Reviewed by Johnny McNair

MGM/UA – 100 mins – 2010 – Unrated – 1080p Widescreen 1.85: 1 – Dolby Digital DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio – Digital Copy

 

Ah…the 80’s, if you were fortunate enough to remember the decade it was a great time. Offering awesome films like Back to the Future and Raiders of the Lost Ark, TV shows like Miami Vice and The A-Team, MTV, and songs by great one hit wonders like Men Without Hats and Wang Chung. Oh, if only we could all go back for a little while to have some fun. Well now we can thanks to the appropriately titled, Hot Tub Time Machine, available on Blu-ray from MGM/FOX. Now get that old Zach Morris phone out of the closet, make puff up your hair and slide on the Ray Bans, because the 80’s are back.

THE MOVIE

Yes, there have been plenty of films about guys suffering from a mid-life crisis, so the formula is the same. A trio of high school pals, Adam (John Cusack), Lou (Rob Cordry) and Nic (Craig Robinson), are depressed men in their forties because life didn’t exactly go their way.  In an attempt to recapture the best time of their lives, the guys along with Adam’s nephew Jacob (Clarke Duke), take a trip to ski resort that holds some of their best memories. The place obviously is not what it used to be but the guys try to make the best of it by chilling out in the hot tub and doing a lot of heavy drinking to drown their unhappiness.

After they awake the next morning, they realize that something is very odd. The styles, music and people of reversed 24 years, and now they are back in 1986. They discover that it was the hot tub that transported the back in time, and the only person who can get them back to 2010 is the scary repairman (Chevy Chase) who needs a few days to get the part for the machine that’s broken. Now the guys have to once again experience one of the most eventful weekends of their teens, but this time as men in their 40’s, hoping to make the wrong things right.
Obviously this entire premise is over the top, but so were the 80’s. Films such as Adam’s Sandler’s The Wedding Singer have treaded on this ground before, but instead of being family friendly, Hot Tub Time Machine goes for the Porky’s audience. This film is very funny and you really didn’t have to experience the 80’s to enjoy it, but if you did it makes it that more funnier. Cusack who was a teen star in the 80’s completely gets the jokes and goes along with it, but he is the straight man next to his co-stars Robinson and Cordry who play their characters more for laughs. And character actor Crispin Glover does what he does best, play the very weird guy who steals the scene whenever he shows up.

Directed by Steve Pink, the movie keeps it’s pace because you really like these guys and even thought their situation is ridiculous, you can relate to their adventure. There are also so many references to the 80’s and how it’s influenced popular culture that you will have to watch the film multiple times to catch them all. Just the homage to the movie Red Dawn is worth it alone. Anyone looking for a comedy that makes fun of itself in a good way should give Hot Tub Time Machine a look, and if you know the 80’s well, you’re going to get a lot more out of it.

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Hot Tub Time Machine looks great on Blu-ray. The 80’s were a colorful time, so this film was shot to highlight the party style of the time, so the bright wardrobe pops out.  Close ups of the characters show every detail to perfection, maybe too much because John Cusack is starting to look like an old man, but hey, he’s earned it. Grain does show up in spots during night scenes, but overall this transfer is done very well.

AUDIO

The 80’s was very loud, so the sound mix of Hot Tub compliments the era with pride, offering a Dolby Digital DTS-HD 5.1 mix that will keep your speakers pumping. This film constantly has activity going on in the background, whether it be blasting music or a party crowd, but the dialogue is mixed nicely so that the background noises never overtake the characters and you can hear every word they are saying. All of your speakers will get a workout here, but if you’re a fan of 80’s music you will appreciate it.

EXTRAS

While the film is great, the selection of bonus features is a letdown mainly consisting of twelve minutes of deleted/extended scenes and six minutes of promotional spots and the theatrical trailer. There’s also a Digital Copy for those who want the 80’s on the go.

BOTTOM LINE

Hot Tub Time Machine is a fun movie that knows exactly what it’s trying to offer, something that many recent comedies can’t supply. The image and sound quality of the Blu-ray is top notch, but the bonus features leave a lot to be desired. Anyone looking for a comedy that will take them back to their teens should defiantly jump in this hot tub.

SCORES: (Out of 5)

The Movie: 3.5
Video: 4.0
Sound: 4.0
Extras: 2.0
Bottom Line: 3.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair Warner Bros. – 118 mins  – 2010 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.39: 1 – DTS-HD 5.1 Audio – DVD copy – Digital Copy 

For the past few years Hollywood has been making a wave of post apocalyptic films that attempt to tell theories of how humankind will go on after everything has fallen. Obviously with the year 2012 approaching, it’s a way to cash in and most of these films are bad. The Book of Eli stands strong above the rest of the batch for one simple reason; it’s seriously attempting to send a message about people instead of bombarding you with visual effects of cities being destroyed. For those of you who missed this one in theaters it is highly recommended that you see it now that it’s available on Blu-ray from Warner Bros.

 

THE MOVIE

 

The Book of Eli doesn’t tell you a specific timeline, all we are told is that it takes place after a nuclear devastation has rocked the Earth, and the only ones who have survived seemed to be the worst that mankind has to offer. That is except for a man named Eli (Denzel Washington), a loner who is literally walking the Earth for over 30 years like Caine in Kung Fu. But instead of martial arts, Eli’s weapon of choice is a sawed off shotgun, and probably the best iPod in existence because it still works after 3 decades.

 

Eli travels with a holy book that keeps him on the path of a mission that he must accomplish, and anyone who stands in his way will be violently punished. On his journey he wonders into a town that is controlled by a criminal named Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who is ironically searching for a ‘special’ book, but has no idea where it is. Carnegie learns from a young girl named Solara (Mila Kunis), that Eli may have the book he is searching for, thus triggering a battle for the most important piece of literature ever written. Obviously, there is a great twist that you may or may not figure out before the finale, but there are no spoilers here.

 

Directed by The Hughes Brothers (twins Albert and Allen), this is the first film they’ve helmed since 2001’s From Hell, and it’s a very positive comeback for them. Though the film is not perfect, it has so many good elements that it keeps you involved to the end. It’s obvious that the film is heavily influenced by Japanese samurai, as well as, American western movies, where the lone swordsman or gunman passes through a town during his journey and becomes central in saving the people from doom.

 

As always, Denzel Washington gives a solid performance and is the main reason you’ll overlook flaws in the film. Instead of playing the role like a macho hero, he goes for a calmer tone whereas he has to be given a reason to fight, because he would rather just walk away from trouble. Gary Oldman who has already played the bad guy in a laundry list of films is good, but a little too soft, because in an apocalyptic world you would expect him to be more of a mad man. Mila Kunis may have not been the right choice for the movie, and you’ll probably wish they went for some young actress with more of a Natalie Portman edge, because Kunis is just too sweet and can’t shake that girl next door shadow that hangs over her.

 

The Book of Eli is not on the level of the Mad Max films, but it borrows from it, as well as many other films, so don’t expect the wheel to be re-invented.  Given the subject you may find yourself wishing they went deeper into certain areas of the story, but you have to imagine the original draft of the screenplay was very different than what was in the final product. Overall, The Book of Eli is a pleasant surprise and thus far one of the better films of 2010, simply because it tries to offer hope in a time of hopelessness.

 

VIDEO

 

The Book of Eli hits Blu-ray with a full 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and the transfer looks solid offering strong blacks and very sharp details. The film was photographed with muted colors, so even in bright outdoor scenes there’s always the illusion that a dark (nuclear) cloud is overhead. At times it appears as if you’re watching a black and white film, but then you’ll see a source of color pop in that keeps you focused. There are plenty of green-screen shots making certain scenes look fake, but at the same time this works because this gives the visuals a Sin City comic book style. This one is a visual compliment for your HDTV, especially if you have one that is 40 inches and up.

 

AUDIO

 

Just like the visuals, the sound for The Book of Eli is also well executed with a DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix that will jump out at you. Dialogue is crisp as expected, but the sound effects are extremely well done, so whether a gunfight is occurring, or something as calm as Eli saying a prayer, you can hear every page of the book flip as if you were on the set. No complaints here, and if you have a surround sound set-up, you’ll benefit from the experience even more.

 

EXTRAS

 

The selection of bonus features for The Book of Eli are worthy, with three ways to watch the movie, Blu-ray, DVD, or a Digital Copy, but one of the main disappointments is that there is no audio commentary track by the Hughes Brothers, something that would have been welcomed.

  

The Maximum Movie Mode is a picture-in-picture (PiP) track which plays over certain scenes of the film, showing behind the scenes clips as well as interviews with the cast and crew.

 

‘Eli’s Journey’ is a fifteen-minute featurette that goes into the human element of the story, and the biblical mission that Eli must tackle.

 

‘Starting Over’ allows key figures from the movie to offer theories of what would happen to the Earth and the people who survived if there were a nuclear war.

 

‘The Book of Eli Soundtrack’ has the film’s composer, Atticus Ross, discussing how the music plays a central role in Eli’s journey.

 

‘The Lost Tale: Billy’ is a five-minute animated piece that goes into Gary Oldman’s character Carnegie as a little boy.

 

There are three deleted scenes offered, but there’s nothing that enhances the film and it’s obvious why they ended up on the cutting room floor.

 

A second disc provides both a standard DVD copy as well as a Digital Copy when you’re on the go, so no matter how you want to experience the film, you’re set.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

The Book of Eli is definitely worthy of your attention, not only as an action film, but something deeper because of the mood it leaves you with. The Blu-ray offers superb visuals and sound, and it’s worth the money just because you have three option formats to watch the film. Could there be a sequel or a prequel to this movie, in Hollywood who knows, but it would be interesting if done right. Overall, the Book of Eli is a solid addiction to your Blu-ray collection.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.5

Extras: 3.5

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

Released: June 18, 2010
1 hr. 43 mins.
G
Directed by:  Lee Unkrich

Tom Hanks
Tim Allen
Joan Cusack
Don Rickles

1995’s Toy Story was one of those landmark, groundbreaking, milestone, watershed, (insert similar descriptive word here), motion pictures.  Animated cinema suddenly became a bit more alien.  As the first fully computer generated feature it razed a path for new, creative, polygon-built ideas.  What made the original Toy Story such a hit wasn’t the newfangled visuals, but the classic and endearing (and enduring) troupe of characters.  It’s been such that in the past fifteen years few have stayed as ever present and iconic as Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

Toy Story 3 had reason to fail.  Not fail in the traditional “good movie, bad movie,” sense but fail in a more internal way.  “Failing,” in studio Pixar’s sense of the word is Cars, and that film grossed nearly five-hundred million worldwide.  Pixar films, though they draw ridiculous box office, have always been more about boring through to the innately human functions of our inner workings.  Entrenching a deep sense and feel for character through computer created cold hard machinery.  Pixar has single-handedly kept the Disney tradition afloat, so anything less (Box Office or not) than an affecting work would be, in essence, a failure.

Enlisting the help of Michael Arndt (better known as the man who penned indie to Hollywood hit Little Miss Sunshine) was a good way to start.  It was a curious but bright and forward thinking move.  What comes out of it, and what has come through in the majority of Pixar’s recent work, is a story that feels more adult than perhaps it should.  The guilty college-aged stand up and say, “this film was made for us.”

But maybe it really was.  Maybe it was built for those who grew up with the films; who played with their own Buzz Lightyear and ran around yelping, “To infinity…and beyond!”  Andy, the now off to college owner of said Buzz Lightyear and the rest, is voiced by the same kid who did so all those years ago, John Morris.  Yes, they could have casted anyone.  No one would know the difference.  John’s casting was not just for nostalgia’s sake, no way.  He’s lived through the character of Andy, and now as an adult he’s able to look back at his experience in a way no one else really could.

Fairly young folks won’t get the melancholy.  They’ll laugh at “Spanish Buzz” and cackle at his strange dexterity.  And that’s fine.  In what must be the most difficult balance in cinema entertainment, Pixar does wonderfully.  They take the same work and make it a pleasure for young and old.  Other CG “kids” films harp on sight gags and baby humor.  They hire A to B list celebs (not voice actors) to provide the dialogue for, fundamentally, polygonal sterility, and make it painfully difficult for an advanced audience to connect with it.  Though it’s a slight step-down from the brilliant and beautiful Up (mostly due to the constraints a sequel is inherently tied to), Toy Story 3 is a film of soul ripping cheer and heart.  It’s a sequel that achieves the improbable and near impossible and makes you ask yourself why cinema isn’t this affecting more often.

Pixar has done it again.  Their toys shine like new.

Bottom Line: 4.5/5.0

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

2 hrs. 5 min.
R
Directed by:  Rodrigo García

Naomi Watts
Annette Bening
Kerry Washington
Samuel L. Jackson

Rodrigo García directed this film.  Rodrigo García wrote this film.  Why is this important?  Should we know him?  Well, he wrote/directed the moderately successful Nine Lives.  Ok…that’s cool, any other reason why we should know him?

Rodrigo García is the son of Gabriel García Márquez.  Huh?  Who?  Gabriel García Márquez!  Who?  Don’t tell me you don’t know!  GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ!

For those not in the know and, more importantly, to those annoyed by the confrontational type, Gabriel García Márquez is one of our Earth’s most admired and acclaimed authors.  The Columbian writer’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, a story of humanity and mind-sucking magical realism, is among the greatest contemporary novels.  The unfortunate reality for Rodrigo is that his work will forever be compared with his father’s.  Even more unfortunate, his latest picture doesn’t do much in elevating him to his father’s heaven-high plateau.

Where Márquez painted his characters in surrealism Rodrigo García goes the other way, building a space of the hyper-real, downtrodden adult drama.  Mother and Child knows it’s characters, but that doesn’t stop them from serving up a nice fat schmaltz stew.

Annette Bening (who hasn’t really done much in the way of visibility since American Beauty) plays Karen, a mother who became so at fourteen and gave up her then and still only child.  She’s the acidic type, whose conversations go in fiery circles and likely burn whomever sidles too closely.  Her now grown-up child, Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), is a lawyer with an uncompromisingly sexual psyche.  Plenty of Hollywood starlets are bestowed the moniker “talented and beautiful,” but few earn it more than Watts.  Paul (Samuel L. Jackson) is her boss, and it’s completely refreshing seeing Jackson in a role that doesn’t require him to make sexual remarks about one’s mother.  Kerry Washington (as Lucy) is an unfertile aspiring mom who sees adoption as the cure for her natal deficiency.

García recognizes his characters and draws them well.  Every one of them has punch and sits nicely in the notch they were carved, but predictability and lazy melodramatic cues make the film seem like it was created in an artistic malaise.  The score’s ham-fisted, and almost deletes the solid performances.  Pushing these scenes to the brink of drama only makes them less effective.

The film runs a fat two hours: with more liberal cutting the end results would have been more persuasive, and García’s talent for interesting character would have shone.  As a film about the relationships between mother’s and their disconnected children this picture’s need to feel adult only proves it’s still just a kid.

Bottom Line: 3.0/5.0

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

Release: May 28th

1 hr. 56 min.

PG-13

Directed by: Mike Newell

Jake Gyllenhaal
Gemma Arterton
Ben Kingsly

Jordan Mechner’s 1989 title for the Apple II, Prince of Persia, was the first computer game that chiseled a deep, everlasting presence into my brain.

The uncommonly realistic rotoscoped animation.  The strafed sword battles.  Magic potions that blindly helped or hindered.  Leaps of faith, and deadly falls into intermittently spiked pits.

That series of fragments represents memories from an IP that’s beholden to only special, special things.  Follow-ups in the franchise have remained popular, and sustained video game popularity begets money thrown at Hollywood movie tie-in.

And coming down from the heavens, on his glorious white cloud, ladies and gentlemen…Jerry Bruckheimer.

From the man who’s never seen an explosion he didn’t like comes the latest in a long line of shoot first think of plot later vehicles.  Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a story of time and sand.  Epic, windswept locales, with a princess in there somewhere. 

Through an act of bravery and heart, young orphan Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is swept upon the horse of a Persian king, setting the table for the rest of his to-be-privileged life.  As an adult he ventures off to the holy city of Alamut, to, along with the rest of the royal family, seize the divine metropolis.  There he encounters a vivacious princess (a browned-up Gemma Arterton) and a sacred dagger with the power to rewind time.

Now, director Mike Newell has done some interesting and nuanced work.  Upon arriving on set for Prince of Persia something had to have happened.  Mr. Newell must have been trying to set up a shot when Mr. Bruckheimer suggested something.  Mr. Newell must have agreed with what Jerry said because, heck, he hadn’t done much of this “action” stuff prior.  Before Mr. Newell knew it, Mr. Bruckheimer must have been telling the actors what to do and setting up the shots himself.

This film is not directed well.

Super gratuitous use of super slow-mo combined with confusing and unnatural cutting make the action sequences nary unwatchable.  Maybe it’s just a filmmaker uncomfortable in his surroundings but you’d think helming a Harry Potter picture would have prepared him for anything.

Casting American pretty boy Jake Gyllenhaal as a Persian prince should have thrown you off.  The film halfway gets around this by writing him off as an orphan boy taken from the streets of Persia.  Thankfully, Gyllenhaal’s white man from the west appearance doesn’t distract too much.  After awhile you can sort of realistically believe Jake’s running and jumping action-hero persona.  The dialogue between his character and Arterton’s princess is great; they shoot back and forth with style and wit.  Alfred Molina is as wonderfully fantastic as he always is as Sheik Amar, a hustling pseudo-intimidating ostrich racetrack owner.  And Ben Kingsly (as the Prince’s uncle Nizam) is due by now to win the award for greatest actor to appear in the largest amount of dreadful films.

The acting isn’t the problem however.  It’s the been there done that.  Five minutes can’t go by without another character speaking about the plot, and narrative turns are made for turns’ sake.  Not a terrible story, but awfully executed.  In better hands it could have been better than decent.

If I had the dagger of time I’d rewind to back before I saw…well, geez, I’m sure you get that one.

Bottom Line: 2.0/5.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

 

Warner Home Entertainment – 117 minutes – 2010 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.40:1 – DTS HD Master 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

 

 

The last time we saw Mel Gibson starring in a movie was in 1992’s Signs, because he’s been focusing his talents behind the camera as a director with such films as The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto. Gibson may have some personal issues with his private life, but when it comes to movies, he always delivers the goods. He’s also knows he’s no longer the young long haired pretty boy from the Lethal Weapon films anymore, and seems to be comfortable now playing an older man who can no longer hang off of the top of a car and say one liners. Edge of Darknesss is in no way another Lethal Weapon film, and that’s a good thing. Though this film is paced differently from what we expect from Gibson’s usual action movies, Edge of Darkness is worth a look now that it’s available on Blu-ray from Warner Bros.

 

THE MOVIE

 

Gibson plays Thomas Craven, a widowed Boston police detective who is trying to bond with his daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic), who seems to have some hidden issues. Tragedy occurs when gunmen surround his home and murder his daughter. Craven thinks the bullet was meant for him by something seeking revenge for something he did in the past, but after diving into the case to find the killer, he learns that his daughter was targeted for execution because she knew vital information that could cripple a major corporation if it was revealed. Craven seeks revenge on his daughter’s killers, hunting them down one by one and breaking every law in his path, but even he realizes that this thing is so big that it has snowballed.

 

Edge of Darkness is based on a British TV series, and being that I have never seen the series I can not make any comparisons, and have to just accept the film for what it is. Anyone expecting tons of action, explosions, and Mel Gibson doing a Mad Max will instantly be disappointed. Yes, there are violent moments and periods of Mel gunning down the bad guys, but this film goes for more of a dramatic tone where characters are highlighted over action. So there is more talk than bullets flying, but if you have the patience, it’s very effective.

 

The film was directed by Martin Campbell, who is no stranger action films with movies like Casino Royal and The Mask of Zorro under his belt. Unlike those films Campbell focuses on making the characters three dimensional, so you feel for Gibson as he loses his only child and is desperate to know why this happened. One of the best standout characters is a mystery man named Jedburgh played by veteran actor Ray Winstone, who you’re never really sure what side he works for, but he always appears when he’s needed.

 

Edge of Darkness works better just as long as you watch it with no expectation, which is hard, because with Mel Gibson attached you’re always looking for a certain type of action film. But just keep in mind that Gibson is now an old balding man, so just like Clint Eastwood his style of being an action character must also change so that he can be taken seriously on screen. Some will welcome this, but others will desire for him to go into Martin Riggs or Max Rockatansky mode and destroy everything in sight.

 

VIDEO

 

Offering a full 1080p image in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, Edge of Darkness looks good on Blu-ray. The film’s tone is dark and drab and this is seen on screen with muted colors and characters hidden in the shadows. Details are very strong, so you can see every wrinkle on Mel Gibson’s gruff face, and the skin tones are solid. This is s well done transfer that matches the mood of the film.

 

AUDIO

 

This is s heavy dialogue film, so the provided DTS Master Audio 5.1 sound mix does a good job at making sure every line is heard clearly Even though Gibson’s Boston accent is up and down. Ambience sounds smooth pulling you into scenes that go from subtle to completely chaotic. There’s nothing that jumps out at you about the sound, but it does the job.

 

EXTRAS

 

There’s some quick under five minute segments and deleted scenes included with the bonus features, but nothing that will hold your attention. In addition a second disc is included with a Digital Copy of the film.

 

‘Mel’s Back’ is a smooch segment about how Mel Gibson is a screen legend, and no one else could play this role but him., etc.

 

‘Director Profile Martin Cambell’ allows the casts to talk about how they enjoyed working with the director. It’s basically what you always see and hear from these types of segments.

 

‘Thomas Craven’s War of Attrition’ allows Mel Gibson himself to explain his character in the film. This one is quick but interesting.

 

‘Adapting the Edge of Darkness Miniseries’ is a way too short look at how the British TV show was converting into a big screen movie. This one should have been longer with more meat for those curious about the original show.

 

‘Boston as a Character” is self explanatory looking at how the film used the city as a location.

 

‘Making a Ghost Character Real” highlights how Emma Craven’s character, though dead, plays a major role throughout the film.

 

A sporadic collection of deleted scenes are also included, totaling six minutes, nothing here adds anything new to the film and its obvious why most of the scenes were cut.

 

A second disc includes a Digital Copy for viewers on the go.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

The Edge of Darkness is a well done film with solid moments, but it may not be what most Mel Gibson fans would expect from him. Also, being that the film was marketed like a similar film, ‘Taken’, with Liam Neeson, viewers may be looking for more bullets and heads being cracked over talk. The Blu-ray offers a solid picture and decent sound, but the bonus features are nothing special. This is a film that may grow on you, but you may want to rent it first to see if it’s for you.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie:      3.5

Video:             4.0

Sound:             4.0

Extras:             2.5

Bottom Line:   3.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

 

Fox Home Entertainment – 93 minutes – 1990 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 Audio Mix

 

 

Stallone and Schwarzenegger ruled the action hero genre in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but as they became more and more expensive to afford, Hollywood began looking for more reasonably priced action heroes to fill in the gaps. Jean-Claude Van Damme did his best but fizzled fast, and long with him another badass emerged named Seagal…Steven Seagal. No one knows where he came from, but he just seemed to appear out of nowhere in 1998’s Above the Law, which became a hit. Seagal declared himself the new action hero king and because he was skinny (uh…he was then), tall, and had a cool pony tail…audiences accepted it. With the exception of his best film, Under Siege, he always played the cop that kills first and asks questions later. His third film, 1990’s Marked for Death, follows this format to a T and is for the first time available on Blu-ray courtesy of the Fox.

 

THE MOVIE

 

The plot is as super simple, centering around a hard ass Chicago DEA named John Hatcher (Mr. Seagal) who is involved in a drug sting in Columbia that goes really bad and his partner is killed. Hatcher can’t deal with the pain and decides to quit the force and go back to his hometown to be with his family. Unfortunately his old neighborhood has now been taken over by a Jamaican drug posse that uses extreme violence (and of course voodoo) to control their turf. Hatcher ignores this until his own niece is seriously wounded in a drive-by meant to terminate him, and he drops the peace act to unleash a furious can of whip-ass to eliminate the gang.

 

Directed by Dwight H. Little (who also helmed Free Willly 2), Marked for Death throws every cliché and stereotype at you in a 93 minute time frame. The Jamaicans are made to look ruthless and evil with no remorse and look like a bunch of alien Predators when they are together. Seagal’s family is super white bread and innocent, and of course he has a black cop friend/sidekick played by character actor Keith David. As long as you can accept all this, and it would help if you’re a fan of Seagal, you can have a lot of fun with this movie.

 

The best thing about this film is that at least Seagal was skinny and it was somewhat believable that he can do those martial arts moves and no one could kick his ass. If you’ve seen Mr. Seagal lately you know this is no longer a reality, unless he falls on you. Oddly his follow-up to this film was 1991’s Out for Justice, (man Seagal loves those three word titles…Above the Law, Hard to Kill) where he basically plays the same character with a different name. Under Siege (a two word title…finally) is the one time where he gets it right, because yes it’s Die Hard on a boat, but it works for him and he should have stayed on this path and stop eating those belly popping late night snacks.

 

Whether or not this Blu-ray is for you is based upon whether or not you like Seagal, or if you just want to reminisce to time in the 90’s when action heroes were small on talk and big at popping caps in the bad guys. Seagal will never be an A-list action hero again, so no matter what his 90’s action films are major nostalgia. And for his next generation of fans, this guy seems to pump out a new straight to video bad action flick every month. Do you need the cash that bad Mr. Seagal?

 

VIDEO

 

Wow this film is twenty years old, but it actually doesn’t look that bad on Blu-ray with a 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Colors look good, but flesh tones seems to be a little on the reddish side. Blacks are actually well balanced, most likely because of the film stock used that holds up with the transfer. Overall, the image quality won’t blow you away, but if all you have is an old DVD, it’s definitely a step up.

 

AUDIO

 

Fox provides a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that does the trick without the bells and whistles. Seagal’s muffled voice is acceptable, but when the Jamaican characters are saying their cliché lines you may have no clue what’s going on and may want to click on the subtitles. Action sounds such as gunfire, explosions and screeching cars are basic, but all the reggae music sounds great.

 

EXTRAS

 

Nada…Zilch…Zip. Shame on you Fox for not showing love to Mr. Seagal.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

Like all Steven Seagal films, marked for Death is a guilty pleasure. This Blu-ray was is in no way Hi-def show off material, and falls into the basic catalog title slot. You’ll have fun just as long as you don’t take it seriously at all, and for those hardcore fans who want to upgrade their old Marked for Death DVD, this one is for you.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie:      2.5

Video:             3.0

Sound:             3.0

Extras:             0.0

Bottom Line:   2.5

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

Release: March 19, 2010 (limited)

1 hr. 40 min.

PG-13

Directed By:  Raymond De Felitta

Andy Garcia

Julianna Margulies

Steven Strait

Emily Mortimer

City Island knew it had charm before it even completed casting.

No doubt the director, producers, and actors all collectively gave the film’s 35mm reels a great big Bronx hug before shipping them off to theaters; waving goodbye with deep grins as the trucks clunked away.

Andy Garcia probably carried around the script as if it were his own child.  He watched over it, kept it clean, and displayed a vast amount of pride when it grew up and went out into the cinematic world.  Writer-Director Raymond De Felitta put all his personality and love into this picture.  You could fool me into believing the adorably twisted people inhabiting the film were his actual relatives.  His story of a less-than-functional family bleeds authenticity.  Though the cast looks like a grocery list of indie cinema’s top of the line bit players, they feel very rooted in their roles.  Garcia’s character, Vince Rizzo, is all parts doof.  Loveable, tough guy doof.

Vince Rizzo comes from a long line of clam diggers; a community of homegrown fishing folk who live and breath off the land, and take pride in their oft-unacknowledged blue-collar work.  He’s a prison guard (err…corrections officer) who harbors a furtive passion for the performing arts and bogus adoration for poker. His dangerously unknowing wife, Joyce (Julianna Margulies), assumes his fictional poker nights conceal something much worse.  Margulies cuts through her lines, like a razor with an acidic tip.  A woman scorned indeed.  Rizzo’s daughter, Vivian (played by Garcia’s actual daughter, Dominik Garcia-Lorido) strips on the side, and to complete the dysfunction, Vince Jr. ( Ezra Miller), embraces the cliché American teenage lifestyle of sexual attraction to immense overeating.

It turns (oh, it always turns) when Vince brings home his illegitimate convict son, muscle-bound muscle sucker Tony Nardella (Steven Strait).  Tony grabs hold of the moral center of the film.  He’s the one character unafraid of secrets.  Do not doubt it:  This is a film about secrets.  What we keep from others and what we choose to tell, and how it will most likely get out, no matter how many locks we slam on the door.

Vince meets the lively Molly (Emily Mortimer) at his hush-hush acting classes and the two begin a strangely sweet emotional affair.  Emily Mortimer does cute, and does cute well.  Their scenes present the most satisfying pulp the movie has to offer.  Molly’s smartly written and on her toes, while Vince lumbers through the scenes with his own brand of endearing.

The film’s own Twitter account advertises itself as “the 2010 Little Miss Sunshine.”  That could be true, yes.  If done the way it should have been, that could have definitely been true.  What keeps City Island from lasting as a supremely important work is its refusal to finish its arcs.   The characters seem to stop short of their marks; cut off prematurely.  Instead of growing naturally and living in the picture space until their flaws have turned them around they hit their ultimate apex of ineptitude and stop right there.  With the exception of Vince, the “transformations,” aren’t convincing and flatten what are otherwise well written and interesting players.

Even with that, City Island is a film hard to hate.  The most stoic and cynical moviegoers will unquestionably crack a shifted grin.  Despite the dysfunction, it’s a picture with an inherently sweet disposition.

And that counts for something.

Bottom Line: 3.5/5.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

 

Warner Home Entertainment – 99 minutes – 2009 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS HD Master 5.1 Audio Mix

 

 

Have you ever had the experience of watching a movie and saying to yourself, “why the hell am I watching this?” Well you may ask yourself this very question if you choose to watch Ninja Assassin, the latest film produced by the duo that brought you The Matrix.

Hey we all love ninjas, but something seriously went wrong here, and someone deserves to have some parts severed. If you’re curious, or if you’re one of those who believes that the Wachowski brothers, (uh, brother and sister now) can pump out another hit without Matrix in the title, Ninja Assassin is now available on Blu-ray from Warner Home Video, but proceed with caution because this one may hurt…a lot.

 

THE MOVIE

 

The plot of Ninja Assassin is simple…very simple. Raizo (played by Korean pop star Rain) was trained to be a deadly ninja from childhood as a part of the Ozunu Clan. When various underworld figures are being killed off one-by-one by in a manner only a ninja would use, a Europol agent named Mika (Naomie Harris) begins to investigate the murders, which makes her the target of the vicious clan. She is saved by a loner who also possesses these same ninja fighting skills and learns that he is also looking for the Ozunu Clan seeking his final revenge against his former master, Lord Ozunu (Sho Kosugi).

 

Ninja Assassin, directed by James McTeigue (who helmed V for Vendetta), has stylized fighting, sliced body parts, and blood galore, but still fails to hold your attention. The fight scenes are so over the top and laced with CGI effects that they fail to amaze you. Martial arts movies capture you because of the awesome moves the fighters are doing, not effects that cheapen the shot. Just imagine if Enter the Dragon or Fist of Fury displayed Bruce Lee using computer animated nunchucks?

 

This is Rain’s first starring role in a movie, and he gets props for working on his body, but other than looking the part, he has no on camera appeal or charm. Unless you’re a teenage girl who’s a fan of his music, and just wants to see him run around with no shirt on, there’s no other reason to believe in this guy. But it’s not all his fault, because the script is so anemic that there’s no meat for anyone in this film to chew on.

 

Basically, all you’re getting here is plenty of senseless fight scenes strung together with fast paced editing and a script than could have been written on the inside of a matchbook cover. And let’s face it with a film like Ninja Assassin maybe wanting something more solid is asking too much. Most martial arts films don’t really offer much of a plot anyway, so in that sense this film is just following the template. But at the same time you shouldn’t just accept mediocre because that’s all that’s offered to you. To sum it up, if you just want to see some videogame fight scenes and nothing else, then Ninja Assassin will satisfy you, but if you dare want something more, there are always plenty of old school martial arts films available at any video store that will easily blow this one out of the water.

 

VIDEO

 

What it lacks in quality, Ninja Assassin definitely makes up for in visuals, providing a full 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. With its colorful cinematography this film delivers the kind of image you expect from a Blu-ray. Skin tones are perfect and blacks stand strong, which is paramount for a film like this where most of the action takes place in the dark. The one issue that takes away from the visual splendor is all the CGI blood that looks so bad. What’s wrong with standard blood packs? It worked for movies for all these years. Overall, visually this film is a winner.

 

AUDIO

 

Offering a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound mix, Ninja Assassin sounds great allowing you to hear every slice and dice of the of a ninja’s sword, and blood splattering as it hits the ground. Dialogue sounds fine, but you’re not watching this film for its memorable lines, you’re watching it for the action. Sound enthusiast will be happy with this Blu-ray’s use of all speaker positions, which delivers the full cinema effect. Like the visuals, the sound makes what could’ve been a worse viewing experience tolerable.

 

EXTRAS

 

Looks like no one had faith in this film, because the bonus features seem more forced and definitely anemic. And of course, the Wachowskis do not make their presence known in any way, shape or form.

 

‘The Myth and Legend of Ninjas’ is the only decent thing in the batch, looking at the history of Ninjas. If you’re a fan of these mysterious soldiers of the night, this is a must see.

 

‘Training Rain’ is a fluff piece on Korea’s biggest pop star Rain, and the training he went through for the film.

 

‘The Extreme Sport of a Ninja’ is an on the scene look at the stunts and choreography of the movie.

 

Four deleted scenes don’t add anything to this movie, but since you have the disc, you might as well watch them just to say you did.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

Ninja Assassin is not going to ever win any awards, but as long as you don’t expect much, maybe you’ll at least enjoy the fight sequences. The Blu-ray delivers great picture and sound, so if that’s what you’re looking for you’ll be satisfied. Unless you’ve seen this in theaters and loved it, you should rent Ninja Assassin and then decide if it’s worth the dead presidents.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie: 2.5

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.0

Bottom Line: 2.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

 

Fox Home Entertainment – 123 minutes – 2004 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 1.85:1 – DTS Lossless 5.1 Audio Mix

 

 

 

Sometimes you watch a film not expecting much, and then by the time it’s over you understand why you love movies. Fortunately, Sideways is one of those films, mainly because it’s not about our planet self-destructing, zombies, transforming robots, or giant blue creatures, it’s simply about people like you and me. Sideways is the definition of why sometimes simple is better and more satisfying. For those of you who have never seen the film, or just to refresh yourself on how good it is, Sideways is available on Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment, so hold up that wine glass and enjoy.

 

THE MOVIE

 

Call it a bromance, call it a buddy road trip, or you can call it both as two friends, Miles (Paul Giamatti), a depressed divorcee who can’t even get his novel published, and Jack (Thomas Haden Church), a wild guy who’s just out to have fun, drive to Santa Barbara’s vineyards on a quest for good wine and women. Jack, a has-been actor, is days away from getting married, but wants to have an eleventh hour fling or two. Miles tries to fight his self-battering when he meets a waitress in town named Maya (Virginia Madsen), who he surprisingly has a lot in common with. Jack, on the other, hand begins to court a townie named Stephanie (Sandra Oh), but after she learns about his fiancée things quickly turn sour. Things get really complex when all the wine and women mix together, causing a shattering effect that can damage Jack and Miles’ friendship forever.

 

Sideways works because all the pieces fit together nicely, starting with excellent direction from Alexander Payne, followed by a well adapted screenplay by Payne and Jim Taylor, and topped off with a solid cast, which all results in filmmaking perfection. The on-screen chemistry between Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church is priceless, which makes you want to replay scenes just to see them going at it again. We all know guys like this, or may be just like one of them, a quality that compliments the film even more. These are real guys, not the ‘always ready with a witty one-liner’ type who seem to dominate comedies now. Also, the female characters played by Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen are not just the typical objects of desire for these guys, they are both centered women who know exactly what they want, making them more focused than the guys that pursue them.

 

A movie like Sideways comes along few and far between, but when it does you harness it for all it has. Many have said they would like to see a sequel to this film just to see what has become of Miles and Jack. Being that lesser films get sequels, it would be interesting of Alexander Payne and his ensemble reunited for a follow-up. But realistically this probably will never happen, which is fine, because it’s always best not t tamper with perfection.

 

VIDEO

 

Offering a full 1080p image in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Sideways has a simple look that is reminiscent of an older 60’s and 70’s movie, which works perfectly. Flesh tones look good and colors are balanced, but the overall soft look (which was purposely done) does not deliver the hi-def picture that you’re used to seeing on a Blu-ray. But if you look at this compared to the standard DVD, you will see that the difference is obvious because the Blu-ray delivers a much more solid picture. If you’re thinking of an upgrade, definitely do it.

 

AUDIO

 

The Blu-ray features a Dolby Digital 5.1 DTS-HD audio mix that does a fine job, allowing you to hear every line of dialogue crystal clear. This is not a heavy sound effects film so the center speaker is the only one in the batch that will get a workout. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets the job done well.

 

EXTRAS

 

This is a straight port from the DVD, so if you were thinking up upgrading you will not be missing anything.

 

The stars of the film Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church provide a great audio commentary track, because these guys have such good on screen chemistry that it rolls over perfectly with their tales of making the movie. This is definitely worth listening to.

 

There are seven deleted scenes that run a little over fifteen minutes. A few work but it’s obvious why the majority were cut out. Overall, it’s worth checking out.

 

A way too short making of featurette is more fluff than information, and does not compliment the film. You’re better off just skimming through this and instead listening to the audio commentary track.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

Sideways is one of those films that doesn’t come around very often, so you have to harness it. With a great cast, script, and direction this one is not to be missed. The Blu-ray offers good image and sound quality, but the only notable bonus feature is the audio commentary track by the stars of the film. If you’ve never seen Sideways, do yourself a favor and check it out; and if you’re already a fan this one is a must own.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 3.5

Sound: 3.5

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.5