Blu-ray Movie Reviews

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
John Mayer: Where The Light Is—Sony Music (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 29, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 4/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 2.25/5
Where The Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles captures the multi-Grammy Award-winning, Platinum-selling singer/songwriter in the element where fans love him the most: live on stage. This special concert includes three sets: an acoustic performance, a rare set with John Mayer Trio (John Mayer, Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino), as well as a set featuring Mayer's full band. Where The Light Is includes 22 songs and features a one-of-a-kind song list made up of the three distinct performances - all recorded the night of December 8th, 2007 at the NOKIA Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
10,000 B.C.—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 29, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2/5
The filmmaker who launched a UFO invasion in Independence Day and unleashed the forces of global warming in The Day After Tomorrow now unveils a new day of adventure a time when mammoths shake the earth and mystical spirits shape human fates. Roland Emmerich directs 10000 BC the eye-filling tale of the first hero. That hero is young hunter D Leh set out on a bold trek to rescue his kidnapped beloved and fulfill his prophetic destiny. He’ll face an awesome saber-toothed tiger. Cross uncharted realms. Form an army. And uncover an advanced but corrupt Lost Civilization. There he will lead a fight for liberation and become the champion of the time when legend began.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Broken Trail—Sony Picture Home Entertainment (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 29, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 4.25/5
Audio: 3.5/5
Extras: 2.5/5
Set in 1897, Print Ritter and his estranged nephew Tom Harte become the reluctant guardians of five abused and abandoned Chinese girls. Ritter and Harte's attempts to care for the girls are complicated by their responsibility to deliver a herd of horses while avoiding a group of bitter rivals intent on kidnapping the girls for their own purposes.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Batman The Movie—20th Century Fox (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 29, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 4/5
Audio: 2.25/5
Extras: 3.75/5
When Batman and Robin get a tip that Commodore Schmidlapp is in danger aboard his yacht they launch a rescue mission. But the tip is a set-up by four of the most powerful villains ever who seek to defeat the Dynamic Duo once and for all! Armed with a dehydrator that can turn humans into dust the fearsome foursome intends to take over the world! Can the Caped Crusaders use their high-flying heroism and groovy gadgetry to declaw Catwoman? Ice the Penguin? Upstage the Joker? And stump the Riddler in time?
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Spiderwick Chronicles
David Vaughn  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/spiderwick.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Seeking to escape her failed marriage, Helen Grace (Mary-Louise Parker) moves her three children away from New York City to a country home left to her by an insane aunt. The children soon discover that the old house harbors many mysteries, and Jared (Freddie Highmore) finds his great-great uncle Spiderwick's Field Guide, which reveals the unbelievable truth about the Spiderwick Estate&mdash;a secret world of fantastical creatures hidden from normal view.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Fool's Gold Fool's Gold
David Vaughn  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/foolsgold.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Ben "Finn" Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey) is a fortune hunter whose obsession with discovering the Queen's Dowry, a treasure that mysteriously disappeared in the Caribbean in 1715, has consumed him to the point of ruining his marriage to Tess (Kate Hudson). Discovering a clue that he believes will lead him to the cache, he must charm his way into the pocketbook of billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland) in order to finance the expedition.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Bucket List
David Vaughn  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/bucketlist.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Billionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and scholarly auto mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) have virtually nothing in common&mdash;with the exception of terminal cancer and a shared regret about missed opportunities in their lives. When they end up side by side in a hospital room, the two devise a "bucket list" detailing the experiences they would like to have before they kick the bucket. Together they embark on a journey of self-discovery and friendship as they check off the items on their list.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
There Will Be Blood
David Vaughn  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/blood.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a spellbinding performance as Daniel Plainview, a turn-of-the-century independent oil baron prospecting in California. He is a ruthless man who hates all men, including himself. Plainview manipulates the locals into selling their land to him, and in the process, he makes an enemy of a resident preacher.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Blades of Glory
David Vaughn  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  1 comments

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/blades.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Rival figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) brawl on the medal podium and are banned from singles competition. Three years later, they learn that the ban does not prohibit them from couple's competition, so Jimmy and Chazz team up as the first man/man pairs team in history . Do they have what it takes to go for the gold?

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Sand Pebbles—20th Century Fox (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 4/5
Audio: 2.5/5
Extras: 3.25/5
The Sand Pebbles tells the story of a Navy mechanic sent to work on a small gunboat in China in the mid-20's. China wasn't the super power it is now and was going through a civil war. Influences from Communist Russia were coming in and the government was using every excuse it could to separate itself from the American forces in the area. McQueen doesn't play the tough guy as much in this one but instead turns in a more human portrayal of a deck plate level sailor dealing with politics he'd rather stay out of. The story has a nice arc to it and despite the long run time, never bores. Definitely one of the better war classics out there.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Persepolis—Sony Pictures Classics (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 4.25/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 2.75/5
I really wanted to see this film during its limited theatrical run but unfortunately it wasn't playing anywhere near me that was convenient. Persepolis is one of those rare films that uses animation in an adult way, and I don't mean sex and violence. This is a political message told from a girl growing up in war torn Iran during the eighties and early nineties. It shows the back and forth of the government from the eyes of a young girl watching friends and family go to war and deal with the religious issues of that nation. The animation is very effective in conveying themes and ideas that may not have been as interesting with live action. The black and white style is also a nice touch and provides some very cool stylizations.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Natural Born Killers—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 4/5
Audio: 4.25/5
Extras: 3/5
Oliver Stone's controversial take on society's obsession with violence and social decay makes a strong debut on Blu-ray. Warner has delivered this one as one of their coffee book editions. The film follows Mickey and Mallory Knox as they go from one end of the country to the other leaving bodies everywhere. But instead of terrorizing the country, they are creating a cult following. Stone took a different stance with this film and showcased how reality television and pop culture has taken something we all fear and turned it into a ratings game and popular culture.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Gangs of New York—Touchstone Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 2/5
Audio: 4.25/5
Extras: 3/5
I was pretty surprised when Scorsese didn't walk away with the Best Picture statue for this one. Gangs of New York is one of those amazing productions that just gets so much right. The outstanding photography, set design and attention to detail make this a modern day classic. This is also one of my favorite performances from Daniel Day-Lewis (who should have got the Oscar for this one too). The film looks at early New York and the turmoil the gangs caused as immigrants were coming in to the country in droves and the infamous 5-points area.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Spiderwick Chronicles—Nickelodeon/Paramount (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3/5
Studios are taking advantage of the success of the Harry Potter franchise and jumping in with both feet on any young adult adventure they can find that may or may not be the next big thing. Nickelodeon has gone a different route with Spiderwick though. For those unfamiliar with the books they are actually a collection of novellas for the most part. Instead of doing each episode individually the film encompasses the entire series in one film. Sure they glaze over some side stories and details but overall it has worked really well. The production values of this piece are exceptional, especially the effects work from ILM. The film moves at a brisk pace and the storyline doesn't tone down so much that adults won’t have a good time with it. All things considered I thought it was one of the better family adventure films of late.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Be Kind Rewind—New Line (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008  |  0 comments
Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 4.25/5
Extras: 2.75/5
I've been a huge fan of Michel Gondry's direction in both music videos and motion pictures for sometime now. The trailers for Be Kind Rewind made this film out as a bit more inventive than it turned out to be but it still showcases Gondry's knack for storytelling and imagination. After a struggling video stores inventory of VHS tapes are erased by a magnetized Jack Black, Black and Mos Def recreate famous films by request using a home video camera. The local community gets behind the duo when the Hollywood big wigs cry foul due to copyright laws. The film does a great job of capturing the spirit of films and how a great story goes beyond a production budget.
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