Gangster Squad Blasts Onto Blu-Ray April 23!

Gangster Squad arrives on blu-ray next month from WB.  Check out the full press release below!

“Exhilarating and entertaining.”

- Rex Reed, The New York Observer

TO SAVE THE LAW THEY MUST BREAK IT

GANGSTER SQUAD

ARRIVES ONTO BLU-RAYÔ COMBO PACK, DVD and DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

ON APRIL 23 FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Blu-ray Combo Pack includes almost two hours of never before seen bonus features

All disc versions feature UltraVioletÔ

Burbank, CA, March 6, 2013 – It’s a war for Los Angeles in “Gangster Squad,” arriving onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on April 23 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.  A stylish retelling of true events, “Gangster Squad” follows a team of cops as they band together to bring down a ruthless mob boss— by any means necessary.

A Village Roadshow Pictures Production, “Gangster Squad” stars Oscar® nominees Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “True Grit”) and Ryan Gosling (“Half Nelson,” “Drive”), and Academy Award® winner Sean Penn (“Milk,” “Mystic River”) as Mickey Cohen. The film also stars Oscar® nominee Nick Nolte (“Warrior,” “Affliction”), Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Peña, Robert Patrick and Mireille Enos. The screenplay was written by Will Beall and is based on the book Gangster Squad by Paul Lieberman. The film is produced by Dan Lin, Kevin McCormick and Michael Tadross. The executive producers are Ruben Fleischer, Paul Lieberman and Bruce Berman.

“Gangster Squad” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and on single disc DVD for $28.98.  The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray, and the theatrical version in standard definition on DVD.  Both the Blu-ray Combo Pack and the single disc DVD include UltraViolet, which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.* 

SYNOPSIS

Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and—if he has his way—every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians he has under his thumb. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop...except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen's world apart.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“Gangster Squad” Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the following special features:

·        Commentary with Director Ruben Fleischer

·        The Gangland Files

·        Rogues Gallery: Mickey Cohen

·        Tough Guys with Style

·        Deleted Scenes

“Gangster Squad” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special features:

·        Tough Guys with Style

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS

On April 23, “Gangster Squad” will be available for download from online retailers including iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon, Vudu and CinemaNow.

The film will also available digitally in High Definition (HD) VOD and Standard Definition (SD) VOD from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.

ULTRAVIOLET

*UltraViolet allows you to collect watch and share movies and TV shows in a whole new way.  Available with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs, DVDs and Digital Downloads, UltraViolet lets you create a digital collection of movies and TV shows.  Services such as Flixster and VUDU allow you to instantly stream and download UltraViolet content across a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.  Restrictions and limitations apply.  Go to ultraviolet.flixster.com/info for details.  Learn about VUDU compatible devices at vudu.com.

BASICS

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

Blu-ray Combo Pack                                                                $35.99

Single disc Amaray (WS)                                                          $28.98

Standard Street Date: April 23, 2013

DVD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French

BD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French

DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French

BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French

Running Time: 113 minutes

Rating: R for strong violence and language

DLBY/SURR   DLBY/DGTL   [CC]

The Credits

About Warner Home Video

A division of Warner Bros. Entertainment Group with operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace.  Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, HBO Home Video, and New Line Home Entertainment.

About Warner Bros. Digital Distribution 

A Division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) oversees the electronic distribution of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group’s content through Video-On-Demand, Pay-Per-View, Electronic Sell-Through and Subscription Video-On-Demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels.   WBDD also distributes content through third party digital retailers and licensees.  A worldwide industry leader since its inception, WBDD also manages the Studio’s E-commerce sites that include WBShop.com and WarnerArchive.com.  Twitter: @WBDigitalDist

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Bluray Round Up!

This is going to be a new feature here that I want to try out. Now that Bluray is taking off studios are rapidly releasing a lot of catalog films. Rather than do a full fledged review on each release, I'll group them together and mini-reviews on the discs themselves. This feature will mainly be reserved for Catalog releases, meaning older lower profile releases of films. It allows me to get some great info out to you guys about a lot of different releases without inundating the site with large reviews on films that you may or may not be interested in.

Thankfully, the films we're discussing today are all three pretty interesting films that you might want to check out. Another bonus? They're running pretty cheap right now!

Click the Rawr! and read about today's featured titles: The Kite Runner, A Mighty Heart, and Things We Lost In The Fire


The Kite Runner
Written by: David Benioff.
Based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini
Directed by: Marc Forster
Starring: Khalid Abdalla, Atossa Leoni, Shaun Toub,Sayed Jafar Masihullah Gharibzada, Zekeria Ebrahimi, Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, and Homayoun Ershadi

Bluray Specs:
1080p High Def
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/French 5.1 Dolby Digital/Spanish5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Bonus Features: Commentary with Marc Forster, Khaled Hosseini, and David Benioff, Words from The Kite Runner, Images from The Kite Runner, Theatrical Trailer in HD.

Based on the brilliant novel, The Kite Runner is the story two inseparable young boys who's friendship is shattered by a horrible event. Years later, one of them will return to his home to right his past wrongs and hope he can be redeemed for his actions. This is a truly incredible story brought to the screen pretty well by Marc Forster.

The film, while good, doesn't compare to the novel. That's pretty much the standard when it comes to adaptations. The acting is fine and the direction from Forster is great I just didn't get the same connection from the film as I did with the book.

The Kite Runner looks and sounds great on bluray but features wise it's pretty weak, and this is a problem with all three films we're covering today. There is really nothing of note offered in terms of features. It's a perfect opportunity to do some features on the people and the culture of the region and to dispel some of the stereotypes. Some historical footage of the Russian invasion (assuming there is any) would have been interesting as well.

Fans of the book will be pleased with the film and while it's not quite as good as the book, it is still worth the watch. The disc is currently $14.99 at amazon so even with the small amount of features, you'll get a great deal on it.

A Mighty Heart
Written by: John Orloff
Based on the book by Mariane Pearl
Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi, Mohammed Afzal, and Daud Khan

Bluray Specs:
1080p High Def
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/French 5.1 Dolby Digital/Spanish5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Bonus Features: "A Journey of Passion: The Making of A Mighty Heart", Public Service Announcement, Committee to Protect Journalist, and the Theatrical Trailer (HD)

A Mighty Heart is also based on a book, but this one is a true story, one that is rather recent and one that was very much in the public eye. We all know the story of Daniel Pearl and we all know the outcome but A Mighty Heart takes us deeper and shows us a more personal side as a wife searches frantically for her husband.

This was one of a few war themed films that failed to capture America's eyes when it arrived in theaters. I guess as a country we just didn't want to see what happening on our news when we went to the movies. That is unfortunate because that means this rather well done film was missed by a lot of people.

This isn't really a film about a war so much as about a wife who has lost her husband who was covering a war. He is a victim of the war for sure, but it's not really the central theme here. That would be the strength and courage of this woman, played wonderfully (albeit miscast) by Angelina Jolie.

Unfortunately, this film is also light on special features. It seems like a missed opportunity to touch on some important subject matter regarding the region or even more info on war zone journalists. It would have been a great idea to include the HBO documentary on Daniel Pearl here but I'd guess the red tape would prevent that from happening.

This isn't a must see by any means, but it is a well made adaptation of a tragedy that no one should have to endure. It is a true testament to the strength, faith, and courage Mariane Pearl had during this time. It's a gripping and emotional film that is certainly worth checking out.

Things We Lost In The Fire
Written by: Allan Loeb
Directed by: Susanne Bier
Starring: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, Alexis Llewellyn, Micah Berry, John Carroll Lynch, Alison Lohman, and David Duchovny

Bluray Specs:
1080p High Def
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/French 5.1 Dolby Digital/Spanish5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Bonus Features: A Discussion about Things We Lost In The Fire, Seven Deleted Scenes, and the Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Things We Lost In The Fire is about a family dealing with the tragic loss of a father and a husband and the connection formed with his childhood friend. It is a very emotional moving film that does at times come of a bit cliched. The biggest surprise here is Halle Berry. Now, to be honest, I find her to be excruciatingly uneven as an actress. At times she is rather good but mostly, she seems well, bad. Thankfully, she turns in a great performance here. She is sublte and restrained and brings a true sense of realness to the character. As for Benecio Del Toro, well, the guy is brilliant in everything he does.

Despite it's predictability and typical Hollywood blueprint, I found myself deeply enjoying the film. It really portrays a family reacting and dealing with grief and showcases how human connections are established during these tragedies rather poignantly.

Out of the three blurays we're featuring here, Things We Lost In The Fire has the fewest features. In fact, what it does have can barely be described as features at all. Deleted scenes, a trailer, and a featurette. Surely, there was more in the vaults to beef up this set with?

That said, the film does stands on its own. It's a touching little film that has some truly memorable performances and while the bluray isn't bursting with bonuses, the film does speak for itself.

The Kite Runner, A Mighty Heart, and Things We Lost In The Fire are all available now on bluray and each of them are going for the extremely great price of $14.99 at amazon. Totally worth it for each of them. You're getting three great examples of dramatic film making and while they're pretty light on bonus features, they are still worth checking out.

We have a lot more bluray reviews coming up including Doubt and The Day The Earth Stood Still. The next round up will feature the upcoming bluray releases of Grease and Ferris Bueller's Day Off!

RAWR(for more)

BluRay Review: Bolt

Bolt
Written By: Dan Fogelman & Chris Williams
Directed By: Byron Howard & Chris Williams
Featuring the voices of: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, and Mark Walton

BluRay Specs:
1080p High Definition 1.78:1
English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48kHz/24-bit)
Bonus Features: Super Rhino short, In Session With John Travolta and Miley Cyrus, "I Thought I Lost You" Music Video, Deleted Scenes, Bolts Be-Awesome Mission Game, Art Gallery, featurettes A New Breed of Directors: A Filmmakers' Journey, Act, Speak! The Voices of Bolt, as well as a behind the scenes featurette, Creating The World of Bolt. The 3-disc set also includes a digital copy and a DVD of the film.

Bolt is the story of a super powered dog on a hit sci-fi TV show (who doesn't know his powers are fake or that he is on a show) who ends up on a cross country journey trying to rescue his "person". On his journey home he discovers the truth about his life and picks up a couple of friends along the way.

How does Bolt stand in such a great year for animation? Click to read the full review!



In a year of Wall-E and Kung Fu Panda is there room for a Disney film that doesn't have a Pixar stamp on it? Absolutely. I think Pixar's new found influence on Disney animation is going to be extremely beneficial to fans of Disney and animation in general.

Bolt is a blast to watch. It's funny, action packed, extremely well acted, and absolutely stunning to look at. I've said it before but Disney really goes all out on their blurays and Bolt is another in a tradition of great releases to the format.

The movie is really funny and to be quite honest, 99% of the laughs belong to one character: Rhino. He is insanely funny in this and due credit must be given to Mark Walton for his brilliant voice work. He makes this hamster the star of the show, effectively stealing the film and solidifying the hamster trade for ever. That's not to say anyone else in the cast is bad because they're not. Everyone is fantastic it's just that Walton stands out so much with the best lines and a perfectly executed character.

The character design is very cool. Especially, the villain's cronies. I should mention that the first time Bolt came on screen as a puppy I wanted to rush to a pound and find a dog and by the time the film ended it was all I could do not to. Luckily it was 10 at night and all the pounds were shut tight.

The bluray is packed with special features (as if the supremely gorgeous sound and picture weren't enough.) We get deleted scenes, some features on the voice work, behind the scenes, a music video for the song "I Thought I Lost You" performed by John Travolta and Miley Cyrus. I'm not sure why this song was nominated for the Golden Globe. I liked the Jenny Lewis song Barking at the Moon way better. That is a beautiful song.

The set also includes a DVD copy of the movie and a third disc containing a digital copy as well making up disc 2 and 3 of the 3-disc set.

Overall, Bolt is a fantastic movie that the entire family can enjoy. The voice cast is flawless, the story is touching and exciting, not too mention funny, and is certainly something that any movie fan will enjoy. I would put this under the must see category. You'll fall in love with it easily.

Bolt will be available on bluray on March 22 and DVD on March 24.

RAWR(for more)

BluRay Review: Milk

Milk
Written By: Dustin Lance Black
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill, Joseph Cross, Stephen Spinella, Lucas Grabeel, Victor Garbor, and James Franco

The Oscar Nominated film Milk arrives on BluRay this week. This is a film I have been eagerly waiting to see and I am pleased to say that it's just as good as everyone says it is. Milk is highly emotional, touching, funny, inspiring, and most of all, important.

Keep reading to find out why.

It's funny that a major part of Milk is the fight against Proposition 6, which basically meant that gay teachers or anyone supportive of gays would be fired from their job. 30 years later, the gay community is fighting for their rights against the recently passed Proposition 8 only this time there is no Harvey Milk to rally the troops and provide much needed inspiration. In this way, it's sad to see that such a dynamic and important man is no longer around to fight for the cause he died for. (This isn't a spoiler by the way since they say as much literally 45 seconds into the movie.)

The film is a great portrait of a man who dedicated his life to human rights. It is probably one of the best acted films released this year. The entire cast is extraordinary. Both in performance and in appearance. The end of the film has where are they now blurbs along with a picture of the actors in character and then a photo of the person they're playing. They're eerily close in appearance.

In the film, we're mostly shown Harvey Milk's quest for public office, with some
occasional glances into his private life. Mostly, to see how his dedication to the cause leads to major problems in his life. Despite this, he continues his fight and eventually is elected County Supervisor.

The picture is gorgeous here. I am constantly impressed at the quality picture bluray provides and it shows that even movies that don't rely on explosions and special effects can be served well on the format.

Milk is a flawless mix between historical footage and filmed material. It really gives the film a sense of history and only bolsters the relevance and importance of the movie. It really builds a foundation that elevates the characters to people you really care for. It's the characters that drive this story. I've heard a few people comment that the cause itself is a major character in Milk and that is absolutely true, but it is the people fighting this cause that make it so.

The bluray isn't bursting with special features but the features it does have are great. We get three featurettes, two of which focus on the historical elements and one that is tales from the set. All are great but I was especially touched by "Remembering Havey" which is stories from the people that knew him best. The disc also features BD Live where you can collect your favorite scenes and share them with buddies as well as download new trailers, etc.

Overall, Milk is a beautiful film with spectacular performances that should inspire people to get up and take action on the issues that are important to them. It's funny, touching, heartbreaking, and to beat that horse again, inspirational.

Milk is available on bluray now.

RAWR(for more)

BluRay Review: Pinocchio

http://astore.amazon.com/popculbea-20/detail/B001ILFUDM
Pinocchio
1080p High Definition/1.33:1
English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio (48kHz/24-bit)
Restored Original Theatrical Soundtrack
Special Features: Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes, Never-Before-Seen Alternate Ending, Disney View expanded viewing experience, Cine-Explore experience, Pinocchio Knows Trivia Challenge, Pleasure Island Carnival Games, "No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio", Audio Commentary with Leonard Maltin, Eric Goldberg, and J.B. Kaufman, "Geppettos Then and Now," features included on the DVD version of the film which is included in the set, and a digital copy of the film for portable media devices.

Disney is celebrating the 70th Anniversary of it's award winning masterpiece Pinocchio with this incredible release on BluRay.

Click to check out our review as well as some clips from the release!



70 years after its release, the touching story of a puppet who wants to be a real boy is just as entertaining as it was when it was first released. I know I must have watched Pinocchio at some point during my childhood but for some reason I really had no memory of doing so. The scenes were all familiar to me but as a whole I didn't recall it. It's for that reason that I had it in my head that I didn't like it. I figured surely, if it was any good I'd remember having watched it. Well, I guess that was wrong. I really loved watching it on bluray. It seemed brand new to me. Sure there was some familiarity but the experience for me was as fresh as one can hope for a movie first released in 1939.



Disney has really gone all out with this release. Pinocchio is presented with a gorgeous picture and crystal clear sound. It really looks and sounds incredible. Disney has released another fantastic bluray set and truly shows just how much they appreciate their animation history. The set is jam packed with features including a plethora of historical footage included with the deleted scenes. There is something here for any fan of the film. Music, behind the scenes, commentary, trivia, games, the list goes on.

Disc one of the set is dedicated to the film itself. Pinocchio is presented with pristine picture and vibrant color in 1080p HiDef. It really looks as if its a brand new film. Presentations like this are making me a fan of the older animated films when I was always partial to the more current ones.

Disc two belongs to the comprehensive collection of special features. I really don't know what else someone can want from them since everything seems to be covered. We even get a featurette about past and modern day toy makers!



The set also includes a DVD copy of the film. I've never really commented on this feature before. I have made it known that I do not like the current trend of releasing DVDs as two disc special editions and having the second disc be only a digital copy of the film. I feel it's price gouging and really unnecessary. In the case of the DVD version of the film, well, it allows for people to purchase the bluray in advance of actually buying a player and still allowing them to watch the film on a regular DVD player. It's pretty good idea for Disney to do this. Makes a great copy to have in the car for any long road trips.

In the end, Disney has given us a spectacular release for a film deserving of the best. Pinocchio is a great watch for all ages and is made even better by the stunning transfer to bluray. This is certainly a must have film for any one who loves animation, Disney, or even touching family films.

The 70th Anniversary Edition of Pinocchio is available now.

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BluRay Review: Primal Fear

Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Edition
Written by: Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on the novel by William Diehl
Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, Andre Braugher, Terry O'Quinn, Frances McDormand, Alfre Woodard, and John Mahoney

BluRay Specs:
1080p High Definition
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Special Features: Commentary featuring Gregory Hoblit, Ann Biderman, Producer Gary Lucchesi, Executive Producer Hawk Koch, and Casting Director Deborah Aquila. Primal Fear: The Final Verdict, Primal Fear: Star Witness - Casting Edward Norton, The Psychology of Guilt, Theatrical Trailer

Primal Fear is one of my favorite legal thrillers and it finally hits BluRay tomorrow with the Hard Evidence Edition.

How does it measure up?

Click Read More to well...



Primal Fear is the story of hot shot defense attorney Martin Vail who takes on the defense of an alter boy accused of murdering a prominent arch bishop. As the case progresses, Vail learns a troubling truth about his client and about the man he's accused of killing.

This is the movie that launched Edward Norton to stardom and his first Oscar nomination. It's perfectly crafted, tense, and beautifully acted from the entire cast. It holds up rather well 12 years later and I found myself just as riveted now as I was when I first saw it.

The BluRay release isn't exactly perfect however. The picture has a grain to it and certainly isn't as clear as more recent releases. That said, it is still an improvement over previous releases. The special features are a little light. We have some featurettes and commentary. There are no deleted scenes or alternate takes and I would have liked to see something on the illness at the center of the story as well.

All in all it's a decent release for a great film. The picture isn't as clear as it could (or should) be and it could use some padding in the features aspect, especially with the capabilities of BluRay, but it's still worth a buy, certainly for those who've never seen the film.

Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Edition will hit DVD and BluRay tomorrow, March 10.

RAWR(for more)

Wonder Woman Clip!

Check out this clip from the upcoming DVD/BluRay release of Wonder Woman on March 3, 2009. That's Tuesday in case you wondered.

In the meantime, check out our review HERE and visit www.wonderwomanmovie.com!

RAWR(for more)

BluRay Review: Zodiac - The Director's Cut

Zodiac
Written by: James Vanderbilt
Based on the book by: Robert Graysmith
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Chloe Sevigny, and Robert Downey Jr.

I've reviewed a few BluRay releases so far and unfortunately, none of them have been exactly glowing. I am proud to say that mediocre streak has ended with the recent BluRay release of the David Fincher masterpiece, Zodiac.

The story revolves around reporters and police tracking the notorious California serial killer who sends cryptic puzzles and letters to newspapers.

What we have here is a marvelously acted film that is flawless in its execution. There is not a single thing wrong with this movie. It's gorgeously shot, every scene just leaps off the screen.

David Fincher has crafted a brilliant film here and it is presented wonderfully on BluRay. It looks stunning. The picture is so clear at times I thought I was watching a 3-D film. This is by far the best looking film I have seen on the format yet.

The sound is presented in 5.1 True HD and puts my speakers to work in the best ways possible.

Disc one of the set features the Director's Cut of the film that only makes a great movie even greater. It's called one of the greatest films of the decade for a reason and watching the film again only confirms it. We also get two commentaries here. One with director David Fincher, the other with Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Robert Graysmith, James Vanderbilt, and James Ellroy.

Disc two features some fantastic special features including the behind the scenes documentary,"Zodiac Deciphered", Split Screen comparisons with animatics for the three murder scenes, and two fascinating features "His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen" which discusses the prime suspect, and David Prior's feature length documentary, "This Is The Zodiac Speaking". Definitely required watching for anyone interested in the subject as it leaves no stone unturned. It's nearly as good as the film itself.

I can't recommend this movie enough, especially on BluRay. It showcases this film in a whole new light and makes it even better to watch than it was in the theaters.

The 2 Disc Director's Cut of Zodiac is available on BluRay now.

RAWR(for more)

BluRay/DVD Review: Friday the 13th 1-3

Friday the 13th is now available on BluRay in gorgeous 1080p and that might not necessarily be a good thing. The biggest highlight here is that the film has been released uncut. That means that about 10 seconds or so of footage has been restored to the film. Yeah, 10 seconds. For the most part the film looks nice. There is still some grain and I noticed a few pops but over all the picture was pretty clean. This does not help the make up effects at all. This is especially true in the famous Kevin Bacon death scene. You can clearly see where the makeup ends. It's a completely different color than his face. I never noticed this on the old DVDs but it is blatant on the BluRay.

The movie is just as I remembered it, I'm not a fanatic of these movies so I really couldn't tell you where the gore was restored to. It seems kind of worthless when you can see the make up on the kill spots though. The acting is passable the movie is still fun to watch though by now its scare factor is significantly less than in years past.

The BluRay is loaded with special features some great, some kinda worthless. The good stuff is the interviews with Sean Cunningham, Victor Miller (he actually states Sean wanted a Halloween ripoff), and Tom Savini. There is also a commentary track with Sean and some cast and crew, trailer, secrets to the gore of the film, most of which are presented in HD.

The bad is this Lost Tales of Camp Blood. I don't understand the point of it. It's just a short film of some guy killing two people. Was this some contest I was not aware of? It's not even Jason doing the killing. Utterly pointless.

Is the BluRay worth buying? Honestly, probably not. The clarity takes away from the make up effects and the special features aren't special enough to warrant spending the extra money. If you are a die hard Jason fan then yes, pick this up. Otherwise, you're fine sticking with the DVD version.

Friday the 13th Part 2 is not on BluRay but has been remastered in HiDef with a new 5.1 audio mix and new special features. This time we get Inside "Crystal Lake Memories", Friday's Legacy: Horror Conventions, Jason Forever, and the trailer. Oh and another Lost Tales from Camp Blood which I didn't even watch. I had enough with part one.

Friday 2 brings us the bag headed Jason Vorhees on a rampage avenging his drowning and the beheading of his mother.

It's basically the same movie as part one. Except it's Jason this time running around with a pillowcase over his head. Still though, it is enjoyable. Retro glasses will serve these films well because if you're seeing them for the first time I really don't think you'll appreciate them.

Friday the 13th Part Two 2 is not uncut so the only bonus here is the remastered picture, which looks great, and the 5.1 sound which sounds well...great.

I didn't notice any of the make up issues that I saw with the first one so that's a bonus.

Friday the 13th Part 3, 3-D. I was extremely interested in this. I had never seen this film in 3-D before and was itching to watch it. Unfortunately, I got a splitting headache five minutes into the movie. When the 3-D kicked in it felt like someone was trying to scoop out my eyes while hammering a nail into my temples. Sounds like something right out of the movie. That put an end to my 3-D adventures with Jason.

That said, switching over to the standard version proved a much more pleasant experience. Not that pleasant though, this movie is a stinker. It's the same as the first two. More kids in the woods getting high, having sex, and getting eviscerated. This is an important film in the franchise only because it's where Jason obtains his iconic hockey mask.

I think I might have watched these movies too close together because I noticed that A they're almost exactly the same movies and B part three reused some kills in part one, most notably the Kevin Bacon scene. The only difference was that it was a hammock in part 3 and not a bed that the arrow was shoved through.

The print on this must have been a disaster because even with remastering there was some serious imperfections in the picture. I don't know if they just did a rush job on this or they just couldn't clean the film. It sort of gives it that retro feel though but still its noticeable when you see a brown sheen come over one of the scenes.

Friday 3 is devoid of special features outside of the unwatchable (at least for me) 3-D version and a trailer.

Are these new versions necessary? Absolutely not. The DVD artwork is gaudy and a giant step down from the artwork on the original releases. It would be worth while if Paramount continues to release the films uncut as the fans have been demanding for years. I am not aware of any plans to continue with the series at this point but I hope they do.

Why stop with the first three?

I also noticed that the only movie of the first three that takes place at Crystal Lake is part 1. The rest are set in areas nearby. I never realized that before.

Anyway, Jason fans are sure to enjoy revisiting these films before seeing the remake that hits theaters next week. I can't really justify the double dip considering part one is the only one presented as Uncut. We'll see what happens with the next ones. I'm curious if they will return Part 7 to its uncut glory.

Friday The 13th Uncut is available on DVD and BluRay now. Friday the 13th Part 2 and Friday the 13th Part 3 3-D are available on DVD now.

RAWR(for more)

BluRay Review: Max Payne

Max Payne
Written by: Beau Thorne
Directed by: John Moore
Starring: Mark Wahlburg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Donal Logue, Chris O'Donnell, and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges

Mark Wahlberg stars as Max Payne in the story of a cop who's lost his family on a quest to discover the truth behind their murders. He teams up with the, I assume, killer for hire sister (Mila Kunis) of a recently murdered woman, to track down those responsible for the deaths.

Max Payne is an adaptation of a rather popular video game series. I played the original game briefly so I am coming to this film pretty much fresh and with no preconceptions or loyalties to the game.

That said, I was woefully underwhelmed by the film. My first issue is that it is extremely predictable. I knew where this movie was heading as soon as a certain character stepped on screen and that ruined any kind of suspense or tension I could have expected. Not that there is any.

The film feels disjointed, almost as if they just took scenes and stuck them together to try and make a cohesive story. It is also stylistic to a fault. It never feels natural. I will say that there are some gorgeous scenes that are wasted here. The snow fall looks incredible at times but over all Max Payne feels like its aiming to be more stylized that it has any right to be.

There are numerous unnecessary Norse mythology references that do absolutely nothing for the movie. The whole Constantinish trailer points to an underlying supernatural vibe to the story that absolutely isn't there. Any reference to angels and demons in the trailer is the result of hallucinations by drug addicts.

The acting is for the most part serviceable or downright bad. Mila Kunis, who I actually did not recognize until she spoke in English for the first time, was okay. Wahlberg and Beau Bridges were decent. I have to say that SNL has probably ruined Mark Wahlberg for me because every time he spoke I was waiting for him to say "Say hi to your mother for me," and was disappointed when it never happened. Chris "Ludacris" Bridges was terrible. I had actually pegged him as a decent actor after Crash but he was lousy in this. I didn't buy a single word out of his mouth.

On the upside, the film looks beautiful on Bluray. The disc comes with the theatrical version as well as the unrated directors cut. Special features include a never-before-seen animated graphic novel, audio commentary from Director John Moore, Production Designer Daniel Dorrance, and Visual Effects Supervisor Everett Burrell. The BonusView features takes you behind the scenes with walkthroughs and cheats with Picture in Picture footage with John Moore. It also has a second disc featuring an digital copy of the unrated version of the film.

I was a staunch HDDVD supporter and have been turned to the side of bluray, not only because it won the format war but because it looks incredible. Even a lousy movie like Max Payne can be made better simply because of how stunning the picture and sound are.

Bottom line: Max Payne is a lousy film. It might be worth a watch to fans of Mark Wahlberg but fans of the video game will most likely be disappointed (as the makers of the game reportedly were). Action fans might enjoy the minimal action scenes but the convoluted story will turn off anyone with half a brain.

Max Payne is available on DVD and Bluray now.

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LA Readers: See Pinocchio on the big screen!

In honor of Pinocchio’s 70th anniversary, Disney is showing the beloved classic at the historic El Capitan Theatre starting today and running through February 12.

Senior vice president of world wide special events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Lylle Breier, says, “We are thrilled to have our El Capitan guests experience the magic and adventure of this timeless classic. With a state-of-the-art digital restoration Pinocchio will shine at the Ep Capitan like never before. And with the opportunity to see Pinocchio live on stage, this will be great fun for the entire family.”

I attended a special showing last night that featured a wonderful panel discussion with artists, sculptors, and Dick Jones, the man who voiced the legendary character 70 years ago. We had the chance to see some of the old story boards and artwork for the film as well as see the artists create a cell and sculpt before our eyes.

The film has been digitally restored and looks fantastic. It’s crystal clear and better than ever. I’m not personally a huge fan of the older Disney cartoons but really enjoyed rediscovering this one last night. It’s certainly better than I remember and looking on it now I really don’t know why I thought I didn’t like it before.

We’re going to be reviewing the Platinum Edition Bluray next month but it was nice to be able to see such a classic on the big screen. I’m sure it is going to look incredible on Bluray.
If you are in the Los Angeles area grab the kids, heck go yourself if you don’t have kids, and enjoy this landmark film on the big screen.

The screenings include a live appearance by Pinocchio himself. Weekends will have a special character breakfast with Mickey and Minnie at the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store prior to the first showing of the day.

Pinocchio starts tonight at the El Capitan Theatre and arrives on Platinum Edition DVD and BluRay on March 10.

The El Capitan Theatre
6838 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
Showtimes:
10:00 am, 12:25 pm, 2:50 pm, 5:10 pm, 7:30 pm, and on Friday and Saturday there is a 9:55 pm late show.

RAWR(for more)

Burn After Reading Behind The Scenes!

Check out these behind the scenes videos from the DVD and Blu-ray of Burn After Reading.






Burn After Reading hits stores on 12/21.

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