Blu-ray Movie Reviews

<I>Avoid a Blue Tuesday by capping off your holiday weekend plans with the end of the world! Whether we will become extinct as a species from within or without is the subject of two movies on DVD, one an environmental-disaster flick of dubious distinction, the other a classic loosely based on the Victorian novel that in turn has inspired a current remake. Thomas J. Norton and Fred Manteghian report on 2004's </I>The Day After Tomorrow: All Access Collector's Edition<I> and 1953's </I>The War of the Worlds.

<I>Dennis Quaid, Giovanni Ribisi, Tyrese Gibson, Miranda Otto, Hugh Laurie. Directed by John Moore. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). 113 minutes. 2004. Dolby Digital 5.1 and 5.1 DTS (English), Dolby Surround (French). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. PG-13. $29.98.</I>

<I>Directed by David Hand. THX-certified. Aspect ratio: 1.33:1. Two discs. 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix (English Dolby Digital 5.1), Dolby Digital 2.0 original mono theatrical mix, Dolby Digital 5.1 (French, Spanish). 67 minutes (film). 1942. Buena Vista Home Entertainment. G. $29.99.</I>

Editor's Note: This year's Oscar nominees for Best Picture feature the work of two acclaimed directors operating at the top of their game, Martin Scorsese's <I>The Aviator</I> and Clint Eastwood's <I>Million Dollar Baby</I>. So it seemed liked a good time to revisit reviews from <I>UAV</I> contributor Joe Leydon of earlier films from these same artists: Scorsese's <I>GoodFellas</I> and Eastwood's <I>Unforgiven</I>. The reviews cover the two-disc Special Edition of <I>Unforgiven</I> and the single-disc release of <I><A HREF="/moviereviews/205goodfellas">GoodFellas</A></I>. A 2-disc Special Edition of <I>GoodFellas</I> is now available for $26.99.

<I>Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). 106 minutes. 2004. Dolby Digital 5.1 (English and French). Miramax 39202. PG-13. $29.99.</I>