Blu-ray Movie Reviews

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Public Enemies (Blu-ray
David Vaughn  |  Dec 07, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/pubem.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is one of the most infamous gangsters in American history. The charismatic bank robber and his gang robbed countless banks during the Great Depression and he became a folk hero to the downtrodden public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the economic abyss. J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) proclaimed Dillinger Public Enemy Number One and sent his best agent, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), to bring him down.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Julie & Julia (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 04, 2009  |  First Published: Dec 05, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/julie.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT><i>Meryl Streep is Julia Child and Amy Adams is Julie Powell in writer/director Nora Ephron's adaptation of two bestselling memoirs: Powell's "Julie & Julia" and "My Life In France," by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme. Based on two true stories, "Julie & Julia" intertwines the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends...until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible.</i>

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Life on Mars: Combo DVD Review
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 02, 2009
(Acorn Media)
Series 2 (U.K.) Series ••••½Picture ••••½Sound •••• Extras •••½
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Kevin Smith Collection (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 02, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/kevinsmith.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Writer/director Kevin Smith made his feature-film debut in 1994 with the cult-classic comedy <i>Clerks</i>, a hilarious story about a pair of witty counter clerks in New Jersey starring Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson as the two main characters Dante and Randal. Also debuting in the film are Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), who will show up in many more of Smith's productions.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Terminator Salvation – Director's Cut
David Vaughn  |  Dec 02, 2009
Early in the 21st Century, a military defense program called Skynet becomes self-aware. Viewing humanity as a threat to its existence, Skynet decides to strike first. The survivors of the nuclear fire call the event Judgment Day. They live only to face a new nightmare—the war against the machines.

The first two Terminator movies directed by James Cameron were excellent, but the franchise hasn't fared so well with the subsequent directors—especially the horrendous job by McG (yes, that's what he calls himself) with Terminator Salvation. Character development is neglected in lieu of nearly nonstop action, although the soundtrack is very impressive with superior dynamics, frequency response, and surround imaging. If you're looking for a new audio demo disc, this certainly fills the bill, but don't expect the story to captivate your imagination.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Blood The Last Vampire—Manga (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 3.5
Picture/Sound: 3.25/4
Extras: 3
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Ghost in the Shell 2.0—Manga (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 4
Picture/Sound: 4/5
Extras: 3.5
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Julie & Julia—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 3.5
Picture/Sound: 4.25/4
Extras: 3.5
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Terminator Salvation—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 3.5
Picture/Sound: 4.5/5
Extras: 4
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Shorts—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 2.5
Picture/Sound: 3.5/4
Extras: 3.5
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Angels and Demons—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 3
Picture/Sound: 4/4.5
Extras: 4.5
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Ugly Truth—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 01, 2009
Movie: 3
Picture/Sound: 4/4.25
Extras: 3
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Fight Club (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Nov 30, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/fightclub.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT><i>A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until a sensuous eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of control spiral toward oblivion.</I>

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Four Christmases (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Nov 30, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/4xmass.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT><i>No one enjoys the holidays more than Brad and Kate. Every December 25th, this happily unmarried, upscale San Francisco couple embark on a holiday tradition they have shared every year since they met - ditching their crazy families for a relaxing, fun-filled vacation in some sunny exotic locale. There, sipping margaritas by the pool, they toast the season, knowing they have once again avoided the chaos and emotional fallout of their four respective households: divorced parents, squabbling siblings, out-of-control kids and all the simmering resentments and awkward moments that are the hallmarks of every family Christmas. But not this year. Shorts and sunglasses packed, Brad and Kate are trapped at the San Francisco airport by a fogbank that cancels every outbound flight. Worse yet, they are caught on camera by a local news crew, revealing their whereabouts to the whole city...and to their families. With no escape and no excuses, they are now expected home by Brad's father. And Kate's mother. And Brad's mother. And Kate's father. "Four Christmases" in one day. </i>

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Star Trek
David Vaughn  |  Nov 23, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/newtreck.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Even the most diehard Trekker felt that Roddenberry's universe had lost its mojo, so when J.J. Abrams was picked to reimagine the franchise, I was stoked. With a new young cast, which Tom Norton refers to as <i>Star Trek 90210</i>, he took <i>Trek</i> where no one had gone before&#151;over $257 million at the box office. With a reported budget of $150 million, no corners were cut in the production&#151;the script is a blast, the special effects are top-notch, and the soundtrack is loaded with demo material. As expected, the Blu-ray rocks, and here are three great scenes to show off your home theater.

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