Dec. 4, 2008

Reviewed by Richard Lee Zuras

Released Oct. 5, 2008

1 hr. 30 min.

Pg-13

Peter Sollett/Columbia

Michael Cera

Kat Dennings

How do you make a professional looking film for around 9 million dollars? First, you cast a lot of young actors who do not splash the tabloids. Second, you get stars bigger than your leads to appear in cameo (for little to no money). Third, in a movie whose title might suggest a massively expensive soundtrack you instead fill said playlist with the likes of: We Are Scientists, The Dead 60’s, Vampire Weekend, Bishop Allen, and The Submarines. Fourth, weave the story-line around indie rock so no one thinks you skimped on paying royalties to say Green Day or Coldplay.

There are other ways to succeed, and this movie uses them all. Unashamedly. Unabashedly. Even though your movie asks you to cast the lesser paid actors to fit your budget–you must not forget that to draw in today’s youth and beauty obsessed viewer you simply must cast beautiful people. If Michael Cera isn’t beautiful enough (therefore already drawing the everyman viewer), why not have his ex-girlfriend be too pretty to look his way in the real world? Next, cast a new girlfriend who isn’t the Betty we want to see in this indie-everyman-rebel film–but is still quite pretty. But take no chances here. Be sure to hire several makeup professionals to be ready to paint (and I mean paint) her lips before each scene is shot. Verse said makeup artists in “The Jolie” style of lip painting. Be safe though–go ahead and clearly outline her lips in an attempt to give madame Jolie a run for her money.

Next, base the screenplay on a novel no one is clamoring to buy. Pay a screenwriter who is largely unproven and unknown. Hire a director with almost no credits but the vision to re-write Footloose as a cinematic musical starring Zac Efron. Be sure to shoot much of the film with hand-helds and in the middle of the night. Oh, wait, very important…be sure to leave out the Fuck Shit Piss language of the novel. Call Nick’s band the Jerk Offs instead of the Fuck offs. You must garner the PG-13 rating to reap a profit. (Interesting that the novel is geared to 9^th grade and up, meaning even the “system” finds such language appropriate in print. Interesting that such language will get you an R rating, but amped up violence passes in PG-13 movies like Quantum of Solace.)

Finally, beg, steal and borrow every movie trick you’ve seen done in the past 20 years. See if you can spot these iconic scenes within Nick and Nora and also guess which films they’ve “borrowed” from: main character needs to decide on college during the one evening in which the film takes place, new couple has to drive home a drunk person, main character takes other main character to a place of reverie, after hours, to impress them, high school kids seem to dominate the club scene. And don’t forget to throw in the obligatory reference to tunnels and bridges. Stir.

Bottom line 3.0/5.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox Home Entertainment– 90 minutes – 2008 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p 1.85:1 – DTS HD 5.1 Lossless Audio

What the hell happened to Eddie Murphy? When I was a kid I loved this guy because he made good films like Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours, Coming to America, and I’ll even give it to him for Boomerang. He was once the biggest star on the map, and now it seems that every film he’s made in the last few years (with the exception of Dream Girls) is career suicide. You would think he would have learned from mistakes like Daddy Day Care and Norbit, but now he has fallen to his lowest point, yes even lower than Pluto Nash, with a train wreck of a film called Meet Dave, which is now available on Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment. Mr. Murphy if you have any respect for your place in the history of cinema, you need to immediately fire your agent, manager, and vow to never work with director Brian Robbins again.

THE MOVIE

This film is not even worth discussing, so let’s keep this short. For those who care, Meet Dave stars Eddie Murphy, once again playing duel roles, the first being the captain of an intergalactic miniature crew, and the other is the starship itself which is a replica of himself that looks like a regular person, but is actually a robot, (I mean spaceship) in disguise, who is dressed in a white suit that resembles Ricardo Montalban’s from the TV show Fantasy Island, the only reference to Earth culture the crew has. Their mission on Earth, in absolute cliché style, is to find an orb that has fallen to Earth and destroy it to save their own planet…Yawn.

So for most of the film Eddie Murphy just walks around making odd faces, looking as if he’s completely embarrassed to be in the movie; and tossed in are silly jokes from the crew of his ship, doing stuff we’ve already seen in comedies like Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. There are no surprises or twists, and if you find yourself laughing at any point, it will be a laugh of disbelief because you can’t believe you’re watching this mess.

Directed by Brian Robbins, who has nothing to offer cinema, because Meet Dave is like watching a bigger version of the TV show Family Matters with Eddie Murphy playing Urkel. Directors like Brett Ratner and Michael Bay always get ripped apart for their movies, but at least those guys understand how to make a movie, and what it takes to entertain an audience. Brian Robbins is not a Director, he is just the equivalent of an auto pilot button, and you just press him when you need a crappy film popped out. Has he evolved as a director since Good Burger? Fuck no! And that was ten years ago.

Meet Dave is aimed at a younger audience, but showing them this film may get you arrested for child abuse. Thankfully movie audiences agreed, making this film one of the biggest bombs of 2008, barely taking in a total of $11 million dollars domestic. Maybe Meet Dave works better if you play a drinking game while watching it, because you can’t sit through this thing sober. Mr. Eddie Murphy, you have a bunch of fans who grew up watching your best work in the 80’s and early 90’s who really, really miss you and want to see you come back to claim your throne as the king of comedy. You still have some clout in Hollywood Eddie, so please use it to demand better scripts for your talents. You’re much better than this.

VIDEO

With full 1080p resolution in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio Meet Dave looks good, but it’s like putting a pile of dogshit in a gift-wrapped box. The film is so bad that even if it image quality is good, it’s very difficult to appreciate it. Meet Dave’s image quality is sharp with nice details, but the overall style of the cinema photography is lame and the pathetic visual effects will not keep you attention for long.

AUDIO

The DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 audio mix is wasted here, because the sound design is not even a step above a TV movie. The dialogue is clear, but and the background noises are satisfactory, but because of the film itself, you may find yourself fast-forwarding through most of it.

EXTRAS

Like the film itself, the bonus features are lame with no director’s audio commentary included, which sucks, because I would have loved to seen Brian Robbins talk his way out of this mess.

The Making of Meet Dave is twenty minutes too long, but funnier than the film itself, because to hear these guys talk about what a great film this is going to be is hilarious.

Four deleted scenes are included that saved you seven minutes more torture it would have taken to watch the film if they were left in.

There’s a three-minute gag reel that may make you gag.

The highlight of the extras is a Fox TV special called “Life After Film School with Brian Robbins.” The first thing he says is that he never went to film school. Judging by his library of work I wouldn’t brag about that. Quentin Tarantino never went to film school either, but he at least he knows and understands how to make a good movie.

BOTTOM LINE

Meet Dave sucks. Don’t buy it, don’t rent it, don’t even say the title out loud or you’ll have nightmares.

SCORES: (out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 3.0

Sound: 2.5

Extras: 2.0

Bottom Line: 2.0

Note: Portions of this review are from the original HD-DVD release:  http://www.fusedwire.com/index.php/2008/04/14/hd-dvd-review-the-kingdom-2007/

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 1 hr 51 mins – 2007 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

Since the current war in the Middle East began, there have been various films that tried to deal with the subject, but none were really well received by critics or audiences. The Kingdom is definitely one of the better films of the bunch, and for those who missed the theatrical run, the film is now available on Blu-ray from Universal home video. The Kingdom is a political thriller based on current real world events directed by Peter Berg, whose former film, Friday Night Lights was a major success; and includes a powerhouse cast featuring Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper, and a great supporting role by Jason Bateman from the TV show Arrested Development. They play a team of FBI officers who travel to Saudi Arabia to investigate a terrorist attack that occurred on a facility populated by Americans, which resulted in the death of a fellow agent.

THE MOVIE

The Kingdom goes for realism and avoids the typical escapism action that is normally highlighted in films of this genre, doing its best to show you how war affects both sides, and in the end no one wins. What makes the film work is that as a viewer you are figuring out all the information and facts along with the investigators who are trying to piece together the puzzle of what really occurred during the attack, who is responsible, and why did it happen. Many of the shots are hand held, displaying that shaky-cam chaotic and tense style, giving you the sensation of what an American in the Middle East during a time of war must go through on a day-by-day basis. The entire cast delivers strong performances, particularly Ashraf Barhom who plays Colonel Faris Al Ghazi, the only ally to the FBI team. Also, look for a cameo from Jeremy Piven, who seems to be playing a character that could be the older brother of Ari Gold of Entourage. And even though this film looks like it was shot on location in Saudi Arabi, you’ll be surprised to learn that a good portion of it was actually shot in Arizona.

Because it’s not following the formula of your basic action film with a shoot out or car chase occurring every fifteen minutes, some may find the film slow because it’s heavy on character development. But by the end of the film when the major action finale unfolds, you will understand why the filmmakers went in this direction. The Kingdom is not an “Us” vs. “Them” movie where you clearly know from the start who are the heroes and villains; but instead attempts to focus more on people and how they deal with the horrors of war. Anyone looking for a solid political thriller with good performances should give this film a try.

VIDEO

The Kingdom has a very documentary-styled look, eliminated the gloss in preference for muted colors and tones. While this works to make the film’s dramatic aspect feel more realistic, it does diminish it as Hi-def material, because some scenes look washed out. The film is presented in 1080p in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with a mint transfer. Obviously, one of the best features about a new film is that the print is fresh and requires no touch-ups such as an older films from the 70’s, 80’s would, so this is the best image quality that you can possibly get for this film.

AUDIO

The DTS-HD lossless 5.1 audio track offered is good, but being that this is a dialogue heavy film, the only time the audio is cranked up is during the final action sequence where constant gunfire, explosions and Danny Elfman’s score take center stage to give your speakers a workout. The Kingdom’s sound is well done, fitting the tone of the film, but it will not stand out and scream in a crowd.

EXTRAS

For those of you who love the extra goodies, The Kingdom offers a huge buffet of features that will tell you everything you need to know about the film’s production.

First up is director Peter Berg’s audio commentary, which is a mixed bag because at times it’s very informative, particularly for the opening and finale sequences, but in the middle there is very little said, and whatever is discussed is not that interesting.

There are also 11 minutes of deleted scenes, which on the plus side is actually presented in HD and not just an SD workprint with the timecode running, as usually seen in most missing scene footage reels. But there is no audio commentary track to explain why the scenes were removed or shortened, which would have been a nice touch.

A half hour behind the scenes making of the movie “Creating the Kingdom” goes from the conception of the film through the production, and includes interviews with director Peter Berg and producer Michael Mann, as well as talks with the films stars Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper, and Jason Bateman, who tell stories about training with guns, getting hurt on the set, and dealing with extreme weather and other typical production dilemmas.

There’s also a featurette that focuses on the movie’s freeway sequence, detailing the effort that went into setting it up and delivering a scene that while action packed, would still remain realistic. Most of this information was discussed in Creating the Kingdom, so with the exception of one or two things it could have all been included in one feature.

The U-Control feature is the shinning star of this disc. For those of you who are newbies to this technology, certain Universal films particularly the Jason Bourne trilogy, offers a picture-in-picture (PIP) option that when enabled an icon will pop up on the lower right screen of your TV, and when activated will display a small picture box showing you behind the scenes footage about a particular sequence. The U-Control feature in The Kingdom offers a Mission Dossier that displays notes and a timeline about the Middle East, including information on government relations and religion. But the showstopper occurs during the final shootout where via PIP you can watch the perspectives of the four different team members throughout the entire action sequence. This alone will make you very happy that you own this movie.

BOTTOM LINE

The Kingdom is a solid movie that handles the subject matter of the current war in the Middle East in a realistic manner, but at the same time delivers an intense thriller with an action filled conclusion that rivals anything you’ve seen in the Tom Clancy based Jack Ryan films. In terms of HD material it will not stand up against the visuals of most Blu-rays out there, but the image quality is sharp and smooth, and the extras, particularly the U-Control features are the icing on the cake. The Kingdom makes for a fine addition to your Blu-ray library.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 4.0

Sound: 3.5

Extras: 4.5

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 2 hrs 3 mins – 2005 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

Since the dawn of filmmaking, war movies have always been one of the premiere genres that Hollywood loves to make. The most obvious reason is the “show off” factor, where a director says ‘my war battle scene will be bigger and better than the last guy’s.’ This is something that has been happening from Kubrick’s Paths of Glory, to Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. Movies that feature the first two world wars and Vietnam, have been successful, but anything involving either of the Middle East wars don’t seem to catch on with audiences. The obvious reason for this is that the Middle East situation is still fresh and it may take a decade before moviegoers want to look at it. Jarhead, the 2005 film centering of the first George Bush’s Desert Storm war, is now available o Blu-ray from Universal Home Video.

THE MOVIE

Jarhead is based on the bestselling book by Anthony Swofford about his own experiences getting ready to fight in the early 90’s Desert Storm battle. The difference between this war-based story is that unlike most movies where the soldiers see a lot of action, most Desert Storm troops never saw any real action at all. The film follows Swoff, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. as he enlist in the Marines to become the next great American soldier. When the gulf war breaks out, he is sent to the battlefield hoping the kick some major ass Rambo style as he was promised, but after 175 days he and his troop mates nearly lose their minds, because instead of killing the enemy all they do is sit around in the boiling sun, clean the latrine, play football, fight each other, party, and hear about how everyone else is getting some gun action but them. Then they are sent home confused about what the hell just went on and try to adapt to regular life again.

Directed by Sam Mendes who did the Oscar winning American Beauty, Jarhead tries to deal with the human side of war demonstrating the brainwashing it takes to build the soldier, and how they may self destruct if all that adrenaline that was pumped in them is not released on the killing field. Unfortunately, what works in a book does not always translate well on the screen, because even though Jarhead is a well made film with good performances; it’s also very slow placed and feels whiney in places. Mendes knows how to handle characters and make them real people as he’s proven in his past films, but audiences have a different mentality when it comes to war films, wanting the see the traditional large scale battles where most of the soldiers we are introduced to in the beginning are later dismembered are killed to show the horrors of war.

Jarhead does offer a great cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Peter Sarsgaard Lucas Black, and a solid cameo from Dennis Haysbert. But with the exception of a few scenes, this is mainly a talking heads film that may bore some expecting to see the next Black Hawk Down. Another issue with Jarhead is that because of the current war in the Middle East, does anyone even remember the 90’s Desert Storm, or for that matter even care anymore?

As a time capsule look at an event that happened in America history, Jarhead is acceptable, but when it’s over you may feel like, popping in Apocalypse Now or Platoon to get your war movie fix. That sounds harsh, but hey, if you see a comedy that’s not funny, or an action film with no violence, you’ll feel like something is wrong. Jarhead might leave you with the same taste in your mouth. Rent this one first.

VIDEO

Jarhead delivers some excellent photography and this Blu-ray shows it off with style, offering a full 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Films like Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down raised the bar with how audiences expect a war film to look, so cinema photographer Roger Deakins gives Jarhead a washed out look to emulate how the heavy sun of the desert has wiped everything of solid colors. The image is extremely sharp, showing you every drop of sweat that rolls down the actor’s faces; and though there is grain in the darker interior scenes, overall the film looks good.

AUDIO

With a DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 sound mix, Jarhead offers crystal clear sound and balances nicely between high and low points. This film is more dialogue than action, so every word spoken will be heard with no problem, even during the louder sequences. Background ambience definitely stands out with heavy chatter and sound effects, so if you’ve got rear-positioned speakers you’ll benefit from the mix.

EXTRAS

If you do enjoy this film, you’re going to be very let down by the bonus features that are completely anorexic. The standard DVD offered a whole mess of goodies, but for some reason no of them made it over to the Blu-ray.

There are only two audio commentaries, one featuring director Sam Mendes and a separate commentary with screenwriter William Broyles, Jr. and the author of the book, Anthony Swofford. Of the two, Mendes is the better choice, but there’s still no reason that more bonus material was not included when it’s obviously already available on the DVD.

BOTTOM LINE

Maybe one day Jarhead will be re-discovered by a new audience, but as it stands now it falls short on what was promised. The Blu-ray offers good picture and sound quality, but its inexcusable absence of bonus material really makes it drops some points. If you never seen this film it’s worth a rental, but does it belong in your Blu-ray collection? That’s up to you.

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

Warner Home Video – 98 minutes – 2008 – Rated PG – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1 EX Audio Mix – Digital Copy

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” The words that were uttered by many die hard Star Wars fans when the animated big screen movie based on The Clone Wars was announced. Star Wars: The Clone Wars was initially one big pilot for the animated TV show on the Cartoon Network, but then George Lucas decided to toss it into theaters to suck more money out of his loyal Star Wars victims. Star Wars: The Clone Wars comes to Bu-ray via Warner Home Video, (which is weird since we’re so used to Fox being attached to Star Wars). Unless you still wear footsie pajamas, or you think Jar Jar was a great character, the force will really have to be with you to watch this movie.

THE MOVIE

For those of you who actually don’t know, The Clone Wars is set between the time frame of Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. So the premise is to tell the adventures of Anakin Skywalker before he turned to the dark side and developed that really bad breathing condition. The plot of the film comes to an all-time Star Wars low with Count Dooku kidnapping Jabba the Hutt’s baby son and framing the Jedi Knights. Not wanting to get on Jabba’s bad side, the Jedi’s send Anakin on a mission to rescue the little Jabba. To make the situation more sugar coated, Anakin has been assigned an apprentice to take along, a Padawan learner named Ahsoka Tano, who is a young girl training to be a Jedi.

Most of the characters from the movies are also in this side story, including Obi Wan, Yoda, Mac Windu, R2D2, C3P0, Amidala, Palpatine, and of course Jabba the Hutt. There are some new characters also thrown into the mix, with the most notable being a female Sith named Asajj Ventress, who is so badass that she can fight with a lightsaber in each hand, and toss her cape. Just as it was in the prequels, the characters are wooden and the dialogue is bad, and being that it’s really aimed at kids this time, you’ll feel like you’re watching one big episode of the Power Rangers. If you’re older than eight, after you get over the initial Star Wars fanfare, you may find yourself fast-forwarding.

The CG animation, while not on the level of a Pixar movie is very impressive and watching it on Blu-ray in its high definition glory will keep you locked on the screen during the action scenes, which are the only saving grace of the film. There are plenty of lightsaber fights, space explosions and ground battles, one in particular that takes place on the side of a mountain, a sequence that should have been done for the live action prequels just for the wow factor.

The Clone wars is not a good film, but it’s an excellent promotional tool for making people aware of the new animated series on the Cartoon Network, so for that reason alone it accomplished its task. If you’re babysitting and need to shut the kid up for an hour and a half, slide this Blu-ray in and you’ll be seen as a hero to a child. If you couldn’t even sit through any of the Star Wars prequels, then don’t even bother trying to watch this, because it may make you want to put a hit out on Lucas for destroying the great Star Wars movies of last generation to make a quick buck off of this generation.

VIDEO

While the film itself is too much on the kiddie side, the Blu-ray offers a full 1080p image with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and it looks absolutely fantastic. I’m not to crazy about the choice of character animation design, where everyone looks like a bobble head, but in terms of visuals the execution is outstanding, which is something you come to expect with CGI movies in high-definition. If you have an HDTV that is forty inches are more and you plant some screaming kids in front of it, they’ll stay glued to the screen for 98 minutes. Visually, this one is top notch.

AUDIO

This is a Star Wars movie (Well, sorta) so of course it’s going to have great sound, and the Clone Wars is no slouch in the audio department. Offering a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 EX sound mix, if you’ve got the system to show it off, you’ll think an epic battle was going on in your living room. All the sounds we’ve become familiar with in the Star Wars world like lightsabers clashing, ships soaring and R2D2’s chirping sound great; and the music, which is a character itself, immerses you into the adventure.

EXTRAS

The Clone Wars offers a good selection of bonus goodies, one being the video commentary that is exclusive to Blu-ray, and a nice extra is the second disc which contains a Digital Copy, which is the perfect travel mate for kids going on a trip.

A video commentary allows you to see director Dave Filoni, producer Caterine Winder, writer Henry Gilroy, and editor Jason W.A. Tucker, recording the track, popping up in another window for certain scenes so you can watch them describe the sequences as they play.

A silly game called the Hologram Memory Challenge lets you match hidden images, and if correctly done you are rewarded with clips from the Clone Wars TV show.

Webisodes is a twenty-minute series of spots to show the new characters and worlds of the Clone Wars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Untold Stories dives into the animated TV show that is the premise of the movie, and acts as one big half hour commercial spot. If you dig the movie and TV show, you’ll appreciate this.

The Voices of The Clone Wars goes behind the scenes to show the various actors who breathe life into the animated characters such as Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, and Christopher Lee.

The New Score is a brief look at how composer Kevin Kiner took on the task of continuing the most familiar musical piece in the history of cinema and tries not to screw it up.

Four deleted scenes are available, shown in standard definition, none of which do not add or take away from the movie itself, but it must sucked to work so hard to animate a scene and have it removed.

Finally, the Digital Copy of The Clone Wars for your portable device is a nice perk to add alongside your bootleg of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special from the 70’s.

BOTTOM LINE

Well The Clone Wars is basically one long commercial/toy add to make Mr. Lucas much more wealthier, but if you’re a die hard fan of the original movies, there’s really not much for you here. This is a movie aimed at kids who sleep under Jar Jar Binks bed sheets and are high on sugar filled cereals. The Blu-ray offers an incredible picture and all the sounds we desire from a Star Wars movie, so as a disc itself it’s a winner. For adult fans this may be one of those movies that you talk about to your Star Wars friends, but secretly have it hidden to watch when no one else is around.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 2.5

Video: 5.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.0

Nov. 21, 2008

Reviewed by Richard Lee Zuras 

Released 11/14/08

1 hr. 46 min.

PG-13

Marc Foster/Columbia 

Daniel Craig

Olga Kurylenko

Mathieu Amalric

 James Bond is dead. In his place is a new man who looks HGH modified, doesn’t say much, and is extremely vengeful. Forget the fact that this film is simply picking up where Casino Royale left off. That argument does not hold water. The historical movie series chose not to go the gritty route and has offered up some twenty plus Bond pictures wherein a certain, particularly crafted character was formed. This new man is not he. That doesn’t mean this isn’t an entertaining movie or that it won’t make a kazillion dollars worldwide. Of course it will. Everyone in the world is pissed off, worried, and a little sad. So, if I can go to the theater and watch ME on screen finding catharsis–then of course I’m going to go see it. And so are you. We’ll all see it and the gate receipts will come in and at that point–for the Bond series–there’s no turning back. But let’s be clear: this, and likely in all subsequent films, is not Bond as we knew him.

Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Stranger Than Fiction, The Kite Runner) moves from Art to commerce in his newest film Quantum of Solace. It is replete with car chases, things blowing up, and villain. But Bond is now just short of a vengeful murderer, and the film recognizes this. And perhaps there is still a fleeting hope that this is simply a two film arc and soon Bond will return. But perhaps he truly can not. In the hands of Paul Haggis, simply one of the great screenwriters of our time, the traditional Bond motifs come off sexist at best. There is one particular and completely unnecessary paparazzi like crotch-shot, for instance, that should have alarmed anyone using the head on their shoulders. In addition, there is a nude scene with crude oil wherein the camera lingers not in horror, but in eroticism, over a carefully positioned, prone woman.

Many of the Bond motifs come off as uncomfortably forced. There is almost a ticking clock–tick tick tick–timing the inserts of the traditional Bond motifs. Cue the sexy line and the aftermath shot as Bond seduces a fellow agent. Tick tick tick. Cue the joke about his martini being shaken, not stirred. Fire up the Aston Martin. Tick tick tick. Watch as M finds Bond to be insubordinate like an eldest child.

Beyond this, Quantum is a collection of kudos and demerits. Kudos for filming all over the world to add beauty and verisimilitude. Demerits for pretending to be in Bolivia and Port-au-Prince when you are not. Kudos for Judi Dench’s increased role. Demerits for confusing solace with silence(Bond). Kudos for the throwback title sequence. Demerits for the lazy soundtrack. Kudos for casting Jeffrey Wright and Mathieu Amalric. Demerits for under-utilizing them.

Kudos for keeping the Bond series alive.

Demerits for killing James Bond.

Bottom Line: 3.0/5.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox Home Entertainment – 108 minutes – 2008 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.40:1 – DTS Lossless 5.1 Audio Mix

You know those erotic thrillers that come on cable in middle of the night? The ones with B or C list actors who took the jobs because this is the only work they could get and they have a mortgage to pay? Well sometimes big name stars sign up to do the exact same type of film, which is the case with Deception, a completely predictable thriller that proves that sex does not always sell. Deception is available on Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment, but besides being a visually pleasing, there’s nothing else there.

THE MOVIE

Set in New York City, Deception stars Ewan McGregor as Jonathan, a mild mannered accountant living a dull life, who befriends a man named Wyatt, played by Hugh Jackman, a cocky lawyer who introduces him to the wild side of life. Things get crazier when they “accidentally” switch phones and Jonathan gets calls meant for Wyatt inviting him to anonymous sexual encounters with random women. Jonathan learns that this is a secret sex club for the elite businessmen and women of New York City, and he gets caught up in it pretending to be Wyatt. One of the women he encounters is a mysterious blonde named ‘S’ played by Michelle Williams, who he falls for.

Jonathan’s fun and games comes crashing to an end, when he discovers that he was just a pawn in a game conducted by Wyatt to exploit the client’s he does accounting for to steal a huge some of money. Being that Wyatt has put ‘S’s’ life at stake, Jonathan must find a way to save her, and stop Wyatt’s web of deception.

The obvious problem with Deception is that there’s nothing unique about it. It has made for cable written all over it, and plays out like it’s stuck in an 80’s time capsule. There are some occasional highlights such cameos by British actress Charlotte Rampling and asian hottie. Maggie Q, who plays members of the secret club. It would have been interesting if the film went in a different direction, or the whole sex club thing was made out to be over the top as in Eyes Wide Shut.

Deception is one of those films that within fifteen minutes you’ve already figured put both the twists and the ending, and in between there’s not much else, not even crazy sex scenes, to hold your interest. Unless you’re a fan of Hugh Jackman or Ewan McGregor, there’s no real reason to own this Blu-ray, but a rental would be harmless.

VIDEO

The film is nothing to remember, but the way it’s photographed by cinematographer Dante Spinotti is superb. This Blu-ray features a full 1080p image with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, and it will shine on your HDTV. Even the streets of New York look great, with calm colors and tones; and interiors from a simple office cubicle to a high-priced penthouse suite look like they should be on a postcard. The male leads are shot to look debonair in their close-ups in that old-styled Carey Grant fashion; and Michelle Williams looks great emulating the blonde bombshell. There are hints of grain in places, but overall this is one of the best-looking Blu-rays out there.

AUDIO

Deception comes to Blu-ray with a DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, and just like the image quality, the sound also shines. Dialogue is crystal clear, and subtle sounds like the ambience of New York City are blended together so smoothly, it’s like being there. It should also be noted that the film’s score by Ramin Djawadi really seals the deal, selling the mood the film is going for better than the script itself.

EXTRAS

The bonus features for Deception are your basic items including an audio commentary track and a making of featurette, etc., but they are all in HD.

Director Marcel Langenegger provides an audio commentary track, but it’s kind of a snoozer because even he can’t make the film sound worth your attention. You’ll be fast-forwarding through this one.

‘Exposing Deception’ is your average making of featurette that runs about twenty minutes with basic interviews from cast and crew and on the set footage.

Two deleted scenes are included, but neither adds to the movie.

‘Club Sexy’ is a ten-minute glimpse at real sex clubs, but you’ll have more joy watching an episode of Real Sex on HBO, because at least it delivers the goods.

BOTTOM LINE

Deception is trying to be edgy, but it’s not as clever as if thinks it is. The lame plot is highlighted with an excellent picture and sound that will make it less painless to watch, but in the end there’s still not much to hold you. Give this one a rent, but only if you’re a fan of one of its stars, otherwise the only deceptive thing is the title.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.0

Bottom Line: 2.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

NOTE: First Blood is available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment individually, or as a part of a box set three-pack that includes Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment – 96 minutes – 1982 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS HD 5.1 surround audio

Sylvester Stallone said that he feared being known only as Rocky, but since playing that character three times, (this is the early 80’s, so who would have thought there would be a Rocky 4, 5 and 6), he found that when he wasn’t playing the Italian Stallion no one went to see any of his other movies. This changed in 1982 when Stallone signed on to play a character named John Rambo in a little film called First Blood. Since then there have been three Rambo sequels, but like the original Rocky, First Blood is still the best. Now you can see how Rambo became a worldwide icon in the film that started it all, First Blood, available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

THE MOVIE

First Blood is based on the novel by David Morrell, introducing John Rambo, a former Green Beret who fought in Vietnam, but now back in America gets no recognition for the service he did for his country. When he visits a small town hoping to look up an old Army buddy, he learns that he died of cancer from the chemical experiments that soldiers exposed to during the war. Saddened, Rambo begins to wonder through the town, but is targeted by the Sheriff Teasle (Brian Dennehy), who doesn’t like the way he looks and offers to drive him out of his town. Angered, Rambo walks right back into town and is arrested; a situation that worsens when he is mistreated by the officers, bringing back flashbacks of when he is captured and tortured in Vietnam.

Rambo’s military skills allow him to escape from the police where he becomes a fugitive hunted by the local police and the National Guard. These guys are no match for Rambo and he begins to cause chaos, thus forcing Col. Trautman, (Richard Crenna), Rambo’s commanding officer during the war, to come in to calm the situation. He finds that Rambo is mentally broken down by the effects of the war, and feels like he serves no purpose in civilian life, showing the only real side of the character that you will see in any of the Rambo films.

Unlike the sequels, Rambo is not an action film, it’s a drama with a 70’s feel directed superbly by Ted Kotcheff. Believe it or not, only one person is killed in First Blood, and this is actually a result of an accident; a far stretch from the body count that Rambo will rack up in the sequels. Stallone gives a great performance in this film, displaying Rambo as a human rather than a superhero.

Brian Dennehy is perfectly cast in this film, and I can’t imagine anyone else who could have played the character of Sheriff Teasle. He’s not the bad guy, but is seen as one because he has a job to do, which is to keep people in line. Rambo has gone up against many bad guys, but Teasle will always be his ultimate nemesis, because he represents the one thing Rambo can’t defeat, the system.

Oddly, unless you’ve followed the Rambo saga from the start, many have only seen the one-man-army sequels that are like live action GI Joe movies. So when you see First Blood it almost doesn’t match the violent mayhem that you expect from a Rambo movie, and you may wonder how the film went from a drama about Vietnam vets being mistreated to the macho man video game super human he becomes in the sequels.

No matter what you think about the Rambo films, everyone who’s seen First Blood agrees that it’s a good film. First Blood was a huge seller in all home video formats, starting with VHS, so it’s sure to have the same life on Blu-ray. Fans of First Blood will obviously get this one (and all the sequels), but in the end, just like Stallone’s other alias Rocky, the first one will always be the best.

VIDEO

For a film that came out over twenty-five years ago, First Blood actually looks pretty descent on Blu-ray, with a full 1080p imagine in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. First Blood is not a very colorful film; with the only color dominate being green because of all the jungle scenes. Some sequences are super sharp displaying a lot of detail like the lines and hardened structure of Brian Dennehy’s face. But other scenes look slightly foggy, such as when Rambo races through the town on the motorcycle. Skin tones are good, but do look over-saturated at moments. But Lionsgate did a nice job in making sure the best possible transfer was made available, so now you can finally put that old DVD on Ebay.

AUDIO

The sound is actually quite impressive, offering a DTS HD 5.1 mix that has been balanced smoothly for your home theater set-up. Jerry Goldsmith’s score shines right from the opening scene, and when Rambo gets behind the M-60 and you’ll hear every bullet shell hitting the ground. There’s more dialogue in this Rambo film than all three sequels combined, and this mix allows you to hear every word clearly, especially Rambo’s breakdown rant in the final scene. It obviously is not as fine-tuned as the sound in the latest Rambo film, but you won’t be disappointed.

EXTRAS

There is a good selection of bonus features on the Blu-ray, mostly of which is carried over from the DVD.

There are two audio commentaries; one from Rambo’s creator, author David Morrell, and the second is a commentary from Stallone. Morell’s commentary is interesting, telling how he conceived the character; but Stallone’s audio track is more interesting, because he is so passionate about Rambo that if you’re a fan, you’ll hang on to every word he says.

‘Drawing First Blood’ is a twenty minute retrospective of the movie, filled with interviews with Stallone, Morrell, the film’s producers and other cast members talking about the origins of the production and original casting choices such as Kirk Douglass as Col. Trautman, that thankfully didn’t work out.

The one main attraction is the deleted scene that features the original ending where Rambo dies, as it was written in Morrell’s novel. Let’s just say that the decision to keep Rambo alive was one of the best choices ever, and made Stallone a richer man.

There’s also a trivia track that can be enabled, allowing you to watch the film as random information pops up. It’s nothing special, but maybe someone will find it interesting.

BOTTOM LINE

Even if you hated all the Rambo sequels, First Blood is worth getting on Blu-ray just because it’s a good film that stands on it’s own. The transfer is well done and the bonus features are worth it, particularly Stallone’s commentary track. If you’re a fan you’re going to want this disc for your collection.

SCORES(out 0f 5):

The Movie: 4.5

Video: 3.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.5

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

NOTE: Rambo: First Blood Part II is available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment individually, or as a part of a box set three-pack that includes First Blood and Rambo III.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment – 95 minutes – 1985 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.20:1 – DTS HD 5.1 surround audio

First Blood was a big hit when it was released in 1982 with both audiences and critics, so obviously a sequel was given the green light. The only difference is that whereas First Blood was a drama dealing with the mistreatment of Vietnam vets who are trying to fit back in society, the second Rambo film will be an all out action bonanza. In 1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II was released and commanded the summer, making Sylvester Stallone a bigger star, especially since it made three times more cash at the box office than it’s predecessor. Rambo: First Blood Part II is available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment, and you can bet that a lot of things will be blown up real good.

THE MOVIE

When we last saw John Rambo in First Blood he was taken into police custody for nearly destroying a small town single-handedly. Rambo: First Blood Part II opens with Rambo (Stallone), in jail banging rocks on a chain gang. His former commanding officer Col. Trautman, (Richard Crenna), pays him a visit to make him an offer he can’t refuse. He is asked to go on a recon mission back to Vietnam to check out a camp where American MIA’s may still be held captive, and if he does it there is the possibility of a Presidential pardon to get him out of jail. Rambo only asks one question, “Do we get to win this time?”

Rambo and Trautman are sent work with a rag-tag military team led by Marshall Murdock (Charles Napier), and before he can even figure things out Rambo is hanging from a plane and parachuting down into the jungles of Vietnam to meet up with his contact Co Bao (Julia Nickson-Soul), a female soldier who will act as his guide to the camp. Rambo makes it to the camp and actually finds a group of POW’s, but when he helps them to escape the camp and makes it to the retraction point, Murdock orders the helicopter to leave them there. The camp was supposed to be empty to prove to special interest groups on Capital Hill that there were no POW’s still in captive. If Rambo had returned with the truth, political heads would roll.

Abandoned, Rambo is held captive and tortured by both Vietnam soldiers, as well as the Russians who work with them. With the help of Co, Rambo escapes the camp and is out for revenge, not only against his captors, but also Murdock for betraying him and leaving him to die. With a crossbow, knife, and a bunch of exploding arrows, Rambo goes ballistic, destroying the enemy and returning the POW’s to American soil.

Keep in mind that this film came out in the mid 80’s when Ronald Reagan was President and the cold war was still intact, so these elements enhanced the success of the Rambo sequel turning it into the Batman of it’s day. Rambo II is a good action film, just as long as you don’t take it too seriously, and avoid connecting it with the superior First Blood. This film was copied and parodied so much in the 80’s, making the character of Rambo known worldwide.

Now it’s odd to look at this film and see Rambo doing superhero feats like leaping twenty feet out of the water to grab a helicopter, burying himself in a wall of mud, and blowing a man up so that only his smoking boots remain. Rambo is Captain America with a crossbow instead of a shield, and a wearing bandana instead of the American flag. Over twenty years later we are still infatuated by John Rambo, because deep inside of us there’s a one-man war waiting to happen. If you’re a fan to the films, Rambo II is a must for your collection.

VIDEO

Rambo: First Blood Part II comes to Blu-ray in full 1080p with a 2.20:1 aspect ratio and it looks good. Whereas the first film was mainly devoid of colors, Rambo II is filled with many colorful scenes, looking very bright. Skin tones do appear to be more on the red side, but it’s nothing that will bother you. For a twenty-three year old film, Rambo II’s transfer has actually stood the test of time.

AUDIO

With a 5.1 DTS HD Master audio mix, Rambo II sounds good, but it’s not as fine tuned as it could have been. There’s a ton of action in the film with explosions, gunshots, battle cries, and soaring helicopters, but at times it sounds as if all the sounds have been piled together instead of separated to enhance each one. Dialogue, what little there is, seems muffled, but Jerry Goldsmith’s score is the high point, making you cheer for Rambo every time his theme pumps out of your speakers.

EXTRAS

The selection of bonus features is small, with the only highlight being the We Get To Win This Time documentary.

Director George P. Cosmatos provides an audio commentary track, but it’s not very interesting. He just rambles on about things that occurred during filming, and dealing with a small budget while trying to make a big action film.

‘We Get to Win This Time’ is short, barely twenty minutes, but is a solid look at the making of Rambo II, featuring interviews with the cast and crew. It’s nothing monumental, but gives you a quick fix.

An ‘Out of the Blu’ trivia track allows you to get behind the scenes facts about the second Rambo film, with information such as James Cameron, the man behind the Terminator and Titanic, co-wrote the screenplay for the movie.

BOTTOM LINE

Rambo: First Blood Part II is a piece of 80’s nostalgia like Miami Vice and Rubick’s cube. If you’re a fan of the Rambo films you’re going to own this Blu-ray, and if you have never seen any of the movies and wondered why they are so popular, it is recommended that you give this a look.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 3.5

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 3.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

NOTE: Rambo III is available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment individually, or as a part of a box set three-pack that includes First Blood and Rambo II.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment – 102 minutes – 1988 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS HD 5.1 surround audio

The first two Rambo films were huge successes, particularly Rambo II, which literally rocked the mid 80’s. There was no doubt that Rambo would return for a third adventure, the only problem was that by 1988 people’s taste had changed and they didn’t want to see a shirtless muscle bound guy running around blowing up people any more. Of the four Rambo films, this is the weakest entry and lacks what the others had. Rambo III is available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment, so look out for flying arrows.

THE MOVIE

Rambo III takes place several years after the vents of part II, where we now find John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), working with monks in Thailand just trying to find some inner peace, and doing a little deadly stick fighting to pass the time. He is tracked down once again by his old friend Col. Trautman (Richard Crenna), who wants Rambo to join him on a secret mission to Afghanistan to help a band of rebels who are being abolished by the Russians. Rambo refuses the offer, because his war is over, so Trautman goes on the mission without him.

Things turn for the worse when Rambo discovers that Trautman’s team has been ambushed, and he is being held captive. Rambo realizes that he is a natural born killing machine and nothing more, deciding to go into Afghanistan alone to rescue his Trautman. As you would expect from a Rambo film, a whole lot of bullets fly, and a bunch of things (and people) explode. In the end Rambo saves the day and frees his friends from the clutches of evil.

The main reason this film doesn’t work is one, is came out after the Russians had already left Afghanistan, and two the reason why Rambo is fighting is not as personal as in his last two adventures. Also, the film is just silly, making Rambo stronger than Superman; he’s hanging from underneath tanks, pulling metal bars loose with his bare hands, and healing himself by pouring gun powder in his wound and igniting it for a primitive form of laser surgery.

There are some good moments of action, such as the escape from the prison camp and the cave battle that kicks ass, but in the end when you see Rambo and Trautman back-to-back fighting the entire Soviet army, I was reminded of the videogame Army of Two. This works in a game, but it’s not believable in the premise of this story. The third Rambo cost more than all four of the Rambo films combined, but it lacked the heart that made the others work. In a way Rambo III is like Rocky V; yeah it’s a part of the series, but it’s also the black sheep of the family that you don’t talk about very much.

VIDEO

Rambo III looks better than the first two Rambo movies, presented in full 1080p in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The scope of the film is larger, so sequences where you see helicopters swooping across the massive dessert look great. Details are also strong, displaying every muscle on Stallone’s body to perfection. Grain does flicker in the darker cave sequence, but overall the image quality is impressive.

AUDIO

Rambo III is definitely a step up from Rambo’s II’s sound; even though they both share the same DTS HD 5.1 Lossless Master mix, more effort went into separating tracks for better speaker performance. Just listen to the “Whooosh” the arrows make every time Rambo sends one sailing, and the combination of explosions, guns, helicopters and tanks in the film’s finale are all well balanced.

EXTRAS

Like Rambo II, the extras as slim, but hey, it’s better than nothing, even though there are elements from the standard DVD missing, such as the deleted scenes.

Director Peter MacDonald gives an audio commentary that goes deep into the making of the film. MacDonald actually has a good delivery and will hold your attention if you know this film inside and out.

‘Afghanistan: Land in Crisis’ is a half hour look at the politics of that region in the 80’s and why the filmmakers chose the situation as a backstory for the third Rambo film. Interesting in places, but nothing that will make the film stand out anymore.

Like the other two films there’s a trivia track…You know the deal.

BOTTOM LINE

Rambo III is not the best of the series, but it has some good moments. Fans will obviously add this Blu-ray to their collection, for all others give it a rent to see if it’s worth the purchase.

SCORES (out of 5):

The Movie: 2.5

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 3.0