Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Sort By:  Post Date TitlePublish Date
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flipped—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 24, 2010  | 
When second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet, Juli knows it's love. Bryce isn't so sure. In the days and years ahead, Bryce does all he can to keep his wannabe girlfriend at arm's length - and the smart, independent-minded Juli continues to give him the benefit of the doubt. This tender coming-of-age romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner takes the pair from grade school to junior high, through triumph and disaster, family drama and first love, as they make discoveries that will define who they are - and who they are to each other.

Warner serves up a beautiful presentation for this heartwarming tale of young love and drama. Colors are fantastic with striking hues and great balance. Fine detail is also strong with great rendition in close ups and longer shots. Dimensionality and depth are also first rate.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Family Guy: It's a Trap! (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 23, 2010  | 
The Family Guy alliance is in for one last outer-space adventure, as Han Solo (Peter), Chewbacca (Brian), and Princess Leia (Lois) battle against the Evil Empire. Meanwhile, Darth Vader (Stewie) and the Emperor (Carter) try to recruit Luke (Chris) to the dark side of the Force with free tacos and T-shirts.

Just like its two predecessors, this parody is crude and obnoxious and occasionally funny. I would have preferred to have seen the TV version to eliminate the "F" word, which I don't particularly care for in this context.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Battlestar Galactica: Razor (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 22, 2010  | 
Battlestar Galactica is one of my favorite shows from the last decade. Razor tells the untold story of the battlestar Pegasus and provides chilling clues to the fate of humanity as the two-hour episode reaches its conclusion.

In present day, Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) assumes command of the Pegasus and through a series of flashbacks we see what happened to the ship during and after the initial Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Town (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 20, 2010  | 
Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is the leader of a Boston bank robber gang but is not cut from the same cloth as his fellow thieves. When Doug falls in love with the bank manager (Rebecca Hall) briefly taken hostage in one of their heists, he wants to leave his criminal past behind and start a new life. As the Feds close in, his best friend (Jeremy Renner) questions his loyalty he's left with two choices—betray his friends or lose the woman he loves.

I've never been particularly impressed with Affleck as an actor, but he certainly has talent as a director. He gets the most out of the cast—including himself—orchestrates some realistic bank heists, and delivers one of the most intense films I've seen in a long time.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Catfish—Universal (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 20, 2010  | 
In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, "Catfish" is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

This film was shot as a documentary with lower budget HD cameras. So compared to most full cinema productions, this one looks pretty low rent. Detail is still quite good though with brighter scenes looking like they should. There is a mix of camera types being used so as the film progresses the video quality bounces back and forth, but given the nature of the film there is nothing to really complain about.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The A-Team (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 17, 2010  | 
Convicted by a military court for a crime they didn't commit, a daring team of former Special Forces soldiers must utilize their unique talents to break out of prison and tackle their toughest mission yet—clearing their name.

Oh the 1980s and its wonderful TV shows. The A-Team was one of the more popular of the decade and I have to admit I was a fan and watched it weekly as a teenager. The story in this modern remake explores how the men got together and how they ended up before a military court for the crime they didn't commit. The acting is passable and there's tons of action, but the story is weak with cringe-inducing dialog.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Town—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010  | 
Video: 5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 3.5/5
There are over 300 bank robberies in Boston every year. And a one-square-mile neighborhood in Boston, called Charlestown, has produced more bank and armored car robbers than anywhere else in the U.S. One of them is Doug MacRay, but he is not cut from the same cloth as his fellow thieves. Unlike them, Doug had a chance at success, a chance to escape following in his father's criminal footsteps. Instead he became the leader of a crew of ruthless bank robbers, who pride themselves on taking what they want and getting out clean. The only family Doug has are his partners in crime, especially Jem, who, despite his dangerous, hair-trigger temper, is the closest thing Doug ever had to a brother. Everything changes on the gang's last job when Jem briefly took a hostage: bank manager Claire Keesey. When they discover she lives in Charlestown, Jem gets nervous and wants to check out what she might have seen. Doug takes charge and seeks out Claire, who has no idea that their encounter is not by chance or that this charming stranger is one of the men who terrorized her only days before. As his relationship with Claire deepens into a passionate romance, Doug wants out of this life and the town. But with the Feds, led by Agent Frawley, closing in and Jem questioning his loyalty, Doug realizes that getting out will not be easy, and worse, may put Claire in the line of fire. Any choices he once had have boiled down to one: betray his friends or lose the woman he loves.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Salt—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010  | 
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Before becoming a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor, and country. She will prove loyal to these when a defector accuses her of being a Russian sleeper spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture, protect her husband, and stay one step ahead of her colleagues at the CIA.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The American—Universal (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010  | 
Video: 5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2.5/5
As an assassin, Jack is constantly on the move and always alone. After a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, Jack retreats to the Italian countryside. He relishes being away from death for a spell as he holes up in a small medieval town. While there, Jack takes an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact, Mathilde. Savoring the peaceful quietude he finds in the mountains of Abruzzo, Jack accepts the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman, Clara. Jack and Clara's time together evolves into a romance, one seemingly free of danger. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The A-Team—20th Century Fox (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010  | 
Video: 4/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 3/5
The A-Team follows the exciting and daring exploits of a colorful team of former Special Forces soldiers who were set up for a crime they did not commit. Going "rogue", they utilize their unique talents to try and clear their names and find the true culprit.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole—Warner Bros. Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010  | 
Video: 5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 4/5
Young owl Soren marvels at tales of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, mythic winged warriors who battled to save all owl kind from the evil Pure Ones. When he and brother Kludd fall into the talons of the Pure Ones, it's up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave owls and seek out the Great Tree, home of the Guardians.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Despicable Me—Universal (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010  | 
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 4/5
Vying for the title of "World's Greatest Villain", Gru - along with his hilarious crew of mischievous minions - plots to pull off the craziest crime of the century: steal the moon! But when Gru enlists the help of three little girls, they see something in him nobody else has ever seen: the perfect dad.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Devil (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 15, 2010  | 
A group of five strangers are stranded in an elevator high above Philadelphia. When the lights go out, something bad is bound to happen and in one particular case, someone dies. The building's security guards call the police and Detective Bowden (Chris Messina) comes to investigate the murder but is the Devil the culprit?

This is the first in a series of thrillers dubbed "The Night Chronicles" produced by M. Night Shyamalen based upon his stories. Overall, this is a middling affair that feels more like a TV episode than a feature film and I didn't find the story scary or very thrilling. Then again, I've said the same thing about most of Shyamalen's films since The Sixth Sense.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Rush Hour (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 13, 2010  | 
LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) likes to work alone and vows to never have a partner but he must join forces with Detective Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) of the Hong Kong police department when the daughter of a visiting Hong Kong official is kidnapped in the United States.

Chan became a household name in America when this film debuted in 1998, although he was already a star in China. His amazing stunts wowed audiences and showed impressive comedic timing when paired with Tucker. The action-comedy spawned two additional sequels but this is the best of the three.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Despicable Me (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Dec 12, 2010  |  First Published: Dec 13, 2010  | 
Looking to gain the title of "World's Greatest Villain," Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) adopts three orphans in order to steal a shrinking machine from his nemesis, Vector (Jason Segel). What he didn't count on was the three girls changing his outlook on the world and he'll stop at nothing to protect them.

The marketing campaign for this film stunk and I had no desire to see it in the theaters (and neither did my kids) but was willing to give it a try on Blu-ray. Surprisingly there's a touching story behind the fantastic animation as the villain becomes the hero and discovers he does have a heart buried beneath his evil exterior.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X