TRANSFER:

Warner Home Video presents POLTERGEIST in 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer looks like they used the same master source they used for the DVD editions that were released years ago. All the POLTERGEIST films generally look consistent, with a nice clarity and an attractive color palette. Detail is quite strong for the era. There are still moments of softness and flat contrast, and the effects shots still fare poorly at time, especially on some of the phony matte and effects shots. And there are occasional shots that look somewhat soft, and lack decent shadow. But on its own terms it's still a pretty good catalog re-master.

AUDIO:

POLTERGEIST also recieves a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/16-bit), which is a bump up from the plain Dolby Digital tracks of the previous DVD releases. However, none of the acoustics here really deliver anything stellar as far as a sound experience that holds up to today's motion pictures. Dynamic range is fairly good for a 1982 film, and dialogue is clearer and more pronounced than I expected. Low bass is lacking in modern terms, but not bad. The scores from each film come through nicely, but are very front heavy. The source is also free from distortion or other major age-related anomalies. But don't expect cutting edge sound field activity from your speakers. 

            CRITIQUE:

Steve and Diane Freeling thought they had a normal home in a normal neighborhood. They were wrong! Carol Anne, the youngest Freeling child, seems to have a special relationship with the house. She talks to television sets and gets responses back, she slides across kitchen floors without help, and of course ends up with dead animals in her room. But her greatest asset to the house is when it ends up engulfing her into it. There is a spirit within the house, a poltergeist, and it wants her life force. And it won’t let her back into the real world without it. Steve and Diane try consulting all the best paranormal experts and only when Tangina arrives, does she have the real answers. But don’t mistake success for ultimate victory. These demons aren’t about to give up without a fight.

Conceived and shot virtually in tandem with E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL, POLTERGEIST is that film’s loud and scary cousin. Whatever the controversy about who actually directed it, this tight, nifty suburban ghost story is unquestionably a Stephen Speilberg movie. He produced, wrote the story and co-wrote the screenplay, leaving his trademarks all over the place. The archetypal middle-class family living in an ever expanding sprawl of housing tracts shares a lot of DNA with the less happy families in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3RD KIND and E.T.. 

What really grips at your heart is the fate of Carol Anne played by Heather O'Rourke. She is just the sweetest, cutest little girl and the fact that she gets sucked up into the television is just horrible. Of course, that's why you don't answer the strange voices you hear in your head. She is really the heart of the film and it's amazing the performance they're able to get out of this 5-year-old. The fact that she died at the age of thirteen makes the movie all the more sad and creepy. This is another film whose reputation was diminished by horrible sequels. If you're looking for a good scare, check out the original. Believe me you'll never look at your closet or the tree outside your bedroom window the same way again.

        TRANSFER:

CONSTANTINE was shot in 2.35.1, and is presented with a wide 1080p/VC-1  2.35.1 video image., Like the other films rereleased on Blu Ray, this one has undergone an extensive remastering process. The clean-up effort was somewhat less thorough here, however, and there are some noticeable vertical streaks and a smudges marring the picture in a few parts. Overall, the picture is quite attractive, and the memorable underwater scenes look like they were shot today. CONSTANTINE is a definite winner. 

For review purposes we opted for WHV's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 remix, which offers plenty of bang for the buck. The score is ecspecially bold and brassy, with an excellent stereo presence. There's some directional panning, but it's never overdone or gimmicky. Dialogue and most sound effects are appropriately centered. The track is clean and has pretty good auditory detail. Sound effects in the 5.1 remix are frequently too loud compared to the rest of the track, and the ADR dubbing is distractingly obvious  Nonetheless, the audio on the disc is satisfying overall for a movie of this era.

 As demon hunter John Constantine, Keanu Reeves fights a new otherworld foe in this eye-opening supernatural thriller based on characters from the DC Comics/Vertigo HELLBLAZER Graphic Novels and set in a City of the Angels where spirit-world bounds have been broken...and all hell is breaking loose. Armed with a shotgun crafted from a crucifix and assisted by an intrepid cop (Rachel Weisz), he's a spiritual warrior gone to apocalyptic war. Be glad he's on your side.

When Hollywood adapts a property to the big screen, usually anything from the comic book remained, apart from character's name and smoking habit. Almost anything else was changed - London became Los Angeles, Constantine transformed from British into American and instead of looking like Sting he looked like Neo from MATRIX. The last decision, made in order to cast Keanu Reeves in main role, doomed the film, at least if anyone remotely familiar with the original comic book is concerned. Needless to say, writers Kevin Brodbin and Frank A. Cappello transformed complex plot and multi-layered characterisation from the comic books into simplified and predictable plot that uses every pseudo-religious cliche imaginable from exorcism scenes and legendary Spear of Christ to obligatory appearance of Satan himself.

The main problem with CONSTANTINE is that it tries too hard to dazzle, and at times, relies too heavily on its glimmer and not enough on its substance. This is probably not by coincidence; the story is average at best, and Reeves in particular, although adept at depicting existential antiheroes, should be able to generate more emotion from us at this point in his career. In this film, his typecast role reminds us more of his mediocre acting abilities than his talents. In THE MATRIX he could get away with it; here, he cannot. He is too talented, I think, to let this trend continue. The film is also unsure of itself: does it want to be fantasy? Horror? Science fiction? Film noir? Viewers are left wondering where its soul rests. Sometimes, a mixed-genre offering works well, but only if the parts are equal to the whole. Here, viewers are left wanting more footage of hell, more scares, more science, more character development, or more something.

      TRANSFER:

JFK DIRECTORS CUT gets a 1080p/AVC MPEG4 1.85:1 encode and the results are definitely better than WHV other catalog titles from the same period.  But it still falls far short of reference quality. The source is in good shape and sharpness and detail in the picture is competent but the color palette of the film is inherently a bit flat and muted. This is probably the best this film will look, though, so take that for what you will.

Warner Home Video includes a  DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/16-bit) soundtrack that remains unimpressive. The higher range in particular feels cheap and low bass is anemic. The shrillness is matched only by the weak surround effects, which are very sporadic and obviously processed. JFK was originally presented theatrically in stereo, an option which is provided here as well.  Atmosphere is, predictably, minimal. At least the source is in good shape with no major defects, dropouts or the like. 

Oliver Stone's powerful film about the shots heard round the world and the mystery enshrouding them is one of the most provocative movies of our time. Beside its box-office success, critical acclaim and awards, it played a major role in the national debate leading to passage of the 1992 Assassination Materials Disclosure Act. This controversial winner of two Academy Awards - nominated for a total of eight Oscars including Best Picture - features 17 added minutes not shown theatrically that enrich the mosaic of the turbulent investigation by Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) of President John F. Kennedy's 1963 assassination. An all-star cast and a top-notch production join Stone in crafting an electrifying screen experience.

Oliver Stone won the Academy Award for cinematography and editing in 1992. Nominated for score, sound, screenplay based from previous material, director, supporting actor, and picture. Some fact, some speculation. That's about all the information there really is about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and that's what the film has to offer. The point that is really worth mentioning about this project is that it doesn't waste its energy trying to tell you what "really" happened on Nov. 22, 1963. No one "really" knows (no one involved in this film anyway). But what it does do, and does with incredible skill, is show that the way the assassination has been explained is absolutely impossible. To avoid throwing large piles of opinion in the story would be very difficult, but Stone somehow pulls it off. Very nice film and very well done. 

But perhaps the greatest compliment that I can give this movie is that in 3 hours and 26 minutes, not one scene seemed out of place and not one second was boring. The pacing is perfect, and I can honestly saying that this is one of the only movie in which dialogue is so gripping as to make me shake with tension. The whole movies captures the urgency of the situation at the time, and every frame seems to be a cry to learn to truth. Because that is what this movie is about. It doesn't matter if the film's script is real or not, because the execution is so good that it accomplishes the greatest feat possible: to make you want to know the truth for real.

Warner Home Video presents THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Blu Ray with an MPEG2 1080p 1.85:1 transfer on a 25 gigabyte BD disc and the results are very good, but not reference quality obviously cause of the age of the film stock. Not really a great catalog release to show off in high-def anyway as Frank Darabont always intended to have a very soft picture; there are no print damage or compression issues to speak of but there is some moderate film grain appropriate to the age of the film.

SOUNDTRACK:

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION's nicely restored DTS HD 5.1 Lossless Master audio track offers stellar home theatrical experience. Every angry glare and telekinetic intimation is enhanced by the original track and was restored to sound more shrill and more exhilarating. The remixed score cuts through the other sound elements perfectly. Dialog is sharp and clear. 

Few movies capture the triumph of the human spirit as memorably as Frank Darabont's film SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION from the same Stephen King story collection that gave us Stand By Me. Morgan Freeman plays Red, a lifer who knows how to cope with the bleak hopelessness of Shawshank State Prison. Tim Robbins plays new inmate Andy, a quiet banker convicted of murders he didn't commit - and whose indomitable will earn Red's respect and friendship. Andy's resourfulness brings hope and change to the entire prison. He's full of surprises. And the best comes last, leading to one of the most satisfying finales in film history.

A group of prisoners, in a corrupt prison, meet a new prisoner who brings a touch of hope. If I saw that today I would immediately think "crap." Of course today I would probably be right. We live in an age where movies are afraid to do the things that THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION does right. Even the excellent movies of today find themselves hard pressed to create what this movie does. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is a story about people. Not glorified mystical abstracts being played as people, but people. Today it would either be an action movie like THE ROCK or a think piece about the horrors of prison life and the necessary reforms necessary to bring about a better world. Neither of which I am particularly interested in.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is an excellent depiction of life in a prison, a society within a society where different rules and conventions apply. The Shawshank Redemption shows us that there is hope even within the walls of a prison. Excellent cast and acting ensure that the characters are believable and that the viewer cares about them.

The 1080p/AVC-1  1.85.1 codec transfer shows a very faint but omnipresent film grain that does not distract from Joel Shoemaker's surreal narrative flow. There is some twitchiness to the shadows and occasional artifacting on out-of-focus blades of grass and the like, but other than that A TIME TO  KILL has received an outstanding video master. Blacks are natural and a carefully balanced palette suggests a restraint to the colors. Most of the exterior scenes take place beneath overcast skies, and even the hues at sunny moments are a bit subdued versus what we would expect. More than enough of the fine textures of clothing, scenery, and actors' faces are clearly visible.

SOUNDTRACK:

The soundtrack includes a  DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, A TIME TO KILL's audio presentation offers somewhat mixed results, but the positives outweigh the negatives. The score heard over the opening credits offers a fulfilling presence, but it doesn't approach the level of "the orchestra in the living room" sensation quite like that available from the very best lossless soundtracks.  The score thumps and rattles on occasion, delivering powerful lows that perturb the room. A heavy blowing wind in chapter 12 slowly gains momentum as it increases in intensity and soon engulfs the entire soundstage with a heavy-handed bass presence. Dialogue reproduction is fine as expected, but the soundtrack as a whole feels and sounds forced rather than natural and graceful.

John Grisham's bestseller A TIME TO KILL hits the screen with incendiary force, directed by Joel Schumacher ( BATMAN AND ROBIN). Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey and Kevin Spacey portray the principals in a murder trial that brings a small Mississippi town's racial tensions to the flashpoint. Amid a frenzy of activist marches, Klan terror, media clamor and brutal riots, an unseasoned but idealistic young attorney mounts a stirring courtroom battle for justice. The superb ensemble also includes Brenda Fricker, Oliver Platt, Charles S. Dutton, Ashley Judd, Patrick McGoohan, Chris Cooper and both Donald and Keifer Sutherland. These and other talents make A Time to Kill "one of the year's most powerful films"

An overblown but entertaining courtroom drama, based on a John Grisham novel, about racial strife in the deep South. Samuel L. Jackson plays a humble working man driven to take the law into his own hands when a pair of good ol' boys rape his young daughter; Matt McConaughy plays the white-bread attorney who decides to defend him.  Somewhere in there is Sandra Bullock playing an eager young law student who both helps and distracts the white guy from his lawyerin'. Yes, morality is laid out on a nice flat grid, but the fact that there even is a moral battle here gives this movie a heavy, heavy dose of tension and drama, despite the fact that its view of the South and the people in it are so stereotyped they're practically cartoons. would leave out the swelling music, this movie might have some real power.

As in another mediocre Grisham offering THE CLIENT, any suspense or empathy that the film can generate is in no small measure due to the prowess of its cast (if not in the characters themselves, who possess, in typical Grisham fashion, too much emotion and too little common sense -- a combination that's great for melodrama, but otherwise an irrelevance that leads to audience irreverence). As evidence, one could cite the tightly-wound performance of Samuel L. Jackson, who is able to convey all of the rage of fathers everywhere. Oliver Platt provides much-needed comic relief; his sly bantering with Bullock is one of the highlights of the film. McConaughey, the latest causality of overexposure in Hollywood, gives a performance commensurate with the material he's been given, but this is not the role that will make him a star in acting terms. McGoohan and Sutherland  also provide some welcome southern-fried hamminess, although each tends to forget where he left his accent at inappropriate moments. If you're a Grisham fan, you will probably like this film. If not, go find some Perry Mason reruns.

BEING THERE is presented on Blu Ray with a transferred at 1080p/24 in AVC/MPEG-4 encodings in their original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1.  The 1979 production  appears in the same MPEG-2 encoding from its previously available Blu-ray release. There is no compression artifacts and it is relatively well detailed, although BEING THERE does appears slightly soft with somewhat washed out blacks and flat colors that do not pop from the screen. Overall, however, none of the transfers is disappointing and most will be satisfied with the quality.

 SOUNDTRACK:

Warner Home Video remasters the original mono audio stems into a DTS 5.1 HD Master Audio track for each of the OMEN films. Composer Jerry Goldsmith's Twelve-Tone inspired score is perfection here and to have the chance to listen to this classic horror glory in this pristine audio presentation alone is worth the upgrade to Blu Ray. Dialogues do sound a bit limited in places still, but overall the films have a solid audio presentation with good frequency response and dynamic range.  If only all catalog titles were handled this way, we would be very happy buyers.

BEING THERE creator Jerzy Kosinski got a telegram from its lead character Chance the Gardener: "Available in my garden or outside of it." Kosinski dialed the accompanying telephone number and Peter Sellers answered. Sellers indeed got the part and gave an indelible performance (scoring National Board of Review and Golden Globe Best Actor Awards and an Academy Award nomination) in this modern comedy classic.  Isolated all his life in a Washington, DC, townhouse, Chance knows only what he's seen on TV. Cast into the world, he stumbles into the inner circle of political power brokers (including Melvyn Douglas in his second Oscar-winning role) eager for "sage wisdom." As Chance might say, you'll like to watch.

This movie epitomizes what so many character driven films are searching for. Peter Sellers delivers his typical brilliant performance. He plays the character so well, and in winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor and Academy Award nomination, you begin to understand why he was hounding Kozinski for eight years to play the part. The film is the character of Chance, a man unaffected by the surrounding ugly world. He impacts everyone around him with a positive touch, and although his identity is a complete sham (not by his intent) you empathize with him and find yourself rooting for him to succeed. The film stays true to its form from the beginning, and the main character remains the same up until the very end, which seems to be a rarity in so many films.

In his final big role before his death, Sellers brings to life a man called Chance, a feeble-minded and quiet middle-aged gardener in a Washington, D.C. mansion he's never left. Chance's life – which consists of tending to the small garden, taking meals prepared by another servant, and watching and mimicking television – is shattered when the patron of the manse passes away and the house is sold, forcing Chance out into the harsh world he's never experienced.

SOUNDTRACK:

Warner Home Video presents TERMINATOR 3 RISE OF THE MACHINES with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack sounds perfect on Blu-ray, faithful to the original source and never creating a false, over-exaggerated mix that fails to mesh with the content of the film. Focusing on the middle and rarely spreading out much further, and especially NOT into the rears, the audio has a nice classic sound about it. Perhaps just a bit too loud at reference volume, as demonstrated during the opening music in particular, the track is nevertheless robust but not exhilarating. Dialogue is strong and clear. Sound effects are never overbearing or juiced up, just as they were meant to be. The first time Frankenstein ascends to the top of the laboratory in an attempt to bring the monster to life serves as a fine example. 

PLOT:

Arnold Schwarzenegger puts on his trademark shades and leather jacket to return as a time-traveling T-101 Terminator in this smash hit directed by Jonathan Mostow. He's back to protect future Earth Resistance leader John Connor (Nick Stahl)...and an unwary veterinarian (Claire Danes) who's stunned to learn her destiny is linked with Connor. An awesome new foe is programmed to terminate them - a state-of-the-art T-X (Kristanna Loken) who's smarter and stronger than a T-101. With dazzling effects, bravura thrills and a story that boldly spins into the unexpected, this is an event spectacle to see and see again.

FACTS:

This isn't James Cameron's  TERMINATOR it's Jonathon Mostow's. While it'd be easy to dismiss TERMINATOR 3 RISE OF THE MACHINES, it is because it's not as gritty as the first or as awe-inspiring as the second, it's worth noting that the same would have been true no matter who directed the film. Cameron set an incredibly high standard for this series, and Mostow has to be commended for staying true to the themes and ideas established in the first two flicks - while also crafting a movie that's as full of action and suspense as its predecessors. The film follows a grown-up John Connor (Nick Stahl) as he teams up with a reluctant Kate Brewster (Claire Danes) to prevent Judgment Day once and for all, with his efforts, as usual, both assisted by a friendly Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and hindered by an evil Terminator (Kristanna Loken). The most surprising thing about TERMINATOR 3 RISE OF THE MACHINES is how involving the storyline is, especially considering how neatly things were tied up at the end of part two.

En route to his predictably sensational end, the machine is by turns witty masochist (when Kate shoots him in the face, he literally chews the bullet and admonishes her: "Don't do dat") and blithely amoral sadist (as the couple to be reminisce, he notes, "Your levity is good, it relieves tension and de fear of death"). Even as it makes apposite use of Stan Winston's gory-face makeup and the still excellent evil-Terminator liquid metal effects (digital artists for the X-MEN and HULK franchises), TERMINATOR 3 RISE OF THE MACHINE is still snarky and over-the-top if that is your thing.

OVER THE TOP was shot Super 35 and is presented theatrically at 1.85:1 Scope, so the Blu-ray is the same ratio as well. Contrast is excellent on both. Color is a little muted by design and there's good image detail. You will notice grain in both, but particularly in OVER THE TOP (owing to the difference in cinematographic processes used in each film's production), but that was also apparent theatrically. The grain does occasionally become a little distracting in OVER THE TOP, however, so you'll note the video quality score is just a hair lower

WHV presents OVER THE TOP with an English language DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks that do an impressive job enriching the film's subtle soundscapes. 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 soundscape. Best of all, the quietest scenes have an ever-present, naturalistic ambiance that makes audible immersion a cinch.

Sylvester Stallone gives fans another reason to stand up and cheer. He stars as hard-luck big-rig trucker Lincoln Hawk and takes us under the glaring Las Vegas lights for all the boisterous action of the World Armwrestling Championship in OVER THE TOP (co-scripted by Stallone). Relying on wits and willpower, Hawk tries to rebuild his life by capturing the first-place prize money - and the love of the son (David Mendenhall) he abandoned years earlier into the keeping of his rich, ruthless father-in-law (Robert Loggia). He matches muscles with some of the game's gargantuan greats - and grips you tightly with a rousing finale in crowd-pleasing ROCKY style. Grab hold for rip-roaring fun!

FACTS:

I found OVER THE TOP a difficult movie to review. You wouldn’t think it. I mean, it’s Sly Stallone playing a down on his luck palooka, sorta like ROCKY. Said palooka is not terribly deep but is kind and honest, and attempts to instill confidence in youngsters, sorta like Rocky. The film builds towards a big sporting event in which Sly is quite clearly the underdog, sorta like ROCKY. A major theme in the movie is forging relationships and the importance of them in your life, sorta like ROCKY. There are musical montages to underscore the increasing readiness for the competition and the deepening of emotional bonds between characters, sorta like ROCKY.

The biggest problem is that it’s just a little too obvious that the movie is a spin-off of the character of Rocky Balboa, with his charm and honesty at war with the vicious world around him. Here, Lincoln is just a simple man wanting to bring his family back together, and the cruel world doing everything possible to keep them apart. The arm-wrestling competition, and particularly the grand prize, was just a little too tailor-made for Lincoln’s particular needs. Overall the movie is about genuine repentance after a terrible mistake, and it delivers the message well and it’s even a pretty fun ride for a lot of the time, but while the cheese factor is often the best part of a movie like this, here it is just a little too much for the movie to be good and not quite enough to be fun.

TRANSFER:

WHV presents CATWOMAN in a 1080p/24 MPEG-2 video transfer of in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1.  As is typical for a comedy of this sort, the overall look of the film is straightforward, going for a more realistic than stylistic approach. Detail is good, if slightly soft, but black levels fluctuate from time to time, with shadows sometimes looking more grey than black. Colors are flat, with no pop, and somewhat washed out. The source itself shows a few instances of wear, which could have been cleaned up, but this is, thankfully, limited. Overall, this is just an average transfer that won't be much of a reference but certainly offers much greater picture quality than the available DVD release and what you were likely to have seen in the theatre nearly eight years ago.

SOUNDTRACK:

 CATWOMAN comes with three surround audio options, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless, as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. Limited to hearing the high bitrate (1.5Mbps) core DTS track embedded in the DTS-HD Master Audio codec while I await a new player that will allow me to bitstream and decode DTS-HD MA.  Dialogue is firmly rooted down to the center channel, was a bit muffled, and sounded quite harsh during louder scenes. The surround channels were used for the slightest bit of ambient sound effects such as some traffic noise, etc. and there was not much activity in the lower frequencies to speak of.  exceptional about this mix whatsoever. 

Patience Philips is dead - and more alive then ever. Murdered after she learns the secret behind a cosmetic firm's anti-aging cream, she's revived and empowered by mystical felines. Now she's on the slinky prowl for adventure and revenge. She's CATWOMAN, essayed by Academy Award winner Halle Berry as the sleek, whip-cracking feline fatale, Benjamin Bratt is a cop torn between romance and duty, and Sharon Stone is an ice-blooded supermodel with something to hide in a kicky and stylish CATWOMAN. With catlike grace, a knack for landing on her feet, a passion for sushi and a loathing for dogs, Berry is a perfect force to reckon with. She's action. With attitude.

 DUDE WHERE IS MY CAR? relies on a shock factor, like most teen movies, but not because of the lengths it will go to gross you out, or because of random nudity, or even explicit and extreme situations. The surprise here lies in how ultimately tame it is. Oh there’s the bit where a dog smokes up and plenty of the requisite breast talk, but compared to ROAD TRIP – which hit about every low on the scale of good-taste, DUDE, WHERE IS MY CAR is a mild mannered breath of fresh air.

And so the film circles back round, awkwardly, to its ostensible premise. The women on either side of the imaginary moral divide are both gorgeous and potent, both capable of cruel violence, and both dedicated to their own desires. And both understand themselves as victims of masculine oppression. The stakes of their conflict have to do with a derivative, Joker-style gimmick in the toxic makeup (as the deadmeat doctor who cooks up the cream puts it, "I can't live with turning people into monsters"). Even the final showdown between Laurel and CATWOMAN is staged so they throw each other through giant images of beautiful models. Got it: the beauty industry is bad. But if it can help you look like Berry or Stone, or even better, pay you like it pays them, well, its faults might be intermittently overlooked.

TRANSFER:

Warner Home Video presents AMADEUS DIRECTOR's cut with a 1080p/VC-1 video codec, in the  original theatrical ratio of 2.35.1 The source is clean as a whistle. Fox has given us one seriously good image here: rich with blood-red color, deep blacks, sharp when appropriate, as when the camera lingers on the results of carnage, and no apparent artifacts. Good mix of film and digital sources. Stellar image quality with a post- modern noirish look to the film that comes out naturally in the presentation. 

SOUNDTRACK:

AMADEUS DIRECTORS CUT boasts a 5.1 DTS-HD Lossless 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. There's a considerable amount of gunplay in this film. The uncompressed audio mix does a terrific job of placing us in the thick of it, with both musical and effects deep into the surrounds, making us want to duck for cover, or else. All the same, I have found audio no better – and often much worse in this respect – in the theatre, where fat sound envelopes, but does not clarify. So, I'm guessing that I'm actually hearing things more clearly at home than I would have at the Cineplex.

PLOT 

AMADEUS chronicles the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) and his relationship with Italian composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham). The story is told in flashback by an aged Salieri, who recalls his great awe and resentment of the young genius. A lavish production full of Mozart's greatest works, including his famous opera THE MARRIAGE OF FARGO

This is an incredible story about Mozart, and true or not, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Best Actor F. Murray Abraham won gold on his only (to date) nomination, playing Amadeus' rival. Tom Hulce was Oscar nominated in the title role. Milos Forman won his second Best Director Oscar (the first was for ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST). The film won five other Oscars including Screenplay Writing. #53 on AFI's 100 Greatest Movies list.

AMADEUS DIRECTORS CUT is a great film, filled to the brim with many of Mozart’s most beautiful pieces (focusing more on his opera’s than his many symphonies, however) and shot on location in scenic Vienna and Prague. Forman directs possibly his greatest epic to date in this 1984 Oscar winner. But the strongest component in this film is Peter Schaeffer’s telling of Salieri’s insanity. Whether the legend is true or not, the medium for storytelling exposes the audience to the greatness and madness of W.A. Mozart while at the same time, not boring us with what feels like an instant replay of his greatest moments.

   TRANSFER:

WHV presents QUO VADIS with a    36Mbps AVC/MPEG-4 1080p/24  encoding of the film in its original aspect ratio of 2.85:1 superbly framed transfer. It captures the mood and shadings of QUO VADIS with amazing detail. The source is in immaculate condition. The transfer conveys all of the finer details, including a wonderful, film-like level of grain that remains consistent throughout the presentation. For a film that contains so many darkened scenes, crush is never an issue with excellent, deep blacks yet maintaining a wonderful amount of shadow detail. This is overall a very high quality transfer from Fox, showing no artifacts and maintaining the true look of film.

     SOUNDTRACK:

The disc is highlighted by  DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. A loud soundtrack, it features very deep lows, highs that are occasionally muffled but generally crystal-clear, and a solid midrange. Surround presence is exceptional, with the oft-duplicated and certainly tired and trite ghastly howls, screeches, and other unoriginal spooky noises circling the listening area. The effect is good, and the soundtrack does a fantastic job of replicating them perfectly, but ultimately, the effect just isn't scary. Sound is well-placed throughout the entirety of the soundstage.

Rome burns. Nero fiddles. Christianity rises. And moviegoers turned out in throngs for this years-in-the-making film colossus boasting eight Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and featuring 110 speaking parts, 30,000 participants and a filmed-on-location panoply of marching legions, magisterial pageantry and massive spectacle that includes the martyrdom of Christians thrown to the lions before cheering Coliseum throngs. Robert Taylor plays the Legion commander whose love for a Christian slave girl (Deborah Kerr) crosses the divide between Empire and a sect with a higher loyalty. Presiding over all is Nero (Peter Ustinov). He is Caesar, madman, murderer - an imperial ruler of the spectacular, and spectacularly doomed, glory that was Rome.

Who would have thought we'd be one day craving Polaroid cameras? Continuing the grand tradition of remaking Asian horror movies, along comes SHUTTER . Set in Tokyo, but starring a pretty white couple so that, you know, an American audience can relate to, this East-meets-West mishmash fails both as an atmospheric piece and as a decent remake, even though it is helmed by an actual Japanese horror guru, Masayuki Ochai, the man who directed PARASITE EVE, HYPNOSIS, and INFECTION. Fox Home Enterment presents Masayuki Ochai's latest on Blu Rat. 

In my opinion QUO VADIS is not one of the classics of its era or genre. If you enjoy films that laud the Christian religion though, you may be inclined to disagree. If, as I do, you enjoy biblical/historical epics, this is not one of the best. That said, its not one of the worst either. And it does merit its place in film history. The documentary is well worth a look too. At 171 minutes it may be on the longish side for those with only a casual interest. For high definition enthusiasts the Blu-ray is a must see, but maybe as a rental rather than a purchase. If you like epics, you’ll no doubt enjoy this one. If you don’t—and I don’t know who you might be—you’ll probably want to avoid QUO VADIS.

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Warner Home Video presents Entertainment presents 2010 as presented in 2.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. You can tell this was produced on a modest budget, but the visuals still look like eye candy. The image has good depth, though detail isn't stunning and this is a nice clarity boost over the standard release. I found colors to be strong, well balanced and contrast is consistent. This doesn't have all the polish I had hoped, but it still looks quite good.

SOUNDTRACK:

The DTS HD 5.1 option sounds very good, but never rises above to the level of a cinematic blockbuster. While not exactly pushing the envelope, it works at the right spots. When the team 'gate' there's a thunderous LFE ripple, the soundstage whooshes from front to back. Throughout, the sound design is fun and immersive, and there's plenty of deep bass to give the movie a big screen temperament. The Joel Goldsmith score is never far from the edge of the mix while dialogue is nuanced and realistic. Naturally there's an audio commentary track in the extras, but with this engaged the audio defaults to a Dolby Digital stream.

While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba’al, the last of the Goa’uld System Lords, Teal’c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. The remaining SG-1 members must find the Stargate and set things right before they world is enslaved by the Goa’uld.

        2010 THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT establishes its agenda immediately, which is to basically strip its prequel, the masterpiece of 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY of all of its mystery and mythology. We know that this is what it will do throughout the course of its running time because in its first few moments, it instantly opens to two men expositing words that shuffle the plot along as quickly as possible. 2001, of course, would never do this—it was far too concerned with the mysteries of the universe to dare focus on something as insignificant as two people having a conversation that benefits a movie plotline.

So, would I recommend this disk? If like me you’re a big fan of the film then it’s a definite yes. Although it could have been so much more, it’s still the best way you can get to watch the film. If however you can wait, it might be worth waiting for any future re-releases. I believe that 2001 is undergoing the special edition treatment and is due for cinema re-release next year. This could well spawn a new DVD box set, we can but hope.

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COLLATERAL DAMAGE is presented on a 25 GB disc and is encoded with AVC in its original aspect ratio of 1:85:1. The video quality on this release is excellent, much better than the film deserves quite frankly. Clarity and color are excellent with very natural looking skin tones. Detail, especially in the faces of the actors is excellent which in the case of the aforementioned Carmen Electra is not necessarily a good thing! Black level is deep and solid with a very fine three dimensional image. There is really little to quibble about with video quality of this release. If only the film itself was up to the level of the encode just a little bit.

The audio here is encoded with DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 and is excellent as well, albeit not quite up to the level of the audio. Dialogue is well recorded and well placed in the mix. Usually, this is an asset. But with this dialogue.... The overall sound of the release is smooth and detailed with excellent bass response. However, it lacks the openness of the better sounding releases and lacks the total immersive feel of the best audio tracks. I have no doubts that fans of this film will enjoy the audio on this release. However, I found it to come up just a tad short of the bet sounding releases.

Surging excitement and one-man heroics fuel the powerful action thriller from the director of THE FUGITIVE and UNDER SIEGE. Superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a fireman whose wife and child are killed in a terrorist bombing and who obsessively tracks the mastermind (Cliff Curtis) behind it, from Los Angeles to Colombia to Washington D.C. The fanatic plans to strike again in Washington.... But how? When? And precisely where? 

COLLATERAL DAMAGE stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Los Angeles firefighter whose wife and child are killed in a terrorist bombing. Yes, this is the flick Warner Bros. postponed after 9/11. Vowing revenge, Ah-nuld races to Colombia to track down the villain, who asks, "What's the difference between you and I?" To which Ah-nuld replies, "The difference is, I'm just gonna kill you." And you were worried this film might lack sensitivity and gravitas.

As for the quality of the film itself, there's not much to say. The screenplay by David and Peter Griffiths is absurd, but unfortunately not laughable. There is no sense of continuity, much less logic, in the fabric of the film. The only interesting things are brief supporting roles by John Turturro and John Leguizamo, who try to make the most of the substandard material. Several of Leguizamo's lines, in fact, seemed to be of his own creation. The rest is deadly dull, especially Schwarzenegger, who phones it in from farther than he has in years. By the time the twist ending comes along, it's impossible to care anymore. It almost pains me to say this, but I think Arnold deserves much better. He's come a long way as a screen actor and he's ready for something more intelligent. Obviously he's no great thespian, but he has enough money to show good taste in the projects he selects in the future.

WHV presents ABOVE THE LAW in the original theatrical ratio with excellent attention to detail, colors and lifelike imagery.  Everything looks both amazingly film-like and real: the multi-colored jackets; the textures of clothing; the snow; and even the chips of ice we see in a few close-ups. Flesh tones are excellent, maybe a bit too rosy in a few shots, but definitely more than acceptable. Indoor scenes fare extremely well, too.  In a locale that is generally depicted as dark and dreary in movies, here it is bright, colorful, and alive. Obviously, this is completely due to director intent, where he could have opted for the same tired bar scene we've seen countless times before, but here, it was a nice change of pace. The exterior shots of Rome are beautiful. A fine layer of grain that is visible everywhere brings with it a wonderfully cinematic look. This grain adds a depth to the movie that perfectly recreates the theater experience.

SOUNDTRACK:

ABOVE THE LAW Blu Ray possesses a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that is strong and robust. This movie's sound effects are the true audio star of the film. The DTS HD 5.1 Master lossless audio delivers a great sound mix that has booms, cracks, and other effects echoing across your sound field. In particular the teleportation effects are amazingly well done and you can actually hear them jumping across the room. The mixing is not always consistent, but by and large the movie sounds great and will draw you into the scenes with the noticeable effects. The disc also has Dolby Digital 5.1 in English, French, and Spanish for those whose setup cannot process the HD Master version.

In his sensational screen debut, Steven Seagal smashes his way into the top ranks of action stars, playing a maverick Chicago cop tracking down ex-CIA operative trafficking drugs.... and plotting a political assassination. Director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Under Siege) unleashes the fury all over the Windy City as Nico and partner Jax (Pam Grier) close in on a psychotic crimelord (Henry Silva). Through it all, Seagal is a "one-man lethal weapon" ).

Employing the mystique well suited for martial arts, Steven Seagal was something of an enigma before he even made his big screen debut in 1988. Training in martial arts since age 7 and receiving his first Dan (ranking) in Aikido at 23, Seagal went on to provide training for Hollywood’s elite (which would eventually get him noticed by H-Town bigwig Michael Ovitz). Lots of smoke and mirrors surrounded Seagal’s past, such as him being a CIA operative and having associations with the FBI and the Mafia. However, one thing remained clear, which is noticeable in the very first moments of his debut film ABOVE THE LAW Seagal’s use of Aikido made him something that wasn’t seen before in cinema until that point. Aikido is more about body leverage and pressure holds, which made Seagal’s on-screen persona more intimidating than the usual “white hat” martial artists of the day. The result: a level of violence unlike anything seen before. Hope you like arms breaking!

The action is good, but not great. Seagal gets to fight a few times and those are fun bits but most of it's gunplay. The fights he has aren't as elaborate as in future movies. Not so much broken bones in this one! But then again it's a start. Before this film we were all used to karatekicks by Chuck Norris and rising-star Jean Claude Van Damme or the plain brutality of Stallone and Schwarzenegger. His moves are different and we like him for that. If you like old school action movies I can suggest this one, if you have anything against Seagal I would advise you to stay away unless you wanted to be confronted with this root of all evil then.

Transfer:

Warner Home Video presents ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES: EXTENDED EDITION with a 1080p/VC-1  2.35.1  widescreen transfer that really shows off the dessert landscape. The compression artifacting mixes with film grain to add a layer of unwelcome digital distraction to the 2.35:1 image. The exaggerated colors of the opening story within a story are certainly eye-catching, as are some bright bits of desert garb and decoration. The widescreen sandscape photography, while not on the scale of  ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES: EXTENDED EDITION, is still pleasingly sharp and lifelike. Many of the costumes in the second half feature fine patterns which reproduce cleanly without artifacting or other geometric anomalies. And it's not the fault of the video transfer, but the climactic special effects look pretty darned awful.

SOUNDTRACK:

ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES: EXTENDED EDITION contains an uneven and generally disappointing DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It features heavier bass and a more active surround speaker presentation than what was offered in ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES: EXTENDED EDITION, but the track is marred by plenty of annoyances. Lacking much in the way of clarity, and far too loud at reference volume, much of the sound comes across as muffled and undefined. Action sequences in particular sound confused, jumbled, and exceptionally high in volume. Bass is used to nice effect in a few instances, such as a rumbling explosion in chapter 5. Dialogue is the best aspect of the disc, sounding crisp and natural through the center channel. Surrounds come into play nicely here and there. One of the weakest DTS tracks of all time. 

Kevin Costner triumphs as the legendary Sherwood Forest outlaw leader in this epic adventure bringing a 12th-century medieval world to spectacular screen life. Enhancing the fun are 12 added minutes of footage not seen in theatres, especially more juicy malevolence of Robin Hoods archenemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also star in this lavish production lensed in Britain and France, where historic structures, majestic forests and vividly realistic recreations of Olde England combined to create a world at once ancient and ageless.

Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner, with an abysmal and intermittent English accent), first seen with Warrant-video hair and obviously fake beard in a prison in Jerusalem, manages to escape with Azeem (Morgan Freeman, with a similarly abysmal and intermittent Moorish accent) and flee home to England, where he joins up with the merry men in Nottingham, woos and wins the spunky Maid Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio, who of all the cast probably retains the most dignity), frees England from the vile Sherriff of Nottingham (a shamelessly over-the-top Alan Rickman), etc., etc. There's other junk thrown in about a long-lost half brother (Christian Slater, with yet another abysmal English accent), a baby delivered by c-section, blah blah blah.

In support, while the melon-cracking birth-aiding Morgan Freeman stands out even as a side-kick (he’s just that good), this is the Alan Rickman show. Stealing scenes from richly-talented actors and giving humour to the poor audience, Rickman has all the best lines (including “I’m gonna cut your heart out with a spoon!”), does a wonderful line in petty and finds the perfect level of scenery-chewing.  Overall, despite some obvious cheese and more than a few slices of ham, this is popcorn of the best kind. When all is said and done, ROBIN HOOD PRINCE OF THIEVES: EXTENDED EDITION  is one movie that hits the target.

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FALLING DOWN Blu-ray comes with a very clean and highly detailed AVC MPEG-4 encoded mastering of this 2.40:1 framed film. This is an absolutely gorgeous film and the scenes that take place on and around the South Pacific island look stunning. The blue water sends me yearning to take a vacation and the colors and detail just come to life from the 1080p resolution. Scenes that take place in the main character's apartment seem gloomy and not nearly as vivid as those in the real world world, but it´s a rainy day there and the intent is to show that Bill Foster´s world is droll, The dark scenes where in LA hold up very nicely and show strong black levels and shadow detail. Source materials are also clean and you´d be hard pressed to find any flaws in this film.

SOUNDTRACK:

Warner Home Video's s English DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio mix is typical of most Fox Blu-ray releases. This soundtrack is quite clean and nicely matches the luscious visuals of the film. There is plenty of life in LA and you can hear the wind moving through the trees and the various lowlifes that inhabit the city with it some deep and strong bass from the .1 LFE channel and an enveloping sound experience that helps drive home the imagery. Imaging is strong across all channels and while FALLING DOWN is not an aggressive film, it presents a lively experience that matches the tone and adventurous spirit of the film. Dialogue is clean and clear. Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Surround mixes are provided, as well as English and Spanish subtitles.

Bill Foster (Michael Douglas) is angry and disillusioned. Hes out to get even.  Foster abandons his gridlocked car license plate D-FENS on the hottest day of the year and walks straight into an urban nightmare both absurdly funny and shatteringly violent. Academy Award winner Michael Douglas is Foster, an ordinary guy at war with the frustrations of daily life. Fellow Oscar winner Robert Duvall is the savvy cop obsessed with stopping Fosters citywide rampage. This spellbinding thriller is their story, asking "Are we falling apart?"

 FALLING DOWN is a movie out of time, a live-action Disney movie from the ‘70s-- again, with updated production values. Joel Schumaker's film is scapism on a kid’s level, if you will, and there is nothing wrong with that if handled properly. However, when your movie is done by the same guy that gave us that heaping pile of Shi-ite called BATMAN AND ROBIN, watch this one at your own risk.

However, it does a great job of demonstrating how the modern suburb puts unbearable pressure on the hollowness of modern being. By recognizing that the problems on modernity's surface are nothing compared to the problems rotting in its core, the film's obsessive focus on this one man's insanely bad day (I use the psych jargon with malice)--and the performance Douglas brings in this, one of the movies he does act in--provides us a moment's insight into what the national news elites continually distract us from by speaking as though urban sprawl, unemployment, traffic, heat, etc. were the real problems.

TRANSFER:

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment's AVC MPEG4  is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1:85:1 on Blu-Ray. On the whole, this is an excellent looking disc. My only quibble here is that the night shots are very dark, with shadow detail largely invisible. Detail in the shadows is simply obscured by darkness which makes up too much of those nighttime images for my taste. On the plus side, black levels are deep and solid so that those shadows are indeed black and not a shade of gray. I found detail to be very good as well with all subtle skin textures and clothing clearly visible. Color reproduction was quite good as well and looks as I recall it looking in the theaters although that was 5 years ago. Clarity is very good which, along with the solid black level, gives the film better than average depth and a nice three dimensional look which is very pleasing to the eye. All things considered, this is a fine looking encode and one that fans of the film will find quite pleasing.

SOUNDTRACK:

The DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track (48kHz/16-bit) soundtrack is impressive. The higher range in particular feels cheap (much of the dialogue has that dubbed sound, like a kung fun movie only in English) and low bass is anemic. The shrillness is matched only by the weak surround effects, which are very sporadic and obviously processed. TRUE ROMANCE was originally presented theatrically in stereo, an option which is provided here as well.  Atmosphere is, predictably good. The sounds of the shopping malls and toy stores are stunningly convincing. At least the source is in good shape with no major defects, dropouts or the like. 

Runaway lovers Clarence and Alabama (Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette) play a dangerous game when they come to possess a suitcase of mob contraband. They head for Los Angeles, where they'll sell the goods and begin a new life. But both sides of the law have other ideas. Screenwriter Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown) and director Tony Scott (Top Gun, Spy Game) shoot the works in this hard-edged mix of hip wit and dazzling action with an electrifying ensemble cast to die for.

TRUE ROMANCE DIRECTOR'S CUT  tackles the theme of continuing with the Quentin Tarantino inspired violence, mayhem, and suspense. It's too busy however busy being clownish that any attempts at reality come across as superficial and mandatory. Also of little help, the movie focuses on a father trying to buy his kid's love and forgiveness. It's hard to root for family cohesion when the motives are commerce-driven. Some movies get better with time and understanding. Eleven years after its release, TRUE ROMANCE DIRECTORS CUT is still heartless and unfunny and as welcome a part of the holidays as traffic and fruit cake.

In this essentially one joke plot, it’s a pleasure to see Christian Slater so lost in a world that we’re so used to seeing him command. Kids should not view this film as it is a bit dark and violent. People are bonked in the head and bashed here and there by the gangsters, but it’s all done cartoon style where no one is hurt and none of it’s done with really mean intentions. That doesn’t come as a surprise as director Tony Scott was involved in making both films. If you like your comedy in that non-sophisticated style, see another film this film. Slater’s character essentially has the solution he’s searching for dropped into his lap from above. While it’s all nice and sentimental, you’ll feel somewhat cheated by the film makers' easy way out of the story. Still, if you're looking for a decent thriller, you probably won't miss by seeing this one.

Transfer:

Warner Brothers Home Video presents GRAN TORINO with a 1080p/AVC MPEG4 1.85:1 encode and the results are definitely better than WHV other new releases. It still falls far short of reference quality. The source is in good shape and sharpness and detail in the picture is competent but the color palette of the film is inherently a bit flat and muted. In a locale that is generally depicted as dark and dreary in movies, here it is bright, colorful, and alive. Obviously, this is completely due to director intent,  The exterior shots of downtown Michican are dark and dreary. A fine layer of grain that is visible everywhere brings with it a wonderfully cinematic look. This grain adds a depth to the movie that perfectly recreates the theater experience. This is probably the best this film will look, though, so take that for what you will.

SOUNDTRACK:

GRAND TORINO comes with three surround audio options, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless, as well as French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. Limited to hearing the high bitrate (1.5Mbps) core DTS track embedded in the DTS-HD Master Audio codec while I await a new player that will allow me to bitstream and decode DTS-HD MA.  Dialogue is firmly rooted down to the center channel, was a bit muffled, and sounded quite harsh during louder scenes. The surround channels were used for the slightest bit of ambient sound effects such as some traffic noise, etc. and there was not much activity in the lower frequencies to speak of.  exceptional about this mix whatsoever. 

GRAND TORINO opens with a funeral. The widower Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) stoically accepts this situation while observing his children and grand children. A Korean War veteran who lived the American Middle class dream as a Ford factory worker, Walt has a hard time accepting a world where young girls wear belly button rings. While hosting the wake, Walt observes his Korean neighbors, with whom he dislikes. Walt's enmity grows when the teenaged Thao (Bee Vang) attempts to steal Walt's prized procession, a 1972 Gran Torino.

Like THE UNFORGIVEN, GRAN TORINO begins with the death of the Eastwood character's unseen but implicitly saintly wife, after which Walt Kowalkski only has eyes for two things—his faithful canine companion and the gleaming 1972 Ford Gran Torino that sits in his garage, a reminder of the now-defunct assembly line where he spent most of his adult life. Back then, Walt's neighborhood was an enclave of the blue-collar sons and daughters of European immigrants. Now, those same streets have been taken over by another immigrant population—the Hmong people of China, Thailand, and Laos who all fought on the US side during the Vietnam-era shadow wars, even if, to Walt, they're no different from the enemies he fought against in Korea.

Like a lot of his work, GRAN TORINO is at least partly a commentary on violence, and in particular violence as something that feeds, breeds and defecates on itself. Tensions come to a head for the film’s dramatic conclusion, which is smart, effective and just a touch contrived, clearly making its point that intelligence and a cool, rational mind can overcome crude forms of power if sacrifices can be made. For Eastwood GRAN TORINO is another dark, moody, frayed around the edges drama that hits its marks precisely and carries with it the harsh throaty grunt of leery, well-beaten wisdom. For an old bugger, Eastwood has serious mojo, and if he hadn’t played this character before – in films like the tearfully brilliant MILLION DOLLAR BABY – he’d be a shoe-in for an Oscar nomination. If he won, his acceptance speech would be simple: “stay the hell offa my lawn!”

Transfer:

Warner Home Video presents TANGO AND CASH is presented in its original theatrical widescreen 2:35:1 ratio. In fact, it almost looks too good in Blu-ray. There's an expected wash of grain, but the contrast of the black and white is right on the mark, The exterior shots of downtown Los Angeles are dark and dreary. A fine layer of grain that is visible everywhere brings with it a wonderfully cinematic look. This grain adds a depth to the movie that perfectly recreates the theater experience. If you've only seen this in standard-definition DVD or on television before, you are in for a treat. 

SOUNDTRACK:

Warner Home Video re-masters TANGO AND CASH's original  stems into a DTS 5.1 HD Master Audio track.. Composer Jerry Goldsmith's Twelve-Tone inspired score is perfection here and to have the chance to listen to this 1980s set peice in this pristine audio presentation alone is worth the upgrade to Blu Ray. Dialogues do sound a bit limited in places still, but overall the films have a solid audio presentation with good frequency response and dynamic range.  If only all catalog titles were handled this way, we would be very happy buyers.

Ray Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabe Cash (Kurt Russell) are rival L.A. policemen with one thing in common: each thinks he is the best. Team them and theyre like oil and water. But frame them for a crime and theyre like a match and kerosene. Unjustly jailed among lowlifes they put behind bars, the two stage a prison breakout thats a breathless rush of weapons and wisecracks then roar after the shadowy crimelord (Jack Palance) who set them up. the super cops are out to clear their names. Join them and feel the rush.

 Filmed in 1989 probably to cash in on LETHAL WEAPON's popularity, TANGO AND CASH is a very simple story with a laughably – and surprisingly – informidable bad guy played by Jack Palance in what is just a weak rehash of his character in BATMAN released the same year. And really, this character sums up the entire movie: it’s a weak plot designed to take advantage of the buddy-cop action-comedy and only did a half-assed job when everything was said and done.

The action sequences are wild and plentiful. The Prison fights are brutal and dangerous (I actually felt worried for TANGO AND CASH) and Jack Palance makes a menacing villain. Teri Hatcher is great eye candy as well. But in the end it’s the writing and camaraderie between the Actors that what makes TANGO AND CASH works. That makes what may seem to be a cliché scene fresh and re-watchable over and over again.

Transfer:

WHV presents ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY DIRECTORS CUT with a    36Mbps AVC/MPEG-4 1080p/24  encoding of the film in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 superbly framed transfer. It captures the mood and shadings of QUO VADIS with amazing detail. The source is in immaculate condition. The transfer conveys all of the finer details, including a wonderful, film-like level of grain that remains consistent throughout the presentation. For a film that contains so many darkened scenes, crush is never an issue with excellent, deep blacks yet maintaining a wonderful amount of shadow detail. This is overall a very high quality transfer from Fox, showing no artifacts and maintaining the true look of film.

SOUNDTRACK:

The DTS HD 5.1 option sounds very good, but never rises above to the level of a cinematic blockbuster. While not exactly pushing the envelope, it works at the right spots. When the team 'gate' there's a thunderous LFE ripple, the soundstage whooshes from front to back. Throughout, the sound design is fun and immersive, and there's plenty of deep bass to give the movie a big screen temperament. The great score is never far from the edge of the mix while dialogue is nuanced and realistic. Naturally there's an audio commentary track in the extras, but with this engaged the audio defaults to a Dolby Digital stream.

Oliver Stone and a dynamic acting ensemble explore the fortunes of an embattled NFL team in this "screaming rocker of a movie" (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribute). Embattled coach Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino) faces team strife and a new owner (Cameron Diaz) who's sure Tony is way too Old School. An injured quarterback (Dennis Quaid), a flashy, bull-headed QB (Jamie Foxx), a slithery team doctor (James Woods) and a running back with an incentive-laden contract (LL Cool J) also fuel "Stone's most electrifying film in years

Oliver Stone films that have his mark stamped on them are JFK (1991) and NIXON (1995), and NATURAL BORN KILLERS (1990) though JFK's style is pretty tame compared to the other two films. One can only imagine how Stone would apply his skills to a fast-paced football movie. The football footage is sometimes difficult to follow, and other times it becomes frustrating to watch. Stone's intent may have been to make us experience the game through the eyes of the players. There are lots of close-ups here, as well as a wandering camera that zooms in and out of the action. When a player runs in for the touchdown, the camera stands at a distance, then goes in for the kill as members of the opposing team tackle the scorer. Stone's post-production techniques are overkill, which might bother some viewers, but I wasn't that annoyed. Although less editing would have been desirable, I still enjoyed the show.

All of these elements combine in a powerful and incredibly positive statement about the very best in human nature, expressed through a game. In the end, the characters come together and the team succeeds, to the extent that it does, by looking past the money and achieving a kind of purity. The script contains numerous points of conflict between characters, the best example being hotshot young quarterback who has lived with the game, as a player and a coach, for all of his life, he sees the ghosts of the past watching him on the field, gazing out of black-and-white photographs on the wall, and even in the distorted faces of the caricatures on the wall of his favorite sports bar. He is a player who hasn't had his chance to shine. He doesn't care about the ghosts, or the team, or the game. He just wants to get his numbers up, to get himself a better contract with another team next year. There is no right or wrong in this conflict. It's two men who see the world very differently (and race is certainly a factor), and by the end of the film, both men have found agreement through mutual change.

Transfer:

This disc contains an AVC at 20 MBPS encode and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2:35:1 on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-Ray disc. On the whole, this is an excellent looking disc. My only quibble here is that the night shots are very dark, with shadow detail largely invisible. Detail in the shadows is simply obscured by darkness which makes up too much of those nighttime images for my taste. On the plus side, black levels are deep and solid so that those shadows are indeed black and not a shade of gray. I found detail to be very good as well with all subtle skin textures and clothing clearly visible. Color reproduction was quite good as well and looks as I recall it looking in the theaters although that was 10s years ago. Clarity is very good which, along with the solid black level, gives the film better than average depth and a nice three dimensional look which is very pleasing to the eye. All things considered, this is a fine looking encode and one that fans of the film will find quite pleasing.

SOUNDTRACK:

The soundtrack includes a  DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL's audio presentation offers somewhat mixed results, but the positives outweigh the negatives. The score heard over the opening credits offers a fulfilling presence, but it doesn't approach the level of the orchestra in the living room sensation quite like that available from the very best lossless soundtracks.  The score thumps and rattles on occasion, delivering powerful lows that perturb the room. A heavy blowing wind in chapter 12 slowly gains momentum as it increases in intensity and soon engulfs the entire soundstage with a heavy-handed bass presence. Dialogue reproduction is fine as expected, but the soundtrack as a whole feels and sounds forced rather than natural and graceful.

Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pierce put their prodigious acting muscles on display as police detectives in Los Angeles in the early 1950's. They each have their own style – Spacey is friendly yet slightly crooked, Crowe uses his brawn before his brain and Pierce is an up-and-comer who knows how to play the game though can't stomach the violence intrinsic within it. Those in charge have one main motivation: to protect the newly positive reputation of Los Angeles as a land of paradise with unlimited opportunities. These men are forced to work together to hide the city's vast underbelly of crime from the eyes of the world. They do it because it's their duty, however, there is no love lost between them.

Kim Basinger became the latest in a long string of actresses to win (or be nominated for) an Academy Award for playing a  prostitute, or any number of names associated with the oldest profession. She plays a Veronica Lake-lookalike in this early 1950’s era crime thriller adapted from the James Ellroy novel of the same name by director Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland; they shared the Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Oscar. Hanson was nominated for his direction as was the film (e.g. for Best Picture) and its Art Direction-Set Decoration, Cinematography, Editing, Sound and Score. Other leading roles are played by Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn and Danny DeVito.

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL is a rare cinema treat filled great acting, clever writing and an intriguing story that unravels with exquisite pleasure. A well-plotted murder mystery, this movie draws you into a seductive world of betrayal and corruption where nothing is as it first seems. An overly talented cast creates memorable characters that will stick in your mind for days. Some people may dismiss this film as slow and confusing, I found it to be a joy to watch. A film that not only has an amazingly interesting story to tell, but also captures the nuances and essence of a certain time in history.

Transfer:

BODYHEAT was shot Super 35 and is presented theatrically at 1.85:1 Scope, so the Blu-ray is the same ratio as well. Contrast is excellent on both. Color is a little muted by design and there's good image detail. You will notice grain in both, but particularly in BODYHEAT (owing to the difference in cinematographic processes used in the film's production), but that was also apparent theatrically. The grain does occasionally become a little distracting in BODYHEAT, however, so you'll note the video quality score is just a hair lower

SOUNDTRACK:

The great news is that Warner Home Video's Blu Ray offers reference quality aural experience for BODYHEAT. The high res audio track is presented in DTS HD Master Audio and is a feast for the ears. The sound design is very dynamic with room shaking bass and an excellent use of the surround speakers giving you a sense of total immersion through most of the film. When the passion strikes the pipes of the pipe organ to incapacitate with sound, the sound of the pipes reverberates throughout your room, filling your room with sound and placing you right in the acoustical environment with the actors.

Ned and Matty’s affair begins as a sexually charged seemingly chance meeting at an out door concert, builds to an intense affair and eventually into a plot to kill Matty’s husband.  Ed, Matty’s husband, has a large fortune and a will that conveniently includes Matty. Filled with the snappy, flirty dialogue and many charming side characters including a marvelous Ted Danson as Ned’s friend Peter Lowenstein, BODY HEAT turns into a genuinely suspenseful thriller and a stylish remake of the noir genre.

 Lawrence Kasdan’s lush neo noir BODY HEAT has aged well since its 1981 debut. Highly derivative of the best noir films of the 1940s and particularly of DOUBLE INDEMNITY, BODY HEAT is the story of a sleazy yet likeable small town lawyer, Ned Racine (William Hurt) and his affair with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner) a mysterious looker who wants her rich husband dead. Recently released in Blu-Ray format, the film’s moody, languorous shots of an unbearably hot Florida summer are still sumptuous.

BODY HEAT manages to take ideas from the noir genre without turning it into a cliché.  Recent noir remakes like THE BLACK DAHLIA have proven to be clunky and largely unsuccessful by focusing too much on period dialogue and dim lights rather than on the tension and suspense upon which the best noir films are based.  BODY HEAT succeeds because it reexamined the noir for its own time and in turn reinvigorated it all at once.

Transfer:

Warner Home Video presents BEETLEJUICE with a 1080p/VC-1  2.35.1  widescreen transfer that really shows off the dessert landscapes and gothic sensabilities. The compression artifacting mixes with film grain to add a layer of unwelcome digital distraction to the 2.35:1 image. The exaggerated colors of the opening story within a story are certainly eye-catching, as are some bright bits of desert garb and decoration. The widescreen photography, is still pleasingly sharp and lifelike. Many of the costumes in the second half feature fine patterns which reproduce cleanly without artifacting or other geometric anomalies. And it's not the fault of the video transfer, but the climactic special effects look pretty darned awful.

SOUNDTRACK:

The BEETLEJUICE DTS HD 5.1 track sounds very good, but never rises to the level of a newer  cinematic blockbuster. While not exactly pushing the envelope, it works at the right spots. When the team 'gate' there's a thunderous LFE ripple, the soundstage whooshes from front to back. Throughout, the sound design is fun and immersive, and there's plenty of deep bass to give the movie a big screen temperament. The score is never far from the edge of the mix while dialogue is nuanced and realistic. Naturally there's an audio commentary track in the extras, but with this engaged the audio defaults to a Dolby Digital stream.

Adam and Barbara Maitland, a quiet and ordinary married couple, drive off a bridge in their car. They return home apparently unharmed, only to discover that they are now dead. Their beloved house is sold to the abhorrent Deitz family who start renovating it to Mrs Deitz’s ghastly avant garde tastes. Appalled, Adam and Barbara attempt to scare them out, but fail miserably in their attempts. In desperation they call up the manic bio-exorcist Betelgeuse to exorcize the Dietz’s from the house. But instead the Deitz’s find Betelgeuse’s antics entertaining. However both the Maitland’s and the Deitz’s find that Betelgeuse, once let loose, is too much for anybody to handle.

 Tim Burton had it down pat. Hair disheveled, pallid features, the director of PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE surprised Hollywood with a goth-geek style that could only be described as quirky before everything became quirky. He was the animator from the shadows who brought macabre and heartbreaking life to his early animated shorts, toy box allure to his first feature film. While PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE was a hit, it was only a brief glimpse of the sideshow theatricality Burton would employ on his second feature, the riotous and ghoulish BEETLEJUICE.

The plot itself here is enough to give Burton free reign to be as bizarre and wacky as he wants to be. Whether it’s the dry take on Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis’s quaint American town, the satiric post-modern style of Winona Ryder’s family or the darkly comic view of the afterlife, everything is filtered through Burton’s unique interpretation and mixes surprisingly well. The practical effects and makeup when Beetlejuice does his thing, for example, are clever and highly rewatchable. And I still laugh at the waiting room inhabitants, like the lady sawed in half, the shark guy and the dead football team. Weird, but funny. (Much like the movie itself.)