Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Like all seminal works, 1959’s Ben-Hur elicits some strong opinions. Is it one of the best films ever made? Or is it simply an overhyped sword-and-sandals flick? And how does it compare with the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, Quo Vadis, Spartacus, or even the Lord of the Rings trilogy?

It’s always fascinating to see how important films age over time, especially those that elicited strong, visceral reactions from audiences and critics when initially released.

You don’t watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High for any home theater glories. More likely, it’s a favorite movie to get stoned to — er, a series of memorable vignettes of high-school teenagers attempting to lose their virginity while surviving soul-destroying service-industry jobs.

The starting point of Hall Pass, the latest comedy from writer/directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly, is the same as that of most current TV sitcoms: Gone-to-pot, sex-mad, middle-aged suburban American husbands — who’ve been infantilized by their disappointed, slightly contemptuous, much more attractive wives — yearn for freedom (and more sex) via younger, even hotter women.