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THE MIST is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This turns out to be an above average transfer  one that is decent, but never reaches reference level. I found detail to be solid, with a noticeable improvement over the DVD, but the depth still isn't on par with the upper tier Blu-rays out there. Also on the downside are inconsistent flesh tones, unwanted grain, and troublesome contrast. all of which keep this transfer down. The colors look passable, but not as bright or bold as we'd like. In short, this looks better than the DVD, but not up to expectations for a high definition release.

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The Blu Ray disc offers fantastic ambience featuring a thunderstorm that envelopes the entire soundstage is heard to begin the movie, and the track moves on to the powerful sound of a tree crashing through a window with a thud from the subwoofer. Dialogue sounds a bit inconsistent and uneven at the beginning of the movie, coming across a bit processed and unnatural.  It's the great atmosphere of the track, as mentioned above, that makes this one a winner overall. It's not just the sounds of horror that make it so realistic, it's the way the track so precisely handles everything asked of it, from that distant dialogue heard in the store, to, yes, the more action-oriented sequences in the film.  THE MIST does not offer a perfect soundtrack, but aside from a few minor quibbles, it's fine.

After a huge storm, a painter (Thomas Jane) and his son (Nathan Gamble) leave his wife at their lake house home to pick up supplies at the local grocery store, giving a lift to his prickly lawyer neighbor (Andre Braugher). While there, the mist of the title rolls in, bringing with it unseen monsters. First comes the battle to make people believe there are really monsters outside the store, then battles against them as they break through the glass wall at the front of the store, then the internal division lead by unbalanced fundamentalist Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden). A treatise on lifeboat morality and the breakdown of civilized values with the fast-forward button nailed down (with all its attendant mayhem) ensues.

THE MIST is an adaptation of a Stephen King novella, and it's the fourth time director Frank Darabont has adapted one of King's works (the first was a short The Woman in the Room from a collection of adaptations from King's short story anthology NIGHT SHIFT).  His two famous ones are THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, a masterful prison drama about two inmates who become great friends, and THE GREEN MILE, a supernatural prison drama about the lives of death row inmates and guards, but with THE MIST, Darabont ventures from King's human dramas to his more commonly associated genre.  From those two previous King efforts, one wouldn't imagine Darabont would have a horror film in him, but one would be wrong.

One of the attractive things about this tale is the strong character work behind it. The people on the run from the beasts are far from blank slate victims only suited to scream and bolt. The personalities of the grocery store holdouts are strong, and most of the drama of the film is watching them work with and against one another. Artist David Drayton plays a survivalist with a strong sense of reason; his neighbor, Brent Norton (Braugher) is a “flat-earther” determined to not believe the monsters are real; Ollie (Jones), the grocery store manager, is an unlikely hero as there ever was; Jim (Sadler) is a blue collar bully with a general distrust of outsiders. There are all these characters and many others, forced together under threat of death and put under maximum boiling pot stress.

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The video transfer on this Blu-ray is presented framed at 2.35:1 with a 1080p VC-1 encode. The visuals look acceptable but unspectacular with detail not being overly abundant except in extreme close-ups. The print is pristine with only very rare moments where grain spikes. No heavy-handed digital noise reduction or edge enhancement appears to have been applied. The video presentation is an improvement over the standard definition DVD but nowhere near the level of the most impressive transfers that are out there. 

First off and most importantly, dialogue is delivered very distinctly through primarily the center front channel and at times left and right fronts just as you’d always expect it to be on a Suspense Thriller such as this. This has some really nice sound effects (starting with rain) and musical accompaniment that translates into a really nice TrueHD 5.1 soundscape with excellent dynamic range. The rear channels and subwoofer both have a pretty nice presence here that is sure to have you frightened enough to jump out of your seat on at least a few occasions. Speaking of that I found that the sound effects and music midway through the film starts to mess with the viewer psychologically in the 5.1 surround and gives you a feeling to relate to the main character played by John Cusack.

1408 adheres fairly closely to the basic structure of King's story, and stars John Cusack as Mike Enslin, a cynical writer who has made his name writing cheesy paranormal investigation books about supposedly haunted locations. But when this skeptic insists on staying in the reportedly haunted room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel against the grave warnings of the hotel manager (Samuel L. Jackson), he soon finds his hardened beliefs tested. As the room attempts to exert its power, Enslin begins to descend into madness, eventually unraveling into his own past memories of his failed marriage and the death of his young daughter.

You do not have to read the original short story 1408, which is part of the longer anthology Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales, to know that the central idea comes from author Stephen King. In fact, one must assume that the movie was pitched in production meetings as an urban version of THE SHINING. And while it's true that this cinematic take on 1408 recycles so many narrative strings tied to King's overall body of work, it somehow modifies them into a surprisingly fresh, tight and effective thriller.

Really, this is all fair enough, especially since Enslin is a moving, reasonably complex character, and since the movie remains frightening and suspenseful to the end. But aside from being more abstract than I would have liked, 1408 seems a little arbitrary, leaving us with the impression that Room 1408, whatever it may be, cooked up its entire horrorshow (including, apparently, the prior deaths of 56 people) to help Mike Enslin move on with his life.  I would have given a lot to see King's deeply terrifying vision on the screen, but I can suck it up, and leaving questions unanswered is of course perfectly fine. It just better when the questions seem worth answering.

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This transfer employs the full 1080p using the AVC MPEG-4 codec on a BD-50 (50 gigabyte Blu-ray Disc). Rob Zombie used a type of camera (Arriflex Cameras) that have only been used on a few other films. There is a sense of somewhat darker feel to the print in that the color palette tended to focus on the darker side of the color spectrum. Blacks hold up well while somewhat lighter colors like gray also hold up fine. Grain is present mostly in some of the sanitarium sequences and a few of the Myers house interior shots. I didn’t notice any type of EE or DNR filters so it’s great to see that the grain I saw in my theatrical experience is still present. Detail is lacking in the darker shots (perhaps this was done intentionally) while the daylight outdoor sanitarium shots hold better detail.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track is as flawless as the video. The first thing you'll notice listening to it, is just how dynamic it can be. Sound effects and the score are used in ways together that complement intense moments in the film. When Michael strikes, or when he's busting through a wall, your whole surround system is going to react. Wherever the sound is coming from, it's loud enough to give you a good jump if you scare easily in a horror film. Surround effects are almost always sounding from the rear channels, giving you a good sense of being in the middle of all the terror. The sound effects never seem to sound flat. You'll find them to be quite full. The dialogue never seems to be compromised during loud sequences, and there's never any distortion or popping to speak of. Although the standard definition version of the film sounded pretty darn good, I don't I'd ever want to go back to it after hearing how good it sounds in TrueHD.

Bodies abound at the 10 year-old-hands of Michael Myers, a disturbed, murderous child who grows to a 25 year old psychopath. Although we are privy to Myers' mayhem, we are alas just a bit closer to the reasons why he does this than Dr. Sam Lewis (Malcolm McDowell), who has been treating him for many years. For our consideration: The white-trash home of the young Myers (Daeg Faerch) has mom's bad-mouthed boyfriend (William Forsythe), looking like an enraged Nick Nolte, a prime candidate for revenge, and a sluttish sister Judith (Hannah Hall), whose unkind words about Michael's masculinity are dealt with efficiently as well.

When Rob Zombie was announced as the director of the HALLOWEEN remake, I immediately recoiled. Mind you, this response wasn’t out of distaste for Zombie—in fact, I enjoyed his first two efforts (HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES and DEVILS REJECTS). Instead, I was hesitant because Zombie’s previous output indicated that he was all wrong for a HALLOWEEN film. Whereas Carpenter’s original was built around subtlety, style, and suspense, Zombie’s films are gore-filled shock-fests that owe more to 70s exploitation than anything else. This reservation, combined with the fact that I consider Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN to be the most technically brilliant slasher of all time made me extremely pessimistic. Some might argue that any remake of HALLOWEEN would have had me feeling this way, and that might be a fair point. However, I did try to go into Zombie’s “re-imagining” with an open mind. If anything, I wanted this to be worthy of the HALLOWEEN moniker because I didn’t particularly feel like paying to watch a piece of crap.

Rob Zombie must be given props for his extensive reinvention of the original film, a daring but necessary act given the breadth of its influence. Nonetheless, in attempting to distance his own creation from Carpenter's, he's left it without a identifiable voice of its own, defined less by its own qualities than those it lacks in relation to its predecessor. Zombie's respect for the story is considerable, but his decision to humanize Myers is ultimately a counterproductive one; we're watching less of an evil psychopath than an enraged lunk (imagine the Geico caveman crossed with The Terminator) whose motivations feel incomplete and, ultimately (spoilers ahead) - given a late act of mercy - slightly unbelievable. HALLOWEEN 2007 externalizes all that was internal in the original, in effect forgetting that the scariest of evils are those we can't see in the flesh. Despite its better efforts, this film fails in inflicting fear onto the soul.

Weinstein Home Video presents

THE LONGSHOTS on Blu-ray in 2.35:1 widescreen, encoded in 1080p/AVC video on a BD25 single-layer disc. The film is definitely attempting to have a "look," sadly it's just not a very good look, particularly when transferred under the microscopic eye of high def. Colors are moderately warm but weirdly desaturated, with a muted palette flush with murky browns, oranges, tans and putrid yellows. Thankfully, the encode itself is pretty sharp. Dust, dirt and grain are absent from the print and digital compression issues rarely pop up during the presentation.

SOUNDTRACK:

The LONGSHOTS contains a passable Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix (a Dolby Digital 5.1 track is also included). It’s a very front-heavy sound mix with clean dialogue and a decently mixed score, but there is not much surround usage. Actually, don’t expect anything at all. Discrete effects are kept to a bare minimum with only a few occasional moments of engaging surround usage. I’m not really sure why the sound designers gave the film such a mundane, tiresome sound field. This is not an action blockbuster, this is a comedic sports drama so there  really is no need of a DTS style presentation. 

When introverted 14-year-old Jasmine Plummer (Keke Palmer) is faced with having her gruff, unemployed Uncle Curtis (Ice Cube) babysit her after school each day while her waitress mom (Tasha Smith) works the evening shift, the two of them do not initially hit it off. Their oil-and-water relationship starts to turn around, however, when Curtis talks her into tossing the football around outside. Jasmine's good aim and forceful throw cannot be denied, and soon Curtis has convinced Coach Fisher (Matt Craven) to give her a shot at joining the school's football team—a first for a female in the Pop Warner league. Once onboard, the Minden Browns' losing streak ends and newly empowered quarterback Jasmine finds herself in the playoffs to compete in Miami, Florida's Super Bowl tournament.

If you had told me ten years ago that Fred Durst/Limp Bizkit's feature length directorial debut would be at the helm of a family-friendly movie about the first female quarterback to play Pop Warner football, I wouldn't have believed you. If you had told me then that Ice Cube would be one half of the inspirational story at the center of the film, I would have doubted you even more. But with both men now in their late 30s, with children of their own, and with some apparent need to tell stories of love and hope instead of violence and anger, that is exactly what Durst and Cube have done in 2008 feature, THE LONGSHOTS.

The football sequences also offer a recognizable buffet of hazing sequences and underdog scenarios. While impressively scored by John Swihart, THE LONGSHOTS is again smothered by manufactured sentiment and conflict on the gridiron, though many of the scenes are saved by Cube and Palmer. Sharing friendly, endearing chemistry, the actors rescue the picture with their easygoing charisma, especially Cube, who isn’t Olivier, but reveals a vulnerable, gentle side to his gruff persona. He’s fun to watch, and the sporting sequences benefit from the comedic interplay between the actors.

LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN is presented in 1080p/AVC VC-1 with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Color is vibrant and bold in this transfer. A very good example of that is the color red, when blood splats on the floors, walls, and in the air. The film is so colorful that it is very good in details. There are also moments though where the transfer does lack in a few areas. Lighting was a problem in a few scenes where there appeared to be too much light in the background. There is also some grain in the film which is subtle, but there are times where it is heavier in certain darker scenes.

SOUNDTRACK:

The Blu Ray edition of  LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN arrives with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track. Sure, McGuigan's modern noir is a conversational affair, but, like the UK import's DTS HD Master Audio mix, this upgraded TrueHD track offers deeper, more natural vocal tones, tightly-tuned prioritization, and plenty of healthy LFE support.  For a movie billed as a guns-n-gangsters extravaganza, there's a distinct maturity present in the soundscape. Its subtleties highlight the relationship between the film's soundtrack and shadow-cloaked imagery, all while creating a convincing audible world to dwell in. The soundtrack is a compelling part of the soundscape as well. Dancing behind the edges of every scene, jazz-infused music complements the tone and look of the film, further enhancing the groundwork laid by the actors and the filmmakers. To top it all off, violence has an organic resonance that surrounds the listener with soft thuds, squishy splashes, and heavy blasts.

Slevin (Josh Hartnett) decides to head out to NYC to meet up with his pal, Nick. However, when he gets to the city, Nick's nowhere to be found. His neighbor, Lindsey (Lucy Liu) thinks he's run off, but Slevin finds out the truth when some thugs pay him a visit and think he's Nick - turns out Nick was mixed up with the city's two main crime lords - The Boss (Morgan Freeman) and The Rabbi (Sir Ben Kingsley), who live in towers right across the street from one another. He's dragged before each of the crime lords, who make him an offer. Meanwhile, a cop (Stanley Tucci) and a hitman (Bruce Willis) are lurking on the sidelines.

The complexity of LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN could have been forgiven with a dash of realism somewhere. Alas, that isn't to be found here. Virtually every bit of dialogue is so clever it's artificial, and the potentially great cast sounds like it's reading an amateur play. None of the characters are particularly interesting, and considering the immense acting talent here it's a crime for it to go to waste. By the time the movie's convolutions are resolved, you won't care one way or another.

Director Paul McGuigan (WICKER PARK) does keep the banter moving, and knows how to artfully frame a shooting or explosion. And the supporting talent is substantial (two words: Stanley Tucci). Kingsley in particular makes the most of things, offering dark suggestions of Sexy Beast in his portrayal of the philosophic thug/Talmudic scholar. Kudos for trying in a film that’s otherwise too cool to care. All smirk and blase violence, you might find this a cool movie — if you’ve never seen, say, THE USUAL SUSPECTS or any Tarantino film. If you have, then this extremely-predictable film seems like the logical genetic drift of a genre. .

THE THING hits Blu-ray with a fine-looking 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Obviously, THE THING has never looked better on home video than it does here. The film's open, featuring a background of white arctic snow contrasted against a bright daytime sky, is pure in its presentation and a pleasure to behold, particularly for those who have seen the film countless times before. Still, there is some noticeable noise against some of the brightest backdrops that may bother viewers looking for the smoothest picture available, but it peaks in such scenes and is never very noticeable through the rest of the film. Colors are somewhat dull, a reflection of the nature of the movie and not a shortcoming of the transfer. Colors look fine, however, every shade rendered very well in the context of the film, with the brighter, outdoor, snowy scenes showing a bit more depth and vibrancy than the dim interiors. Black levels are fairly good. Flesh tones are accurate, if not a bit pale, but considering the cold, unforgiving temperature, that's to be expected. What makes the disc look so good is the detail inside the compound. It's rather drab and colorless, but it looks worn and beat up, old and lived in, cold and lifeless, and every little nuance shines through, a tribute to the wonderful set design in the film. Sure, it's pedestrian, but it is meant to be, and it's stunning on this disc. Detail is increased considerably over the previous DVD edition in every regard. THE THING boasts a fine transfer that offers quite the upgrade from previous standard definition versions.

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Universal presents THE THING with a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/16-bit). Aside from being noticeably louder, once the track is level-matched it reveals only a slight sonic boost.

A group of scientists working in an outpost in the South Pole are attacked by an alien that acts as a doppelgänger. The shape-shifting alien forces the scientists to fall into paranoid, survival mode since they don't know who's real and who's been replaced by the creature. Carpenter plays the paranoia perfectly to the very end and his alien is just plain creepy.

THE THING is a near-perfect horror film. Great production, solid performances, excellent special effects, an intense score, and a tight script combine to create a film that’s equal parts classic monster movie and psychological drama. Indeed, it’s so good that if director John Carpenter had just cut about two minute’s worth of material and made a slight wardrobe change, THE THING would be flawless, but as it stands, it’s still a hell of a ride, and easily Carpenter’s best film to date.

Carpenter does a fine job of creating and keeping up the paranoiac atmosphere that permeates THE THING. Due to Carpenter’s expertise, the viewer is psychologically right in there with the team and jumping at shadows, just like they are. And not all the shadows are benign; that thing appears often enough to keep you off balance the entire running time. Ennio Morricone's perfect score is unobtrusive yet well integrated into the experience.

The special effects, by Rob Bottin, and there are lots of them, are still convincing and are likely to scare the viewer as much today as they did 30 odd years ago when the film was new. Even viewers raised on green screen CGI will probably be impressed. The thing where THE THING beats the modern CGI movies is that it is combined with a good story, which you very seldom see today. This film  sticks closely to John Cambell's original short story, Who Goes There, something that the 1951 Howard Hawks version does not, due to technical limitations on special effects.

The acting, by an ensemble cast headed up by Kurt Russell, with a lot of familiar faces, including Donald Moffatt, Wilford Brimley, and Richard Masur subordinated themselves to the tale entirely, makes THE THING one of the tensest viewing experiences you’re likely to remember.

Things start out with a bang, as a hot to trot couple wake up to find a young girl, with some serious issues finds her way into their home. Not realizing that she is now a card carrying member of the undead, they try to help her because they think she is hurt. The poor hubby is bitten and immediately turns into one of the creatures himself, while our fearless heroine is now forced to find a way out. Once she's outside, she sees that the world has changed. She drives for a while, and meets up with a few scavengers who decide to seek refuge at a shopping mall. When they enter the mall, they discover more of the undead, as human scavengers. They are not safe in mall however--it is only the beginning of the horror our heroic survivors must face.

 Zack (300) Snyder's DAWN OF THE DEAD was promised as a complete ‘reimagining’ of the original, There’s certainly enough points of reference to differentiate between them. With the gore was so extreme that George Romero had to release the film independently and unrated. This one was backed by a major studio (Universal) and released with MPAA approval. On the plus side, the studio backing and MPAA approval hasn’t quite censored the gore as much as one expected that it would – there’s quite a degree of blood spilt, objects impaled through heads, heads and body parts severed. On the other hand, DAWN OF THE DEAD 2004 is not quite as memorably gory as the original.   There’s no similar such standout gore set-pieces here as in the original. . Moreover almost all suggestion of the zombies devouring their victims has been eliminated – they never seem to be doing anything more than biting victis, without ever going into a decent explanation. 

The original flick was layered with not only horror and special effects, but also with satire and biting social commentary. Romero wasn’t just trying to create a simple zombie movie for scare purposes only; he was trying to convey his own philosophies and sociological ideals. Commenting on consumerism and our growing materialistic needs, DAWN OF THE DEAD 1978 not only reflected the mindset of the times, but it also showed that no matter how superficial we might become, you can never count human beings out. The human spirit will always prevail in the end. Snyder's version remake has none of that. Instead of being loaded with messages and ideals, this remake is more of a straight up roller coaster horror flick. In fact, aside from the title and the setting, it’s almost unfair to consider the 2004 film a remake, because it’s essentially a completely different animal.

TRANSFER:

LEATHERHEADS's 1080p/VC-1 transfer is framed at the original 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio and has an excellent representation of textures and fine-object detail. Colors, while not "leap off the screen" vivid, are clean and accurate. Black levels are a little shallow, but shadow detail is very good and the image has a nice sense of three-dimensional depth. The film was shot to vaguely resemble photographic styles of movies from the 1920s to 1940s. Although it was a color production, the film has a mild patina of sepia tones and a faintly soft glow. Neither trait is heavy-handed or at all objectionable. There is almost no grain, which should please most viewers. This is a very clean picture, and I suppose that does work against the 'period' look a little bit. 

SOUNDTRACK:

LEATHERHEADS tackles your senses with its DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film offers an excellent score, courtesy of Randy Newman. The music practically engulfs the room, as does crowd noise, during a football game at the beginning of the film. If there is one complaint, it's that this opening segment is far too loud at my normal reference volume. It does get more reasonable in volume as the movie progresses, however, and on the whole offers a pleasing experience that isn't quite as active as I expected, but sounds just fine nevertheless. Dialogue reproduction is incredibly strong, coming across as very crisp and precise. The flashback war scene sounds nice, with a heavy rain falling all around the soundstage and gunfire heard subtly in the background. The football scenes don't offer quite intensity as we experienced in other recent football efforts, but then again this brand of football was played in a different era with different equipment than what is utilized in LEATHERHEADS. The soundtrack is very good. It won't turn any heads, but it gets the job done well enough.

LEATHERHEADS is set in 1925, at a time when college football is well funded and respected while professional football is a chaotic joke.  Dodge Connelly (Clooney) is the captain of the Duluth (Minn.) Bulldogs, a pro team that's on the verge of closing up shop until Dodge gets the bright idea of hiring college golden boy Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski). Carter, fresh-faced and all-American, brings legions of fans with him, thanks not just to his gridiron prowess but to his status as a hero of the Great War, in which it is said he once captured a trench full of Germans single-handedly. The team's fortunes change overnight. Suddenly the stands are full of spectators, and suddenly the team is occasionally even winning a game or two. There is also new media scrutiny, in the form of Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger), a Chicago Tribune reporter who's been assigned to get the real dirt on Carter's war heroics. She travels with the team, cozies up to Carter, and butts heads with Dodge in that old Grant-and-Hepburn fashion.

 George  Clooney's homage to the screwball comedies of Hollywood's golden age raised a few smiles but scarcely a laugh, and all too often a yawn and a glance at my watch. But of the four qualities you might look for in a film like this - romance, wit, physical comedy and fond nostalgia - all but the last are lacking. As far as romance goes we have Renee Zellweger badly miscast as the hard-bitten wisecracking female reporter, Lexie Littleton. Sadly between her and Clooney there is zero chemistry - strange, considering Clooney is as awash as ever with charm hormones. As is usually the case with Renee, I find the only way she can emote is by screwing up her face and puckering up her cute little mouth. Certainly here the gamut of her acting is the ‘from A-B' standard. Rosalind Russell or Katharine Hepburn she ain't. She's better served by her wardrobe than her lines, which are lukewarm rather than ice-pick sharp. One or two one-liners raise a smile, but that's about it.

So much for romance and wit, then. The homelier comedy of fat blokes in football gear, lots of daft men slipping over in mud and hapless drunks fighting in bars is all very well, but it all lasts that little bit too long, and just isn't original enough to more than smile at. I can't even bear to remember the sequence where Clooney and Zellwegger dress as cops to escape a police raid on a speakeasy, it's just so embarrassing, she, all artfully mussed up hair, peeking a la Goldie Hawn from a beneath a helmet, he, big blue eyes rolling, mugging as desperately as if he were in a silent comedy... . Still, there are some small pleasures to be found in Clooney's football tribute. 

EASTERN PROMISES boasts one of the better video presentation on the format. The transfer is encoded at 1080p resolution using the VC-1 encodec. From start to finish, this film delivers fully on its high-definition promise, with every single frame looking as pristine as the previous one. The stability and consistency of the transfer is remarkable. Never was I able to detect any visual artifacts or wavering on the print. Even the potentially dreary London setting could not bring the color of the film down. Cronenberg bathes London in some nice vibrant colors and the video transfer is able to handle it very well, delivering solid vivid colors, exceptional clarity and a good sense of visual depth. The black levels are never crushed and skin tones are as natural as can be. Film grain is a constant presence but its level is held at bay and never intrudes into the transfer.

 EASTERN PROMISES contains a DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that does an impressive job enriching the film's subtle soundscape. When violence explodes on the screen, the track's dynamics arrive in force. The LFE channel is used to full effect and the rear speakers swarm with every audible detail one could expect from each scene. Dialogue is crisp and perfectly prioritized -- whispered lines are clear, chaos never drowns out important gasps of information, and sound effects are accurately placed within the soundfield. Best of all, the quietest scenes have an ever-present, naturalistic ambiance that makes audible immersion a cinch.

A teenage junkie dies in childbirth, leaving a baby. A hospital's midwife (Naomi Watts) tries to find how to get the baby to her relatives. This leads her to a Russian restaurant, whose kindly owner may be a Russian gangster. Viggo Mortensen is his chauffeur, but seems conflicted about the life of crime he's locked into. Unfortunately, the midwife soon knows too much about the crime family, putting her and her family at risk.

 To discuss Eastern Promises as another of Cronenberg’s body-horror shows is to somewhat obscure the fact that, as with 2005’s A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, the film is firstly an underworld thriller emblazoned with an intense performance by Viggo Mortensen. But the urge to confront it on thematic terms is also driven by the fact that its subtextual currents are more compelling than the actual narrative itself, which never wholly coheres into something satisfyingly suspenseful. The nominal protagonist, midwife Anna (Watts), finds herself uncomfortably involved with Nikolai and his Russian mob life with the Russian mob. Her journey is our entrée into this seedy milieu, and yet once there, she ceases to serve a valuable purpose in Steven Knight’s script, which proceeds to consign her to the sidelines in favor of focusing on venomous goons.

Cronenberg directs confidently, letting the movie uncoil organically, frequent cinematographer Peter Suschitzky’s camera gliding effortlessly throughout the story’s milieu as if it were a silent observer transmitting its observations back to us for our erudition. Yet the director punctuates this quiet surveillance with pungent spurts of violence and adrenaline, a brawl inside a bathhouse one of the more jarring and deeply unsettling fight sequences I think I might have ever experienced I must admit, things do wrap themselves up a bit too nicely, while a certain twist in regards to one of the character’s allegiances isn’t altogether a surprise (I had it figured out within the first twenty minutes), but these are small problems when the film is taken in as a whole. Cronenberg ends things on a coda that’s at once comforting and chilling, deep longing loneliness mixed with superlative warmhearted happiness melding to form an unforgettable climax. No need to mince words, Eastern Promises borders on brilliance and is impossible to forget. 

TRANSFER:

The 1080p transfer is superb, with rich colors, fine detail and film-like resolution. There may be some digital noise reduction applied to dark areas but this does not adversely impact black level or create pixelation. For the most part, grain and film anomalies are visible (more in the daylight shots than dark scenes, which adds to the suspicion of selective DNR use). But the approach allows much of the original source material to transfer perfectly to Blu-ray. Skin color is spot-on. The textures and colors of the '70s era wardrobe and flashing lights of Vegas appear colorful and vibrant. Facial expressions and landscapes are characterized by ultrarealistic definition. Watch the meeting between Nicky's sidekick Frankie (Frank Vincent) and mob boss Remo Gaggi (Pasquale Cajano). Remo's hands are glowing white as he motions during the conversation. The effect adds artistry and balance to the picture, and is reproduced with stunning resolution on Blu-ray.

Universal provides a full-blown English DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track. It offers full-bodied and spacious dynamics and the high-end is a tad brighter and mid-range fuller. CASINO particularly comes alive in the casino scenes, from the clear and sparkly highs to the deep low bass. Surround activity remains flush with sustained ambiance, which is slightly more robust on the DTS-MA. Discrete sounds are frequently directed to individual speakers with seamless pans, and great use of songs helps to create a strong 360-degree soundfield. Quieter moments in the film still feel front-directed, but there remains subtle use of atmosphere which is wonderfully well-modulated and subtle. Dialogue is also perfectly balanced in the mix. This isn't a big-budget action movie, but CASINO still delivers audio that is perfectly suited to the material.

Ace Rothstein (Robert Deniro) is an expert bookie who runs the Tangiers hotel casino for the mob back home. Las Vegas is the perfect place for Ace to thrive under the appearance of legitimacy, and in it he finds a sort of haven. His lifelong friend Nicky (Joe Pesci), is a mobster who's send to Vegas to protect the Mafia's interests. When Ace and the beautiful Ginger (Sharon Stone) meet, he sees the opportunity to complete his vision of the perfect life. But Ginger and Ace's relationship is more of a business deal than love. Her emotional connection to her old pimp (James Woods), her increasing drug and alcohol dependency and the heat the extremely violent Nicky brings on control freak Ace and his casino's threaten to bring down all Ace has worked for.

 There are several reasons why CASINO has become such a fan favorite; it has everything a gangster flick requires, fast life style, reversal of fortune, betrayal and violence. It has somewhat of a place in history with the infamous ‘f’ word used some 422 times; this is not your family friendly film by any means. But for the intended adult audience this is a gripping look at this normally forbidden world. There is no real hero in this story, no one that can be viewed by any stretch of the imagination as a good guy; there are only shades of grey present. Each character is out to make the best deal for them, taking what they can and hoping their bosses don’t catch on. Even the nominal love story thread between Ginger and Ace is one of self aggrandizement and personal gain. The violence is by now legendary. With all this said, CASINO is not one for gratuitous pandering to such vile matters, it presents the graphic scenes without apology, as the way things where in that time and place.

CASINO is a long movie, and the first two hours just fly by. This is where we're learning all about how professional gambling works, and what's the best way to hurt people. But the third hour just decays into people bitching and screaming at each other. Frankly, I could have lived without that part. The end wraps up everything nicely, and you get the impression that you just watched a dramatization of real history -- and you did. If this were fiction, I would have preferred a different ending. But this is a close-to-the-truth story. These people really did exist, and the major events happened, so we're stuck with an ending I don't like, nor would I want to change under these circumstances. CASINO is flashy, trashy and, in a few places, funny. The people involved are not people you should trust to watch your wallet. But they are fun to watch, and Scorsese re-affirms himself as one of the five best directors in the American cinema.

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Universal Home Video presents AMERICAN GANGSTER with a 1080p/VC-1 video codec. The source is clean as a whistle. Ridley Scott eschewed the more glossy look of some of his '80s and '90s pictures for AMERICAN GANGSTER this but this is still a slick enough image that you won't mistake it for a Steven Soderbergh picture.' Colors are not overly saturated and are far from bright, but the muted brown-and-blue palette is clean and consistent. Scott also utilizes a softer look for the film, so while certainly sharp, there is a bit more flatness than some might expect on a high-def presentation. The only real gripe, however, is that contrast is somewhat lacking. While blacks are rock solid, the mid-range seems lethargic, and shadow delineation suffers. The image teeters on being too dark, and fine details often get lost in the darker areas of the image or in night scenes. However, detail and depth hold up as well as is possible, and closer shots in particular can look quite textured and impressive. 

SOUNDTRACK:

AMERICAN GANGSTER boasts a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, one that makes good use of all available audio channels. Dialogue is clear as a bell, as are the music and sound effects that come from the left and right front and surround channels. Bass isn't as active as the surrounds but it is put to good use when called upon.

Real life druglord Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is the right-hand man of Harlem dealer Bumpy Robinson (an uncredited Clarence Williams III). After Bumpy’s death in 1969, Lucas feels he’s got the right and the opportunity to take over Bumpy’s organization, but wants to have more control than his mentor did. To this end, he avails himself of a former brother-in-law (Roger Guenveur Smith) attached to a U.S. Army base in Viet Nam and establishes an innovative way to move pure heroin into New York. At the same time, police detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is going through a miserable custody battle and unintentionally makes a name for himself by turning in one million dollars in unmarked bills he comes across during an investigation. Roberts is loathed by many of his fellow cops, but when Washington wants someone who won’t be corrupted in the quest to bring down drug lords, Roberts is the man who’s picked for the job.

There’s nothing quite like a good gangster pic to fill the mind with ideas of becoming a modern day king. AMERICAN GANGSTER is probably the first film to portray the rise and fall of an African American drug lord in a light that is anything other than exploitive. Films like NRE JACK CITY, while definitely doing the same thing, often come off as tacky panderings to hip hop culture and the fads of the day. Maybe because the film is based on a true story, AMERICAN GANGSTER manages to avoid those pitfalls, while falling into a new trap... not taking any chances.

AMERICAN GANGSTER' is the story of a suave, smart, and charismatic man named Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), who took over the Harlem drug trade in the 1970s. He inherits it from his boss, Bumpy Johnson, who trusts Frank more than anyone else, and Frank learns a lot from Bumpy. Frank has a wife and a mother (Ruby Dee), whom he loves dearly. He goes to church every Sunday, and he shares his wealth with friends and family. Washington gives a spectacular performance, reminiscent of his Oscar-winning role in TRAINING DAY, but he is not quite the villain he was in that movie. Crowe is powerful and convincing, though Richie's story is less interesting than Frank's. Their climactic confrontation with one another is intelligent and well-written, as they actually engage in conversation, and not in a fatalistic shootout. Ridley's Scott's talented direction makes this a true epic. 

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Universal presents THE STRANGERS with a 1080p  2.35:1-framed transfer.  The film's color pallet consists of darkly lit locations that are drenched in a soft golden, amber, or red hue. The color brightens up in a few flashbacks scenes of the wedding the characters attended in the early moments of the film. Here, colors pick up a bit though flesh tones appear pale but seemingly accurate. Detail is moderate throughout the film. There is a slight softness to much of the transfer. Take a scene after James has left to get the cigarettes and Kristen is left to wander the house. For all the trinkets and furniture, none of it stands out as particularly strong, and the image lacks realistic depth. The soft lighting clearly plays a part in this, and the disc seems to resolve the detail as best it can, given the lighting conditions and inherently straightforward style of filmmaking that does make the movie feel more intimate and immediately dangerous. Blacks appear crushed in certain scenes, but deep and accurate in others, and in some scenes, the blacks take on a hint of gray. Overall, the transfer suits the dark tone of the movie well. 

     SOUNDTRACK:

The disc is highlighted by  aDTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/24-bit). This is a truly unnerving soundtrack, one that will give you goosebumps even if you cover your eyes for the whole flick. Most impressive is the sustained sense of dread. THE STRANGERS is quite subtle in its use of silence, with only location and ambient sounds gently floating in the surrounds to unnerve us. Discrete effects occasionally clang out of the rears as well, and they often made me jump right off the couch. Tech specs are top notch, with rich and full-bodied dynamic range and strong low bass. The minimal score is also nicely bleed all around, for a consistently immersive experience. Dialogue is well recorded and always finely balanced in the mix. As one would expect for being such a new film, THE STRANGERS has a perfect horror movie soundtrack.

The Strangers is almost play-like in its claustrophobia, almost all of it taking place in a sprawling bungalow country house where James (Scott Speedman) has apparently just popped the question to girlfriend Kristen (Liv Tyler) at a friend's wedding reception and been rejected. It thus opens on an awkward and depressed note that helps it segue smoothly into the derangement to come. The couple is startled by a 4 a.m. knock on the door by a young woman who asks, dreamily, "Is Tamara there?" Told no, she disappears and James decides to drive off looking for cigarettes. While alone, Kristen hears hammering at the door, and sees masked figures in the hazy distance. The couple must endure hell in order to survive the presence of the strangers. 

Reminiscent of last year's VACANCY (but better) and inspired by the idea of the Manson murders as experienced by the victims, THE STRANGERS is a refresher course in implied horror by a first-time director, Bryan Bertino, who is apparently unencumbered by the need to ape SAW or HOSTEL  Bertino's vision is goes  by the strange truth that an out-of-focus masked intruder in a background is more unsettling than a graphic scene of torture.

Like the house itself, THE STRANGERS is deathly quiet, with the barest score pierced by scratchy country tunes on the record player, wind chimes, broken window glass, a scrape of a kitchen knife or the screams of audience members. It’s effectively unsettling.  Too bad then that onto this creepy canvas are placed such dull performances. THE STRANGERS is all about the victim’s perspective but Liv is no Scream Queen. After an hour of watching her crawl around avoiding certain death it feels like Bertino is toying with viewers too, dragging out his suspenseful intro long past its lifespan, then tacking on a not-at-all unforeseen shock ending. His debut is above your average serial-killer thriller but having no bad ideas is not the same as having a good one. 

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FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is presented in 1080p resolution in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with an AVC MPEG4 encode, the movie just about fills the 16:9 screen shape with small black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.  The picture is sharp and clean though colors seem just a bit undersaturated and interior scenes exhibit some signs of compression artifacts.  Filmed on location in Hawaii, the lush green plants and blue-green water are gorgeous to look at, and the skin tones which are prevalent in the film (perhaps even more than necessary) are accurate. 

SOUNDTRACK:

The audio provided for FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is the familiar English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that should be very familiar to those that have purchased other Universal titles on Blu-ray. The studio has stood steadfast behind DTS-HD since making the jump from HD-DVD and done great work with the sound format. Regular definition DTS 5.1 mixes are provided for French and Spanish language tracks as well as subtitles for all three languages. While the imagery of FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL benefits from the exotic filming location, the sound suffers from the same problem that so many comedies do; sound design just doesn´t allow too much energy beyond the front channels. The film is technically proficient, but aside from the musical numbers and a few nice ambient moments during the surfing sequences, the sound mix does not show too much energy, and thankfully, dialogue is clear.

Struggling musician Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) has spent six years idolizing his girlfriend, television star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). He's the guy left holding her purse in paparazzi photos and accidentally omitted from acceptance award speeches. But when she decides to break up with him, Peter's world falls apart. To clear his head and lift his spirits, he takes an impulsive trip to Hawaii, where he runs into the last thing he expects to see: His ex and her hip new British-rocker boyfriend, Aldous (Russell Brand), staying at his hotel. Even as Peter keeps running into the two people he is trying to avoid, he finds comic relief and support in his new-found hotel buddies, including a growing flirtation with Rachel (Mila Kunis), the beautiful resort staff employee whose laid-back philosophy inspires him to get back on track and rejoin the world. In the process, Peter discovers what makes him feel truly happy...his vampire musical project, a daring albeit unplanned dip in the ocean, and the pleasures of many, many fruity cocktails.

Opportunities for even the most disgusting schlub to show off his sensitive side have become a fixture in the movies to emerge from Judd Apatow’s comedy shop. But FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL — a very appealing showcase for star and writer Jason Segel, most familiar as one of Seth Rogen’s pals in KNOCKED UP — goes even further by requiring its male hero to essentially sob his way through the movie’s first half. Not only does poor Peter (Segel) lose it when dumped by the titular Sarah (Kristen Bell), he cries during the inevitable round of meaningless sexual encounters that are supposed to assuage his heartbreak. Inadvertently booking a holiday at the same Hawaiian resort where his TV-actress ex is vacationing with her new rock-star lover gives him cause to wail some more.

Segel’s willingness to be weepy may be even more courageous than his eagerness to go full frontal. It’s also evidence of the emotional generosity that makes FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL richer and funnier than every other frat-pack variation on the romantic comedy. Though there’s great side business by 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer, the indispensable Paul Rudd and William Baldwin (playing Sarah’s co-star on a hilariously spot-on CSI parody), Peter’s tropical misadventures yield the biggest laughs. Director Nicholas Stoller lets it all roll on for too long but the fact that Segel’s script includes female characters with some nuance (relatively speaking, at least) is another reason this is the most enjoyable Apatow project since THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. 

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THE INCREDIBLE HULK was shot in 1080p high-definition 2.35:1, AVC encoded and everything is rock solid. The night grotto scene reproduces nicely, as well as gritty textured bottle factor and favelas. The computer-generated scenes are much improved over the last film, and have more high speed camera work, but everything looked very clear. Through no fault of the transfer, there are scenes where you’re taken out briefly because you can easily tell it’s CG work, other times it all blends together. The nature of HD can work against the film sometimes because you’re taken out of the moment ever so slightly. I found this especially distracting with SPIDERMAN 3, but think it’s been improved greatly with THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Pay close attention to all the detail on the skin of the close-ups of Hulk and Abomination. Rhythm & Hues raised it to the look of these characters to higher level and that work shines in high def.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK is also a powerhouse of a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/24-bit). This film has A-plus sound design, with the Hulk stomping all over the place to smashing effect. Unfortunately, ratcheting the audio down a notch is uneven dialogue balance. Action scenes frequently overwhelm, so I either had to adjust volume or flip on the subtitles. That's a shame, because otherwise THE INCREDIBLE HULK would have scored as high for audio as it does for video. Otherwise, this soundtrack excels.

Dr. Bruce Banner (Ed Norton) is on the run; both from himself and the US Military who wants to capture and dissect the Hulk for its inherent bio-weapon potential. Cutting ties with everyone he cares for, Bruce has holed up in Brazil, saving money as a day laborer to purchase the equipment and medical resources necessary to isolate and negate the effect of his gamma irradiated blood, while training with a Ju-Jitsu master to control his mind/body connection. But being five years off the grid has done nothing to slow the obsessive pursuit of General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), who has paid dearly for his determination to capture Banner at all costs, most notably the love and respect of his daughter Betty (Liv Tyler), Bruce’s partner and true love. Yet, when a potential cure arrives in the form of an online relationship with a leading NYC-based biology professor, Bruce’s enthusiasm alerts the powers that be to his whereabouts and all hell is about to break loose.

This is not the picture many fans feared it would be. Marvel has not negated Ang Lee’s film, but instead pulls  a SPIDERMAN 2, utilizing the opening credit sequence to provide the viewer with everything they need to know about The Hulk’s origin and the events of the past five years. From there we jump right into the action and what transpires is a rarity — a big budget blockbuster whose payoffs come from the characters themselves rather than the action set pieces. With brilliantly subtle nods to previous incarnations of the character (which I won’t spoil), the focus of the film is on Bruce Banner’s isolation and the lengths he goes to in preventing the re-emergence of his uncontrollable inner beast. To wit, he wears a heart rate monitor to know how close he is to transforming, and there’s a running 'Days without Incident' tag that appears on screen from time to time giving Bruce’s struggle an addict at the end of his rope feel. This humanization element is key to the film’s success.

Three big reasons THE INCREDIBLE HULK film works. 1) Bruce Banner/Hulk (Edward Norton) is given a threatening opponent in Emil Blonsky/Abomination (Tim Roth), a formidable foe who outclasses Banner in physical ability and strength and works in Marvel Studio continuity of the super soldier serum. 2) Banner is back on the run. That’s the hook from Hulk/Banner story that the average person identified with. With the advent of cellphones, GPS, and the internet though it’s a lot harder to stay off the grid these days. The story’s taken out of the United States and into the favelas of Brazil. Banner’s only outside contact is Mister Blue, a mysterious friend helping Banner try to cure himself of the monster within. This plot is best remembered in the novelist, Bruce Jones’ stint on the comic several years ago. And finally 3) We get to see the Hulk obliterate some shit! Battle scenes were explosive, inventive, and pulled out all the tricks from Hulk’s hat. The pummeling earthquake punch, the hurricane hand-swat, using vehicles as boxing gloves and the wreckage of mass destruction left behind in his trail made for an over-the-top action pleaser.

Universal presents LAND OF THE DEAD's transfer as an encoded 1080p/VC-1 presentation. Contrast is near-perfect across the entire spectrum. Despite being bathed in shadows, the fall-off to black isn't too steep, so fine details are visible even in the darkest long shots. Crucial in a horror film like this is the ability to see both foreground and backgrounds, as what fun is it to watch a zombie sneaking up on an unsuspecting victim if you can't see all the icky ooze and puss? Again, this is not the most incredible transfer I've ever seen in terms of depth, but it is clearly superior to the rather flat standard-def release. Also commendable is that compression artifacts are not a problem, and despite pixelation and posterization on the previous DVD I saw no comparable issues here.

SOUNDTRACK:

LAND OF THE DEAD boasts a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that brings this horrifying zombie world to glorious life. The sound is rich, full, and immersive, and right from the dread-inducing score over the opening credits, which floods the soundstage with creepy notes and atmospherics, listeners will surmise that they're in for quite the treat. Excellent, rumbling bass accompanies the soundtrack and is palpable in a wide variety of sequences. Surrounds are used effectively and naturally to create a terrifying atmosphere of music and sound effects. Bass-heavy beats fill the soundstage, motorcycles drive to and fro around the listening area, fireworks explode and pop all around, gunfire emerges from every speaker, and splattering corpses and blood smack the pavement with nasty precision. The soundtrack also features some hard-hitting hip-hop numbers playing over one sequence of the film in chapter 8 that pulsates and pounds away with clarity and excellent fidelity. Dialogue reproduction is clean and crisp with no volume anomalies to report. This is one loud, tough-as-nails soundtrack that is reference material through and through. It gets the blood flowing and makes the movie all the more enjoyable.

In an undetermined time after the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, humanity is woefully outnumbered by the living dead. One major city has locked itself off from the outside, setting up a dichotomous society - the haves live in a gleaming citadel of glass and steel called Fiddler's Green, while the have-nots scrape by on the streets, giving in to the vices that the upper class set up to distract them. Supplying the city is a band of mercenaries led by Riley (Simon Baker). They drive through the zombie-infested outer regions in a gigantic armored vehicle, scouring for food, medicine, and other essential supplies. Of course, they also take a little time for mowing down the walking dead, who don't exactly take kindly to being terminated.

The script was generally ok, although there were a couple of issues I had with it that I didn’t understand. Like why a Zombie would be in a stores refrigeration unit and why one actor winks at another and then knocks her out. The strangest thing of all though is that except for some basic communication the Zombies are essentially dumb, slow walking creatures, judging by the first battle, the humans could have taken back the planet easily. But if you can look through these issues then we have a pretty good, typical Romero Zombie movie.

I have read elsewhere that Romero uses the dead films to satirize modern American culture. And yes indeed you can see that, we have Kaufman, rich and powerful and living in luxury, making all the decisions that affect the average person which live out on the street (literally) a real unfair class system. In fact the people outside the tower have more in common with the Zombies than they do with the Elite in their tower. Personally I don’t care about the satire or the (not so) subtle undertones that the movie is meant to portray. I want to see a good entertaining film, with lots of Zombie action and gore. And we get it, there are a lot of good Zombie kills and good close up gore. If I had anything bad to say about the film it would be that you never really feel that Riley and his immediate likeable entourage are in any danger which loses a bit of the suspense. But apart from that we get a good solid Zombie/Horror film it even has a few funnies thrown in for good measure.