BLU-RAY/DVD REVIEW: Blade Runner 2049 - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

RELEASE DATE:  05/02/18
PUBLISHER:  Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

SYNOPSIS:
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.

REVIEW:
I have extemely fond memories of the original Blade Runner film with Rutger Hauers final speech being one of my favourites from any film (see clip.)  So hearing that they were making a sequel left me feeling a little cold, worrying that it was going to be a modern cash in detracting heavily from the original with poorer writing and characterisation leaving the viewer with an overly effected title with very little other than 2d cast members.

What unfurled was a film that will probably be controversial and split people into two camps in much the way marmite is, you'll love it or hate it.  Personally I got a lot out of it.  I liked the way we saw Deckard return, older and much wiser and the way that he and Ryan Goslings character played off of each other.

The script was solid and whilst it wasn't wall to wall action, I was more than happy with what I saw.  OK, so in places it did drag but for me, the pace needed to be worked carefully in order to do justice and bring something that many people could easily switch into having watched the original.

All round, for me, a good bit of fun and a title that will be a firm favourite earning a spot of honour on my shelves. 

BLU-RAY/DVD REVIES: Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

 

RELEASE DATE:  01//01/18
PUBLISHER:  Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

SYNOPSIS:
Johnny Rico is back! C'mon you apes, you wanna live forever?! I have only one rule. Everybody fights, no one quits. The bugs have breached Mars and the Federation's Fleet is too far to help. It's up to us to save the planet. On the bounce, Troopers! The only good bug is a dead bug! Oorah! Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer return as the voices of Johnny Rico and Dizzy Flores alongside comedian and Starship Troopers superfan DeRay Davis in an all-new military adventure from the writer of Starship Troopers and Robocop, Ed Neumeier.
Special Features

    "Traitor of Mars: Inside the Music" featurette
    "Traitor of Mars: Inside the Performance Capture" featurette
    "Traitor of Mars: Inside the Bugs and Powered Suits" featurette (exclusive to Blu-ray)
    "Expanding the Universe" featurette (exclusive to Blu-ray)
    "A Look Inside: 20 Years Later" featurette (exclusive to Blu-ray)


REVIEW:  
As a fan of the original film, I've kept up with the other releases in the series and to be honest some have been shockingly bad which sadly left me feeling quite let down, so to be frank, I wasn't expecting to much from this.

Thankfully I'm pleased to say I was more than pleasantly surprised at the whole thing.  I loved the fact that they'd brought back the original actors (although for some reason Dizzy is back when she was killed in the first film) with a solid script giving the mobile infantry the chance to do what they do best, fight and die to free Mars from an unexpected Bug Invasion.

The animation is solid, the script work fitting well and when blended with good voice acting, all round allows you to become fully immersed.  All round a very happy viewer and when you throw in the additional features, it allows you to get so much more from the whole thing.  Cracking.

BLU-RAY/DVD REVIEW: Britannia - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

RELEASE DATE:  26/03/18
PUBLISHER:  Sony Home Entertainment

SYNOPSIS:
Kelly Reilly, Zoë Wanamaker and David Morrissey star in this British drama series set in AD43. As the Roman Army prepare to destroy the Celtic land of Britannia, rival warrior women Kerra (Reilly) and Antedia (Wanamaker) find themselves working together to fight off the monstrous Aulus Plautius (Morrissey), the leader of the Roman invasion.

Special features:

    "Rome's Pagan Nightmare" Featurette
    "Bloody Birth of Britain" Featurette


REVIEW:
 I missed this series when it was originally on Sky however upon finding out about the Blu-Ray I was more than happy to indulge as I was quite impressed with the cast that they had assembled.

Whilst this isn't a true historical drama, I loved the way that they wove magic into the tale against the might of the Roman Empire.  The way that each character came across as seeking to make their own mark was also delightful with the first episode proving that the show was playing for keeps and that be you a peasant or a king/queen, everyone has to face their own reckoning.

The script was definitely interesting and whilst on the whole it worked well for me, I was a bit at a loss at times when it seemed to move quite quickly from the morose to the comical which on the whole didn't work too well for me.  Yes I could see the need to bring levity to it, yes I could see how they had to use pace to help slow things down or to pick the audience up after a brutal scene but there had to be better ways to do it.

All round, it was a series that I got into the more episodes I watched and with actors bringing their individual characters to life I was left wanting to know more, especially with the cliff hanger that the series was left on for season 2 (which as of the time of writing this has yet to be confirmed as no viewing figures have yet to be released.)  I can but hope.

BLU-RAY/DVD REVIEW: The Dark Crystal - Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

RELEASE DATE:  05/08/18
PUBLISHER:  Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

SYNOPSIS:
In another time, The Dark Crystal was the Balance and Truth in the Universe, but was destroyed dividing the world into two factions: the wicked Skeksis and the peaceful Mystics. Now as the convergence of the three suns approaches the Crystal must be healed or darkness will reign forever. It is up to Jen, the last of his race, to carry out the prophecy that a Golfing will return the missing shard of crystal and destroy the Skeksis’ evil Empire. But will Jen be up to the challenge of battling the unknown?
Special Features:

    ALL-NEW: “The Myth, Magic and Henson Legacy” featurette: Go behind the scenes of this iconic film with stories from Lisa Henson and Toby Fraud.
    Deleted Scenes
    Commentary with Brian Fraud
    Picture-in-Picture Storyboard Track
    Original Skeksis Language Scenes with Introduction by Screenwriter David Odell
    “The World of The Dark Crystal” Documentary
    “Reflections of The Dark Crystal: “Light on the Path of Creation” & “Shard of Illusion”” featurette
    Photo Galleries
    Theatrical Teaser & Trailer


REVIEW:
 OK, I have to admit my age here, but I remember seeing the trailer for this when I was young and being a Jim Henson film, thought WOW, whens it out and will my Dad take me to see it.

Well luckily for me (and my twin), he was a huge fantasy fan, had seen the trailer previously to us and made sure we saw it to gauge our reactions to see if we wanted to go (probably so he had an excuse to go like he did with all the Disney films.)

I remember the viewing with great fondness and of course whilst seeing the rich backgrounds, beautifully done puppets alongside a musical score that just transported me away to the world left me with goosebumps from beginning in to end.  But with it coming out on a Blu-Ray Anniverary Edition recently would I still be reminded of the child in the theatre or would it show its age and be something that was better left as a film seen through rose tinted glasses?

Setting down one night, with pizza, ice cold soft drinks and some Ice-cream, I prepared myself to enjoy it all over again, however I wanted to share the experience with fellow blogger Lady E, who after watching the trailer said "No way, the Skeksis are too scary."  (This coming from a lady who was raised watching Video Nasties and Romero Zombie films from the age of 8.)

So whilst she did some reading I got down to business.

When starting I was transported back to this imaginative world and whilst you can tell its an older film the clarity of the picture was wonderful, delightfully presented which when presented with equally good upgraded sound really gave me the whole experience.  OK, so the story was a bit linear and simplistic but it wasn't just about that for me.  It was the way that it brought you in, it was the magic that made you think other worlds were possible and the way that good triumphed over evil even though it seemed like a fruitless quest at the beginning.  I loved it and was pleased that my memories didn't let me down.  I can't wait to share this with my nephews and niece.

Finally add to this a whole heap of other features that will leave you wondering at not only how immersive the world was but also how they managed to achieve so much with the tech at the time and you'll have a disco to treasure that will bring joy time and again.

On a side note, if you are a huge fan of this film Netflix is promising their own Dark Crystal prequel series in 2019 which I hope will be just as good.  (Trailer below.)