the bedroom scene between Arash and the “Girl.”

 

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT Blu-ray includes a generous helping of extras:

Behind-the-Scenes Footage

This is exactly what it sounds like. You aren’t going to find people talking to the camera in a slickly produced featurette. This is strictly raw footage shot on an iPhone showing them filming certain scenes, making the molds for the vampire teeth, conducting rehearsals, and applying makeup. They are divided into separate videos that range from 1 minute to 10 minutes, or you have the option to “PLAY ALL.” There are seven of these in total and none of them are particularly that interesting, even if you are a fan of the film.

 

Q&A Hosted by Roger Corman at the Hammer Museum

This 44 minute interview took place between the legendary producer/director and director Ana Lily Amirpour on January 13, 2015. Corman and her start off by bonding over taking LSD for artistic enlightenment. She comes across as thoughtful and intelligent in this interview, and yet you can tell she’s a little taken back by the fact that Roger Corman is gushing over her film. She reveals quite a bit about her life leading up to the film and about the making of the film – the original runtime was 3 hours and 40 minutes. There are quite a few intriguing quotes in this interview. One in particular is where she delves into the oil fields as the background landscape for the film. She describes the oilrigs as “large monsters that suck the blood from the Earth to fuel this larger system.” In the same sentence though she reveals that she is fully aware that she is part of the system, driving around like an “ant.” Amirpour even talks briefly about her next film: THE BAD BATCH – a cannibal film set in Texas that will be shot in color and in English. Towards the end of the on-stage interview, Amirpour turns the table on Roger Corman and gets him to talk about shooting LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS in 2 days and 1 night.

 

VICE Behind-the-Scenes Documentary

This is an energetic and well-produced look into Amirpour’s influences and thoughts about the film. Much of the footage is filmed in her apartment and includes executive producer Elijah Wood. The two clearly share a special bond for the film and their conversations are fun to watch. She reveals her love of David Lynch which was somewhat assumed already given some of the visuals in the film. One standout moment includes the reveal of a large timeline that Amirpour did to document the vampiric history of the “Girl.”

 

VICE Meets Ana Lily Amirpour and Sheila Vand

The female star who plays the “Girl” and the director sit with a VICE correspondent in a round table setting. Clips and stories from Amirpour’s previous short films are touched upon as well as her talking about her journey to finally make A GIRL WALKS HOME… (she has written 12 scripts and almost made a cockroach film). It’s a lengthy 31 minute interview but results in some interesting discussions. The three of them are extremely laid back and as a result give this interview a fun but honest tone.

 

Deleted Scenes

There’s 12 deleted and extended clips for your viewing enjoyment. Most are rather quick and meaningless (one shows the “Girl” buying makeup or another shows the young boy singing) while others are more significant (one shows the young lovers lying on bed discussing music). Several include the drag queen seen with the balloon in the movie. It’s as if a whole subplot involving her journey was cut out.

 

Collectible Graphic Novel with essay by Eric Kohn

A deep and insightful essay introduces this nicely packaged book. Kohn delves into the deeper meanings behind the film in an articulate but direct voice. The book then includes two comics released in late 2014 that dip into the backstory of the “Girl” and fleshes out her character. Given the fact that graphic novels were an influence on Amirpour, it makes perfect sense to see her character come to life on the black and white page as well.

 

Still Gallery

 

Trailer

 

 

A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE is now available on Blu-ray.

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ALMOST HUMAN – The Blu Review

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Writer and director Joe Begos’ ALMOST HUMAN (2013) may draw influence from the oft-remade “Body Snatcher” genre of science-fiction, but where he strives to stand apart is by bringing the classic standard to the modern grindhouse horror audience. This is a gory, violent rendition of the concept of alien creatures taking over human bodies and controlling them from within like robots. While this approach has its niche market, I always contend that viewers should try and look past the gore and violence but still embrace it as they experience the film as a whole, then make judgments based on more than simply the visceral sights and sounds that may prove distasteful on their own.

ALMOST HUMAN, not to be mistaken for the short-lives futuristic sci-fi television series that aired the same year, presents itself with a surprisingly low key, unassuming disposition of simplicity. The film avoids the more darkly comedic, or slyly self-deprecating trends that have fared well for films like HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, instead investing in a more dialogue-conscious, character-driver story that allows the audience to connect more closely to the human element of the horrific events that unfold on screen.

That’s awfully deep talk, so let me move beyond that now and discuss the more visceral traits. ALMOST HUMAN, perhaps shockingly, is not as gratuitously violent and gory as may have been suggested. Granted, I am coming from years of exposure to the type, but the true horror here comes from the cast and script. While the special effects are noteworthy, not over-the-top but realistic, their used sparingly, relative to the genre. Its the anticipation and drama that keeps the viewer on edge in this film.

ALMOST HUMAN stars Josh Ethier as Mark Fisher, a man returned home after having disappeared two years prior in a mysterious flash of blue light. Graham Skipper plays his friend Seth Hampton, one of a small clutch of witnesses who have tried to move on with their lives while fully aware of the unforgettable events that occurred. With Mark’s return, however, something has changed. He has changed and he has a mission.

The story takes place in Derry, Maine, the same fictional town that often serves as the setting for Stephen King’s tales of horror. Told with an indie-spirited perspective, ALMOST HUMAN could be called a minimalist backwoods alien abduction story, graphically interpreted for mature audiences, but its also an exhilarating, edge-of-your-seat film on a small scale. Ethier nails his performance as the cold, empty emotionless husk of a human body driven by its other-worldly host. Consider Schwarzenegger as the Terminator without the accent and a decent skill for acting, then dress him up like Paul Bunyan and you’ve got Mark Fisher.

ALMOST HUMAN is not your 50s sci-fi. It’s gritty, steeped in realism and yes, its violent. Why do I keep coming back to that? Because its important, but the horror isn’t entirely visual. The sound in the film plays a crucial role, both literally and psychologically. Lights and sounds become synonymous to terror and fear, whereas darkness takes an unconventional break from being the harbinger of doom. Viewing the film on blu-ray only greatly enhances this element of the film’s design. The sound becomes its own character symbiotic to the grotesque worm-like alien creature that have implanted themselves within their human hosts.

As for the special effects, the aliens themselves are handles much like Spielberg’s handling of “Bruce” the great white shark in JAWS. The less you see of the inhuman antagonist the better, generating a greater sense of fear and discomfort than can be realized by over use of special effects. Once again, this is where Begos’ use of sound plays an integral role. the aliens are far more present in the film as interpreted through the high-pitched, ear drum piercing shrieks they make. Like fingernails on chalkboards multiplied by a thousand. Add to this the short 80-minute running time and you have a compact sensory science-fiction slasher flick.

As for any lack of a happy ending in the story, this can be remedied by pleasant surprises within this blu-ray’s special features. Containing not one, but two feature-length commentaries: one with writer/director Joe Begos and Josh Ethier and another with this duo plus actor Graham Skipper and producer Cory Lockman. As if this weren’t enough for the average enthusiast, the blu-ray also includes a feature-length making of documentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the set with Graham Skipper, and the short film TOXIN, in addition to the standard inclusion of trailers, TV spots and photo galleries. Overall, the ALMOST HUMAN blu-ray is the total package that blends sci-fi and horror with an accessibly engaging but minimally cerebral story and lots of goodies. Oh, yeah… and, it has a chainsaw.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

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JOY RIDE 3 : ROADKILL – The Giveaway

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Rusty Nail, the vengeful trucker with a penchant for pain, slams terror into overdrive in this all-new UNRATED chapter, JOY RIDE 3 : ROADKILL… and WAMG is giving away copies of the film on Blu-Ray. HOORAY!

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment takes road rage to an all new level with JOY RIDE 3 : ROADKILL, arriving on Digital HD June 3 and on Blu-ray & DVD June 17. This third hellish installment in the bloody series finds director Declan O’Brien (Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings, Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines) in the driver’s seat for another deadly detour.

The nightmare begins when a group of young street racers take a desolate shortcut on their way to the Road Rally 1000. But a chance encounter with Rusty soon turns deadly as he stalks, taunts, and tortures his next victims with deranged delight. It’s a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal chill ride packed with killer twists and turns!

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Starring Ken Kirzinger (Freddy vs. Jason) as the infamous Rusty Nail, the JOY RIDE 3: ROADKILL Blu-ray and DVD is loaded with extra features including a variety of deleted scenes, featurettes, behind-the-scenes content and a gruesome unrated version of the film.

JOY RIDE 3 : ROADKILL is available on Blu-Ray and DVD now

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THE WORLD’S END – The Blu Review

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The Movie:

Edgar Wright is, arguably, one of the most clever and entertaining comedic filmmakers working today. For many of us, knowing he’s British may cause for pause, but let me lay that to rest. This is not your grandmother’s brand of dry British socialite comedy. THE WORLD’S END is the official conclusion to the somewhat unofficial “Three Flavors Cornetto” trilogy, so named in part by the droves of fans that have fully embraced the films directed and co-written by Edgar Wright. Co-writer Simon Pegg co-stars with Nick Frost in this third film following SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) and HOT FUZZ (2007).

THE WORLD’S END is a concept first explore by Wright and Pegg during a publicity tour for HOT FUZZ, based on an old script written by a young Edgar Wright. The film, noticeably more mature than it’s two predecessors, still maintains a healthy dose of silliness and the trademark immaturity of it lead characters, but chronicles of journey in life that brings the themes of the three films full circle to a logical close… embodied in the trademark genre film packaging that serves as both homage and structural backbone to Wright’s trilogy.

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Gary “the once and future” King (Simon Pegg) was the coolest kid in school and, at age 19, he and his five mates embarks on an epic attempt at mastering “The Golden Mile.” Five friends, 12 pubs, one night. This was to be the pub crawl to end them all, an unforgettable night for these five friends that would mark the beginning of the rest of their lives. Fast forward and the five friends are nearing 40. Gary King returns out of nowhere enlisting the other four to once again attempt conquering The Golden Mile, ending on the 12th and final downed pint at The World’s End. Reluctantly, the five friends decide to accompany Gary on this juvenile effort to recapture their youth, but wants ensues is far most bizarre and life-altering than any night filled with binge-drinking alone could ever hope to produce.

Oliver (Martin Freeman), Peter (Eddie Marsan), Steven (Paddy Considine) and Andy (Nick Frost) all choose to follow Gary down this road of reliving past unpleasantness for their own reasons, but Andy is most reluctant. What begins as a nostalgic drinking comedy quickly jump starts into a fast-paced, quick-witted mystery as the five friends attempt to figure out what has changed about their hometown. Wright makes no effort to hide the inevitable, throwing the audience into the abnormalities of his tale as soon as possible. There is something peculiar about the population of their hometown and the paranoia sets in quickly as Gary is the first to encounter the unexplained truth, when he experiences a life-or-death encounter in the Gents’ room.

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THE WORLD’S END is a film steeped in the traditions of British social science-fiction. Just beneath the witty humor and the rapid action are some darker themes and some surprisingly mature philosophical undertones. The science-fiction of the film involves extraterrestrials, of sorts, with hints of THE BODY SNATCHERS and the unmistakable influence of DOCTOR WHO.

The chase sets in as Gary and his gang struggle to survive, frequently finding themselves fighting in high-octane modern Asian stylized scenes of seemingly superhuman skills. Superbly choreographed without losing the comedic edge, Wright orchestrates fight and action sequences that rival Hollywood blockbuster equivalents. Spectacular stunts and special effects aside, the writing is still the cornerstone of THE WORLD’S END. As with all of Edgar Wright’s films, including SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, the keen sense of comedic writing and flawless timing is the foundation of his success. Never before, nor ever again, shall you laugh with such vigor over the explanation of the word “it.”

Will Gary and the boys survive? Will they make it to The World’s End? Watch and see what happens on this fateful trek and follow along until the bittersweet ending, an ending which is perhaps the most serious and dramatic thus far in Wright’s compendium as Gary and Andy come to terms with one another, I might add — with some disappointment — without uttering the line “you’ve got blue on you” at any point in the film, which brings thoughtful pause just prior to a more genre appropriate conclusion.

The cast rounds out with Rosamund Pike as Oliver’s sister Sam, Pierce Brosnan as Gary’s beloved favorite cool teacher and Wright-regular Bill Nighy provides a key voice-over in the film.

The Extras:

THE WORLD’S END offers up a surprisingly generous portion of extras for an initial home release blu-ray not endowed with the infamous “Collector’s Edition” branding, best of which are the multiple commentaries and the near-feature-length making of documentary. The one surprising down side — considering Edgar Wright is such a perfectionist, known for many takes, there is but one… just ONE, deleted scene included in the extras, however,we do get alternate edits and outtakes in it’s place.

  • Blu-ray Combo Pack includes DVD and Digital HD
  • Cast commentary with stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Paddy Considine
  • Technical commentary with director Edgar Wright and director of photography Bill Pope
  • Filling in the Blanks: The Stunts and FX of The World’s End
  • Hair and make-up tests
  • Rehearsal Footage
  • Stunt tapes — Behind-the-scenes of key fight sequences.
  • VFX Breakdown — Comparison of production footage with final shots.
  • There’s Only One Gary King — osymyso’s Inibri-8 Megamix
  • The Man Who Would Be (Gary) King
  • Signs & Omens — A film clip montage highlighting all the hidden clues and hints throughout the film.
  • Edgar & Simon’s Flip Chart

Bonus Features:

  • Completing the Golden Mile — The Making of The World’s End
  • Feature Commentary with screenwriters Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg
  • Interactive screenplays for The World’s End, Hot Fuzz, and Shaun of the Dead

THE WORLD’S END will be available for purchase on Tuesday, November 19th, 2013.

Overall Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars

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THE TWILIGHT SAGA : BREAKING DAWN – Part 2 – The Blu Review

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In the final installment of THE TWILIGHT SAGA, Bella has opened her eyes to a whole new world. A vampire world. She is finally immortal, and can spend forever with her beloved Edward… or so she thinks. Although she is finally an immortal, as promised to the Voltouri, their daughter Renesmee is seen as an immortal child, which is forbidden. The Cullen family is now on a race to prove that Renesmee is the child of Bella and Edward, and that she poses no threat to any of the clans… otherwise, the Voltouri will destroy them all.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 proved to be the best film in the series. Although it took a risk, and deviated from the book, I think the film did a great job in wrapping up the immortal love story. The film does have its mix of silly, and even ridiculous flaws, but what do you expect? If we have learned anything from the other four films, it’s not to expect a serious movie.

To read my full review of the film itself click HERE.

Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

The audio is crisp and rich. I honestly could not detect a single flaw. Between the soundtrack, the dialogue, and the added background noises, the audio is fantastically immersive and sharp.

Video:  Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video resolution: 1080p Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Just like THE TWILIGHT SAGA : BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 (since they were shot together), the film is a beautiful 1080p high-definition transfer. The film is clear and sharp. The beginning scene of Bella up-close looks phenomenal. Her skin looks natural and well-lit, rather than fake and touched up (like most films today). You can really feel a sense of depth when traveling through the wooded scenes with the Cullen clan. I am extremely impressed.

BLU-RAY & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES*

  • “Forever: Filming Breaking Dawn Part 2” – Seven-part “making of” documentary
    • Chapter 1: “Rebirth” : A quick look at Bella’s transformation from human to vampire. This segment breaks down the redevelopment of Bella’s character since she is no longer the clumsy, unsure girl that she once was.
    • Chapter 2: “Renesmee” : This segment is informative, but it still makes me angry. It’s showcases the casting of Mackenzie Foy as Renesmee. This part is endearing and quite enjoyable. The part that irritates me is when the delve into the special effects process that they used to show her character at various ages. They talk a bit about their choice to use special effects, rather than casting actors of various ages to play the part, but I still don’t agree with their decision. I’m not discrediting the talents of the effects artist. I’m sure their job was a huge challenge. Still, Renesmee looks creepy, and incredibly fake. It is my biggest complaint about the film . A real child would have benefitted the story more. Poor Mackenzie Foy was animated the majority of the film. It is a huge distraction to the story.
    • Chapter 3: “The Cottage” : This segment not only goes into the design of Bella and Edwards new cottage, it also examines the making of the highly anticipated sex scene. So… you might not want to skip this one. Just saying.
    • Chapter 4: “The Gathering” : An introduction to the new vampires in the film.
    • Chapter 5: “The Field” : Footage from shooting on the green screen set, and how the cast adapted to being on the closed set.
    • Chapter 6: “The Battle” : Ahh… the final battle. This focuses on the final decisions of the film.
    • Chapter 7: “Forever” : A really nice final touch about the film franchise.
  • “Two Movies at Once” featurette : This featurette gives us a look into the challenges of filming both movies at the same time… as well as some benefits.
  •  “The Forgotten” Green Day music video : This is weird to me. Green Day and Twilight do not go together. I like to imagine my Green Day to still be a bit too “rock & roll” to ever be involved in THE TWILIGHT SAGA. I love sushi and milkshakes… but that doesn’t mean I want to blend the two together!
  • “Jump to” features : Alas! Twi-Hards can now watch all of Edwards scenes, or Jacobs, without being distracted by scenes that they are not in. Skip to the meat and potatoes of your favorite character, and let the droolfest begin… and without interruption. The only difference is the scenes are shown in a 1.78:1 ratio, rather than the incredible 2.39:1 widescreen aspect. The sound also suffers a bit, dropping to Dolby Digital 2.0.
  • Audio commentary with director Bill Condon: This is some of the more thorough commentary that I have ever heard. Director Bill Condon talks about everything from the performances of the cast to the technical side of things. This is a must for any true Twi-Hard.

If you are a fan of the series, THE TWILIGHT SAGA : BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 is a must for your collection. The abundance of bonus features, along with the incredible audio, and first-rate visual transfer make this Blu-Ray a must for any Twi-Hard!

OVERALL BLU-RAY RATING: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Own THE TWILIGHT SAGA : BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 Blu-Ray today

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STAR TREK TNG on the big screen

This past Thursday, November 29, the folks at Paramount/CBS Video and Fathom Entertainment treated film goers with a unique viewing experience. To celebrate the release of the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation (ST:TNG) on Blu-ray, fans were able to view two digitally restored episodes on the big screen in select theatres across the country. I was fortunate to attend this event. It was the first time I had seen these shows in nearly 25 years, although the series has been a fixture in syndication and on cable channels (BBC America, G4). It was quite an evening of nostalgia and an appreciation of the tech wizards that have logged countless hours sprucing up these shows for HD. The Enterprise-D group looks better than ever.

Here’s a brief bit of Trek history. ST:TNG premiered in first run syndication in September of 1987. Despite some uneven episodes in that first season, it was a ratings smash. Most fans believe that the show really hit its stride and began to emerge from the shadow of the original 60’s series in its second season. There were a couple of cast additions when it returned in the Fall of 1988. For many fans this was the year of the doctor switch. Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher was replaced in sick bay by original Trek series guest star Diana Muldar as Dr. Kathryn Pulaski (Crusher’s son Wesley remained on board and his Mom returned for season 3).A crew relaxation area (kind like the “Cheers” bar) known as Ten-Forward was introduced along with its mysterious alien manager/mixologist Guinan played by future Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg (a reoccurring character). Also, Chief Engineer Miles O’Brien, played by the wonderful Colm Meaney, was featured more prominently.

When I entered the theatre auditorium a pre-screening slide show had already begun. Most slides were frame blow-ups from episodes along with an occasional split-screen still with the original broadcast image on the right compared to the restored version on the left. Prior to the first of the evening’s episodes we were given a taste of one of the Blu-ray’s many bonus features. This was a “behind the scenes” look and remembrance of the second season beginning with a wrap party report from Entertainment Tonight. Clips, production sketches and photos, and new interviews with cast and crew comprised this segment.

After that trip down memory lane, the episode “Q Who” began. This adventure has a warm spot for Trek fans because it introduced perhaps the greatest menace to the Federation of Planets, those black-clad drones the Borg. When the all-powerful space scamp Q (John DeLancie) is rebuffed by the Enterprise crew after offering his services as a Starfleet officer, he hurls the ship several light years in the blink of an eye, into the path of a deadly Borg vessel. Later the Borg would be the menace in the first full Next Gen feature film STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, and would pop up in all the ensuing Trek TV series (Star Trek:Voyager would have a reformed Borg, Seven of Nine, as a member of the crew). The new enhanced sound enveloped the theatre while the crisp, clean visuals and digitally enhance effects added considerably to one of the season’s most exciting adventures.

Following this nail-biter, some selected bloopers puts us all in a relaxed mood. Then we got to enjoy a few moments from another bonus feature. It was a roundtable reunion with all the original cast members that was recorded earlier this year, backstage at the Calgary Trek convention. Everyone was in high spirits,delighted to see each other once more. They joked and teased each other while telling great on-set stories and unusual encounters with fans. Seems like they had a blast zipping through space those 7 years!

And then it was time for the final episode, “The Measure of a Man”. This was truly unique as this was 12 minutes longer than the episode that’s been seen all these years (this might be called a director’s cut). It’s also a more cerebral show than “Q Who”. The Federation wants to re-assign the android Commander Data to a scientist that wishes to dissect him in order to build duplicates. Captain Picard objects, fearing that this could change (even lobotomize) Data (he’s not enthused about the idea either). A makeshift courtroom is set up on the space station to decide whether Data is Starfleet property (a “toaster’) or a sentient being who can choose his own fate. Like some of the best of the original series, this story tackles a serious message in a futuristic setting. And it’s very entertaining. As one fan magazine described it, ” A FEW GOOD MEN and a helluva’ android”. Not many flashy space scenes in this one, but sound and picture quality are equally impressive. The years have no dulled this story’s impact.

Reversing the format of moviegoing, we were treated to a preview for the finale! A look at the third season concluded the evening. Season three is legendary for having the greatest cliff-hanger season ended since JR Ewing was shot-“The Best of Both Worlds” with the Borg capturing and assimilating Picard (let’s hope that will have another special screening for this!).  A great topper for a special look back at a beloved show. If you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift for the Trek fan or sci-fi fan or just a fan of superb, thoughtful dramatic television, than the second season Blu-ray is the ultimate stocking stuffer (especially if the giftee has a sweet new home entertainment system)! They’re beaming down to retail outlets on Tuesday, December 4! As the Captain would say, “Make it so!”.

THE ASTONISHING X-MEN – The Blu Review

Heads up merry Marvel mutant maniacs! The fine folks at the Shout Factory in conjunction with Marvel Knights Animation have just released The Astonishing X-Men Collection Motion Comic on Blu-Ray. This two disc set includes the Eisner award-winning four story arcs from writer Joss Whedon (MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS) and artist John Cassaday (who has drawn up some great new cover box art for this set). All just in time for Black Friday shopping, or to include on your very own list to Santa.

So, what’s a motion comic (you may ask)? Well, this is unlike the many straight to home video, comics-inspired animated features that have been produced. It’s not something loosely based on the comics story with teams of artists and animators reworking the characters and action. A motion comic takes the original artwork and makes the images move using state of the art computer technology. And everything on screen comes from the art of the talented Mr.Cassaday. Speaking of talent, a group of expert veteran animation voice artists perform the dialogue exactly as written by Mr. Whedon in the original comics series. An original music score along with expect sound effects make for an incredible audio experience. Perhaps this taste of the pulse-pounding action will better illustrate…

So, that’s motion comics! The primary X team consists of Beast, Emma Frost, Shadowcat, Wolverine led by Cyclops. Here’s a run down on the four stories. Each runs roughly an hour ( Unstoppable’s close to 90 minutes) and divided into six to seven chapters…

GIFTED

Seems that a scientist has come up with a serum that will make mutants into normal citizens. These news has divided everyone at the gifted school. But behind this wonder drug is an alien warrior named Ord from Breakworld. SHIELD director Nick Fury guests stars as does SWORD agent Abigal Brand. Joining them is an X teammate thought to be deceased. This story is co-directed by legendary Batman artist Neal Adams (“Green Lantern/Green Arrow”,”Deadman”, and a reamarkable 1960’s run on “The Uncanny X-Men”).

DANGEROUS

The mutant students along with the X-Men are attacked by a synthetic being inside the school. In order to stop it, the team will have to travel to the decimated island country of Genosha and find Professor Xavier! This story opens with a guest appearance from the Fantastic Four nearly recreating their iconic first issue cover along with the X team!

TORN

Emma Frost is tempted to return to her evil ways when the school is invaded by her old pals, Sebastian Shaw and the Hellfire Club (as seen in last year’s hit feature film X-MEN: FIRST CLASS)!

UNSTOPPABLE

Here’s the extra length conclusion to Whedon and Cassaday’s epic run! The X-Men and the agents of SWORD battle on far-off Breakworld. Its inhabitants believe that one of the mutants will cause the destruction of the planet. One X-man must make the ultimate sacrifice to stop a weapon directed at Earth. Back in NYC a quartet of four classic X-Men members team up with several Marvel heroes (including a friendly neighborhood wall-crawler) to defend our home world.

And, of course, there are…

EXTRAS

There’s a trailer for The Astonishing X-Men: Gifted along with the music video “Rise Up”. We get a behind the scenes “making of” featurette that includes interviews with Marvel Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada and comics legend Neal Adams. Another featurette gives a more indepth look (along with a tour) at Marvel Kights animation as they produce motion comics based on the X-Men and Spider-Woman. There’s also trailers and sneak peeks of future motion comics featuring the Black Panther, Thor, Iron Man, and, as mentioned, Spider-Woman.

QUALITY

The stories are presented in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Sound and picture quality are top-notch (the colors really pop!). Speaking of colors, the blood is vivid red (Logan’s healing powers are frequently put to the test), so heads up parents. These stories were produced and published under the Marvel Knights, which used a more adult approach than the Comics Code-approved all-ages tales. It’s definately PG-13 material. There’s no nudity, but a couple of X-teammates do hook up (and Emma’s outfits are low, looow cut). Oh, and all the extreme profantiy is bleeped (in a comic, the word balloon would say,”#%**#!”).

All in all, this is an excellant set that should thrill comics and film fans of these misunderstood mutant heroes. To paraphrase creator Stan”the Man”Lee, “Who says this this isn’t the Marvel age of magnificent Motion Comics?”

4 Out of 5 Stars

DINOTASIA – The Blu Review

The Movie –

The dinosaur has been a fascination with myself, like with so many both young and old. Such magnificent, yet enigmatic beasts that can only be imagined by those uneducated in the paleontological studies, the experts themselves cannot agree and are constantly finding themselves rewriting the textbooks on a species of creature hundreds of thousands, even millions of years prior to our very existence. This alone, on its very surface, is enough to call me thoroughly captivated.

Steven Spielberg first captured and capitalized on the possibilities of what I may call dino-tainment in 1993 with JURASSIC PARK. Even today, some nearly 20 years later, the film holds up spectacularly to the test of time. However, its the dinosaur itself whom truly stands the ultimate test of time. From cartoons and TV shows, children’s toys and public broadcasting specials, from the absolutely absurd to the most numbing narratives, dinosaurs never went extinct in our minds.

Filmmakers David Krentz and Erik Nelson bring new life to the dino-doc with DINOTASIA, a feature-length film with a brief running time of 83-minutes. In fact, this is not truly a “documentary” in the purist’s standard. No, this film is far to flamboyant for that. However, there are elements of the genre clearly at play, overshadowed perhaps by the quirkiness, the tongue-in-cheek glibness and the unmistakably poetic prose narration from legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog.

Fully computer-animated, DINOTASIA is presented in chapters, sort of like how Tarantino presented PULP FICTION. The film is more a collection of vignettes that play to a common theme, rather than one, continuously flowing linear narrative. The time frame of DINOTASIA spans entire eras of dinosaur history, from the Triassic to the cretaceous, no period was spared. The individual stories range from the cute and charming to the risque to the violent. This is a story of survival, of birth and death, of daily life… done in a way more appealing to our modern sense of dramatic engagement than to one of scientific authenticity.

DINOTASIA makes clear early on that it means not to educate us so much as to entertain, but some minimal level of dino-knowledge can be gleaned from this film. Certainly, the more humanistic characteristics, the humorous anecdotes and escapades on display, these are meant for our pure enjoyment. To this, I confess they are hit and miss, but to find such a film presenting itself in a documentary fashion, but doing so with a sense of humor is refreshing. Have you ever pondered the experience of a dinosaur unexpectedly tripping off a prehistoric psychedelic mushroom? Look no further.

Violence was a fact of life for dinosaurs. DINOTASIA takes this to heart. Carnivores abound, especially in the skin of Tyrannosaurus Rex, whom makes multiple appearances. To those who still believe the T-Rex is king of all dinosaurs, prepare to be surprised. Sure, the big T dishes out his share of carnage, but takes it in the arm himself a few times as well. (wink, wink — that’s an inside joke) For the little ones, DINOTASIA is an acceptable enough film, with parental guidance, but parents beware of a fair amount of dino-on-dino violence of a graphic nature.

Artistically and technically speaking, the animation and design is commendable. Not nearly as accomplished as the effects in JURASSIC PARK (which, lest you forget, were greatly non-animated) but a vast improvement over so many stop-motion animated sci-fi/fantasy films and documentaries from the ’80s. In terms of the colors and attention to detail, I found myself somewhat mesmerized by the care taken, especially when one considers this anti-documentary is still based on hard science, including some relatively new and groundbreaking paleontological discoveries made since the earlier days of dinosaurs’ big screen debut.

Finally, I must give props to the peculiarity of Werner Herzog’s presence in DINOTASIA. For those who have seen Herzog’s fascinating documentary CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, his narration is a character on its own merit, lending his oddly lyrical cadence to such a subject only add to its uniquely kitsch quality. An early fan of this project, Herzog joined long-time collaborator Erik Nelson as the narrating voice for the film. Always a treat, occasionally perplexing, Herzog seemingly can do no wrong, whether he makes sense to you or not.

On one final note regarding the overall allure of DINOTASIA… imagine watching the 1991 TV series DINOSAURS, but done as CGI instead of puppets and men in suits, and produced for HBO instead of network television… and, the dinosaurs don’t speak. Imagine this, and once you stop laughing, you may be close to what you can expect from DINOTASIA… a daring, nonsensical, surprisingly non-fictional faux documentary film.

The Extras –

The extra features on this disc are fairly minimal. There is one deleted scene, which deals with dinosaur mating rites, which is interesting and mildly humorous. In addition, there is a hand-drawn version of the final story with is worth a look. The behind-the-scenes segments of the extra features may appeal to those intrigued by the highly technical process of modern animation, but there is little in this portion of the blu-ray to hold the average viewer’s attention.

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Extended Scenes
  • Behind-the-Scenes Animator Clips

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Video Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 83 minutes + extras
Audio: English – 5.1 Surround / Stereo
Subtitles: None.

Flat Iron Film Company brings DINOTASIA to DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, November 6th, 2012.

THE CAMPAIGN GIVEAWAY… And GIFS

Let’s bring some fun back to election time! THE CAMPAIGN, starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, is coming out on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on October 30th, and we are celebrating with a Blu-Ray Combo Pack Giveaway and some fun GIFs!

When long-term congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naïve Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family’s political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about. As Election Day closes in, the two are locked in a dead heat, with insults quickly escalating to injury until all they care about is burying each other, in this mud-slinging, back-stabbing, home-wrecking comedy.


OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT AND HAVE A U.S. MAILING ADDRESS.

2. Please include First and Last name, as well as an email address to contact you.

3. Answer the following: Who would you rather vote into Congress, Will Ferrell or Ach Galifianakis?  

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PRIZES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.

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More About the Recount App:

The initial campaign may be over, but something somewhere went askew with the tallying of the votes, and now the rivalry between Cam and Marty has resurfaced with a recount! They are hitting the campaign trail once again in pursuit of political greatness. Each week leading up to the release, fans will be able to view updated video content within The Campaign’s Facebook page. For additional information, please visit http://on.fb.me/QxqMe9.

Check out “The Recount” Facebook App http://on.fb.me/QxqMe9

The Campaign Unrated Extended Cut available on Blu-ray Combo pack, DVD and for download 10/30