http://www.avforums.com/forums/ Blu-ray reviews at AVForums.com en Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:14:44 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.avforums.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.avforums.com/forums/ http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1130907-gray-lady-down-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-cd-review.html Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:55:02 GMT *Reviewed by Chris McEneany*, 22nd November 2009 Another awesome release from Intrada, Gray Lady Down is also an important entry in Jerry Fielding’s résumé. His departure from mournful Americana, harsh Western orchestration and jazzed-up character-action marked a confident dive into bold martial... Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 22nd November 2009
Another awesome release from Intrada, Gray Lady Down is also an important entry in Jerry Fielding’s résumé. His departure from mournful Americana, harsh Western orchestration and jazzed-up character-action marked a confident dive into bold martial statement, hard thrills and a gripping through-narrative that wouldn’t exactly become a staple in his repertoire but would stand as a great swaggering diversion from his customary cool. The film, itself, is a tight, claustrophobic white-knuckler, although it does suffer from staid direction and a lack of action. Fielding's music is a stunningly wrought accompaniment to the dark descent that Heston's sub makes and the intense psychological traumas that take place within, around and above it.

A limited release, right alongside a great partner in Fielding's The Big Sleep (which is almost sold out already, so no point reviewing that one), Gray Lady Down is a supreme exercise in cold, calculated thumb-screw turning. Enjoyably visual, marvellously orchestrated and haunting with its metronomic mechanical pulse, this is an excellent release and should not be overlooked by fans of Jerry Fielding.

Catch it now from the usual suspects of Intrada or FSM, before it sinks without a trace.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1130907-gray-lady-down-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-cd-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1130859-midnight-express.html Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:52:29 GMT Purchased it this week and watched it this evening. They have done a real good job considering it was made as a B movie. None of the moody prison atmosphere as been lost and the music score is better. The colours of the walls and the decrepit sate of the prison sets are enhanced on Bluray. Then... Purchased it this week and watched it this evening. They have done a real good job considering it was made as a B movie. None of the moody prison atmosphere as been lost and the music score is better. The colours of the walls and the decrepit sate of the prison sets are enhanced on Bluray. Then there is the cast what can you say Brad Davis is incredible as is John Hurt,might watch it again tomorrow . ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews hilly10 http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1130859-midnight-express.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1129688-star-trek-blu-ray-review.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:21:01 GMT *Reviewed by Alan Paterson*, 20th November 2009 ‘Star Trek’(2009) materialises on Region free Blu-ray with a first class 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer framed in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The movie looks pristine with vibrant colour, punchy contrast and a pin sharp image throughout. The Dolby TrueHD... Reviewed by Alan Paterson, 20th November 2009
‘Star Trek’(2009) materialises on Region free Blu-ray with a first class 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer framed in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The movie looks pristine with vibrant colour, punchy contrast and a pin sharp image throughout.
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio makes full use of the surround channels and LFE during the space battles as Michael Giacchino’s score provides slam to underline the action. Amid all of the sonic warfare, dialogue is kept clear throughout.
An extensive range of extras including an enthusiastic comm. Track and many Featurettes will warm the cockles of many a Trekker’s heart.
As for the movie, it’s sheer entertainment from start to finish. For Star Trek fans it’s a chance to meet up with old friends. For a general audience, it’s a thrilling Sci-Fi blockbuster. May its new timeline live long and prosper!

Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews Stuart Wright http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1129688-star-trek-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1129660-up-blu-ray-review.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:35:01 GMT *Reviewed by Alan Paterson*, 20th November 2009 Disney/Pixar triumph on all fronts with ‘Up’ - a deeply touching, amusing and exciting movie that takes animation to a whole new human level with the story of grumpy old man Carl as he takes his house on a balloon ride to the South American jungle... Reviewed by Alan Paterson, 20th November 2009
Disney/Pixar triumph on all fronts with ‘Up’ - a deeply touching, amusing and exciting movie that takes animation to a whole new human level with the story of grumpy old man Carl as he takes his house on a balloon ride to the South American jungle with Wilderness Scout Russell in tow. A talking dog, a flightless bird and a villainous adventurer make this one for all ages.
The Region A locked, 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 encode looks stunning framed at 1.78:1 with vibrant colour, excellent contrast and beautiful animation.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track features absorbing ambience, clear dialogue, first class surround steering and impressive representation of Michael Giacchino’s memorable score.
A host of fascinating documentaries together with a CineExplore track from Co-Directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson round of the package which also includes a DVD and Digital Copy of the movie.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1129660-up-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1128959-leon-professional-blu-ray-review.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:25:01 GMT *Reviewed by Cas Harlow*, 19th November 2009 Well, Léon is my favourite film of all time, and I have tried to explain why. It marks a high point in the careers of all those involved and has clearly stood the test of time (over the last fifteen years). Finally hitting Blu-ray, fans should not be... Reviewed by Cas Harlow, 19th November 2009
Well, Léon is my favourite film of all time, and I have tried to explain why. It marks a high point in the careers of all those involved and has clearly stood the test of time (over the last fifteen years). Finally hitting Blu-ray, fans should not be disappointed as this is clearly the definitive edition to own – technically improving on all previous versions in terms of video and audio. Whilst there are some items that appear to be missing – participation from the director and Gary Oldman, and a reported commentary track recorded by Natalie Portman would have been nice inclusions, and extra footage from a hinted-at even longer version would have been spectacular – this is still a decent effort. The documentaries are remarkably informative and well worth your time. I highly recommend that you buy a copy of this film (no question that it should be the director’s cut) and this is clearly the edition to own.

“It’s when you start to become really afraid of death that you learn to appreciate life.”
Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1128959-leon-professional-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1128567-near-dark-blu-ray-review.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:05:02 GMT *Reviewed by Chris McEneany*, 18th November 2009 Bolstered by a tremendous documentary and a reasonable commentary track, Near Dark remains an essential release despite not looking or sounding all that grand on Blu-ray. For those with the earlier Anchor Bay two-discer, this still represents an... Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 18th November 2009
Bolstered by a tremendous documentary and a reasonable commentary track, Near Dark remains an essential release despite not looking or sounding all that grand on Blu-ray. For those with the earlier Anchor Bay two-discer, this still represents an upgrade, it is just that the improvements made aren't all that impressive.

Kathryn Bigelow's bold production is one of the quintessential horror films of the 80's. It doesn't do anything that is particularly new to the genre beyond a few tweaks here and there to remould and relocate the legend, but its magic lies in its forbidden allure, its love letter to the lawless frontier, and its wonderful evocation of a blighted way of life that is, at once, erotic, violent and vital. Hardly an fx-extravaganza, the movie is surprisingly light on gore but still grisly enough to promote a squirm or two. Adrian Pasdar acquits himself well as the boy who has fallen in with the wrong crowd, even if Jenny Wright, as the reason he falls so heavily, is woefully bland. But the film belongs to the dark trio of Paxton, Henriksen and Goldstein, who literally scoop it up like a road-kill, bag it and carry it off into the sunset with them.

This is an excellent thriller that strikes out in, what was then, a less-travelled direction. Nowadays, vampire-flicks are ten-a-penny, but Near Dark keeps its unnerving atmosphere and hard visual poetry with style to spare. Plus this US edition has much more bite than the poor UK release, despite that truly awful Twilight-cash-in cover art!


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1128567-near-dark-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1127053-taking-pelham-1-2-3-blu-ray-review.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:55:02 GMT *Reviewed by Cas Harlow*, 17th November 2009 2009’s version of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is a perfectly enjoyable, sometimes thrilling, sometimes dramatic movie. The high points include seeing the ever reliable Denzel Washington, in an a-typical role, facing off against a suitably psychotic John... Reviewed by Cas Harlow, 17th November 2009
2009’s version of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is a perfectly enjoyable, sometimes thrilling, sometimes dramatic movie. The high points include seeing the ever reliable Denzel Washington, in an a-typical role, facing off against a suitably psychotic John Travolta, on unusually good form. On the flipside the film is, frankly, fairly redundant, pandering to those who can’t be bothered to watch classic 70s thrillers. Still, if you haven’t seen the original, you will no doubt find this pretty original and pretty exciting. Coming to US Region Free Blu-ray we get amazing video and audio – the Director Tony Scott certainly has a flair for filming material that looks good in Hi-Def – and a decent set of extras to round off the disc. Fans would be advised not to hesitate in a purchase. As for newcomers... well the stubborn film buff in me would strongly suggest you seriously consider checking out the original first. The realist knows that this new flick is infinitely more accessible for modern generations. So, in light of that, for those who do just want to skip the 70s version, I can safely say that this film and this release will not disappoint.
Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1127053-taking-pelham-1-2-3-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126631-logans-run-blu-ray-review.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:25:01 GMT Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 16th November 2009
Logan's Run is one of my favourite SF films from my childhood, but the reality of it is that Michael Anderson's opulent, though sluggish adaptation is nowhere near as classic as I would like it to be. But whilst it botches such fertile concepts in favour of overly simplistic dramatics and fitful set-pieces, it does supply a great deal of good-natured, old school fun. And that just has to be applauded. The imagery proved to be the stuff that cult fascination is made of – Box and his sculpting, the bubble-cars, Francis and Logan blasting away at a Runner, the palm-crystal and, of course, the inexorable aerial dance of death that is Carrousel – and still resonates even today with a combination of nostalgic awe and sublime invention. The theme of hedonism and Youth Culture is always intriguing and the sheer sensuality of the film is quite eye-popping.

Richard Jordan makes for a great and sympathetic villain, whilst the two leads are blankly beautiful yet still highly likeable. Ustinov, to me, still seems as though he has wandered in off the set of another movie entirely, but he has a rascally tenacity that is part and parcel of what Logan's Run is all about. There is no doubt that the film could have been better if a little more thought had gone into it, but Michael Anderson used his material with a workmanlike determination and came up with a film that certainly provides some colourful and thought-provoking escapism.

Warner do the film proud by sticking to its original multi-track audio elements and delivering a surprisingly vital TrueHD track that showcases Goldsmith's landmark score extremely well and helps to energise the drama with some fairly neat directionality. The image is no slouch either, and provides an authentic picture that is un-mired by digital tomfoolery. Sadly, only the commentary is a worthy extra and it is something of a disappointment that some fresher material couldn't have been found, or at least the addition of the extras that were on the laserdisc version.

Logan keeps on running with this Blu-ray release … and my advice is to go after him.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126631-logans-run-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126599-ufc-100-lesnar-vs-mir-2009-blu-ray-review.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:45:01 GMT *Reviewed by Gerard Magnier*, 16th November 2009 UFC 100 was filmed in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, in July of this year (2009). The UFC is a mixed martial arts competition, with two competitors facing off against one another in an octagon shaped cage. The sport is rapidly... Reviewed by Gerard Magnier, 16th November 2009
UFC 100 was filmed in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, in July of this year (2009). The UFC is a mixed martial arts competition, with two competitors facing off against one another in an octagon shaped cage. The sport is rapidly evolving and is also gaining in popularity. This event has some stellar match-ups including; Frank Mir Vs. Brock Lesnar, George St. Pierre Vs. Thiago Alves and Dan Henderson Vs. Michael Bisping. Counting the unaired preliminary matches, there are eleven fights included here for your viewing pleasure. I’m sure that seasoned UFC/MMA fans will have seen this already but the inclusion of all the unaired preliminaries (which feature some really good fights) may be enough to tempt a purchase. For new fans to the greatest sport on the planet, this release offers a very worthy starting point to your MMA education!

The video presentation offers a very significant upgrade from SD DVD releases/televised broadcasts. The increase in the level of detail is very impressive indeed; with every face in the crowd visible. The audio presentation is a bit lacklustre, offering only a DD stereo audio mix. It’s serviceable nonetheless and, to be honest, I’m not too sure if an uncompressed mix would have sounded any better. The extras portion of the disc, bolstered by the excellent decision to include all the unaired preliminaries, is well packed and offers some interesting insight into the event. Overall this is a very worthy package and come highly recommended to all MMA fans.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126599-ufc-100-lesnar-vs-mir-2009-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126302-heat-blu-ray-review.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:35:01 GMT *Reviewed by Cas Harlow*, 16th November 2009 Heat is in my top 3 films and has been for nearly fifteen years now. It is an exercise in perfection, a multi-faceted crime epic that succeeds in bringing together two of the greatest actors of all-time in what is surely a clash of acting titans, and... Reviewed by Cas Harlow, 16th November 2009
Heat is in my top 3 films and has been for nearly fifteen years now. It is an exercise in perfection, a multi-faceted crime epic that succeeds in bringing together two of the greatest actors of all-time in what is surely a clash of acting titans, and giving us a beautiful character study, quality scripting, superior direction, memorable action sequences and thrills throughout its 3 hour runtime. Immensely quotable, with arguably Oscar-worthy performances from an ensemble cast of familiar faces, Heat finally makes it to Blu-ray with a perfectly decent but unexceptional US Region Free release. Video and Audio are very good, arguably the best we have seen or heard from this movie, and the Extras at least included everything from the previous Special Edition SD-DVD even if they do not offer us anything more. All the fuss over Mann’s new cut, and – frankly – it is barely noticeable. It is a shame that he didn’t leave well alone, however, as the movie was perfect already. Still, it’s nonetheless an all-time classic, and deserves to be in every movie-lover’s collection.

“There is a flip side to that coin. What if you do got me boxed in and I gotta put you down? Cause no matter what, you will not get in my way. We've been face to face, yeah. But I will not hesitate. Not for a second.”
Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126302-heat-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126170-battlestar-galactica-plan-2009-blu-ray-review.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:35:01 GMT *Reviewed by Andrew Mogford*, 16th November 2009 The Plan is perhaps not the revelatory conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica story that some were expecting. It adds no great insight, and provides no clear answers to any of the questions that were left unanswered in the show. What it does do,... Reviewed by Andrew Mogford, 16th November 2009
The Plan is perhaps not the revelatory conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica story that some were expecting. It adds no great insight, and provides no clear answers to any of the questions that were left unanswered in the show. What it does do, however, is explore the conflicted nature of the humanoid Cylons in far more depth than was ever done in the show. Stockwell delivers a superbly layered performance as the two facets of Cavil’s character and he is ably supported by a host of superb performances. The direction is assured and confident and the disc makes an excellent supplement to a superb TV series.

The picture is an accurate rendition of the director’s intentions, with artifical grain and crushed colours being the norm. It fits in perfectly with the rest of the series. The soundtrack is also excellent, being wide and expansive, offering thunderous action and subtle moments with equal flair. The extras package is not as extensive as first may appear, as most of the featurettes are brief, but there is an excellent commentary included as well.

If you are one of those who feel that the series should have stopped after the middle of series three, and if you disliked the more philosophical moments of the show, then you are not likely to get much out of this. If, however, like me you were glued to the series from the first moment to the last, and revelled in the ambiguous universe that Moore created – then you are going to love this film. If you have not seen the series then you should avoid this like the plague (due to spoilers) and start at the very beginning. Get to the end of the series, and then you will know whether you want to add this to your collection or not.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1126170-battlestar-galactica-plan-2009-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1124376-g-i-joe-rise-cobra-blu-ray-review.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:15:02 GMT *Reviewed by Cas Harlow*, 14th November 2009 G.I. Joe is a silly, effects-laden big budget extravaganza, a no-brain summer blockbuster in the extreme, insulting audience members with its inane antics, poor plotting, terrible characters, worse script, acting and dialogue delivery, and – frankly –... Reviewed by Cas Harlow, 14th November 2009
G.I. Joe is a silly, effects-laden big budget extravaganza, a no-brain summer blockbuster in the extreme, insulting audience members with its inane antics, poor plotting, terrible characters, worse script, acting and dialogue delivery, and – frankly – flawed effects. Still, even if it will probably have fans of the 80s franchise protesting on the streets, it has been far from unsuccessful, proving that there are still plenty of people out there who can literally switch their brains off to watch this kind of popcorn flick. The video and audio for this US Region Free Blu-ray release are very good indeed, and we get a couple of nice extras, but strangely none of it is as good as you would expect from a $175 Million Dollar movie, and that pretty-much sums this all up. Perhaps they’ll replace Channing Tatum with Matt Damon for the sequel and have it directed by Chris Nolan, but more than likely we’ll just get more of the same because nobody can be bothered to give us something decent. Glossy and shiny but disappointingly thin, rent it but leave your brain as deposit at the video store.
Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1124376-g-i-joe-rise-cobra-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1124213-new-york-ripper-blu-ray-review.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:45:01 GMT *Reviewed by Chris McEneany*, 13th November 2009 It naturally seems wrong to label The New York Ripper as a classic, but this is most definitely what it is … of its kind. As well as the copious gore and vastly disturbing imagery, this was proof that Lucio Fulci was becoming far more accomplished... Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 13th November 2009
It naturally seems wrong to label The New York Ripper as a classic, but this is most definitely what it is … of its kind. As well as the copious gore and vastly disturbing imagery, this was proof that Lucio Fulci was becoming far more accomplished as a filmmaker and, perhaps even on his way to reaching a point where he would be able to stand toe-to-toe with Dario Argento. It is beyond doubt that his cycle of bloody epics, starting with Zombie Flesheaters and reaching a grisly pinnacle with Ripper, were getting more assured and better produced with each instalment, and they are certainly much better than anything that Argento has come up with in the last twenty years. Sadly, Fulci wasn't able to maximise on this new maturity, with his career pin-balling from one crazy new concept to another throughout the eighties, never settling on one genre for long and many promising projects never even seeing the light of day. The disastrously personal Cat In My Brain and the woeful Demonia and his final no-hoper before his death in 1996, Voices From Beyond, are not exactly the kind of thing that, in his own warped and wacky way, he showed so much potential for achieving with this and his earlier violent fantasies.

The New York Ripper remains a powerful and potent psycho-sexual thrill-ride that may have lost some of its once-alarming ferocity, but is still a defiant and historically important milestone in the genre ... and it is has never looked or sounded better than here on Blue Underground's macabre new BD release.

Recommended.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1124213-new-york-ripper-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1124149-moon-blu-ray-review.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:45:01 GMT Reviewed by Alan Paterson, 13th November 2009
'Moon' is the best movie of 2009 without a doubt – and it’s the feature film debut of Director Duncan Jones, a talented lad who I’m sure we’ll be hearing more of in future. With a very good Region free 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer framed at 2.40:1, this movie not only features an engrossing thoughtful story it also looks good with fine colour, contrast and no digital artefacting to offend the eye.
The DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio features crisp, clear dialogue with use of the surrounds reserved for ambient hums, while Clint Mansell’s score provides the heartbeat for the piece.
Sam Rockwell turns in a first class performance as the lonely moonbase technician looking forward to the end of his 3 year contract. Will the remaining few weeks pass uneventfully? A couple of useful comm tracks, a short film, a featurette and some Q&A sessions provide us with fascinating background to the production. Stop what you’re doing! Go out and buy a copy of ‘Moon’ now.


Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1124149-moon-blu-ray-review.html http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1123792-blood-last-vampire-blu-ray-review.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:35:01 GMT *Reviewed by Cas Harlow*, 13th November 2009 Blood: The Last Vampire is not quite the disaster that many have made it out to be, but it does have more than its fair share of faults. Taking the premise from the promising 2000 short anime, it develops the idea and gives us a broader, bloodier look... Reviewed by Cas Harlow, 13th November 2009
Blood: The Last Vampire is not quite the disaster that many have made it out to be, but it does have more than its fair share of faults. Taking the premise from the promising 2000 short anime, it develops the idea and gives us a broader, bloodier look at the world of the half-demon half-human vampire killer Saya as she deals with both her past and future in a world plagued by bloodsuckers. Of course, it fails dramatically on the effects level, and simply cannot be forgiven for this – but if you just laugh at the silly man-in-the-suit monster moments and inappropriate use of CGI, then get back into the rest of the action-horror there is still quite a bit of fun to be had. Video for this presentation is outstanding, audio is decent if unexceptional, and the extras are average, although this release does marginally outdo its US counterpart on the aural front. Overall this is a perfectly pleasing package for fans, though newcomers should really check out the original anime first – and be prepared that this may just not be able to live up to any expectations from that.
Read the full review... ]]> AVForums Blu-ray Reviews The News Bot http://www.avforums.com/forums/avforums-blu-ray-reviews/1123792-blood-last-vampire-blu-ray-review.html