I was disappointed with Sucker Punch. I guess there is a limit to the amount of pointless action I want to see in a movie. Or maybe it's because the whole package was about 95% style/presentation, 5% substance.
I haven't got around to Sucker Punch, but here's a quick one: Hobo with a Shotgun - excessively violent modern day exploitation film has Rutger Hauer as the titular tramp who, wandering into the most corrupt, lawless, violent town ever, decides to clean up the streets with a Remington pump-action. There's very little plot or characterization here; the story moves from one shocking scene of violence to another. Sadistic to the point of being misanthropic, it's liable to turn you off pretty quickly unless you really enjoy splatter movies. Still, there's a visceral thrill in the action, and a little vicarious street-cleaning can be a guilty pleasure. The image quality is very good--you'll see every crease and crevice in Hauer's face--although the color saturation (particularly RED) is pumped up considerably. There are a couple of commentary tracks (one with the director and star Hauer is said to be pretty lively) and a number of small extras. This film was produced because a "fake trailer" created for it won the "Grindhouse" trailer contest; the original fake trailer (amateurish, but mirroring the finished film pretty well) is included. Film: 5/10, Disk: 7.5/10
Sucker Punch This is a movie that I really enjoyed, but got mixed to bad reviews. I really can't refute any of this movie's criticisms, but it's just so fucking awesome, IMHO. Baby Doll is a young lady who goes a little bonkers after the death of her mother and the the murder of her sister and attempted murder of her stepfather at her her own hands. She is committed to an insane asylum of some sorts. There, she meets 4 other ladies who are dubbed Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Rocket (Jena Malone), Amber (Jaimie Cheung ), and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens). Unable to face the reality of her situation, Baby Doll concocts an entirely different reality based upon her surroundings where she and the girls are captives in a brothel and forced to perform for wealthy patrons. Most of the movie takes place in this "setting." Whenever it comes time for Baby Doll to perform, she finds herself unable to face that reality, so she retreats further into her own mind and builds a fantasy on top of a fantasy where she and the other ladies are action heroes fighting to obtain objectives that will help them escape their surroundings... in real life. The action sequences are superb and the soundtrack is stellar, but I'm not going to pretend that this movie is without flaws... because it is very flawed. Outside of the action sequences, I found myself uninvested in the characters. I don't know if this was due to the acting, the convoluted plot or the execution itself, but it falls flat outside of the action. Maybe it says more about me than it does this movie, but I think the action sequences really make this movie worthwhile. The Blu-ray comes with a theatrical and extended version of the feature as well as a digital copy. On the Theatrical blu-ray, there is ananimated short that that delves deeper into one of the action fantasies in the movie that is worthwhile and the extended version disc has the ultimate movie mode that Zack Snyder did for Watchmen. I have to say that this transfer is the best I've seen since 2009's Avatar. All in all, if you like pure action, I'd recommend it highly... If you are more concerned with plot and drama, although this one delivers a coherent plot, you might be a little dissappointed with this one. Film 7.0 Disc 8.5
Got a bunch of Criterion disks from B&N's 50% sale... Blow Out - Brian De Palma's 1981 thriller has sound effects man Jack (John Travolta) inadvertently recording the assassination of a Presidential candidate, made to look like a car accident on a deserted road late at night. With the help of a call girl (Nancy Allen) who may have unwittingly been part of the plot, Jack must prove that his theory is true and not a paranoid fantasy. Meanwhile, the hit man (John Lithgow, chilling) behind the assassination, closes in on them, committing a series of brutal murders designed to conceal his ultimate aim. Taut and suspenseful, Blow Out is a very decent (though, sadly, largely forgotten) thriller. The transfer is superb, and there are interviews with director De Palma and star Nancy Allen. There's also an interview/documentary featuring Garrett Brown, the inventor of the Steadicam, which at the time of filming was still somewhat new and used to good effect in this film. Film: 7.0/10, Disk: 7.5/10 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Terry Gilliam's psychedelic romp recounts the real-life visit of journalist Hunter S. Thompson (Johnny Depp, absolutely spot-on) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benecio Del Toro, almost unrecognizable) to Las Vegas to cover a 1971 motorcycle race, a trip which provides the two with an excuse to indulge in an impressive array of narcotics. Many of the sequences are very humorous, but a few are quite disturbing, and there is a celebration of, frankly, criminal behavior throughout. Still, it's a darkly comic ride, fully immersed in another era. Depp's ability to play engaging, offbeat characters is on full display here. Look for Cameron Diaz (young!), Tobey Maguire, Mark Harmon, Christina Ricci (very young!), Ellen Barkin, and Gary Busey in the supporting cast. This Criterion edition looks terrific and the disk includes deleted scenes, some behind-the-scenes documentaries, and multiple commentaries (including one by director Gilliam and one with stars Depp and Del Toro). Film: 6.5/10, Disk: 8.0/10.
The Company Men - current events drama follows the lives of three company executives (Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones) who are "downsized" and discover their self-worth was tied up in their work. A little heavy-handed at times--the firm's CEO (Craig T. Nelson) is portrayed stereotypically as insincere and uncaring, and the film seems desperate to link the goings-on to the financial crisis--but the movie's story of men coping with their new realities is a worthwhile watch. The leads are all excellent (especially Cooper, who never seems like he's "acting") and Kevin Costner is in good form as the brother-in-law housing contractor who offers Affleck's character a job...and an opportunity for redemption. Rosemarie Dewitt and Maria Bello are solid in the supporting cast. The Blu-Ray looks good (though not material for an HD demo) and has some decent extras: a director's commentary, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and interviews with the actors. Film: 6.5/10, Disk: 7.5/10.
What is this!! http://www.trektoday.com/content/2011/07/tng-coming-to-blu-ray-in-2012/ I'm going to need a bigger shelf
I said that more than a year ago, probably longer since some posts here have been lost. And, yes, if they do this with TNG, they damn sure better do DS9.
"Sub Rosa", could really use some patching up. My special edition would take about a minute, and end with Beverly's ghost boyfriend being trapped by Egon, and Peter giving the finger with his black glove on. Blam, credits.
I bet it costs $1000. In other blu ray news, the 10 disc Matrix Trilogy set is 27 bucks today only on amazon.
There is no way they will ever do it for DS9 because unlike us hardcore fans (which represent about 1% of potential sales) no one bothered to give DS9 a chance and realize it was actually the best series of the lot.
See, what we gotta do is make sure the remastered TNG sells in huge numbers. That might put them over the fence on DS9.
One day, Blu-Ray production cost will drop and adoption will rise to where everything will make it there. And like Albert said... if TNG does well, maybe they will consider DS9.
In the case of both TNG and DS9, it's not that the Blu-Ray production costs are so high, but that each series will have to be re-edited, episode by episode from the original film footage and new, HD-quality effects created. Even though both series were shot on film, they were edited on standard definition videotape. I'll buy the TNG BRDs so, hopefully, they'll end up doing DS9, too. :ohpleaseohpleaseohplease:
Blu-Ray is already there...I'm surprised at the sheer number of catalog titles being released now. This is about where DVD was in 2001 or 2002. shootER's exactly right...it isn't the Blu-Ray cost that limits stuff like TNG from appearing; it's the cost of upgrading heretofore shot-for-NTSC material to acceptable HD quality. My understanding is that all of the live action on TNG was shot on film, so an HD mastering of that material should be pretty easy. Doubtless, though, HD will show flaws that were invisible on television (for example, when they re-did TOS, they had to clean-up the "seams" on Spock's prosthetic ears--they were visible on HD). But the visual effects were all done on video. Hence, the somewhat "jarring" transition between live action and outer space scenes (although this did improve as the series went on). All of those visual effects are going to have to be redone...digitally, one would assume. TNG was not only much more effects-intensive than TOS, there are more than twice as many episodes. That's expensive. DS9 has even more of those same problems, but, presumably, a smaller market of fans.
Yep. With Panavision cameras. I wonder if they'll "clean up" any of the little labelling/signage in-jokes that the prop and set people put on PADDs, door tags and other displays. Stuff that isn't visible in SD, but might be in HD.
Source Code - surprisingly effective, fast-moving thriller has disoriented army pilot Stevens (Jake Gyllenhall) time traveling into the past and repeatedly experiencing the last eight minutes of a passenger aboard a Chicago-bound train doomed to destruction by terrorist attack. Several engaging questions ensue: can Stevens discover the identity of the bomber before there's another attack? Just what is the nature of Stevens' "time travel" and what are the implications for Stevens himself? Can the "past" be changed and the train saved? The supporting cast is effective: Vera Farmiga (oh, those expressive eyes) is the guarded Air Force officer "handling" Stevens, Michelle Monaghan is a lovely passenger Stevens would dearly like to save, and Jeffrey Wright is the inventor of the mysterious system that enables Stevens' experiences. The film is slightly marred by an uninteresting and cliched villain. The Blu-Ray looks terrific and there is an audio commentary as extra. Film: 7.0/10, Disk: 7.0/10.
Its not Peggs greatest, and you are not going to rewatch it day after day, but its a good popcorn movie, with plenty laughs. Seth Rogan voices Paul the alien, has some great lines.......... "Yo assholes, it's probe'in time!"
Dexter Season 5 - Showtime's terrific series about Miami police blood spatter analyst Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), who moonlights as an avenging serial killer, returns for a fifth season. Still reeling from the brutal death of his wife (in the final minutes of last season), Dexter fixes his predatory sights on a group of men (led by Jonny Lee Miller, in fine sociopathic form) responsible for the imprisonment, rape, torture, and murder (save one) of thirteen women. After thirteenth victim Lumen (Julia Stiles, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for this role) witnesses Dexter killing one of the men, she convinces him to help her exact revenge. Meanwhile, department politics cause tensions to mount between newlyweds LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) and Batista (David Zayas), Quinn's (Desmond Harrington) budding relationship with Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) is threatened by his developing mistrust of Dexter, and a seedy private detective (Peter Weller) discovers Dexter's secrets. I've heard some fans express disappointment with Season 5, but I thought it was a very worthy installment in the series; the main characters all get a chance to shine, the guest cast is excellent, and the multi-threaded storyline stays compelling. The Blu-Ray looks great, though extras are non-existent save for some interviews via BD-Live. As always with this series, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Film: 8/10, Disk: 6/10.
