Reviewed by Johnny McNair

 

Paramount Home Entertainment – 97 mins – 1995 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p – Widescreen 1.85: 1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Audio

 

 

The buddy comedy film has been around since the days of Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello, and Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis. Times have changed and so has comedy, but the pursuit for a new comedy team continues. In the mid 90’s two Saturday Night Live players made a go at taking the comedy duo throne, David Spade and the late Chris Farley. Tommy Boy, the most successful film from the team is now available on Blu-ray from Paramount Home Entertainment, hoping to take you down nostalgia road.

 

THE MOVIE

 

Chris Farley plays Tommy Callahan III, a fat slob who has finally graduated college after many attempts, and goes back home to learn the ropes of his father Big Tom’s (Brian Dennehy) auto part business, which he is supposed to eventually one day take over. Tommy is basically an idiot child trapped in a fat man’s body, so Big Tom assigns one of his best workers, Richard (David Spade), to show him the ropes. Big Tom is set to marry a younger woman (Bo Derek), so he wants Tommy to get close to his future brother-in-law Paul (Rob Lowe).

 

Things turn for the worse when Big Tom dies and Tommy Boy is left with the task of saving the company. Tommy Boy and Richard go on the road in hopes of selling the auto brake part that his dad created and prevent the company from going under. Obviously, every attempt at getting a laugh is thrown at you, some are funny and most will make you wonder what they were thinking.

 

Directed by Peter Segal and produced by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, Tommy Boy already feels dated, with the only reason to watch is to see one of the final films of comedian Chris Farley who died two years after the film was released. Tommy Boy is a cute movie with it’s heart in the right place, but unless you saw and liked it fourteen years ago, there’s not much here for new viewers who probably don’t know who Chris Farley is.

 

VIDEO

 

Presented in full 1080p in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Tommy Boy looks acceptable for a film over a decade old, offering sharp colors and solid skin tones, but there are certain scenes that are filled with grain. If you own the standard DVD this is definitely a step up, but it won’t blow anyone away.

 

AUDIO

 

With a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio mix, Tommy Boy only attempts to get the job done with no bells and whistles. The dialogue is clear, but whenever a loud audio effect is heard, it doesn’t sound natural at all like you’re hearing it through bad speakers. Don’t expect much here.

 

EXTRAS

 

This is a straight port of the DVD, so if you own that one, all the bonus features have been carried over.

 

Director Peter Segal provides an audio commentary, which he mainly talks about Chris Farley than the film itself.

 

Six deleted scenes are accessible, but beyond 90’s nostalgia there’s nothing that would make you view this twice.

 

This version is called the “Holy Schnike Edition” and offers an hour-long series of featurettes that look at the making of the film, as well as the short and wild life of Chris Farley.

 

Six alternate takes and fifteen extended scenes are up for grabs, but these are for the hardcore fans of this film, because all others may find themselves fast-forwarding.

 

Rounding things out are 19 TV spots, the theatrical trailer in HD, gag reel, a photo gallery and storyboard comparison shots.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

Tommy Boy is for Chris Farley fans only, and this special edition Blu-ray has their name all over it. If you’re looking for an upgrade for your old scratched DVD, then this is a step up. For all others it’s only a rental.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie: 2.5

Video: 3.0

Sound: 2.5

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 2.5

 

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 112 mins – 2000 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

When Pitch Black was released in theaters way back in 2000, at first glance it was just considered to be a sci-fi B-movie to showcase up and coming action star Vin Diesel. But favorable reviews from audiences and critics transformed the film into a sleeper hit and the character Riddick gained instant franchise hero status. Pitch Black, once only an HD-DVD exclusive has finally come to Blu-ray from Universal Home Entertainment, so turn off the lights and prepare a ride into darkness.

THE MOVIE

Pitch Black takes place in the distant future, where a transport ship with an odd ensemble of characters travels in deep space. The most dangerous passenger on board is prisoner named Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel), a criminal who has a rap sheet larger than the galaxy itself. He is being personally escorted by a lawman, (Cole Hauser) who wants him to suffer for everything he’s done.

Uncontrollable circumstances cause the ship to crash land on a lifeless planet, that instantly coverts from being as hot as the sun to the darkest and coldest region of the universe. The survivors quickly learn that they are not alone, because when the planet is cast in darkness, creatures that prey on their blood come out in packs and begin to hunt them down one by one. Now their only chance to make it off this world alive rests in the hands of the man they fear the most, Riddick, who’s eyes have been altered so he can see in complete darkness.

Without a doubt, Pitch Black is the best film Vin Diesel has done. It’s his Terminator and Rambo. Sure he’s playing the same tough guy he plays in every other film, but this is the movie that he tailored that character, and it works. The film itself is just a mixture of other sci-fi movies such as Aliens and Predator, with the element of being in complete darkness being the main hook. Directed and written by David Twohy, Pitch Black is handled with care because it’s his dream project.

The action is executed well, and the fear factor is enough to be effective, without overdoing it. But face it, this is Vin Diesel’s film and being that it was his first big starring role, he put himself into it with guns blazing. A sequel was spawned hoping to continue Riddick’s adventures, but that fell flat. It’s not clear what Riddick’s fate will be on the big screen, but being that the latest Rambo and Die Hard films were successful, Riddick has enough cult status for one more adventure.

VIDEO

With a full 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Pitch Black’s photography is superbly highlighted in high definition. Whether it be the scenes on the desert planet that are purposely oversatured to display the intensity of the sun, or the night chase sequences that illustrate rich blacks, this one is a winner for Blu-ray and is the only true way to experience the film.

AUDIO

Offering a DTS-HD lossless Master 5.1 Audio mix, Pitch Black sounds as great as it looks. Hearing Riddick’s deep toned voice over will make your subwoofer vibrate across the floor. Dialogue is crisp and when the action revs up, your surround sound system will get a full workout. If you’ve only owned the standard DVD, this is a perfect upgrade.

EXTRAS

If you’re a fan of this film you may be letdown by the bonus features, which are just carried over from the previous HD-DVD and DVD. After ten years you would think that Universal would have celebrated the film some fresh extras.

There are two sets of audio commentaries, one from director David Twohy and stars Vin Diesel and Cole Hauser.

The second track looks at the technical aspect of the film with producer Tom Engleman and visual supervisor Peter Chiang.

The Making of Pitch Black is barely five minutes long and plays more like a big commercial than a true making of.

The Game is On is a basic promo for the videogame based on the Riddick character.

Via Universal’s U-Control you can access Picture-in-Picture behind the scenes footage in Pitch Black Raw, as well a John’s Chase Log, which details Cole Hauser’s character hunt for Riddick.

The Chronicles of Riddick Visual Encyclopedia looks at the world of our anti-hero ventures through and acts as a set up for the sequel.

BOTTOM LINE

Pitch Black still holds up after a decade, and seeing this on Blu-ray with excellent picture and sound ups the ante. It would have been great if additional retrospective bonus features were included, because the stuff ported from the DVD is very dated. Overall if you’re a fan of this movie, this is more than just an upgrade, it’s a must buy.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 136 mins – 2004 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.40: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

 

 

When Pitch Black turned out to be sleeper hit in 2000 it was obvious that a sequel was in the works. The Riddick character had major franchise possibilities, and star Vin Diesel knew this was his ticket to the A-list action club. The Chronicles of Riddick didn’t become the monster hit it was expected to be, but it’s definitely tries hard. Now available on Blu-ray from Universal Home Entertainment, Riddick, the big bald bad ass is back in action.

THE MOVIE

The Chronicles of Riddick takes place five years after Pitch Black, with Riddick (Vin Diesel) still on the run as a determined bounty hunter attempts to bring him in. He traces the source of who put the bounty on his head to the planet New Mecca where he finds Imam (Keith David), one of the few survivors of the alien desert planet from the first movie. Riddick discovers that the situation is deeper when he lands smack in the middle of a battle between two races who are attempting to wipe each other out, the Furians and the Necromongers. Riddick, believed a Furian, is seen as the only man who can stop the Necromonger leader known as Lord Marshall (Colm Feore). Trusting no one, Riddick plays all sides in his favor including Dame Vaako (Thandie Newton), in an attempt to save the galaxy from being taken over.

The main problem with The Chronicles of Riddick is that it attempts to be bigger than it needs to be. Whereas Pitch Black was a straightforward action film, Chronicles is oddly attempting to have a message layered within. Yes, a sequel should take a step up from its predecessor, but in this case it may have gone way off track and lost the audience who really dug Pitch Black.

Director and screenwriter David Twohy returns to continue Riddick’s adventure, but with a plot that feels scattered in places, Riddick himself just seems to get lost in the mix. There seems to have been three times the money pumped into the production than the first time around, and there are some incredible sets and costumes for eye candy.

Overall, The Chronicles of Riddick is entertaining, but most may feel letdown because it may not exactly be what they expected. Talks of a new Riddick film have been rumored to re-vamp the character, and if this happens let’s hope they return to the action hero premise that made the original so appealing.

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, The Chronicles of Riddick looks fantastic. With set design that rivals anything from Flash Gordon and amazing special effects, this Blu-ray is absolutely the best way to experience this movie. Images are crystal sharp and the details are so lifelike that some scenes are literally like looking through a glass window. This one’s a visual winner for Blu-ray in every way.

AUDIO

Offering a Dolby DTS-HD Lossless master audio 5.1 mix, Chronicles sounds as great as it looks. Dialogue sounds crisp and the sound effects during the action scenes will rock your speakers. Graham Revell’s excellent musical score should satisfy anyone who enjoys soundtracks that pump a film into an epic mode, and if you have a good sound system, this one will give your speakers a workout.

EXTRAS

All of the bonus features from the original DVD and HD-DVD have been carried over to the Blu-ray, so if you want to upgrade you won’t be losing anything.

Director David Twohy provides an audio commentary along with two of the film’s stars, Karl Urban and Alexa Davalos. The actors should have sat this one out, because Twohy barely lets anyone else get a word in.

The ‘Virtual Guide to The Chronicles of Riddick,’ ‘Toomb’s Chase Log,’ and ‘Visual Effects Revealed’ are three short featurettes that barely run fifteen minutes combined, and gives a look at the basic set up and filming of the movie.

Vin Diesel’s Guided Tour has the actor giving a tour of some of the sets of the movie, and he looks like a kid in a candy store.

A few deleted scenes are available for viewing with the option of hearing the director’s commentary.

Via Universal’s U-Control you can watch behind the scenes clips featuring the casts and filmmakers. Anatomy of a Fight and Complete Chronicles let you view Picture-in-Picture background footage, as well as a detailed map of the world of Riddick.

BOTTOM LINE

The Chronicles of Riddick is not as solid as Pitch Black, but it has it’s moments and definitely gets an ‘A’ for effort in attempting to give the film epic proportions. But truthfully we’re not watching this film for its philosophy, we just want to see Riddick kick some ass. This Blu-ray offers amazing picture and sound, so this alone is the selling point if you were thinking of shelving your old DVD. The Chronicles of Riddick is worthy of your attention, but just don’t expect it to be Pitch Black.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.5

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox Home Entertainment – 102 minutes – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 1.85:1 – DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

 

Comedies about Rock and Roll have been around ever since someone coined the phrase. It’s an easy genre because everyone loves Rock and Roll, right? This is what the film The Rocker attempts to capitalize on, but somehow falls short. If you don’t mind endless clichés, The Rocker comes to Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment, so ready to tease your hair and put on those tight day-glo spandex pants, because it’s time to rock.

THE MOVIE

Rainn Wilson stars as Robert “Fish” Fishman, who in the 80’s was a drummer for a band on the verge making it big called Vesuvius. As part of the band’s deal to sign with the record company, they are told to lose Fish. Desiring fame over friendship, they dump fish and go on to fortune and glory while Fish is forced to live the next twenty years depressed over his former friends’ success and stuck in a dead end job as a customer service rep.

His luck gets worse as he looses his job, his girlfriend and gets kick out of his home and is forced to leave in his sister’s house with her husband and kids. When Fish’s nephew starts a band called A.D.D., they ask him to be the drummer because of his musical experience, and thanks to a You Tube homemade video that gets a ton of hits, A.D.D. gets a record deal and Fish gets his chance in the spotlight as a forty year old member of a teen band.

The band gains popularity and goes on the road along with the lead singer’s mom played by Christina Applegate, and gets their biggest shot when they are asked to open for Fish’s old band Vesuvius. Fish is obviously not too happy about playing second fiddle to his former friends, but his desire to be a rock god puts the fight in him and he takes the stage to put his new band on top.

The Rocker is nothing more than a vehicle for Rainn Wilson to become a movie star, but unfortunately his charm for the TV show The Office, does not carry over. Sadly he just looks like his desperately trying to be a cheap imitation of Jack Black, prancing around in his underwear with his pasty tubby body and doing anything for a pity laugh. The underdog plot just doesn’t work, because we’ve seen this story so many times and can predict the outcome of ever scene before it happens. Even the idea of introducing a romance between Applegate and Wilson doesn’t work because there’s just no chemistry between the two of them.

If you’re a Rainn Wilson fan (sound’s pretty sad), you may get a laugh or two, but overall there are so many other Rock and Roll themed films out there that are more worthy of your attention. But just as long as you don’t mind a watching a film that has a laundry list of movie clichés, it may be ok for a rental.

VIDEO

The Rocker offers a full 1080p widescreen picture in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio that looks good, but it’s nothing outstanding. Colors are bright, and flesh tones are well balanced with very little grain. It’s most likely a small step above the standard DVD, but it does the job without getting fancy.

AUDIO

With a DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 audio mix, a film that is centered on Rock and Roll must have good sound, and The Rocker delivers. The music sequences are the main highlight and are worthy of cranking up the speakers. Outside of the musical performances, the dialogue is clear and background sounds are solid.

EXTRAS

The Rocker comes to Blu-ray with a good package of extras including a Digital Copy of the film, but unfortunately, like the film itself, it’s your basic cut and paste stuff.

There are two audio commentary tracks, one with the film’s director Peter Cattaneo and the film’s star Rainn Wilson. The second audio commentary features the film’s co-stars, Josh Gad, Teddy Geiger, Emma Stone, and Jason Sudeikis.

Rock Tales has the cast and crew telling stories about going to their first concerts.

MTV Panel is a stupid and staged segment where the film’s co-star Josh Gad loses I when audio technical difficulties prevents him from getting in on a interview segment.

Behind The Band is a spoof of VH1’s behind the music, looking at the film’s fictional band Vesuvius.

Rainn Wilson Office Rocker has the cast trying to convince him to get them a role on his TV show.

The Music looks at how the film’s stars were trained by real musicians to look and perform like a band.

Ten deleted scenes are included, as well as various gag clips and outtakes.

A mock PSA features Vesuvius telling their fans it’s ok to play with yourself.

A music video for the song featured in the film I’m Not Bitter is included.

Fox Movie Channel presents in character with The Rocker features Rainn Wilson talking about the movie and his part.

A second disc is included that includes a Digital Copy of the movie for your portable device of choice.

BOTTOM LINE

The Rocker is harmless, but is basically a spotlight for Rainn Wilson to do his thing. The Blu-ray offers decent picture and sound, and even though there are a lot of extras listed, none are particularly worthy. Again, The Rocker is just a rental, so don’t expect anything more than what it offers.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 3.0

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 2.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox Home Entertainment – 99 minutes US/106 minutes UK – 1971 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 1.85:1 – DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 Audio Mix

 

Because of the changing times, most of the films of the late 60’s and early 70’s focused on rebellion of the system. On the streets people were marching and protesting “the man” while on the big screen rebels used vehicles such as motorcycles or fast cars as a way of escape to take “the man” on at rapid speeds. Whether it be Easy Rider or White Lightning, the thrill of the open road, a roaring engine, and of course a killer soundtrack is all that was needed to pack audiences in. The 1971 film Vanishing Point is the perfect example of the rebellion genre, and to this day considered original car chase film that has spawned everything from Smokey and the Bandit to The Fast and the Furious. Vanishing Point is now available on Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment, so pump up your 8-Track and strap on your seatbelts.

THE MOVIE

The plot of Vanishing Point is so simple a five year old could have written it, but it doesn’t matter because you’re not watching this film for the story, you just want to see the car chases and the naked girl riding around on the motorcycle. Barry Newman plays Kowalski, one of the best drivers around who has been given the job of delivering a 1970 Dodge Charger from Denver to San Francisco in twelve hours. There is never any clear reason outlined what the purpose of the delivering the vehicle is, because it’s just a set up for wild car chases.

The main thing standing in Kowalski’s way is Johnny law, and it seems that down every road he turns, the fuzz comes after him harder. Like an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard, cars are spinning out, tumbling into ditches, and colliding into twisted metal. To add to the ‘man against the system’ adventure, Kowalski’s journey is detailed by a blind radio DJ called Super Soul (Cleavon Little) who helps by filling him in on info from the police band radio that keeps him out of harm’s way like a guardian angel.

None of the characters are fleshed out and Kowalski is not the hero or the anti hero, he’s just the man behind the wheel who makes an occasional pit stop to interact with random folks who help him out, such as a snake wrangler, hippies, and a naked blonde who is so free that she rides around on her crouch rocket like Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the early 70’s this was most likely revolutionary and seen as a new style of western, and it’s very obvious where Quentin Tarantino got many of his ideas, such in his Grind House flick Death Proof.

Compared to today’s movies with all the CGI car chases, purist will enjoy the traditional car and stunt aspects, but the chases may feel very slow paced, compared to Mad Max or Gone in 60 Seconds. As nostalgia Vanishing Point works the same way that other early 70’s rebel flicks were effective, but unless you’re a fan of muscle cars, ten car pile-ups, and the sound of tires screeching in the dirt, there’s nothing here for you.

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Vanishing Point looks good for a film that’s 38 years old, but it definitely shows it’s age. The colors look washed out and in certain spots overexposed. Grain is thick and there’s very little detail, but this is also a factor to the low budget the original film had. Overall it’s satisfactory, but not Blu-ray demo material.

AUDIO

Vanishing Point offers a DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 audio mix for the Blu-ray generation, but also provides the film’s original mono 1.0 track for those who want to keep it real. The dialogue is not memorable at all, so the only purpose of the audio is to exploit the sounds of the car chases and the soul soundtrack.

EXTRAS

The bonus features provided are actually better than you would expect, with both the US version as well as the seven minute longer UK version.

Director Richard C. Sarafian provides an audio commentary track, telling tales of the making of the film.

Built for Speed: A Look Back at Vanishing Point is a retro look at the making of the film, which includes interviews with some of the people involved with the movie.

Super Soul Me is a treat for soul music buffs who love the film’s killer soundtrack. This can either be watched in standard mode or via Picture-In-Picture as the movie plays.

Interactive 1970 Dodge Charger tells you everything you need to know about the main attraction of the film. A computer display of the vehicle allows you to see it from every angle, along with a trivia track explaining every detail.

0A-5599 is a featurette about the ultimate muscle car.

A Virtual Dashboard can be displayed as you watch the film, displaying the car’s mileage in real time, as well as the soundtrack info.

Various trivia tracks are available related to the film as well as the 70’s culture.

BOTTOM LINE

Vanishing Point is a cool movie for car fanatics and anyone who loves this genre, otherwise there’s not that much there. The Blu-ray offers decent picture and sound, and the options of both the US and longer UK versions, with a good package of bonus features. Overall, you may want to rent his one first before you decide to purchase it, but if you already love this flick, this Blu-ray is a must buy.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 3.0

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 345 min – 2002/2004/2007 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.35: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

 

Ever since the character of James Bond was introduced in the 1962 film Dr.No, many, many, many have tried to take his seat as the ultimate spy, but after decades of attempts no other screen secret agent has come close. In 2002 that all changed with the big screen adaptations of the first in a series of adventure novels by author Robert Ludlum, centering around a spy named Jason Bourne. When the first movie, The Bourne Identity, was originally announced no one thought much of it because it was set to star Matt Damon, and at the time folks were tired of the whole “Matt (Damon) and Ben (Affleck)” show. The weekend the movie was released, word quickly spread that this was the start of something big, and The Bourne Identity became one of the biggest hit films of 2002. The Bourne Trilogy, which was previously an HD-DVD exclusive, is finally available on Blu-ray from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and if you’re a fan of these films and you own a Blu-ray player, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this is a perfect match.

THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002)

The first Bourne film introduces our hero left for dead with bullets in him as he floats in the sea, and the crew of a fishing boat discovers his body. He is nursed back to health but suffers from amnesia and has no clue who he is or where he belongs. An bank account number found in a device that was on his body leads him to Switzerland, where he opens a deposit box to reveal his name is Jason Bourne, along with a variety of passports and a huge chunk of cash. He then discovers that someone is on his tail and wants him dead, making him team up with a young woman named Marie (Franka Potente), who he pays to help him escape the city. Bourne slowly begins to piece together that he was apart of something big, but he still doesn’t know exactly what it is, and is desperately attempting to stay out of the target sight of an assassin.

Why does this spy thriller work where most have failed? Much of the credit has to go to the two key elements, one is the direction by Doug Liman who constantly keeps your attention from the starting frame, and the second is Matt Damon, who ironically not the first choice you would think of when you’re casting an action hero, but he pulls out off so perfectly that now you can’t imagine anyone else in the role.

Unlike James Bond, who is the “cool spy,” Jason Bourne is not cocky and flashy. Bourne is easily relatable because he is a normal guy, who by only attempting to do the right thing for his country has altered his life forever. He doesn’t drink dry martinis, drive around in fancy cars, or wears a tuxedo. Bourne is always on the run, given no time at all to catch his breath because he never knows when his luck will run out.

In fact the success of Jason Bourne even resulted in a whole re-imagining of James Bond, making him more rugged with Daniel Craig taking the torch away from the boring portrayal that Pierce Bronson did by emulating Roger Moore, emulating Sean Connery.

Any one looking for a top notch, edge of your seat thriller must (if you haven’t seen it already) add The Bourne Identity to their Blu-ray list, and then instantly watch the two follow-up sequels, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004)

After the first Jason Bourne adventure, audiences wanted more and the beauty of The Bourne Supremacy is that it’s not your typical sequel that gives you the same thing over again with a bigger bang, it actually a stronger film that develops the lead character further and his situation further and stronger.

Matt Damon returns as the mysterious Jason Bourne who now has begun a new life with girlfriend Marie (Franke Potente), but his whole world is turned upside down when an enemy agent (played by Karl Urban) finds their location and targets them for death. Marie is killed in the attempt, sending Bourne on a mission of vengeance to find the answers and terminate the one who pulled the trigger.

This time around Paul Greengrass takes the helm as director, making you wonder why the original’s director Doug Liman walked away from such a gold mine. The pacing in Supremacy is much faster than the first, and the addition of Joan Allen as a CIA director (with the balls of Hillary Clinton), ups the ante in bringing a realistic tone to the action.

If you enjoyed the first film, this is one of those rear instances when you may discover that the sequel is actually better. Matt Damon is great, and you’re rooting for him as the action unfolds. By the end of the film all you’re thinking about is how things will be wrapped up in the third film, and how many sequels can actually pull that off?

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007)

The last film in the trilogy took three years to hit theaters, but The Bourne Ultimatum was worth the wait, because it is so well executed that it will make you forget about that James Bond guy.

In this film Jason Bourne, (Matt Damon), is still on the run as he is being trailed by a CIA director (portrayed again by Joan Allen), as well as a reporter who is trying to find answers behind the Treadstone Project that was responsible for transforming Bourne into the person he is now. Every element is used to trap Bourne, but he is determined to find out the truth, by any means he can, resulting in an action packed adventure that wraps up the trilogy and finally uncovers the answers to who is Jason Bourne?

Director Paul Greengrass returns to the director’s chair, which is good, because his face paced styled was one of the highlights of Supremacy. This is one of the films that if you go the bathroom, you’ll miss a lot, because everything comes at you fast and furious, with results that are well thought out. This film has some of the best action to hit the screen in years and the best thing is that there are no CGI effects, just stunts and some of the best fight choreography you’re going to see.

The Bourne films will now be the standard to how future spy thrillers are measured, and anyone who has seen the last two Bond films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, can see that even they have changed their style making 007 a real guy and doing away with all the gadgets and special effects in favor of stunts and elaborate fist fights.

Matt Damon has agreed to do another Bourne movie, so let’s just hope that all the elements that made this trilogy work are pushed higher to make his next adventure a worthy addition. For now The Bourne trilogy stands on it’s own and fans of the genre will be truly satisfied.

Tech Specs for The Bourne Identity:

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p and framed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, The Bourne Identity looks great. The film doesn’t pump up the flash and bright colors of a Bond film, going more for a darker tone that will make you think of another European spy thriller, Ronin. Skin tones are excellent, with sharp detail that allows you to see every bead of sweat on Damon’s face and blacks stay strong, with very little moments of grain. Overall, you won’t be disappointed.

AUDIO

With a DTS- HD lossless 5.1 master, The Bourne Ultimatum is definitely one to crank up the speakers for. Of the three film, this one has the least amount of action and much more dialogue, but it’s all crystal clear. The center speaker gets the biggest workout, but rear speakers pick up background effects clearly, the music provided by John Powell fills everything in nicely.

Tech Specs for The Bourne Supremacy:

VIDEO

Also presented in full 1080p and framed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Supremacy looks good, and goes for a brighter photography style than the original, particularly in the opening sequence. Details and colors are strong, but the grain is more obvious in this film than with Identity. Even with it’s small flaws you’ll be satisfied.

AUDIO

The DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 audio mix for Supremacy stands toe-to-toe with the first film, using the if it ain’t broke don’t fix it rule. There’s a lot more action in this film so your rear speakers will get much more of a workout. Overall, the experience is worth cranking up the speakers for.

Tech Specs for The Bourne Ultimatum:

VIDEO

The last film in the trilogy takes it up a notch with a much more fine-tuned image. Still presented in full 1080p and framed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Supremacy offers a much sharper image (maybe because it has the newest source print), and the action is much more frequent in this film delivering the true HD experience that you expect from Blu-ray. Image-wise, the saved the best for last.

AUDIO

The Bourne Ultimatum keeps it consistent with a DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 audio mix that will enhance all of the action in every way. Rear speakers are used more for this film because the action sequences come at you in all directions. Nothing at all to complain about, so if you have a surround sound system, you’re all set.

EXTRAS

All of the bonus features that were on the original DVDs and the HD-DVDs have been ported over for the Blu-ray release of the Bourne Trilogy, and it’s a great package that holds all three films in a silver case with a three dimensional cut out of Jason Bourne that seals it together. This is a box set that is worth the price because there’s so much packed in for each movie that it’ll take you days to watch them all.

Bonus Features for The Bourne Identity:

• Audio commentary from Director Doug Liman, which really goes deep in detail of his input in the film, making for something worth listening to.

• Access Granted: An interview with screenwriter Tony Gilroy, looks at how he adapted the novel to a movie for today’s audience.

• The Birth of Jason Bourne goes into what it took to bring Mr. Bourne to the big screen.

• The Bourne Mastermind pays tribute to author Robert Ludlum who created the character.

• Inside a Fight Sequence looks at the choreography that went into the film’s awesome hand-to-hand combat scenes.

• The Speed of Sound is a quick behind the scenes look at the movie’s audio design.

• Cloak and Dagger: Covert Ops offers insight of the CIA by a former agent.

• The Bourne Diagnosis goes into the whole amnesia effect used in the film.

• Four deleted scenes are available, but none really add or take away anything from the theatrical version.

• The Alternate Ending is something worth seeing because it adds a different tone to the film, so watch and judge for yourself.

• If you’re a fan of Moby his ‘Extreme Ways’ music video should be a treat for you.

• Universal’s U-Control allows you to watch Picture-in-Picture (PiP) behind the scenes clips as you watch the film. There’s also The Treadstone Files that provides interactive dossiers of the film’s characters and locations.

Bonus Features for The Bourne Supremacy:

• Director Paul Greengrass provides an audio commentary track that is informative, but not as solid as Doug Liman’s track that focused more on the making of the specific scenes, but it’s worth listening to.

• Matching Identities dives into the casting of the production.

• Keeping it Real looks at Paul Greengrass’ style of camera work, that has a much different tone than the original film.

• Blowing Things Up shows how the explosives where created for the film.

• Crash Cam: Racing Through the Streets of Moscow looks at the films amazing car chase sequence.

• Bourne to Be Wild looks at the film’s kick ass fight choreography.

• The Go-Mobile Revs Up the Action spotlights the camera work that went into the car chase sequence.

• Anatomy of a Scene: The Explosive Bridge Chase Scene shows all the elements that went into the film’s main action sequence.

• Five deleted scenes are also available, but none make or break the film itself.

• U-Control offers a PiP view for interviews and behind the scenes clips. Bourne Orientation provides interactive motives for Jason Bourne’s actions.

Bonus Features for The Bourne Ultimatum:

• Director Paul Greengrass returns for another audio commentary track, and this one is better than the one he did for Supremacy, going deeper into the production including some issues he had with Matt Damon.

• Man on the Move: Jason Bourne goes into the multiple locations the film was shot, including Moscow, Paris, Madrid, Tangier and London, which also includes interviews from the cast and crew.

• Rooftop Pursuit shows how the kick-ass foot chase and fight sequence was designed.

• Planning the Punches goes into the fights performed by Jason Bourne.

• New York Chase dives behind the scenes of the film’s climatic sequence.

• A compilation of deleted scenes can be accessed, and the one that attempts to go deeper into Bourne’s mindset for his actions is worth watching.

• Via U-Control PiP you can access behind the scenes clips and on-set interviews.

• Be Bourne Game is an interactive trivia game that gets tired real fast.

• The Blackbriar Files allows you to access dossiers of the film’s characters, locations, and pivotal moments.

BOTTOM LINE

Even if you own the Bourne Trilogy on DVD or HD-DVD it’s worth having on Blu-ray as well. Each film is better than the previous, a true rarity, and the action sequences will keep you watching it repeatedly. The trilogy comes to Blu-ray with excellent picture and sound quality, as well as a great batch of extras. There are plenty of Blu-ray box sets out there trying to make you dip into your wallets, but The Bourne Trilogy is definitely worth the purchase because it gives you everything you want in one package. This is an absolute must own.

SCORES: (Out of 5):

The Bourne Identity:

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 4.0

The Bourne Supremacy:

The Movie: 4.5

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.5

The Bourne Ultimatum:

The Movie: 4.5

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

The Bourne Trilogy:

Bottom Line: 5.0

Reviewed by Richard Lee Zuras

Released Jan. 30, 2009

1 hr. 33 min.

PG-13

Pierre Morel/20th Century Fox

Liam Neeson

Famke Jannsen

Maggie Grace

Xander Berkeley

It is time to wake up and question the world around us. I don’t mean to say here that we should wake up and question the corruption that is allowing prostitution rings like the one in this movie–I know better than to think the average American will get involved in that. Heck, to be honest, if it took this film to instruct you and lead you to this problem then it is clear that you live in a fantasy world anyway. This subject has been covered in journalism since forever, and covered on celluloid to better effect many years ago in the HBO series The Wire.

I’m talking about the fact that movies have turned into nothing more than commerce. Now this has been a topic of concern since the early days of the studio bosses, but things are beginning to sour in a new way. Never before in the long and storied history of film have movies purposely been cut to turn obvious R subject matter into PG-13 rated films. As I will explain, this hurts everyone involved EXCEPT the studios.

Witness the simple fact that Bond movies used to garner R not PG-13 ratings. Witness the fact that the comic book movies are getting PG-13 ratings. Witness the fact that Taken somehow gained a PG-13 rating. What is going on is now a decade old and seems to be taking on a new ability. The heads of studios admitted in the late 1990’s that it made no sense to cut a movie to R when PG-13 would gain more audience/money. So films began to lose a little quality, as subjects of a mature nature were cut to afford the Holy Grail: PG-13 rating. More people went, and we (adults) all noted that the films would have been better as R fare.

Now, fast forward ten years. The violence and outright subject matter that had been trimmed, much to our dismay, has been/is being put back in. The rating, however, is remaining the same. Well, Newton’s third law says there must be an equal and opposite reaction. And there is. The result is that while we as adults have ostensibly re-gained our R movie fare, the kids sitting around us have gained it as well.

Do an experiment. Take a PG-13 film from 1984 (in Pg-13’s infancy) and play it alongside Taken. Or The Dark Night. Or Quantum of Solace. Better yet–find PG and R movies from pre-1984 and play them. You can easily tell that certain movies have adult fare and are thus R movies. No question. Heck, the main concern in the 1970’s was how some movies (like The Exorcist) were getting an R instead of an X. This begs the question: In 20 years will we be amazed to find that movies that are clearly PG-13 are getting PG or even G ratings?

Oh, and if you think I am over-reacting to what (in Taken) even the MPAA calls “intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language,” then let me remind you of the countries that think 13 years old is too young for this movie:

Australia

UK

New Zealand

Ireland

South Africa

Peru

Argentina

Brazil

Norway

Canada

Finland

Germany

Sweden

Singapore

Of course France thinks 12 is old enough for Taken. So we’ve got that…

Bottom line 3.5/5.0 for adults

Bottom Line 0.0/5.0 for young children

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment – 117 mins – 2008 – Rated R/Unrated – 1080p Widescreen 2.40: 1 – TrueHD 5.1 – Digital Copy

 

Thanks to the success of the Harold and Kumar films, stoner movies are bankable again, so being that Hollywood knows how to chase money like a bloodhound looking for a fox, it’s obvious there will be several of them pushed out into theaters, both good and bad. Fortunately the new film to be spawned from Judd Apatow, Pineapple Express is a good one. Coming to Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Pineapple Express delivers the laughs and gives you the munchies.

THE MOVIE

Seth Rogen (Apatow’s wonder boy), plays Dale Denton, a loser whose job is to serves subpeoneas to unsuspecting people as he wears a variety of costumes. He actually likes his job but he likes smoking weed a lot more, which leads him to pay a visit to his deal Saul, played by James Franco to replenish his supply. Saul, a total burnout, introduces him to a top-secret type of bud called Pineapple Express that gives you the ultimate high.

Dale’s quest to get high leads him to be the only witness to a murder, that makes him the target of a psychotic drug lord (Gary Cole) and a dirty cop (Rosie Perez). On the run, Dale drags Saul into the mix and the two of them get into the biggest unintentional adventure of their lives, filled with tons of hilarious one liners, gun-toting baddies, and lots of weed.

Like some of the best buddy stoner films, Pineapple Express works because of it two stars, Rogen and Franco. The chemistry between them is on the money, and no matter what stupid things they do and say, you want them to win. Like most Apatow films, the jokes are not for PG crowd, so if you like your laughs raw and swift this film is right up your alley.

Director David Gordon Green should also be credited for keeping the pacing flowing, because he takes what could have been a silly un-watchable experience, and turns it into a film that guys loves to quote and make references to for years. Is this film perfect? No way, but it’s hilarious and is worth re-watching just to see what you missed the first time around.

VIDEO

Pineapple Express hits Blu-ray with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and a full 1080p image that looks great. The colors are bright, flesh tones are perfect, and black levels are solid with very little grain. There’s nothing spectacular about the image quality, but there’s nothing disappointing about it either.

AUDIO

Offering a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound mix, Pineapple Express sounds crystal clear, which is very important, because there are so many one-liners flipping by that you’ll want to hear every one. There is plenty of action in the film with car chases and gunfights, so all your speakers will get a work out.

EXTRAS

Pineapple Express has a huge bag of bonus goodies to offer in it’s two-disc set, including both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, as well as a Digital Copy.

The audio commentary track seems to feature everyone who worked on the film and their cousins. Director David Gordon Green, Producer Judd Apatow, and stars Seth Rogen, James Franco, Rosie Perez and Danny McBride are all talking over each other, so if you’re interested you may have to listen to this a few times to take in everything that’s being said.

This is one of those movies that throws in every bonus feature you can think of, which is complimented because you’re getting your money’s worth.

Here’s what you’re getting:

-The Making of Pineapple Express.

-The Action of Pineapple Express.

-Twenty five minutes of deleted, alternate and extended scenes.

-Gag Reel.

-Line-O-Rama Just some quick one liners.

-Direct-O-Rama – Listen to the direct as he does his thing on the set.

-Item 9 – A deeper look at the military experiment from the opening prologue.

-Saul’s Apartment – features quick clips of Saul and his customers who drop by.

-Red and Jessica’s Guide to Marriage.

-Begley’s Best.

-First Table Reading – with the cast reading through some scenes.

-Comic-Con Panel.

-The Injury Report – looking at all the injuries that occurred during filming.

BOTTOM LINE

If you loved previous films either directed or produced by Judd Apatow, you’re going to dig Pineapple Express. It’s a very funny film, that is over the top at times, but if it wasn’t it wouldn’t be fun. The Blu-ray earns eavery cent you’ll pay for it with two versions of the film, a Digital Copy, and a swarm of bonus features. If you want laugh, pick this one up.

SCORES: (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.5

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 4.0

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Warner Home Video – 115 minutes – 2008 – Rated R – 1080p – 2.4:1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

 

 

When you watch a Guy Ritchie film, you have to know what you’re getting into, because this dude loves the dark seedy characters of the underbelly so much that if they ever made a Grand Theft Auto movie, he’s got to be on the top of the list to direct it. His latest fable Rock N Rolla hits Blu-ray from Warner Home Video, so send the kids to bed and tell grandma to go play bingo, because the F-bombs are going to be dropping like it’s WWIII.

THE MOVIE

Like most of Ritchie’s crime dramas, Rock N Rolla features an ensemble cast of familiar faces from both America as well as European territory. This time around Gerald Butler is the center of attention as One-Two (Gerald Butler), a low rent thug who gets involved in a shady real estate scam that involves millions in cash. And in a guy Ritchie film wherever there’s cash, there are plenty of low lives around who want a cut of it.

The cast of characters includes the very hot Thandie Newton as a corrupt accountant, Tom Wilkinson as a big time London gangster, Jeremy Piven and Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges as two wannabe music moguls and Toby Kebbell as Johnny Quid a rock star who fakes his own death to boost his record sales.

Like most Guy Ritchie films it’s difficult to sum up the plot in a few sentences because a film like Rock N Rolla is more about the wild characters than the story itself. Ritchie is passionate about this world and it is displayed with how all of the characters are laid out like chess piece whom are all trying to stay alive by the end of the game, even though the situation keeps getting dirtier and dirtier.

The main problem with Rock N Rolla is that it’s not as tight as Ritchie’s previous films such as Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. In those previous films you actually rooted for the seedy characters to win, but here, even though there are a few standout scenes, overall you’re not as involved. It is rumored that Rock N Rolla is one part of a trilogy that Guy Ritchie is setting up, and if this is true, hopefully the next film will be more stable, because next to Quentin Tarantino, Ritchie is the one director who can pull it off.

VIDEO

Rock N Rolla is presented in full 1080p in a 2.4:1 aspect ratio that seems to be all over the place. Some scenes look good with sharp colors and solid blacks, but then there are instances where everything the image seems muddy. This is mainly because the film was shot on HD video to give it a much grittier look, so just as long as you’re not expecting the image to jump out at you, you should be satisfied.

AUDIO

With a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound mix, the audio quality is well done, because this is a heavy dialogue based film and with many characters talking with a heavy accent, you may need to pull up the subtitles at times. Overall, the mix does the job, just don’t expect any bells or whistles.

EXTRAS

There’s not a lot offered in terms of bonus features, but Ritchie does provide and audio commentary and a Digital Copy is available on a second disc.

Guy Ritchie and one of the actors in the film, Mark Strong, toss some tales about the background of the film and on the set adventures.

Blokes, Birds, and Backhanders: Inside Rock N Rolla is a making off that does the basic interviews with the cast and crew.

Guy’s Town is actually one of the most interested features because it shows how Ritchie was inspired to make the film as he shows off the expanding real estate of London.

BOTTOM LINE

If you’re a fan of Guy Ritchie’s work (Obviously not including Swept Away), then you should definitely give Rock N Rolla a look. It’s not his best film, but it still has his signature on it. This Blu-ray offers a decent picture and good sound, but the bonus features leave a lot to be desired. Give this one a rent first, before you decide if it’s shady enough for you.

SCORES: (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 3.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 3.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 129 mins – 2008 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 1.85: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

 

Sean Penn just won the Academy Award for best actor, and after watching his performance in Milk it’s easy to see why. The film didn’t break any box office records, but for those who missed out seeing in it theaters, Milk is now available on Blu-ray from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

THE MOVIE

Milk is based on the true story of Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay man to be elected to a major public office in the 70’s. Milk, perfectly portrayed by Sean Penn, is the underdog who on his 40^th birthday feels as if he hasn’t accomplished anything in his life, but this all changes when he sees how gay men and women are being mistreated in his San Francisco community and decides to do something about it.

At first he just organizes protest to demonstrate how gays invest plenty of money into the San Francisco community, so changes should be made if businesses want those finances to keep coming in. With that victory achieved, Milk’s lover, Scott Smith (James Franco), convinces him to run for office so he can have a greater impact. After several failed attempts at winning, Milk keeps pushing and adds members to his team, including Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch) and Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pill), who reconstruct his campaign to finally get him a seat in office. This accomplishment is short lived when a rival politician, Dan White (Josh Brolin), who is battling his own demons, murders him in cold blood.

Directed by Gus Van Sant, Milk avoids the usual pit falls of most biopics, which goes into every detail of the character’s life, and instead focuses on the pivotal events that made this person a part of history. The San Francisco scene of the mid 70’s is captured strongly, balanced with excellent performances from the ensemble cast. Some parts do feel slow, but overall the film works because Sean Penn lights up every scene he’s in.

VIDEO

Presented with a full 1080p image in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Milk looks good, offering crisp colors and solid skin tones. Gus Van Sant avoids using any flashy elements, so the visuals are straightforward.

AUDIO

Milk is a heavy dialogue film, so the DTS lossless master 5.1 mix is well balanced. Protest scenes with hundreds of extras on the streets stand out in the rear speakers, but it’s the center speaker that will get the biggest workout because of on-going dialogue.

EXTRAS

There’s not much to see here in terms of bonus goodies, not even an audio commentary from the director. Instead there are only a couple of mini docs that act more as promotional material.

‘Remembering Harvey’ runs around fifteen minutes and looks at the real Harvey Milk, featuring interviews with those who actually knew him. This is an interesting piece, but it should have been longer.

‘Hollywood Comes to San Francisco’ is a basic and quick making off look at the making of Milk that includes interviews with the cast and crew.

‘Marching For Equality’ looks at the filming of the marching demonstrations to ensure they were accurate to the real events.

BOTTOM LINE

Anyone who is tired of films aimed at teenagers that only rely on special effects and constant explosions, will find Milk as a nice change of pace. Sean Penn delivers one of the best performances of his career, and the film itself with shine a light on a figure in American history who may have been forgotten. The Blu-ray offers good image and sound quality, but the bonus features leave a lot to be desired. This one is worth a look.

SCORES: (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.5

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 3.0