Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Paramount Home Entertainment – 109 mins – 1986 – Rated PG – 1080p Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35: 1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1/6.1 DTS Master Audio

Maverick, Goose, Iceman, Jester, Slider, Sundown, Viper and Charlie, we know these guys like they’re our best friends and we’ve taken the ride into the danger zone with them so many times that it’s a blur. 1986’s Top Gun is not a coming of age film, or in any way trying to make a statement about the late 80’s, it’s just about being fucking cool…The American way. Tom Cruise was a rising star when Top Gun came out, and its success solidified him as a major player, so that nearly two decades later he’d be jumping up and down on Oprah’s couch. Top Gun is ready to take you on its mighty wings on high definition Blu-ray from Paramount Home Entertainment, and even though you’ve been on this ride a zillion times, it still fun to jump on again.

THE MOVIE

Realistically, Top Gun does not have much of a plot; it just has a setting mixed with awesome photography and a killer soundtrack. Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, a hotshot Navy pilot who is a member of Top Gun, an elite flight school where only the best of the best are invited. Anthony Edwards plays Goose, Maverick’s co-pilot and best bud; and Val Kilmer plays Iceman, the current big ace in the school that doesn’t like the idea of Maverick gunning for his spot. To avoid any odd sexual suspicions about all these guys hanging around with their shirts off all the time, a lady has been thrown into the mix played by Kelly McGillis as Charlie, a hot blonde instructor (yeah right), who Maverick quickly locks his target on. Basically, you get a tale of young men flying around in multi-million million dollar jets, playing volleyball in front of the American flag, romancing the ladies, and doing what they do best, act like rebels without a cause who have the need…the need for speed.

Top Gun was directed by Tony Scott (brother of Ridley Scott), and he should be given a lot of credit for it’s success, because if Scott’s style of photography and quick edited was not implemented this would have been a different film. Scott realized he wasn’t directed The Godfather, so he used the main source of visual entertainment of the time as a reference…MTV. In the 80’s MTV dominated the map with younger viewers, so it didn’t take a rocket science to mix the MTV style, teenage girls’ obsession with Tom Cruise, and fighter jets to cash in at the box office. There were so many Top Gun clones that came after, and they all bombed, including Cruise’s own, Days of Thunder, which was supposed to be Top Gun on wheels.

Looking at Top Gun now, you will see a variety of familiar faces, some of who were unknowns and became big stars such as Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, and Anthony Edwards; along with various character actors like Michael Ironside, Tom Skerritt, and Rick Rossovich. That’s another reason why folks are still watching this film today, because it’s nostalgic. If you saw this film as a ten when it came out, of course it’s going to draw you back in every time you hear the beginning riff of that Kenny Loggins song. Sure this film is completely dated because of its politics and big hair, but it’s filled with campy lines that we all remember, and you’ll still feel sad when Goose dies, (oops, spoiler).

Tom Cruise may have become a little eccentric nowadays, but there was a time when he was the epitome of cool. When he dies you know his obituary photo will be that famous shot of him from Top Gun wearing his flight jacket and giving a thumbs up. Anyone over 25 has seen this film a bunch of times, because it’s always playing on TV somewhere. For you newbies, it may be a lot harder to understand why this film was a success, but it’s still worth a look, especially now that it can be enjoyed in glorious high-definition. It something that can be debated, but Top Gun will one day become an important film in cinema history, not because it’s on the level of Gone With the Wind, but mainly due to the fact that it’s a bookmark of a time in the 80’s that has made an impact on the American spirit. Now put on your sunglasses and cruise into the danger zone.

VIDEO

In its day Top Gun was one of the movies film enthusiasts would refer to when it came to amazing cinemaphotography; and even though it looks like one big music video now, there are still some incredible shots to see. This Blu-ray has full 1080p resolution and a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and it looks very good in some scenes, but then there are some scenes that are only average. All the aerial sequences still look great, with details like the sun gleaming across the wings of the planes and the heat spitting out of the jets as they land on the aircraft carrier. But other scenes, such as the bar sequence when the guys sing ‘You’ve lost that loving feeling’ don’t look as good, looking no better than the standard DVD. Skin tones look fine, but in comparison to most films on Blu-ray, it does leave a lot to be desired. Overall, Top Gun’s image quality is good, but hardcore TG fans may desire more.

AUDIO

The Top Gun soundtrack is still being milked over twenty years later, and anyone who has seen this film multiple times knows why. It’s a great collection of 80’s songs, featuring Cheap Trick, Berlin, Lover Boy, and of course Mr. Footloose himself, Kenny Loggins. This Blu-ray offers both a TrueHD 5.1 Dolby Digital surround mix as well as a 6.1 DTS master mix, that enhances both the music and the dog fight sequence that takes place during the film’s finale, convincing you that you’re smack in the middle of the battle. Dialogue is also well balanced, even when jet engines are rumbling like thunder from all sides. 

EXTRAS

Top Gun offers a good collection of supplemental material, but it’s material ported over from the anniversary DVD, so it’s all in standard definition.

There’s an audio commentary that features the big man himself, super producer Jerry Bruckheimer, as well as director Tony Scott, co-writer Jack Epps, Jr., and the film’s technical advisors Pete Pettigrew, Mike Galpin, and Mike McCabe. This commentary is all over the place because theirs just too many cooks in the kitchen. It would have been better if Tony Scott had a solo track or just teamed up with Bruckheimer, then let the tech guys have their own group chat. There are some interesting tidbits, but you may be wondering who’s saying what if you get distracted.

‘Danger Zone: The Making of Top Gun’ is the reason to own this Blu-ray; split into a six part documentary with a total running time of nearly two and a half hours, everything you ever wanted to know about Top Gun is at your access. Almost all hands are on deck, including Tom Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Val Kilmer, who all share their thoughts about the production of the film and how it shaped their careers. This is one of the best documentaries attached to a film that I have seen; because everything is detailed from pre-production, filming, post production, and the aftermath of the film’s worldwide success. If you live for Top Gun, this is not to be missed.

Two scenes from the film, ‘Flat Spin’ and Jester’s Dead’ are shown with the storyboards and the final footage to see how it compares. Director Scott provides an audio commentary, which is a nice touch.

‘Best of the Best: The Real Top Gun is a half hour featurette that looks at the real pilots who are in the Top Gun flight school. Here you can see that the real thing is nothing like the movie, so anyone thinking of joining the Navy to be the next Maverick or Iceman should look at this first.

The Vintage Gallery is actually very cool because it features four 80’s music videos from the film for the songs Danger Zone, You Take My Breath Away, Heaven in Your Eyes, as well as the Top Guns theme. A couple of old featurettes are in here, ‘Survival Training’ and a basic behind the scenes spot. There’s a twenty-year old interview with Tom Cruise talking about Top Gun, as well as a selection of classic TV spots for the film.

BOTTOM LINE

Top Gun works best as a piece of nostalgia because it’s locked in a time zone that belongs in the world set-up by MTV and the Reagan era. As long as you don’t take it seriously, Top Gun is a fun film sticks with you because it hits all the right notes. This Blu-ray is the definitive version of the movie, featuring a good picture and excellent sound; plus the two and a half hour documentary sweetens the deal even more. If you’re a fan of this film, there’s no doubt this is a definite buy, and the younger generation who thinks Mr. Cruise is crazy can see how he became one of the most powerful players in Hollywood. Now rev up your engines, because Maverick needs a wing-man.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie:          4.0

Video:                   3.5

Sound:                    4.0

Extras:                   4.0

Bottom Line:       4.0

End of Days can be purchased on Blu-ray individually or as a part of Universal’s “Action Starter Pack,” which includes three movies: Miami Vice, U-571 and End of Days for the retail price of $59.98.

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 123 mins – 1999 – Rated R – 1080p Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

In 1999 there were various “Y2K, the world is about to end” movies to exploit the coming of the new millennium, and Arnold Schwarzenegger joined the craze with his ‘save mankind from certain doom’ flick End of Days. By this time Schwarzenegger’s

box office clout was beginning to fizzle, and End of Days didn’t exactly light any sparks. It’s silly and mindless, and doesn’t even have any good Arnold lines. This is one of his last batches of action movies, along with The Sixth Day and Collateral Damage, before he packed it up and became the Governator. End of Days is available on Blu-ray from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, so if you need your Schwarzenegger fix, even a lame one, feel free to proceed.

THE MOVIE

Schwarzenegger plays Jericho Cane, a former New York City cop, who because of his addiction to alcohol, now works as a security specialist. He quickly has to put his love for the bottle aside when he discovers that the big daddy of bad guys, Satan, (Gabriel Byrne) is making a plan to resurface on the Earth and end humanity by impregnating an innocent woman (Robin Tunney). What follows are a series of over the top action scenes, crappy special effects, and clichés galore. Basically, End of Days is like watching a Steven Seagal film with a bigger budget.

The real problem with End of Days is that Schwarzenegger has made with weaker storylines work, such as Commando, but he’s literally phoning it in. The proof is that you can play the drinking game counting how many times you see Schwarzenegger’s body double. How many days did Arnie actually clock in on this film? Even his co-star, Kevin Pollak, who plays his partner in this film seems like he rather be somewhere else and only showed up for the payday. The only person is trying to make it work is Byrne, who plays the devilish (or should I say The Devil) routine like he’s enjoying every minute of it.

Directed by Peter Hyams, who has helmed several action films such as Time Cop and Running Scared, is no stranger to high adrenaline formula movies is desperately trying to keep things moving by tossing in as much bang in as he can. But even with all this something about the film still doesn’t connect. Maybe it’s the whole Terminator vs. Satan thing, but actually that should have made this more appealing.

Another issue is that you never feel any suspense. Come on, if Satan’s plot works all humanity will be over, but there’s never a sense of any immediate danger to the world. As an example from another Schwarzenegger’s film, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, you always feel the threat that if anything where to happen to John Connor, we are screwed. With End of Days, the woman that Schwarzenegger is trying to protect doesn’t seem to have the same value, even though she and the John Connor character both hold the fate of the world in their hands.

End of Days is not the worse action film, but there’s nothing about it that stands out. It attempts to be dark, but then there is so much humor that you lose focus of the threat at hand. As a loud, slick, and explosive Saturday night movie, End of Days is acceptable, but unlike so many of Schwarzenegger’s earlier action films, when this one is over you’ll forget it even happened. And even though it’s roughly a decade later, End of Days feels dated. Overall, if you are a hardcore Schwarzenegger fan and you collect all things Arnold, you’re going to want this. For all others, rent it first and decide if the world will end if you don’t own it.

VIDEO

This is an odd transfer, because even though the film is supposed to be dark, it doesn’t hold up to well in high-definition. This Blu-ray offers a fill 1080p image with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, but it’s incredibly grainy, and being that 80% of the film takes place at night or in dark places, you’re not given much eye candy. The skin tones don’t appear natural, looking very orange-ish, mainly because the actors are hidden in shadows most of the time. Whenever there is a scene involving fire or some explosion, it seems to bleed over into the darker areas leaving a momentary artifact. This transfer is a step up from the standard DVD, but only for sharpness, because the picture quality is not up to par with other titles out there. This image is acceptable, but don’t get your hopes up too high.

AUDIO

The one thing End of Days has going for it is it’s audio mix, offering a DTS-HD Losless Master 5.1 surround track, when the action begins, your neighbors will be banging on the walls for you to turn it down. The film mixes action and horror, so there are many tricks done to make you jump, and for the most part they are effective, but it’s the explosive action that steals the spotlight. The subway train sequence where Schwarzenegger attempts to stop Satan will make you think you’re in the center of the action and does a great job of highlighting all five speakers and the subwoofer. Dialogue is also clear, allowing you to hear all of Arnold’s broken English. Overall, the sound makes the movie worth it.

EXTRAS

The HD DVD version of End of Days offered various bonus features, but none of them have made it over to this Blu-ray release, which is very strange. The only thing that made the leap was the director’s commentary, so if you were expecting more, you’re going to be very disappointed.

Director Peter Hyams offers some on the set tales, including the origins of the script, working with Schwarzenegger, and making a big budget action film. The commentary is not bad, because Hyams has a lot to say, but it won’t change your opinion of the film.

BOTTOM LINE

It’s kind of hard looking at End of Days nearly a decade later, because it’s more laughable than the edgy horror/action film it was attempting to be. Schwarzenegger fans will probably get this Blu-ray no matter what, but with it’s so-so image quality and total lack of bonus features, there’s really no reason to pick this one up unless you live, breathe, need and own everything Schwarzenegger related. Come on Universal, the Governator deserves better than this.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 2.5

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 1.5

Bottom Line: 2.5

Miami Vice can be purchased on Blu-ray individually or as a part of Universal’s “Action Starter Pack,” which includes three movies: Miami Vice, U-571 and End of Days for the retail price of $59.98.

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 141 mins – 2006 – Rated R – 1080p Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio

As a kid I loved the 80’s TV show Miami Vice because it featured two of the coolest cops on the beat, Crockett and Tubbs, who sported the latest fashion styles, got the hot girls, drove the coolest cars, and always caught the bad guys. Miami Vice captured the attention of TV-goers because it emulated everything they were watching on MTV, with flashy colors, quick editing and hit songs, such as Phil Collin’s ‘In The Air Tonight,’ which is embedded in our minds as an attachment to the show. There was plenty of talk of a Miami Vice movie making the rounds over the years, but fans were happy when the show’s creator, Michael Mann, decided to bring it to the big screen himself in 2006. Formerly an HD DVD exclusive, Miami Vice is now available on Blu-ray from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

THE MOVIE

Most would think that a Miami Vice film would only work in one of two ways, either as a spoof of the 80’s and pop culture, such as what the Ben Stiller-Owen Wilson version of Starsky & Hutch attempted and failed; or as a big budget re-telling of the show like the Mission: Impossible films did successfully. Michael Mann is a director who works by his own rules and has a style of his own, as demonstrated his films The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, and The Insider; so he his approach to a Miami Vice movie would also be unconventional. Instead of do a remake and introducing the characters, Mann chose to make a two-and-half-hour episode of the show, but this time set it in current Miami. If you never saw an episode of the show, you’re going to be confused, because you’re not going to know who any of the characters are, particularly the supporting characters. Crockett does not walk around wearing an Armani Jacket over his T-shirt and Tubbs doesn’t keep saying dialogue with a fake Jamaican accent. So if you’re expecting a movie like that you will be very disappointed.

Instead, this Miami Vice resembles an episode of Cops, with it’s hand-held documentary style offering a ‘fly-on-the-wall’ look at what it’s like to go so deep undercover that you can’t tell the cops from the criminals. The roles originated by Don Johnson as Sonny Crocket, and Philip-Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs are now played by Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, who are wisely not trying to emulate the mannerisms of the other actors, while at the same time doing what they can to keep the purity of the characters.

Anyone expecting to hear Jan Hammer’s theme over the opening credits like the TV show will probably go into cardiac arrest, because it’s not present. From the start Crockett and Tubbs are on a case, but when they get a call from another undercover officer desperate for their help, they go to his aide and he confesses about ratting out other cops and getting them killed because his family was threatened. When he learns that these people have killed his wife, he takes a leap in front of a speeding truck. This security breach leads Crockett and Tubbs to go on an undercover assignment for the FBI to find those responsible, and finally nab the main narcotics trafficker, Archangel De Jesus Montoya (Luis Tosar), who has remained untouchable.

As in the TV show they take their undercover alias names, Sonny Burnett and Rico Cooper, (because they sound so different from their real names) and become smugglers to get linked up with Jose Yero (John Ortiz), who is the right-hand man of Montoya. This also leads them meet Isabella (Gong Li), who is Montoya’s wife and business partner. Crockett, being the playa he is, gets romantically involved with Montoya’s woman, putting he and Tubbs’ life more at risk. Eventually, Yero’s suspicious feelings leads him to believe that they may not be who they say they are and when he learns that Crockett and Isabella are doing the nasty, he uses it against them to get in Montoya’s favor. This leads to a finale that forces Crockett and Tubbs to break their cover in order to bring down Montoya’s cartel with extreme violence as the weapon of choice.

Miami Vice wasn’t the big box office hit that it was expected to be, and most people found it boring with more dialogue than action; and let’s face it when you think of Miami Vice you want to see all the flash and cheese from the 80’s show. So with this more realistic tone, it probably turned off a lot of fans. When I first saw it in theaters two years back, I did not like it, but looking at it again, it worked for me. Yes, it has storyline problems and didn’t need to run over two hours, but director Mann is so desperate to wipe away the 80’s fluff, that if you give this film a chance you may appreciate it. It’s not the joke-a-minute ride you get from the Bad Boys movies, and there’s no car chase or shoot out every ten minutes, but it remains edgy and stylish in it’s own way, because of Mann’s direction.

This is a dark film, not only in terms of its photography, but the characters within it. There is no humor or goofy character that comes along for the ride, and the bad guys are the seriously evil mo-fo’s that you always see in those true investigation shows, that will murder and entire family just to get their point across. Mann makes it clear that what these undercover cops do is dangerous, and the chances of them being discovered and taking a bullet in the head is 85%. I’m not a fan of Colin Farrell, but he’s really good in this film, and I was actually surprised how he overshadowed Jamie Foxx whose role in this film seems very small, being that the last film he did with Michael Mann, Collateral, was so pivotal and earned him an Oscar nomination. John Ortiz should also be given a nod of approval for his role, because there is never one minute on screen when you don’t believe him. The only person who may seem out of place is Gong Li, who is a brilliant actress, but was she right for this role? Plus, in the director’s audio commentary Mann doesn’t hold back about being frustrated with working with her, and her problems saying the dialogue. But hey, didn’t he notice this issue when he first met with her?

Overall, if you’re a die-hard fan of the TV show, it’s hit or miss whether or not you’re going to like this vision of Miami Vice, and if you’ve never seen the show you’ll probably have no clue what the heel is going on. But if you take the film for what it is, and try separate it from the Don Johnson era, you’re enjoyment of it may be greater. And just keep in mind that it could have been a whole lot worse; this could have been a big budget action comedy re-teaming Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, as it was once rumored to be. Yikes!

VIDEO

Well this is an issue that may work against the movie, mainly because of Michael Mann’s cinematography choice. This Blu-ray has a 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, but being that it was shot on HD video the whole film looks like one big episode of Cops. Gone are the pastels and dream-like sunset shots that Miami Vice is known for, which has been substituted with glassy video-ish daylight scenes and a lot of grainy indoor and night shots. Mann’s film, Collateral, was shot the same way, giving everything that consumer camera style right of out the Rodney King video. But you have to keep in mind that this is what Mann wanted, so while the image quality may not jump off the screen like other Blu-ray’s it does remain sharp. With all the location shots in the movie, this would have been an amazing looking film if it were shot on conventional film, if you have a good HDTV you will still be impressed the clarity.

AUDIO

Even though Jan Hammer’s theme is not present, the DTS-HD Lossless 5.1 audio track is solid. Background noises play a big role in this film, from the crowd in the nightclub from the opening sequence, to the speedboat cutting through the water when Crockett and Isabella sneak off for their island rendezvous. And just listen to the shootout at the end, which instead of exaggerating gunshots like most action films do, instead muffles the audio, going for a realistic sound as heard in news footage. Dialogue seems very low in places making you do a quick rewind at times to hear what was said, and for someone playing an American born character, Colin Farrell’s Irish accent keeps popping up.

EXTRAS

All of the bonus features that were on the HD-DVD release have been successfully ported over to the Blu-ray. Unfortunately, all of the supplements are in standard definition (480p), but the Picture-in-Picture U-Control feature compensates for this.

Director Michael Mann provides an audio commentary, which in my opinion is one of the best ones around. Instead of the fluff behind the scenes stuff most Directors paste on, Mann just tells you how he feels and how it all went down, whether it’s tension with the actors, or bad issues while filming. It’s long, but worth listening to just because it’s not sugar coated.

‘Miami Vice Undercover’ is a twenty-minute looks at the actors getting trained for the film, and what it took to make them look like undercover cops in within today’s drug cartels.

‘Behind the Scenes’ is a fifteen-minute collection of three featurettes, “Gun Training,” “Mojo Race,” and “Haitian Hotel Camera Blocking” look into how specific scenes in the film were shot. These are very short, but they get across what was intended.

‘Visualizing Miami Vice/Miami and Beyond’ combined run about twenty-five minutes and dives into the cinematic style of the film including Mann’s view of shooting on HD video.

The U-Control features that highlighted Universal’s HD-DVD’s are now accessible on Blu-ray, as long as you have a Profile 1.1 player or a PS3. When activated as you watch the film, a PIP appears on the lower right of your screen showing you behind the scenes videos and visual commentaries.

The Tech Spec and GPS feature is more of a gimmick than something useful. When accessed during the film you’ll get a pop up grid with information about props, locations, and characters that syncs with specific scenes. Just think of Pop-Up Video.

BOTTOM LINE

This is Michael Mann’s baby, so he like George Lucas can do anything with it he wants, whether or not fans dig it or not. Mann knows how to direct a film, so when this movie is at its best it’s solid. As a Blu-ray the image quality may not be the high definition image you’re used to be now, but it has a good batch of extras, including the U-Control Picture-in-Picture, and a no holds barred director’s audio commentary track. If you liked this film, this Blu-ray is a must have, but if you saw it in theaters and didn’t like it, I recommend that you give it a rent to see it again. You may be surprised by you’re second viewing and choose to add it to your Blu-ray collection.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.5

Video: 3.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.5

Reviewed by Rich Depping

Paramount Home Video – 293 minutes – 2007 – NOT RATED – Widescreen – Dolby Digital -Stereo English/Spanish/French  – Two Discs

The school was supposed to be 1 story school with 30 rooms, but due to an error when reading the plans, it was built 30 stories tall with 1 classroom per floor! And lucky new student, Todd, has to attend class on the 30th floor! WAAAAA-CKY!

THE SERIES

Wayside School is based on the series of children’s books by Louis Sachar of the same name. Todd (voiced by Michael Cera, the kid from Arrested Development & an infinite amount of terrible teen movies he will be cursed to star in til he turns 30) is the new kid in Mrs. Jewels class, striving to fit in to his abnormal new enviroment, where musical lessons envolve a hypnotic noseflute that instructs cows roaming the school grounds to eat the school, dodging the wrath of Maurecia, the girl that expresses her crush on him by punching his lights out on a routine basis, and not dying from consuming the cafeteria food prepared by Miss Mush and her dead rat sidekick, Sammy. Oh, and not collecting enough demerit points to get his name written, check marked, and circled on the blackboard, leading to being sent home early on the kindergarten short bus, which happens nearly every day.Each day presents a new and different alternate way of learning things at Wayside, as well as strange adventures often due to the meddling and/or incompetence of the principal, Mr Kidswatter. Like appointing a student as Principal For The Day, assigning them actual principal duties, and taking his leave to play 18 holes. Or hijacking the student TV station donated by a broadcasting company for letting them place an antenna on the school roof (EM fields do wonders for developing children I hear!) and turning it into his own home shopping  channel… I only vaguely recall flipping through one of these books as a kid, so I’m imagining some of the character designs were slightly updated from their initial scribing, such as the narcoleptic goth girl, and Maurecia’s rollerblades, and so forth. As an adult, watching some of these episodes, the plots almost seem to border on psychotic sometimes, for example when filling out the TEACHER’S report card, noting ‘see me after class’ requires the teacher’s parent to be called by the principal in for a meeting to berate the student in question. Maybe I’m just getting old…

VIDEO

The package states a ‘full screen’ presentation – however, every player I have tried them on has displayed 16×9 without any noticible stretching, which seemed a bit odd. It appears to be animated in Flash, which leads to a crisp and clear presentation on DVD. Bright visuals and crisp lines permeate both discs throughout.

AUDIO

Your basic stereo mixes for English, French (it is a Canadien production, can’t forget le Quebecois!), and Spanish (it also airs on Nick in the states & Latin America)

EXTRAS

Kids don’t really expect extras, and we really could not find any, apart from a trailer for the Wayside School movie DVD release…

BOTTOM LINE

Good clean wholesome and weird entertainment for kids… just don’t expect it to be as enthralling as the books were, if you’re old enough to have read them back in the 80s…Note: Review copy came shrinkwrapped with a paperback edition of the original novel, Sideways Stories from Wayside School – we assume the retail version does as well…
SCORES (Out of 5)

The Series: 3.5
Video: 4.0
Sound: 3.5
Extras: 2.0
Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Paramount Home Entertainment – 114 mins – 2007 – Unrated – 1080p Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35: 1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1

NOTE: Some portions of this review were taken from our original HD-DVD review.

Beowulf, based on the classic Old English epic poem, has been adapted as a live action film various times, but now director Robert Zemeckis has created the most ambitious version of the story to date. Zemeckis, (Back To The Future, Forrest Gump) has previously dabbled with photo realistic animated filmmaking with 2004’s The Polar Express. Now the bar for this style of animation has been raised so high that it may be a while before we see anything that surpasses it. Beowulf is finally available on Blu-ray from Paramount Home Entertainment, so if you missed it before, it’s worth the experience.

THE MOVIE

Beowulf tells the story of King Hrothgar (portrayed by Anthony Hopkins), who is desperately attempting to free his kingdom from the threat of the menacing Grendel beast, that has infiltrated his territory and is set out on destroying him and his people. The king puts a bounty on Grendel’s head and seeks out a hero to kill him. The man who accepts the mission is Beowulf (portrayed by Ray Winstone), who appears to be the Rambo of his day, a fearless warrior who was born to beat the odds. When Grendel’s mother (portrayed by Angela Jolie) learns of her son’s defeat, she sets out on a mission of vengeance to destroy Beowulf, leading to an action packed finale.

What makes this movie stand out is that it’s just not an animated version of the story with actors lending their voices to the character’s like in Shrek and Toy Story; In Beowulf the actor’s faces and bodies are motion-captured so that they themselves can appear as animated characters in this animated world. Actor’s Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie, Ray Whitestone, John Malkovich, and Robin Wright Penn, went through the same process used for video game motion graphics to add a life-like photo realistic look to the film. Because of the this, the film looks just like one big videogame cut scene making you feel as if any minute you’re going to see the words “Press Start” at any moment.

Zemeckis obviously was going after the video game audience, because this version of Beowulf highlights the action rather than character development. Even the choices are camera directions used looks as if it’s ripped from a Final Fantasy game’s cut scenes. Just look at the scene when Beowulf fights Grendel; the way he’s jumping and flipping around the beast is right out of the Devil May Cry vide games. But in many ways this works in the film’s favor because things are always moving and there is so much to see. This process is obviously something Zemeckis is passionate about and will keep exploring until it earns wider appeal.

Anyone who loves sword and sandal flicks like Gladiator, Braveheart, Troy, and 300 will enjoy Beowulf because it’s about men who are not only fighting against incredible situations, they are also battling their own inner demons, and kicking a lot of ass along the way. In terms of plot Beowulf is simple, designed like your basic good vs. evil story, but it’s the visual style of the film that takes center stage.

VIDEO

Just like its HD-DVD partner, this Blu-ray looks outstanding, presented in 1080p in a 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio, Beowulf will rock your HDTV. Being that the whole film is one big digital computer graphic, the source is pure, offering the highest resolution of detail. And because of the actual actors faces were motion captured, it’s quite amazing to see them as animated characters. The scenes with Angela Jolie particularly stand out, not only because she in her birthday suit, but the level of detail on her face is hypnotizing, demonstrating how this process can be used in future movies. Even though visually the image quality is pristine, there are times when the character’s movements are fluid and natural, but there are also times when they look jerky and stiff, particularly when there are many characters on screen at once.

AUDIO

Just like its visuals, the sound in Beowulf also shines, offering a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that will have your ears convinced that you’re living in medieval times. Being that it’s an A–list cast of actors, the voice work is perfectly blended with the animation. And when the action breaks loose, just listen to how seamlessly all the sounds are blended. For instance, when Grendel first attacks the kingdom besides all the destruction of the environment being torn apart and screams of the villagers, listen out for Grendel’s peculiar breathing that grows higher depending on his actions. Alan Silvestri’s music should also be noted, as it draws you deeper into this world in both a subtle and explosive manner.

EXTRAS

All of the extras that were on the original HD-DVD have been ported over to the Blu-ray, but all on one disc. (The HD-DVD had two disc, which indicates how much more information you can store on a Blu-ray)

This disc features the unrated director’s cut of Beowulf, which clocks in at 114 minutes. This version includes extended scenes that couldn’t make it into the PG-13 theatrical release, containing explicit violence and more of Angie Jolie’s assets.

Beowulf in the Volume, allows you to view the film with a Picture-In-Picture display showing you how the motion capture scenes where done for various sequences as you watch them. There are also storyboards for the Beowulf vs. Grendel fight scenes, and behind the scenes discussions.

There is also a collection of web-enabled featurettes, (none longer than five minutes) which can be accessed. None of them offer any new info that you can’t see in the extras, but it’s cool that it’s there.

For some reason Robert Zemeckis has not done an audio commentary for this film, which is odd, because for a film like Beowulf that is treading into a new technology in filmmaking, we really want to hear a full commentary about the production.

A Hero’s Journey: The Making of Beowulf, a 45 minute doc presented in HD that goes into the production of the film. This is a very informative piece showing everything from the the actors learning how motion capture works, voice over work, and all the original pre-production designs for the film. A nice plus is that this doc offers the option of enabling an interactive version, containing trivia captions, sort of in a Pop-Up Video style, detailing certain facts about the production. There are also various mini technical vids, showing off the sets, stunts, and motion scanning process.

The Journey Continues, (HD) allows you to access all of the mini vids from the main making of documentary, allowing you to play them in the order you want.

A Conversation with Robert Zemeckis, (HD) is a 10 minute Q & A session with students from USC about the production of Beowulf. This is an extra that I personally wish this was a longer, because Zemeckis is in full form showing his support for motion capture technology.

Beast of Burden (HD) goes into the design of all the creatures in the world of Beowulf, particularly focusing on the Grendel and the dragon. It’s less than 10 minutes, but cuts to the chase to give plenty of details.

The Origins of Beowulf (HD) has Zemeckis joining the screenwriters Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery, talking about how they adapted the story for a modern audience without losing the heart of the original. Unfortunately, being less than five minutes, this is something that deserved more screen time.

Deleted Scenes (HD) offers roughly 30 minutes of unfinished animated scenes. For those of you not familiar with animation, it’s interesting to see wire-framed sequences and first passes of rough scenes.

The original theatrical trailer is also presented in full HD seals the deal.

BOTTOM LINE

Whether it’s on HD-DVD or Blu-ray, Beowulf is a great way to show off the high-definition format. With extraordinary image and sound quality and an outstanding selection of features this Blu-ray is a must own.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 5.0

Sound: 5.0

Extras: 5.0

Bottom Line: 5.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Paramount Home Entertainment – 143 mins – 2007 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40: 1 – Dolby TruHD 5.1 Audio

Last fall when Paramount announced that they would drop the Blu-ray format and only release their titles on HD-DVD, the world shook hard. It was weeks before everyone was waiting for the hit film Transformers to come out on high definition video, and now all those Blu-ray owners would have to suffer. Fanboys lost their minds, director Michael Bay showered the Internet with rage, and HD-DVD owners bragged like schoolyard bullies. It was a dark time for the world. Well, a few months later the HD-DVD format crumbled into the ashes and Paramount had no other choice but to run back to Blu-ray. After a long wait Transformers is now available on the only HD format, Blu-ray, and thus the world is finally at peace.

THE MOVIE

Directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg, Transformers is based on a cartoon series and a collection of Hasbro toys from the 80’s. Kids from this period, like myself, know all the names of the Autobots and Decepticons, but would probably not be able to name all the former Presidents of the United States. This enough was a reason for Paramount Pictures to invest over a $100 million dollars into a live action motion picture and in return they collected over $700 million dollars worldwide in box office receipts.

The film centers around a teenager named Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf), who saves up enough money to buy his first car, mainly to catch the eye of a girl, Mikaela (Megan Fox). He quickly learns that this car is more than meets the eye when it transforms into an intelligent combat robot named Bumblee, who is a part of an alien race called the Autobots, whom disguise themselves as automobiles as they hunt for the Decepticons, an evil pack of alien vehicles who are also on Earth. The Autobots and Decepticons are in a race searching for the Allspark, a powerful artifact, that has fallen to our planet, and whomever gets to it first will posses the power within it. Sam Witwicky, unknowingly has one of the key pieces in his possession that will lead them to the Allspark, and thus unravels an adventure that will sell millions of toys…uh, I meant save the planet.

Yeah, this is one silly movie, just look at the source it originated from. But for some reason it all works and this is thanks to Michael Bay, who knows how to craft something so ridiculous into a money making machine. This film was made for kids (ok, and the adults who used to watch the cartoon). It’s loud, colorful, fast, and did I mention there are giant freakin’ robots that transform into cars. No wonder Paramount put up the money for this; it’s like knowing you’re holding a winning lottery ticket in your pocket. The film has an interesting ensemble of co-stars including Jon Voight, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Anthony Anderson, and the late Bernie Mac. All of who look like they’re having a great time, and why shouldn’t they?

This is a live action cartoon, complete with cheesy dialogue, cardboard characters, and destruction all around, with the only thing missing are the commercials. If Spielberg himself directed this film would it look any different? Probably not that much, because Jurassic Park offers the same type of roller coaster thrill ride, where logic is put second to thrills. Bay is more of an action director than Spielberg, so gone are the cute little kids who are replaced with a setting where all the characters, good or bad, are cool, and the end only the coolest will remain standing. Moments like seeing Optimus Prime and Megatron battle it out in the film’s climax is spectacular, and even the most serious adult will wish they had a transforming car after watching it.

Transformers did a lot for all those involved; giving Michael Bay his biggest hit to date, making Shia LeBeouf a household name, turning Megan Fox into the babe of the moment. It also displayed to Hollywood that toys are the new bestselling novels that can be converted into cinematic cash. This is a fun movie that’s not trying to send out a message about humanity or shine a light on something horrible occurring in the world. It’s just trying to make you forget about everything negative and be entertained, whether you like it or not. Obviously, Transformers 2 is already in production, and more toys to sell with its release are being manufactured. So for all of you who waited patiently for Transformers to make it to Blu-ray, you have been rewarded.

VIDEO

Michael Bay has been a huge supporter of Blu-ray and said that it’s the only way to fully enjoy Transformers. Well with it’s 1080p resolution and 2.40:1 aspect ratio, Transformers does look excellent if you have a good HDTV that has been configured properly for colors, tones and noise. The benefit of the movie is that a majority of the action takes place in the daylight like the desert battle and the finale when the Autobots and Decepticons go head-to-head. Colors do look overblown at times, and skin tones spill into the orange end of the spectrum. The night scenes pick up a lot of grain that is very noticeable, particularly the scene when the Autobots wait outside of Sam’s house as he goes to get his grandfather’s glasses. But because of Bay’s rapid-fire style of filmmaking, things move so damn fast that by the time you pick up on a flaw in the image, a new shot replaces it. The CGI Transformer shots are the showstoppers, and while they may look blurry at times it’s still visually satisfying. This is not the best image quality you’re going to see on Blu-ray, but seeing it on any HDTV that is 40 inches or bigger is pretty awesome.

AUDIO

Got a new sound system you want to test on your Blu-ray player? Well Transformers should be one of your top five choices of movies to show off with. Flaunting a Dolby TruHD 5.1 Surround mix, you will completely believe that a war is going on in your house. The sound design for the Autobots and Decepticons is a true achievement, allowing you to hear every gear in their machinery as they transform from car to bot. Dialogue also sounds crisp, even when things are blowing up all over the screen, and hearing Peter Cullen’s deep voice as Optimus Prime pumping out of your speakers will make you remember all those afternoons you sat in front of the TV watching the Transformers cartoon as a kid. Keep in mind that this film is “loud,” so if you have one of those neighbors who constantly complains about noise, you may want to wait until they’re not around before you crank this one up.

EXTRAS

Like the HD-DVD, the Blu-ray is also a two-disc joint, with the film and director’s commentary on disc one, and a jam-packed list of goodies on disc two, all of which are in HD.

Director Michael Bay provides a lengthy audio commentary that goes into every detail you can imagine. Say what you want about this guy, but he absolutely loves what he does. He also has a good sense of humor and understands that he’s not making Gone With The Wind. Even if you don’t like him, you will come away with something after listening to this commentary.

Disc two features all the behind the scenes documentaries, PIP, and BD-Live supplements divided in to the categories ‘Our World’ and ‘Their War.’

‘The Story Sparks’ is a ten-minute look at bringing the Transformers from cartoon to toy to the big screen, with interview clips of Michael Bay, producer Steven Spielberg, and a look at the Hasbro toy archives.

‘Human Allies’ runs twelve minutes and goes into the casting of the film.

‘I Fight Giant Robots’ is a fifteen-minute look at making the film’s military involvement look accurate. Like I’m sure the U.S. military has a plan of action in case toys from a childhood cartoon attacks the Earth.

‘Battleground’ also fifteen minutes, dives into the action scenes such as the desert battle, to show how computer graphics and live action were blended together.

‘Rise of the Robots’ is a fifteen-minute look at how the filmmakers chose to make the robots look on the big screen, and trying to remain as faithful as possible to the cartoon and toys.

‘Autobots Roll Out’ and ‘Decepticons Strike’ is a half hour look at the complicated computer and live action work that went into making the Transformer robots look functional in our world.

‘Inside the Allspark’ is a fifteen-minute featurette that looks at all of the computer-generated designs that were used.

‘The Skorponok Desert Attack” is a shot-by-shot look that compares the storyboards to the actual footage used for this action scene.

For those of you who loved the trailers for The Transformers, both are included, as well as the teaser

Note: All of the features noted below require a Blu-ray player that is profile 1.1 enabled, such as PS3.

Transformers H.U.D’ is a Picture-In-Picture allows you to access certain CGI test for scenes, trivia, production notes, and anything else they could think of tossing in.

‘Intelligence Center’ is a BD-Live enable feature that allows a non-HD version of the film to play along with five specific robot icons on the screen. These icons represent the Autobot and Decepticon characters from the movie, and will react to events in the film such as taking hits, displaying a score, GPS tracking, etc. Basically, it’s like micro-managing the robots as you watch the movie. Kids may get a kick out of this, because it provides a whole new way of watching the movie.

‘My Clips’ is a BD-Live feature that allows you to share scenes from the movie with others via the web.

‘Intelligence Center’ is a BD-Live gimmick that should be a big hit with those who are obsessed with the robots from the film. Here you can see the perfectly detailed features of the Autobots and Decepticons in a three-dimensional view from head to toe. The Transformers are moving way to fast to study them in the movie, so this feature will let you see how different the movie version of Megatron looks from that Toy you have sitting on your desk.

BOTTOM LINE

If you’re looking for a cinematic experience that will define the art of motion pictures, this is not the film for you. If you grew up watching the Transformers cartoon while eating sugar-filled cereal, and owned every action figure based on the series there was, you’ll be in heaven. Michael Bay has made the ultimate popcorn film and this Blu-ray is an absolute must own, because it has everything packed onto two discs but the kitchen sink. Unless you just absolutely hated this movie or you despise Michael Bay and everything he represents, this Blu-ray is without question a must own. Autobots Roll Out!

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 4.0

Sound: 4.5

Extras: 4.0

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 109 mins – 2008 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 1.78: 1 – DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio

You’ve got to hand it to Universal, because they are dedicated to The Mummy franchise and won’t let it die. With the current installment, Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor still in theaters, Universal also decided to greenlight a direct-to-video prequel for their Scorpion King spin-off, titled Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior, which is now available on Blu-ray. After watching this you may wonder why they even bothered, because there were episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess that offered more of a thrill with less of a budget. If you need closure in the Mummy franchise, it may be worth a few laughs to watch this, but other than that this film is a mediocre as it gets.

THE MOVIE

Being that Scorpion King 2 is a prequel, The Rock is not along for the adventure this time around, and a younger actor named Michael Copon has been cast in the role of Mathayus. The film’s plot is your basic cut and paste storyline starting with Mathayus as a young boy, who is the son of a legendary mercenary and a member of the Black Scorpion warriors, a group of highly trained men who are assigned to protect the Emperor. Mathayus’s father is betrayed and murdered by a corrupt Black Scorpion named Sargon (played by Ultimate Fighting champ Randy Couture), and Mathayus is taken away from his mother and brother and sent to train to become a Black Scorpion.

Fast-forward to several years later and Mathayus is now a full blown Black Scorpion (the best, of course), and returns home to seek revenge for his father by killing Sargon, who has now become the emperor. Sargon learns who Mathayus is and realizes he’s out for revenge, so he knows he must eliminate him. Sargon posses an ultimate power that will not allow him to be killed by any man, but Mathayus discovers through his childhood friend Layla (Karen Shenaz David), who has now grown up to be a hot warrior babe, that there is a magic sword that will kill Sargon. Mathayus, Lalya, and a ragtag group of mercenaries go on an adventure to find the sword, leading to a finale to destroy Sargon and his reign forever.

Yup, sounds like the plot of a Final Fantasy game, and a bad one at that. Russell Mulcahy, who believe it or not, directed the original Highlander movie, which is one of the coolest flicks ever, directed this film. What happened Russell? Did you need to make a quick mortgage payment and resorted to this? This movie feels like you’re watching the Power Rangers, and you’re totally waiting for the pink ranger to jump into the action. (hey, did I mention that the lead actor, Michael Copon, was actually in the Power Rangers? Seriously.) Also, for the man who created the cool swordplay from Highlander, why is the director resorting to copying the style of swordplay from the film 300? There are so many shots where Mathayus swings around and stabs a guy in slow motion, then the frame freezes for a few seconds, and the action starts again. If you can’t do it better than the last guy, then don’t do it at all.

And yes this is s straight-to-video low budget flick, but the special effects are so bad, that some of them look as if they weren’t even finished. The finale where Sargon transforms into a CGI scorpion has to be seen to be believed. We’re talking Nintendo NES styled graphics here. The Mummy films have been known for their elaborate visual effects, so this is a major step backwards, and even with a limited budget other clever tricks could have been used.

The actors are completely flat, making you beg that they would sneak The Rock in there somewhere for a cameo to spice things up. If characters were more appealing this film would be more tolerable, but with bad acting, story, action, and visual effects, there’s not much to hold your attention. Even with its limitations this could have been a kick-ass movie, because the only thing that really matters is the action. Not to knock Mulcahy, but there are many guys out there desperate to direct a feature who would have used the same resources and given this film the cool factor it desperately needed. If you’re a fan of the original Scorpion King movie, avoid this prequel at all cost, because it will leave a more horrific pain inside of you than actually being bit by a scorpion.

VIDEO

This film was not ready for Blu-ray because the image quality is all over the place. While presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, there are scenes that are bright and clear, but it looks so low budget that you can see that everything was done a set. Skin tones are overexposed and there’s always a sense that the image quality was released “as is.” This is obvious when certain scenes are shown in low resolution, displaying a grainy and dark image that doesn’t match other shots. The purpose of Blu-ray is to display the best image quality possible, but this is a huge step back.

AUDIO

The DTS HD 5.1 audio is acceptable, but it won’t blow you away. The problem is that the film is so bad that every sound trick in the book is being used in hopes of distracting you. There’s no need to even turn on your surround sound system, because the effort will be wasted.

EXTRAS

Oddly, the standard DVD for Scorpion King 2 offers some basic features, but none of them were ported over to the Blu-ray. Maybe Universal had no faith in this Blu-ray and didn’t even bother doing the work. Instead the only extra is a bookmark feature that allows you to collect the your favorite scenes from the movie. Good luck with that.

BOTTOM LINE

Let’s face it; Scorpion King 2 should have never been made. Have you ever heard anyone say, “Hey, I hope they make another Scorpion King movie?” And if you were a fan of the first film, you should avoid watching this because it will scare your vision of the character. This film was intended to be a direct to DVD and obviously just dumped onto Blu-ray as an afterthought. Unless they bring Mystery Science Theater back and feature this movie in an episode, there’s really no other reason to watch it.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 1.5

Video: 2.0

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 1.0

Bottom Line: 2.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Paramount Home Entertainment – 93 minutes – 2008 – Unrated –Widescreen 2.35:1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1

When you first look at the poster for The Ruins, it looks like one of those ‘make a quick buck off of stupid teenagers’ horror films that we’ve been slammed with lately. But if you give this film a chance you’ll quickly discover that this doesn’t fall into that molding, and is actually a well-directed thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The Ruins comes to Blu-ray via Paramount Home Entertainment, and may make you change your plans if you were thinking of taking a quick trip to Mexico.

THE MOVIE

The Ruins is based on the novel by Scott Smith, who also adapted the screenplay, telling the tale of a group of young friends who take a trip to Mexico for some fun and sun. Hearing of a mysterious archaeological dig in the Mexican jungle from another tourist, they take a journey into a forbidden area to see it for themselves. Things go immediately wrong when they are surrounded a group of hostile Mexican locals armed with weapons, and a forced to climb up to vine-layered temple that stands in the jungle and remain there. The locals watch them from below demonstrating that if any of them attempts to come down from the temple, they will be killed immediately. The situation grows more intense when they discover the remains of a corpse on top of the temple, and as the hours unfold, they group learns that there is a reason that they are not allowed to leave from these grounds. They have become the prey for something so deadly that the chances of all of them making it off this temple alive are highly questionable.

No spoilers will be revealed; because this is something you should see for yourself. What starts out like the set-up for a typical horror flick quickly morphs into something much more intelligent than just a psycho with a machete and hockey mask. Directed by Carter Smith, The Ruins works because it puts the viewer in a scenario where you’ll constantly ask yourself “what would I do know if I were in that situation.” And what make it more satisfying is that the characters aren’t the cliché batch you normally see in these films, and actually make rational decisions (at times), that you’ll be able to relate with.

This is not necessarily a scary movie; it goes more for making you uncomfortable, rather than just splattering blood all over the place. The cast is relatively TV actors, with the only recognizable face being Shawn Ashmore, who played Iceman in the X-men movies. And being that there is no big star, you never know who will meet there fate next, making every character vulnerable to face a horrific death. Yes, there are moments when you’ll see blood, but it’s done in a manner that will make you look away rather than watch it as a sadistic voyeur.

Another benefit to this film is that it’s paced very well in its 90-minute time frame. From the beginning, the story just gets to the point, and you never have to deal with any silly character’s side story that they usually stick into these films, and no one really cares about anyway. Within 15 minutes you’ll know these guys are in deep jeopardy, and the remainder of the film is just killing them off one-by one while they attempt to survive. There are some plot holes in the narrative, but because the story keeps moving, it’s not enough to affect the outcome.

It’s very hard to write a review for this film without giving away what the main element of horror is, but the best way to view this movie is by not knowing anything about it so that you can make no pre-judgement. But if you enjoyed such films as The Descent or Hostel, this film should work for you. Whether this film is worthy of being added to your collection is based on how you feel about it as the ending credits role. The Ruins wasn’t a huge box office it, but I’m sure it will win the audience that missed it now that it’s on Blu-ray and DVD. This one is worth a look.

VIDEO

With it’s 1080p image and 2.35:1 aspect ratio the ruins look very good, mainly because it benefits from exterior daylight scenes. The opening scenes on the beach when the friends are together and having fun are brighter with more colors, but when they are on the temple and the terror begins, the colors become more washed out and the sun drowns out the sharpness of the image. Obviously this is done to highlight scenarios the characters are facing, and at times it may make it look like standard definition, but that’s all part of the effect. The Ruins is not top of line hi-def show off material, but it’s a good transfer that fits the mood of the film.

SOUND

The Ruins offers a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound mix that works because it doesn’t attempt to exaggerate sound as most horror flicks usually do. Here the sounds of the jungle will creep you out, and when you hear how audio is used to reveal the threat of the ruins, it will make or break how you feel about the film itself. There is plenty of dialogue in the film that goes from casual in the beginning to complete chaos later, and it stays crisps even when everyone is shouting lines over each other. And speaking of shouting, this film has some of the most ear-shattering screens you’re going to hear. Definitely crank up the speakers for this one.

EXTRAS

There is a decent batch of extras included on this Blu-ray, particularly since this isn’t a big budget movie, and the best part is that they are all displayed in HD.

There’s an audio commentary track from director Carter Smith who is joined by the film’s editor Jeff Betancourt. This is a solid track that goes inside the production. These guys really believed in this film and provide a lot of good information for those of you who want to know more about the movie.

‘Making The Ruins’ is a fifteen-minute featurette that has a few interview clips with the cast and crew, as well as some behind the scenes shots, and what drew everyone to the project. It’s very quick, but they cram a lot of production info in there to keep you involved.

‘Building The Ruins’ runs five-miutes and looks at the temple set that was built, which is the prime location of the film.

‘Creeping Death’ is a fifteen-minute look at the movie’s “terror factor,” and how the effects team made it happen. It also looks at several of the body parts shots and what went into making it look convincing.

There are twelve-minutes of deleted scenes that includes two alternate ending shots. Most of the deleted scenes are just talking heads stuff, and the alternate endings are basically re-edited versions of the ending used on the cut of the Blu-ray.

BOTTOM LINE

Overall, The Ruins is a much better film than you would give it credit for by seeing the poster or the trailer. While in no way flawless, it’s well crafted and at times will make you cringe. This unrated Blu-ray offers picture quality and great sound and could become a cult hit now that it’s a home video release. This is definitely worth a look, and there’s a good chance it’ll win you over and become apart of your collection.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.5

Video: 3.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair 

Warner Home Video – 112 minutes – 2008 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Let’s just come right out and say it, the only reason the movie Fool’s Gold was made was to cash in on the success of the 2003 film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which was the first pairing of stars Kate Hudson and Mathew McConaughey. What may have been beautiful chemistry five years ago definitely fizzled on the set of Fool’s Gold, because besides some great tropical scenery, there is nothing cinematic about this movie, which plays out like an episode of The Love Boat. If you wish to proceed further, Fool’s Gold is available on Blu-ray from Warner Home Video, but be warned, the title says it all.

THE MOVIE

Fool’s Gold is a romantic comedy (I think), revolving around Ben and Tess Finnegan (McConaughey and Hudson), who have just divorced after a brief and troublesome marriage. But when Ben learns the possible location of a sunken Spanish treasure worth millions, the two re-unite to seek it out. Their main obstacle is the island’s mobster, who Ben owes money too, named Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart), and his bumbling thugs played by Brian Hooks and Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who looks as if he’s been spending his Cosby Show residual money eating cheeseburgers all day. With the help of a millionaire played by Donald Sutherland, who is desperately trying to bond with his teenage daughter, Alexis Dziena, Ben and Tess attempt to out-do the mobster and find the treasure in hopes of having fortune and glory, and hopefully re-kindling their love for each other.

In a nutshell that’s the story, but now the hard part is sitting through this mess and trying to find some entertainment value. Director Andy Tennant, who’s previous film, Hitch, with Will Smith was a mega hit, looks as if he left the film on autopilot, because there are some scenes in this film where it looks as if he just let the camera roll and hoped that some magic would happen, but instead you’re just left with actors saying their lines on cue.

Mathew McConaughey desperately trying to use his charm to make the film work, but there are times when you look at his face and it’s obvious he knows that he’s not buying it either. Fool’s Gold could have been a very cool romantic adventure comedy on the level of Romancing the Stone. All the elements are there to make the two films similar, but instead of focusing on the heart of the story, which is the two main character’s love/hate relationship and the quest for the treasure, the film throws in all this side plot and characters that tear the film down. You won’t care about the millionaire and his ditzy daughter, and the villain stupid and comical that there is never an instance where you feel the characters are in any true danger when they go against them.

And as for this being a so-called date movie, by the end of the film you may think that McConaughey and Hudson’s characters had the right idea by divorcing each other from the start. Talk about phoning it in, these two would have been better off sending their stand-ins to do the movie. Fool’s Gold can end up becoming a new conspiracy for this generation, because you’re really not sure who the blame for it being so badly. Was it the writers? It took three people to write it (Yes, three people received a check for this). Was it the director for half-assing the project? Or was it McConaughey and Hudson for not seeing in advance that something was really wrong here? No one will ever know the true answers to any of the questions, and being that the film, while not as big as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, still managed to make some money, in the end no one will care. Spend your two hours doing something useful, there’s nothing here to see.

VIDEO

The one saving grace of Fool’s Gold is that it looks so damn good. With is 1080p image and 2.35:1 aspect ratio you will be mesmerized by the island scenery particularly during the daylight scenes. Some these shots are so crystal clear that you’ll think you’re staring out of a window. Flesh tones look perfect, and for the ladies who like to watch Mathew McConaughey walk around without wearing a shirt in hi-definition, your dream has come true. The night scenes are not as generous, showing a lot of flat tones and spots of grain, but fortunately this flick is 80% daylight and outdoors. If Best Buy needs a new film to loop on their HDTV’s to convince people it’s a step up in image quality, all the managers need to be informed to slide in a copy of Fool’s Gold.

AUDIO

There was only a standard Dolby Digital 5.1 sound track offered, which is the same for the regular DVD, so there’s no need to turn on your surround sound system for this one. The sound is as average as can be, even in some of the action sequences when it could have really been exploited; nothing was done to enhance the audio experience. The audio team probably watched the film and said, “why bother?”

EXTRAS

Wow…being that the bonus materials are completely anemic says a lot about how even Warner felt about the film. There’s only a bad five minute featurette and a lame two minute gag reel. That’s it. This is one of those times you wished there was an audio commentary just so you could hear the director talk his way out of this.

‘Flirting with Adventure’ is a five minute promotional feature talking about the re-pairing of Kate Hudson and Mathew McConaughey on screen, and how this will be the best romantic comedy ever made…blah…blah…blah. It’s not even worth the five minutes.

Then there’s a two-minute gag reel with actors flubbing their lines. Zzzzzzzz.

BOTTOM LINE

To put is simply, Fool’s Gold sucks. The only thing this Blu-ray has going for it is the incredible image quality, thanks to the tropical cinematography. Other than that, this is a just one of those movies you watch on an airplane to knock off a couple of hours. Unless you’re absolutely Mathew McConaughey’s biggest fan, there’s no other reason to own this Blu-ray.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 2.0

Video: 4.5

Sound: 2.5

Extras: 1.5

Bottom Line: 2.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Paramount Home Entertainment – 109 minutes – 2008 – Unrated – 1080p -Widescreen 2.35:1 – Dolby TruHD 5.1 audio mix

Way back in 1980 there was a film called My Bodyguard that featured a young Matt Dillon, about a teenager in high school who is being bullied and hires another classmate to be his bodyguard. It’s very obvious that Drillbit Taylor is paying homage to that film, because they even throw in a cameo by the actor who played the bodyguard in that movie. Produced by Judd Apatow and co-written by Seth Rogen, the guys that brought you last year’s hit Superbad, Drillbit Taylor wasn’t well received at the box office, most likely because of star Owen Wilson’s suicide attempt, but it’s now available on Blu-ray from Paramount Home Entertainment. For those of you who missed it in theaters, Drillbit Taylor is actually better than you may think.

THE MOVIE

Drillbit Taylor centers around three nerdy high school freshmen, Ryan (Troy Gentile), Wade (Nate Hartley) and Emmit (David Dorfman), who find themselves the target of the school bully, Filkins (Alex Frost). Realizing that no one will help them, they take matters into their own hands and put an ad out for a bodyguard. With their limited budget they can only afford Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson), who has the kids convinced he’s an ex-military commando, when actually he’s just a homeless squeegee guy who needs $300 bucks to go to Canada. The boys build up a friendship with Drillbit, who begins to feel bad that he’s using the boys for his own gain, and things turn for the worse when his secret is exposed. The boys must face the bully alone, but learn that Drillbit has actually taught them some useful techniques, and end up winning their dignity.

What you’ll immediately notice while watching the film is that the three leads look like younger versions of the characters from Superbad. It’s as Drillbit is a prequel to that movie. Seth Rogen is laughing in a bed of cash now, but he must have gotten his ass kicked every day in school as a kid. Drillbit Taylor is in no way as raunchy as Superbad, sticking with a more family friendly feel. In my opinion, Drillbit Taylor is a better film, because whereas Superbad felt like a bunch of funny skits edited together, Drillbit has a solid story where you see changes in the characters by the end, and you want them to win because they are the underdogs.

Director Steven Brill allows the kids to do their thing, which is why it all works, because both Gentile and Hartley are excellent in their roles. And Owen Wilson, though basically playing the same type of character he does in most of his films, is actually very likeable here. He was also smart enough to play himself down to allow the younger cast to get more of the spotlight. There are also a lot of fun cameos and the supporting casts fits perfectly into that Judd Apatow style of comedy.

While Drillbit Taylor will never fall into the category of classic youth films like The Karate Kid, it is very enjoyable and funny. The story of the underdog from Rocky to Wile E. Coyote will always work, because everyone knows how it feels to be the last guy sitting on the bench. This Extended Survivors Edition includes some additional scenes, but again even unrated its still kid-friendly. If you’re an Owen Wilson or Seth Rogen fan, and you didn’t see this when it was released, do yourself a favor and give Drillbit Taylor a try. Yes, it’s corny in places, but you will be rooting for the kids by the end.

VIDEO

With a 1080p image an a 2.35:1 aspect ratio Drillbit Taylor offers a great image with a lot of colors that stand out vibrantly. There are many daylight scenes, which this Blu-ray benefits from, displaying some of the best skin tones in a recent release. You can literally see every odd feature on Owen Wilson’s crooked nose, and you’ve got to admire the guy for never having it fixed. Blacks stand strong with hints of grain, but overall you will not be disappointed.

AUDIO

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound mix for Drillbit Taylor is acceptable, but it’s nothing more than you’d expect for a film that has no gunfights, explosions, or car chases. The dialogue is mixed well, allowing every line of dialogue to sound clear, even when multiple characters are screaming over each other. The best use of the sound comes from the big fight scene at the end where all the kids are cheering and things are breaking within the chaos. It’s not surround sound show off material, but it works for what it is.

EXTRAS

Like last year’s Superbad Blu-ray, Drillbit Taylor is packed with bonus features; some are good, some are eh, but there’s plenty to choose from and they’re all in glorious hi-definition.

There are two sets of audio commentaries. The first track features director Steven Brill, co-producer/co-writer Kristofor Brown and actors Nate Hartley, David Dorfman, and Troy Gentile. For some reason this commentary should have been outrageous, but with the exception of a few giggles it’s mainly a lot of in-jokes that anyone who didn’t work on the film won’t get.

The second audio commentary is actually a visual one titled ‘The Writer’s Talk’ featuring Seth Rogen and Kristofor Brown, who phone this one in, literally. As stills from the movie plays, the guys talk about what they dreamt up and how it matches the final product. It’s not feature length, running only 15 minutes, but it’s funny and offers a lot of nice tidbits.

There are over 20 minutes of deleted scenes, 19 in all, basically extensions from scenes already in the film, and nothing that will make you go beyond a giggle.

There are 15 minutes of mini-featurettes that are pretty self-explanatory as their titles suggest. ‘Directing Kids,’ ‘Super Billy,’ ‘Bully,’ ‘Bodyguard,’ ‘Trading Punches,’ ‘Rap Off,’ ‘Sprinkler Day,’ ‘The Real Don: Danny McBride,’ and ‘Filkins Fight.’ Actually these segmments are the best features on the disc, going into a lot of the behind the scenes events, such as a black rapper being hired to teach actor Troy Gentile how to freestyle rap.

‘Line-O-Rama’ is 4 minutes showcasing the funniest lines from the film edited together. Are the filmmakers trying to tell us that there are on four funny moments in this 109 minute movie?

‘Gag Reel’ also runs four minutes and has a few good laughs in it.

‘Panhandle’ is 3 minutes of Owen Wilson doing various panhandling lines.

‘Kids on the Loose’ also three minutes shows the young cast on the set.

Rounding it all out are the domestic and international trailers for Drillbit Taylor.

BOTTOM LINE

Drillbit Taylor is a pleasant surprise, while sometimes too similar to Superbad, also manages to stand on its own with its heart in the right place. The Blu-ray has good picture and sound and a big bag of bonus features that will keep you going, and if you liked this film it is worth the purchase.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.5

Video: 4.0

Sound: 3.0

Extras: 3.5

Bottom Line: 3.5