Air America (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Air America (Blu-ray Review)

?So we’ll sit back and we’ll do what we do best. We fly.”

A few weeks ago, I interviewed a Vietnam War veteran for a magazine article I was writing on, of all
things, Civil War reenactors. While our conversation initially circled around his long-time hobby?
donning a Union officer?s uniform and educating school kids?the topic unexpectedly turned to the
ingloriousness of war. This gentleman was especially miffed because, as part of a unit on active duty
in Laos, where, to this day, the government denies ever sending combat troops, the sacrifices

Video

Air America takes to the wild, Blu-ray yonder with a bright and colorful 1080p/AVC-
encoded transfer, framed in the film?s original 2.39:1 aspect ratio. There?s just something about
the quality of the image here?the film stock used, the colors, the cinematography?that smacks
of late 1980s, big-budget action flicks, which is exactly what Air America is. That the film
was shot in Thailand certainly adds some color, from the lush and verdant jungle foliage to the
multi-hued a

Audio

Lionsgate doles out another of its characteristic DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround tracks, and
while Air America?s sound design isn?t as raucous and accurate as what you might hear in a
similar film today, few will be disappointed by this mix. As expected of a 7.1 track, Air
America
offers near constant engagement by the surround speakers, even if it?s just for
ambience, like Laotian city sounds, crickets in the jungle, or rain beating down all around. There are
a number

Supplements

Audio Commentary with Co-Writer/Producer John Eskow
Eskow gives a laconic but insightful track, detailing some of the logical nightmares inherent in the
production, and giving his own opinions on the CIA’s involvement in Laos and Cambodia. He’s full
of stories and bits of trivia?the prostitutes in the film were real prozzies?and he’s got something
nice to say about everyone involved. A decent track, overall.

Return Flight: Revisiting Air America (SD, 22:03)

Final Words

While not nearly as effective as other war satires, Air America is at least a moderately
entertaining buddy comedy that pairs Mel Gibson?s all-smiles charisma with the boundless energy of
then-young Robert Downey, Jr. The film gets a satisfying treatment on Blu-ray?sporting a lossless
7.1 audio track and excellent picture quality?so if you?re a fan of the film, you?ll definitely be
pleased here. If you?re a late 80s, early 90s action buff, I can see this being a worthy addition to

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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Blu-ray Review)

Even the title screams ‘generic.’

How far would you go for the story of your life?

The first rule of a Thriller is: don’t copycat every other Thriller ever made. Unfortunately, it’s a rule
that seems made to be broken, and with the remake craze still in full swing, it’s inevitable that
some of the better classics of the genre are in the crosshairs of hungry producers eager to get
another movie with a big star onto screens, regardless of its faithfulness to the original or even
whether or not it deliver

Video

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt features a 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer that appears
reasonably good at-a-glance, but over the course of 106 minutes, several flaws that are beyond
doubt creep up and knock the quality down several notches. Shot digitally, the image offers sound
detail but tends to look somewhat artificial and flat. Faces appear pasty, devoid of fine detail and
appearing unnaturally smooth. However, several exterior locales — building façades, paved
walkways, tree

Audio

Faring somewhat better than the wishy-washy visuals is Beyond a Reasonable Doubt’s
PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. Though a decent effort, this one is not without its share of
flaws. Dialogue is often forced to compete with ambient effects — chirping birds, a gentle breeze,
or general city din — and the two are seemingly at war for listeners’ attention in several scenes.
In addition, dialogue sometimes sounds boomy and slightly unnatural. Several dialogue scenes
are also

Supplements

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt serves up a few extras for this Blu-ray release. First is a
commentary track with Writer/Director/Cinematographer Peter Hyams and Actor Jesse Metcalfe.
Like the film itself, the track is unremarkable but listenable; topics covered include Hyams’ efforts
to give the movie a noir tone, the score, the challenge of Metcalfe’s character, Hyams’ direction
and thoughts on the film’s themes and style, anecdotes from the set, and more. The Whole
Truth — T

Final Words

There are certainly far worse ways to spend a couple of
hours, but Beyond a Reasonable Doubt delivers, at best, only a moderately entertaining and
never at all suspenseful movie-watching experience that’s bathed in clichés, hindered by a generic
script, thwarted by stiff performances, and directed with an exceptionally dull and straightforward
approach.

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Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan geumjassi) (HMV Exclusive) (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan geumjassi) (HMV Exclusive) (Blu-ray Review)

Winner of the CinemAvvenire (Best Film) and Little Golden Lion awards at the Venice Film Festival, Korean director Park Chan-wook’s “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance” (2005) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Palisades Tartan. Amongst the supplemental features on this disc are: “Making of”, “The Style of Lady Vengeance”, “Lady Vengeance in Venice”, cast and crew interviews and more. Additionally, unlike the Hong Kong Blu-ray release, this disc contains the “fading to black and w

Video

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Korean director Park Chan-wook?s Sympathy for Lady Vengeance arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Palisades Tartan.

Note: The version of Sympathy for Lady Vengeance found on this Blu-ray disc is not identical to the one found on the Hong Kong Blu-ray disc we have already reviewed. The Palisades Tartan Blu-ray disc contains the “fading to black and white”

Audio

There is only one audio track in this Blu-ray disc: Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Palisades Tartan have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is impressive. As I noted in my evaluation of the Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track found on the Hong Kong Blu-ray disc, there are some very neat surround effects in Sympathy for Lady Vengeance that are tr

Supplements

Making of – this is the same featurette found on the Hong Kong Blu-ray disc. It contains raw footage from the shooting process with occasional comments by cast and crew members. In Korean, with optional English subtitles. (11 min).

The Style of Lady Vengeance – this featurette is broken into four chapters: “Visualization” (7 min), “Production Design” (9 min), “Costume & Make Up” (9 min), “Art” (7 min) and “Cg” (7 min). In each chapter, director Park Chan-w

Final Words

I prefer this specific version of director Park Chan-wook’s award-winning Sympathy for Lady Vengeance over the one found on the Hong Kong Blu-ray release. In my opinion, it is a lot more effective and in sync with the film’s message. Unfortunately, this is a Region-B “locked” release, so keep that in mind when trying to decide which Blu-ray release to get. Fans of the film might want to have both. RECOMMENDED.

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Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (Music Experience in 3-Dimensional Sound Reality) (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (Music Experience in 3-Dimensional Sound Reality) (Blu-ray Review)

Japanese sisters Yuki and Tomoko Mack tackle three great pieces by two iconic American composers.

American composers have been repeatedly confounded by the supposed difference between popular and classical idioms. Leonard Bernstein used to be driven crazy by the fact that his serious compositional efforts were routinely derided, despite their obvious craft and brilliance, because he had had the ?misfortune? to also delve into musical theater writing. Even worse, he had actually been successful at it, giving the world a slew of new pop music standards from such shows as Wonderful

Video

Audio

Alexander Jero always provides an excitingly ambient aural experience with his Surround Records releases. One might wonder why go to the trouble of creating a DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix for a two piano offering such as this, but the results are for the most part quite pleasing. High range clarity is where this recording really excels, with a crystalline sound and excellent directionality between the two keyboards. The surround channels provide just the right amount of reflective hall ambience to convi

Supplements

Final Words

The “Surround” experience may have been more immersive with the orchestral versions of both the Rhapsody and the Symphonic Dances, but of course hiring an orchestra is more prohibitively expensive than the two admittedly dynamic pianists featured here. Some Gershwin purists may be a bit up in arms over their Rhapsody. It has touches of brilliance and even elegance, but it’s too mannered for its own good and robs the piece of some of its American genius. Porgy and t

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Bach: Orchestral Suites No.1, 2 & 3 / Tripelkonzert (Acoustic Reality Experience) (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Bach: Orchestral Suites No.1, 2 & 3 / Tripelkonzert (Acoustic Reality Experience) (Blu-ray Review)

Three of Bach’s Four Orchestral Suites, plus his perhaps misnamed Triple Concerto in A minor, are offered in a sterling Surround Records release.

The incredible music of Johann Sebastian Bach provides the listener with untold glories when choosing music for the liturgical year. Bach was of course a church musician for most of his life and so there is everything from chorales to oratorios celebrating the festivals and ceremonies that accompany the Christian calendar. In fact the Christmas season gives us Bach?s unbelievably glorious Weihnachtsoratorium (BMV 248), the massive six part oratorio that is so massive it?s usually split

Video

Audio

Alexander Jero has licensed the original Arts Music release and repurposed it for DTS-HD MA 7.1 with his usual attention to detail. This is such thrillingly multifaceted music that the surround medium seems made for it. Aside from the absolute clarity of the recording itself, the surround channels provide ample opportunity for discrete channeling of individual instruments, so that Bach’s contrapuntal linear writing is delivered in a sonically clean environment. The range of frequencies is rep

Supplements

Final Words

Blu-ray audio may never be the world beater that its proponents hope for, but I for one am becoming more and more of an acolyte, ready to sing the praises of the format to anyone who will listen (literally). Releases like this resplendent set of Bach pieces can only help to raise the appreciation level of the public at large for the glories of lossless Blu-ray audio. My only qualm with this release is the missing Fourth Orchestral Suite. Otherwise, this is pure gold and belongs in any music l

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A-1 Headline (A1 tou tiao) (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

A-1 Headline (A1 tou tiao) (Blu-ray Review)

Gordon Chan and Chung Kai Cheung’s thriller “A1 tou tiao” a.k.a “A-1 Headline” (2004) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama. Amongst the supplemental features offered with this release are: an exclusive interview with Gordon Chan and Chung Kai Cheung; an exclusive interview with Anthony Wong; Gala Premiere Footage; trailers and more. With optional English subtitles. Region-Free.

Video

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Gordon Chan and Chung Kai Cheung’s A-1 Headline arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama.

I have mixed feelings about this transfer. There are a number of scenes throughout the film where edge-enhancement is fairly strong. As a result, fine object detail and clarity vary. Contrast levels are not a serious issue of concern, but they are definitely not as con

Audio

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 and Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1. I opted for the Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 track for the purpose of this review.

There are no serious technical flaws with the Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track to report in this review – the bass is strong, the surround channels not overly act

Supplements

Note: All of the supplemental features are placed on a separate Region-Free SDVD. Unfortunately, optional English subtitles are not offered for them.

Interview – an exclusive interview with Gordon Chan and Chung Kai Cheung. The two directors discuss the message of their film, the specific shooting techniques they favored, the script, etc. In Cantonese, with optional English subtitles. (11 min, 480/60i).

Interview – an exclusive interview

Final Words

Gordon Chan and Chung Kai Cheung’s A-1 Headline should appeal primarily to those who believe that any film with Anthony Wong in it is worth seeing. While I have a great deal of respect for the Hong Kong actor and typically enjoy his work, A-1 Headline left me unimpressed. RENT IT.

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Monster Squad (20th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Monster Squad (20th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray Review)

?2,000 year old dead guys do not get up and walk away by themselves.?

While we anxiously await the release of Goonies on Blu-ray, Lionsgate made the wise move to dig through their catalog and give us something else to feel nostalgic about. Monster Squad admittedly failed to achieve the same level of undying admiration I had for such films as Goonies or Stand by Me, but that never stopped my friends and I from staying up late watching my buddy?s tattered VHS copy of the film (a television broadcast recording on a tape that barely surviv

Video

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 35Mbps), Monster Squad offers a surprisingly proficient visual experience on Blu-ray. I?ve grown accustomed to the weak offerings of cable television over the years, so watching Monster Squad in high definition seemed like a revelatory experience in comparison. Fine object detail is afforded a substantial upgrade over prior versions, with a tremendous boost in clarity during all but a handful of scenes. I was i

Audio

Given the age of the film I didn?t expect an overly bombastic audio experience, but the lossless mix still retains the original cheesy feel of the source material, while managing to up the ante a notch or two. To clarify, you?ll notice the same front-heavy directionality of prior releases, but a noticeable step up in the clarity of the various elements in the mix. Dialogue is well-defined, environmental effects are crisp, and the classic 80?s soundtrack is afforded a subtle boost in dynamics.

Supplements

Easily the most valuable portion of the supplemental package is a present-day behind-the-scenes documentary covering many aspects of the film?s production. I?ve separated each section below, but you have the option of playing the entire feature from start to finish (1080p, Dolby Digital 2.0).

Part 1 (9:04 min): The Monster Master: Director Fred Dekker gives a present day interview where he reflects on his film career leading up to Monster Squad, and reveals some of his early infl

Final Words

I have zero qualms about giving this release a whole-hearted recommendation, but need to offer a note of caution to parents who might be considering the film as a Christmas or Birthday present for their youngster. Monster Squad contains several scenes that will surely seem disturbing to viewers under the age of 10-12, and the potty-mouthed children in the film might give your kids the impression that foul language is cool (speaking from personal experience). I?m certainly not one to giv

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray Review)

Potter and his pals earn a more fully-realized Ultimate Edition release…

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is an interesting conundrum. On one hand, it clings too dearly to the same bubblegum imagery and kiddie-pop fantasy director Chris Columbus brought to The Sorcerer’s Stone. On the other, it grants its fans their first legitimate glimpse into the seedy underworld lying dormant beneath Hogwarts. Shadows begin to push away the light, frightenin

Video

For better or worse, Warner’s 1080p/VC-1 Chamber of Secrets transfer appears to be identical to the high definition transfer minted for the film’s 2007 Blu-ray release. But while a complete overhaul may have ironed out a few wrinkles, the studio’s recycled presentation isn’t a detriment to the Ultimate Edition box set. Lit by candlelight, bathed in shadow, and occasionally pierced by a bright and vivid sun, colors are inviting and blacks are inky, lending the image both richness and dep

Audio

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets‘ Blu-ray debut already offered an able-bodied PCM mix, but Warner outdoes itself and its former efforts this time around with a pair of hearty DTS-HD Master Audio surround tracks. Sorry, I’m not exactly sure why the film’s theatrical cut is presented with a DTS-HD MA 6.1 mix and the extended cut only nets a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix, but it honesty doesn’t matter. Both sound fantastic and both should help justify the Ultimate Edition’s cost. Dialogue —

Supplements

The Ultimate Edition release of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is more satisfying than its Sorcerer’s Stone counterpart, but primarily because the features on its third disc are more substantial and enjoyable. Otherwise, it feels strikingly similar, offering fans a mildly disappointing Picture-in-Picture video commentary, a phenomenal documentary (the second of eight scheduled parts), and various supplemental content ported from previous DVD and Blu-ray releases. There’s

Final Words

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is better than The Sorcerer’s Stone in some ways, but stays too close to the first film’s formula to rise to the level of later entries. However, Warner’s Ultimate Edition release is better. It delivers a stronger video transfer, a pair of powerful DTS-HD Master Audio tracks, and more pleasing supplemental content (thanks to the more traditional featurettes that grace its third disc). While its Picture-in-Picture experience falls fl

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Ultimate Edition (Blu-ray Review)

The airy filler that dominates this series opener will make fans long for later entries…

Regardless of what might be said or written about author J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter mythos, her novels and Warner Brothers’ subsequent box office smashes have dared to do two things few others have: allow a successful series’ young heroes to age, and allow the tone of their tales to age right along with them. Watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone some eight years after its theatrical release — in which time a steady stream of ever-darkening Potter entries have al

Video

The Sorcerer’s Stone may have received Ultimate Edition packaging, but its 1080p/VC-1 transfer is strikingly similar (if not identical) to the video presentation featured on Warner’s 2007 Blu-ray release. Both the theatrical and extended cuts of the film boast warm, vibrant colors and a variety of showcase sequences, but suffer from mild contrast inconsistencies and intermittent softness, both of which undermine the picture’s finer qualities. Blacks, though often deep and well-resolved,

Audio

Regardless of whether you enjoy Harry’s first adventure or find it lacking, it’s tough to walk away from The Sorcerer’s Stone without humming themes from John Williams’ rousing score. But trust me… it’s even more difficult after hearing it erupt through your speakers courtesy of Warner’s newly produced DTS-HD Master Audio tracks. Yes, the theatrical cut is blessed with a DTS-HD MA 6.1 mix and the extended cut only earns a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix, but both are sonic standouts and both deserv

Supplements

Despite its size, four-disc payload, list of special features, and “Ultimate Edition” moniker, this newest release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone doesn’t have as much to offer as fans might expect. Yes, it includes both the theatrical and extended cuts of the film, and yes, it serves up the first admittedly mesmerizing portion of a planned eight-part documentary, but its touted Picture-in-Picture experience is an inconsistent track that falls quite flat, most of its second disc

Final Words

An imperfect film receives an imperfect release. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a solid introduction to Rowling’s universe, but it falters too often to soar. Likewise, Warner’s Ultimate Edition suffers from a problematic video transfer and a relatively underwhelming supplemental package. Luckily, a pair of strong DTS-HD Master Audio tracks, two versions of the film, and the first part of what promises to be a stunning, series-long documentary saves the release from mediocrity

Read full review: Blu-ray.com

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Knut & Friends (Knut und seine Freunde) (Blu-ray Review)

December 8th, 2009 Blu-ray-au

Knut & Friends (Knut und seine Freunde) (Blu-ray Review)

Forget swine flu, Knut fever has finally made its way to the U.S.

?Oh my goodness, look at those paws?Casey, I want one?Look at him trying to walk?So so cute?I
want a polar bear to suckle on my finger.? These are word-for-word transcriptions of the squeals of
delight my wife would make every time she popped into the room while I was watching Knut &
Friends
, a documentary about the first polar bear in thirty years to be born and survive in
captivity at the
Berlin Zoological Gardens. The weird thing is, it was me who was calling her in every fiv

Video

Knut & Friends tumbles onto Blu-ray with a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that?s incredibly
inconsistent, mostly because the documentary mixes 35mm film photography with high definition
and standard definition video sources. The sections that follow Maidu and her cubs are quite
detailed. Fur texture is nicely rendered, clarity is crisp across the frame, and the arctic whites and
blues are perfectly reproduced. There are some stunning landscapes here, especially one time-lapse

Audio

There?s not a lot to say about Knut & Friends‘ DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track,
other than it does what it needs to and not much more. The narrator?s voice cuts cleanly and
intelligibly through the mix, the bears? various grunts and bleats and groans are recorded on-
location and mostly un-muffled, and the surround channels are given some light homework, putting
out some woodsy ambience and whipping wind through the rear speakers. The music, however, is
almost indescribabl

Supplements

Unfortunately, there are no supplementary features included on the disc.

Final Words

Knut & Friends doesn?t exactly tell the full story?it glosses over the controversy of the
bear?s birth, the tragedy of his lonely adolescence, and the on-going dispute over the profits he
generates for the zoo?but it offers a cute ?n cuddly, family friendly experience that will satisfy most
younger kids. If you?ve got a burgeoning animal-lover at home, Knut & Friends is at least
worth a rental.

Read full review: Blu-ray.com

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