Blu-ray Movie Reviews

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/blood.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a spellbinding performance as Daniel Plainview, a turn-of-the-century independent oil baron prospecting in California. He is a ruthless man who hates all men, including himself. Plainview manipulates the locals into selling their land to him, and in the process, he makes an enemy of a resident preacher.

Video: 4/5
Audio: 2.5/5
Extras: 3.25/5
The Sand Pebbles tells the story of a Navy mechanic sent to work on a small gunboat in China in the mid-20's. China wasn't the super power it is now and was going through a civil war. Influences from Communist Russia were coming in and the government was using every excuse it could to separate itself from the American forces in the area. McQueen doesn't play the tough guy as much in this one but instead turns in a more human portrayal of a deck plate level sailor dealing with politics he'd rather stay out of. The story has a nice arc to it and despite the long run time, never bores. Definitely one of the better war classics out there.

Video: 4/5
Audio: 4.25/5
Extras: 3/5
Oliver Stone's controversial take on society's obsession with violence and social decay makes a strong debut on Blu-ray. Warner has delivered this one as one of their coffee book editions. The film follows Mickey and Mallory Knox as they go from one end of the country to the other leaving bodies everywhere. But instead of terrorizing the country, they are creating a cult following. Stone took a different stance with this film and showcased how reality television and pop culture has taken something we all fear and turned it into a ratings game and popular culture.

Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3/5
Studios are taking advantage of the success of the Harry Potter franchise and jumping in with both feet on any young adult adventure they can find that may or may not be the next big thing. Nickelodeon has gone a different route with Spiderwick though. For those unfamiliar with the books they are actually a collection of novellas for the most part. Instead of doing each episode individually the film encompasses the entire series in one film. Sure they glaze over some side stories and details but overall it has worked really well. The production values of this piece are exceptional, especially the effects work from ILM. The film moves at a brisk pace and the storyline doesn't tone down so much that adults won’t have a good time with it. All things considered I thought it was one of the better family adventure films of late.

Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 3.25/5
Extras: 3.75/5
The Dirty Harry films solidified Clint Eastwood as a mainstream Hollywood tough guy and created an icon in gritty police drama. "Go Ahead, Make my Day" is a line everyone knows and I must say this Blu-ray box set did just that. It had been awhile since I'd seen any of the Dirty Harry films and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed them back in the day. The box set includes all five films in the series or you can purchase the original Dirty Harry in a coffee book edition on its own. While these films do show their age a bit in pacing and production they are still some of my favorite crime thrillers of yesteryear.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/061308master.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Captain “Lucky Jack” Aubrey (Russell Crowe) of the HMS <I>Surprise</I> receives orders to sink or capture the French privateer <I>Acheron</I> off the east coast of South America. In his first encounter with the enemy vessel, the more powerfully built French warship gets the better of his crew and nearly sinks the <I>Surprise</I>. Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), Aubrey's best friend and ship's surgeon, tries to convince him there is no shame in returning home given the conditions they face. Torn between duty and friendship, the fate of his crew weighs on his mind.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/061308short.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Struck by lightning, a Defense Department robot malfunctions and, as a result, develops its own consciousness. Escaping the military, it finds refuge with a young woman (Ally Sheedy) who helps hide "Number 5" from its inventor, Newton Crosby (Steve Guttenberg), and the government who wants its weapon back.