Blu-ray Movie Reviews

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Alvin and the Chipmunks
David Vaughn  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/403alvin.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Struggling songwriter Dave Seville (Jason Lee) opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks—Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. The three are funny, mischievous, adventurous, and, oh yes, they can talk and sing! When music producer Ian Hawk (David Cross) forces Dave out of the picture, he plans to make millions from the chipmunks' unique abilities.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Alvin and the Chipmunks
 |  Mar 30, 2008  | 

Struggling songwriter Dave Seville (Jason Lee) opens his home to a talented trio of chipmunks—Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. The three are funny, mischievous, adventurous, and, oh yes, they can talk and sing! When music producer Ian Hawk (David Cross) forces Dave out of the picture, he plans to make millions from the chipmunks' unique abilities.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
In The Valley Of Elah—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2/5
I don't remember even seeing this one in theaters but like so many other films that deal with the current war in Iraq, it seemed to fade into obscurity. Tommy Lee Jones got an Oscar nod for this one and he does do a great job portraying a father on the hunt for his son who went AWOL after returning from the war. When they find his boy brutally murdered in a field he tries desperately to find out what happened. With the help of a local detective he finds more than he bargained for. The film draws some serious questions about how war affects the soldiers returning home and how the average public could probably never comprehend what our soldiers are being asked to do daily. I really enjoyed the film despite the darker tones and sad story, but I can see some people being turned off to something that hits this close to home.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Unbreakable—Touchstone Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3/5
M. Night Shyamalan set the bar pretty high with the monumental success of The Sixth Sense. This follow-up didn't make quite the box office splash that one did, but it has created a following since its release on DVD. This is one of the best "comic" movies out there in my opinion and a great start to a series that we may never see finished.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Hidalgo—Touchstone Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2.5/5
Hidalgo is one of those human stories that really grabbed me. The true tale of an American cowboy haunted by his past who finds himself across the world in a race only the most insane would attempt. But the story does not end there. Along the way the greedy attempt to eliminate potential winners and small battles wager. Mortensen does a great job as Frank Hopkins, and this is a huge departure from his now epic portrayal of Aragon in The Lord of the Rings films. While he still has the courage and honor of Aragon, this is a more down to Earth role. The production and cinematography of this film are also outstanding making this a film with few faults.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Gattaca—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2.5/5
It has been interesting to see all the doomsday films that have been released about biological identity. It has become almost as popular as our fear of computers taking over in some respects. Hopeful this won't be the case as we progress in biological science. Gattaca takes a grim look at the future and how genetics could have a toll on our personal freedoms. Thankfully it doesn't get too preachy and the strong performances go a long way in making the film a satisfying thriller.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics—DVD International (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 
Video: 5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: N/A
Last year video guru Joe Kane released the first High Definition test disc to the market with Digital Video Essentials. We'd seen this release before on the short lived D-Theater format but this time around the disc offered a more intuitive menu structure and offered two resolutions for test material. Problem was; it was limited to HD DVD only. This new version is available in both HD DVD and Blu-ray and is slightly scaled down. Some of the more advanced test patterns that are good for display evaluation are missing but most of the patterns for display setup are all there. The disc has both 1080p and 720p content making it very adaptable for the two most popular screen resolutions on the market today. This new disc also features more in-depth instructions on the materials and their benefit on display playback. The menu is still a bit cumbersome at times and I wish they would have allowed for storage of some favorites similar to what we see with some HD DVD and Blu-ray releases that have a bookmark function. All of the familiar demonstration material is here from the previous editions as well.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Coyote Ugly—Touchstone Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 30, 2008  | 
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3/5
Why is it that everything Jerry Bruckheimer touches seems to turn to gold? Seriously, look at his track record! Almost every film he's done has either gone on to create a new trend in entertainment or in this case a complete line of themed bars across the country. Coyote Ugly isn't anything more than a simple "local girl makes good" story that we see recycled over and over again, yet it launched a chain of bars with the same name across the country. The film has energy to spare and you can help but have a good time with it, but I never would have dreamt it would have the popularity and impact it did. Kudos to Jerry on yet another success. This Blu-ray features two cuts of the film, with a slightly "spicier" cut. Don't expect huge changes though as I barely noticed any difference.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
I Am Legend—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Mar 24, 2008  | 
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Will Smith's post apocalyptic epic finds its way to HD in stunning form. This was a gamble for the actor. The film rests completely on his shoulders and finds him alone for almost the entire picture. Smith shows he has the chops though and delivers a spectacular performance both as an action star and damaged man. I am a fan of the book so my opinion of the movie is a bit hit or miss. They did cover the theme of the book a bit better than previous adaptations, but I still like the 3rd act of the book better than the film. This home video release also features an alternate cut with a completely different ending. In a way the new ending pays a bit of homage to the original material, but it is still a departure. I actually like both endings but if I had to lean one way I would opt for the new alternate ending.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Bonnie and Clyde
David Vaughn  |  Mar 24, 2008  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/403bonnieclyde.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Bored with life and looking for adventure, Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) meets the man of her dreams, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty), right outside her bedroom window. In order to impress the girl, Clyde holds up a local store, marking the start of a vicious crime spree that sweeps the Depression-ravaged South in the 1930s.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Bonnie and Clyde
 |  Mar 24, 2008  | 

Bored with life and looking for adventure, Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) meets the man of her dreams, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty), right outside her bedroom window. In order to impress the girl, Clyde holds up a local store, marking the start of a vicious crime spree that sweeps the Depression-ravaged South in the 1930s.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Independence Day
David Vaughn  |  Mar 22, 2008  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/403id4.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Over the span of three days, mysterious invaders from outer space wipe out virtually every population center on Earth. The last vestiges of the human race fight back against impossible odds to save mankind from extinction.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Independence Day
 |  Mar 22, 2008  | 

Over the span of three days, mysterious invaders from outer space wipe out virtually every population center on Earth. The last vestiges of the human race fight back against impossible odds to save mankind from extinction.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Enchanted
David Vaughn  |  Mar 18, 2008  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/403enchanted.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>In the animated fairytale land of Andalasia lives Giselle (Amy Adams), a charming young lady who dreams of meeting her own Prince Charming. One day, he finally arrives in the form of Prince Edward (James Marsden), and they expect to live happily ever after until Edward's evil mother, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), transports Giselle to the worst place she can imagine&mdash;New York City! Transformed into flesh and blood, Giselle must make her way in an unfamiliar world where dreams don't always come true. Or do they?

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Enchanted
 |  Mar 18, 2008  | 

In the animated fairytale land of Andalasia lives Giselle (Amy Adams), a charming young lady who dreams of meeting her own Prince Charming. One day, he finally arrives in the form of Prince Edward (James Marsden), and they expect to live happily ever after until Edward's evil mother, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), transports Giselle to the worst place she can imagine&mdash;New York City! Transformed into flesh and blood, Giselle must make her way in an unfamiliar world where dreams don't always come true. Or do they?

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