Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The most surprising Oscar winner for Best Picture in decades, Crash (Lionsgate; Movie •••^½, Picture/Sound •••^½, Extras ••^½) has a couple of secret weapons that quietly recommended it to members of the Academy. First, it captures the true look and feel of Los Angeles, where the majority of Oscar voters live.

1. THE SOPRANOS (HBO, above - left). Jersey mafia don Tony Soprano: bigger than your average bear, and ten times as deadly. These movie-quality transfers set the standard, with excellent contrast, rich colors, and crisp, atmospherically lit images.
2. THE SHIELD (Fox). Det.

So much fuss has been made about Brokeback Mountain (Lionsgate; Movie ••••^½, Picture/Sound ••••, Extras •••), especially after it was nominated for eight Oscars (winning three), that it's not worth rehashing the details here.