Quality:

The Director's Cut of this classic Trek adventure is struck from a brand-new 4K master. As a result, the image is immaculately sharp, and is most noticeable with the model-work and sets. Most actor faces look sharp and clear, with maybe a few shots appearing soft (likely due to source issues and the way they were filmed). Grain structure is very natural-looking and organic, with minimal amounts of distracting noise. This picture looks notably darker than the '09 transfer, due to higher contrast and lower saturation inherent to the remastering. Overall, the image looks a grade cleaner and clearer than the '09 release (which had more compression noise and was maybe a tad too bright). The movie has never looked as sharp and clear as it is with this edition.

Sound quality is pretty clear and sharp. Dialogue can be rather subdued at times, but the music and sound effects are wonderful.

This edition boasts the Director's Cut of the movie, which adds just a few new scenes of dialogue and story. They are pretty short scenes, but they are effective in adding another dimension to the characters and story, and ultimately, the movie's overarching themes of death. The theatrical cut is also included. There are two commentary tracks (one for the DC, one for the TC), a text commentary, the library computer feature, a wealth of documentaries and storyboards (including a new 28-minute retrospective), and the trailer in HD. As near as I can tell, all features from the old Blu-Ray are ported over.

And yes, there are a couple of issues to be aware of: for whatever reason, there's an editing mistake in the opening scene (a shot is repeated twice, making it look like Sulu talks to Saavik without turning his head like he should in all the other editions), and there's dialogue missing from the added ladder scene (supposedly approved by the director). It's not clear at this time if a replacement program will be implemented.

The Film:

One of the best and most iconic films of the original Star Trek series. It's a gripping adventure full of tension and spectacular space battles, and it bears significant weight thanks to its phenomenal script and performances. Wrapping the story of vengeance around the fantastic premise of a life-giving machine, the movie resonates with strong themes of death, mortality, and rebirth, which gives the film significant heart and soul. Of all the Trek films I've known, this was the most...human.

Full review: http://alswritingblock.blogspot.com/2013/04/film-review-star-trek-ii-wrath-of-khan.html

Quality:

The Director's Cut of this classic Trek adventure is struck from a brand-new 4K master. As a result, the image is immaculately sharp, and is most noticeable with the model-work and sets. Most actor faces look sharp and clear, with maybe a few shots appearing soft (likely due to source issues and the way they were filmed). Grain structur... display full review

Quality:

The picture looks great - it's very sharp, clean, and colorful. Most of this film looks very orange and red by nature, but it looks organic and natural. Contrast levels are superb - the black levels are quite black, but shadow detail is rarely compromised. You can make out a ton of detail in the picture. Film grain is a very fine and natural-looking layer - it may look a little thicker in some scenes, but it's hardly problematic. Artifacts and debris might be visible if you look really really hard, but otherwise it's a very clean-looking picture. I seriously don't even remember this movie ever looking this good.

Sound quality is great - dialogue is clear, sound effects are very loud and bombastic, and music is very crisp and cool. It all sounds punchy and clean.

Extra features include a short six-minute making-of featurette in standard def. It has brief interview clips, some behind-the-scenes footage, but it's purely promotional in nature and doesn't offer much insight on the production. There's a trailer, which appears to be in high-def. What will really make this edition worthwhile will be the isolated music score - Carpenter's score is pretty badass.

This edition comes in a clear plastic case. It includes a short, colorful booklet with an essay.

The Film:

There are things to love about John Carpenter's wild west variant on vampire lore. It has cool, tough heroes, plenty of gore, plenty of action, and the actual vampires are quite monstrous. It's not always an even experience, but it does offer pretty good thrills and lots of attitude.

This film is the complete, original, uncut 108 minute version.

Quality:

The picture looks great - it's very sharp, clean, and colorful. Most of this film looks very orange and red by nature, but it looks organic and natural. Contrast levels are superb - the black levels are quite black, but shadow detail is rarely compromised. You can make out a ton of detail in the picture. Film grain is a very fine an... display full review

Quality:

Video quality looks very sharp, clean, and natural. There might be some slight grain and noise to certain scenes (mostly darker scenes, like the opening in the caves or in the cabs of the cars), but it's barely noticeable and it's probably just the way the thing was filmed. Otherwise, it's a perfect picture. You can really see all the textures clearly - the dirt, the rust, and everything. The colors are especially vibrant and vivid.

Sound quality is decent - the roaring of the car engines will definitely fill up your living room impressively. All the gunfire, explosions, and music sounds appropriately punchy and explosive. Best of all, it's a pretty even mix - the dialogue is clear, and the music doesn't drown anything out.

Extra features are decent and worth watching. The "Maximum Fury" featurette is probably the coolest thing, showing the awe-inspiring practical stunts. There is quite a wealth of raw great-looking behind-the-scenes footage here, especially in seeing how the cars wrecks looked before they were edited/processed for the film. The other featurettes are pretty fun and informative, you get to see the designing and building of the cars, there's some good words from the cast and crew, and a handful of neat deleted scenes that show more bizarre details (some of which is pretty brutal). The "Crash and Smash" feature offers a 4-minute montage of awesome behind-the-scenes footage, which might seem pointless, but I think it's awesome. It all amounts to about 90 minutes of extra stuff, and it's all pretty worthwhile.

The Film:

Mad Max: Fury Road is easily the best-looking film of the series, and it boasts the biggest and most brutal action scenes. It's a perfect example of how a simple premise can be used to tell an invoking story and craft an exhilarating experience. Best of all, it does so using the power of images and sound, just as cinema should.

Full film review is here: http://www.alswritingblock.blogspot.com/2015/05/film-review-mad-max-fury-road.html

Quality:

Video quality looks very sharp, clean, and natural. There might be some slight grain and noise to certain scenes (mostly darker scenes, like the opening in the caves or in the cabs of the cars), but it's barely noticeable and it's probably just the way the thing was filmed. Otherwise, it's a perfect picture. You can really see all the t... display full review

Quality:

Video quality looks very sharp, clean, and natural. There might be some slight grain and noise to certain scenes (mostly darker scenes, like the opening in the caves or in the cabs of the cars), but it's barely noticeable and it's probably just the way the thing was filmed. Otherwise, it's a perfect picture. You can really see all the textures clearly - the dirt, the rust, and everything. The colors are especially vibrant and vivid.

Sound quality is decent - the roaring of the car engines will definitely fill up your living room impressively. All the gunfire, explosions, and music sounds appropriately punchy and explosive. Best of all, it's a pretty even mix - the dialogue is clear, and the music doesn't drown anything out.

Extra features are decent and worth watching. The "Maximum Fury" featurette is probably the coolest thing, showing the awe-inspiring practical stunts. There is quite a wealth of raw great-looking behind-the-scenes footage here, especially in seeing how the cars wrecks looked before they were edited/processed for the film. The other featurettes are pretty fun and informative, you get to see the designing and building of the cars, there's some good words from the cast and crew, and a handful of neat deleted scenes that show more bizarre details (some of which is pretty brutal). The "Crash and Smash" feature offers a 4-minute montage of awesome behind-the-scenes footage, which might seem pointless, but I think it's awesome. It all amounts to about 90 minutes of extra stuff, and it's all pretty worthwhile.

The Best Buy exclusive Steelbook is a thing of beauty. Even though it's a matte finish, the front image/design looks so raw and awesome, but still with vibrant color and detail. Tom Hardy's head is on the back, and the inside has a picture of Max and Furiosa that looks really cool. I wish this copy had the 3D version, but for Steelbook collectors, this is a must.

The Film:

Mad Max: Fury Road is easily the best-looking film of the series, and it boasts the biggest and most brutal action scenes. It's a perfect example of how a simple premise can be used to tell an invoking story and craft an exhilarating experience. Best of all, it does so using the power of images and sound, just as cinema should.

Full film review is here: http://www.alswritingblock.blogspot.com/2015/05/film-review-mad-max-fury-road.html

Quality:

Video quality looks very sharp, clean, and natural. There might be some slight grain and noise to certain scenes (mostly darker scenes, like the opening in the caves or in the cabs of the cars), but it's barely noticeable and it's probably just the way the thing was filmed. Otherwise, it's a perfect picture. You can really see all th... display full review

Quality:

This Blu-Ray has perfect video quality. It has excellent sharpness and clear, fine detail. Colors and contrast look effectively perfect. You can see every element of the artwork very well.

This Blu-Ray features both the original Japanese language track (with optional English subtitles) and English dubbing (using a British cast, who put on a decent performance). The English track disappointed me; it sounded adequate with the music and dialogue, but most sound effects are muffled and distorted. I haven't watched the film with the Japanese track, but other reviews indicate that it is of good quality, and is likely a better mix.

Extras include storyboards, trailers, and a few interviews. A small but satisfying amount of bonus material. A DVD copy is included as well.

My copy came with a slipcover.

This release is Region-B locked in its entirety.

Film:

As expected, it's cute and imaginative. However, it does lack a certain sense of peril and spirit that made other Studio Ghibli works so endearing. It did meet my expectations and I found it mostly enjoyable. With strong artwork and animation quality, and a nice music score, the film is of apt quality.

Quality:

This Blu-Ray has perfect video quality. It has excellent sharpness and clear, fine detail. Colors and contrast look effectively perfect. You can see every element of the artwork very well.

This Blu-Ray features both the original Japanese language track (with optional English subtitles) and English dubbing (using a British cast, wh... display full review

Quality:

This Blu-Ray is great; the picture does show some extremely fine film grain, a few white specks here and there, and some very faint scratches. Most of it is barely noticeable unless you really look for it; the image overall is extremely sharp and detailed, and darn near perfect. Chances are that the grain/noise may be in the director’s intent, as is the gray and dull colors. Sound quality is awesome.

There is a plentiful amount of extras, taking up a second disc in this set.

My copy came with a slipcover.

Film:

Truly a war film for the ages. The battles are long, bloody, and intense. In between, each scene is loaded with tension and suspense. In every scene, there’s immaculate detail that showcases war (and the battle of Omaha beach specifically) in the most realistic light possible. It’s close to three hours long, but at least half of it is devoted to the incredible battle sequences. A combination of stylistic cameramanship and sound effects help immerse the audience in the shoes of the soldiers, and it has to be seen to be experienced.

The story for this is fine and dandy, and is a serviceable platform for shuffling the characters along their journey. It’s also integral for diving into some strong themes concerning the war, the human spirit, and philosophy. The film takes every intellectual advantage of the story’s nuances, and with a cast of quality characters, the film does have plenty of strengths.

One problem I have is the plausibility of the story. No way in heck would the Army risk eight men to rescue one, regardless of the circumstance. Surely, if they did this for Ryan, why not everybody else suffering from losses? Then, who would be left to fight? Singling out one soldier just never made sense to me. Incidentally, it didn’t make sense to the story’s characters either, and as they discuss and find the value in the issue, the story works in its own bizarre way.

Additionally, the scene in the middle of the film (where the soldiers charge after a target of opportunity) struck me as dumb and unnecessary. The main character became uncharacteristically arrogant at this point, and the scene overall felt out-of-place. I almost suspect that it could have been removed from the film completely. I’m also not fond of the film’s commemorative beginning and closing; it strikes me as manipulative and overly-sentimental.

Otherwise, the film is exceptionally strong. Despite some herky-jerky cameramanship, I do love the photography throughout; there are lots of intimate close-ups and interesting long-shots, they are all full of detail. Acting is really good; Tom Hanks is the man, Tom Sizemore is not bad, Edward Burns is cool, I loved Barry Pepper’s role, Matt Damon is surprisingly strong, and it’s interesting seeing Vin Diesel in the mix. Writing has a lot of interesting and bright moments. Production value is very strong, with highly-detailed and seemingly-realistic sets, props, costumes, locations, vehicles, weapons, and everything. Music is a little overly-sentimental at times, but good in other parts.

Recommended.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 5/5)

Quality:

This Blu-Ray is great; the picture does show some extremely fine film grain, a few white specks here and there, and some very faint scratches. Most of it is barely noticeable unless you really look for it; the image overall is extremely sharp and detailed, and darn near perfect. Chances are that the grain/noise may be in the director’s ... display full review

Quality:

I can detect a slight amount of jagged lines, aliasing, pixilation, and banding. But it’s very slight and small, and almost unnoticeable unless you got your face glued to the screen. It’s just a slight problem for me; the image still looks insanely sharp and clean, with good-looking colors and contrast (once again, I don’t see a problem with coloring). I seem to remember “Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children” having worse issues than this. Sound quality did not disappoint.

Extras include a commentary, a bunch of documentaries, some games, a deleted scene, and plenty of other cool stuff. My copy came with a bonus DVD copy of the film as well.

My copy also came with a slipcover.

Film:

Superheroes typically win the fight and get the girl in the end, but what happens when a supervillain succeeds? We see maybe a little bit of that scenario with “Despicable Me,” but “Megamind” throws superpowers and heroism in the mix to more effectively lampoon off of the “Superman” mythos. As a result, we get a rather intriguing premise, gracious amounts of action and eye-candy, and quite a few amusing laughs. The comedy’s nice and slappy, with plenty of funny lines. Will Ferrell’s style of humor works well for the movie. It’s quite fun overall, and I’d put it on the same level as “Monsters vs Aliens.”

The story’s pretty unique; it borrows a little from other sources, but once it gets going it develops a brilliant tale of deception and dramatic irony. The middle of the movie drags maybe a little, and the film overall feels a little hectic as it jumps from one mad situation to another, and then tossing one or two bizarre twists. But it all works out sublimely in the end. It also helps that the characters receive decent treatment with some solid emotional depth.

The film shows strong animation quality. Movements are smooth, textures rendering and lighting are great, and the overall designs are stylish. It’s similar in style and quality to “Monsters vs Aliens.” Voice-acting seems good; Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller, are all decent. Music features a lot of rock songs, which seem a little arbitrary, but usually do fit their given scenes.

4/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 4/5, film: 4/5)

Quality:

I can detect a slight amount of jagged lines, aliasing, pixilation, and banding. But it’s very slight and small, and almost unnoticeable unless you got your face glued to the screen. It’s just a slight problem for me; the image still looks insanely sharp and clean, with good-looking colors and contrast (once again, I don’t see a proble... display full review

Quality:

This Blu-Ray looks better than I thought it would. I am pleased with its sharpness and detail, which appears consistently well-defined. Some noise and grain can be seen here and there, but otherwise it looks quite clean. Colors and contrast can be pretty weak at certain spots. Sound quality was disappointing; sound effects didn’t have much impact, the dialogue was subdued in many places, and the volume was a little low overall. One part sounded a bit muffled. But otherwise, it is mostly clean and clear.

Extras include a God-awful 40-minute animated feature, a trailer, and BD-Live capability. The first release of this disc includes a digital copy and a PSN download to unlock a costume in the latest MK game. It wouldn't surprise me if future editions of this movie excluse the PSN code and DC.

Film:

Back in the 90s, I remember when the classic video game hit the markets and caused a stir. Not only did it make a huge commercial splash, but it was also quite controversial for its graphicness. I honestly never had the pleasure of playing these MK games, and in this day and age, fighting games are not my forte. But action and martial arts movies certainly are, especially when they’re based on popular video games.

The “Mortal Kombat” movie offers plenty of fun. It’s got enough fight scenes to satisfy; some are short and some are pretty cheesy, but some fights hold up really well and are a blast. It’s got some very old-school special effects that, even though appear gaudy by today’s standards, are good in concept and design. Above all, this is a film that doesn’t take itself that seriously; it’s probably an important aspect for a film with such a weak story and with so many limitations. Most of the movie’s flaws are forgivable given the tongue-in-cheek attitude, and altogether it’s not too far off from the original video game.

For better or for worse though, the story suffers tremendously. Of course, fighting games like this don’t usually have a story to draw upon, so the movie does the best it can to extrapolate the characters and tournament-themed conflict into an “Enter the Dragon”-style plot. It works for the most part, but I find it pretty darn shallow, unoriginal, and lacking in proper immersion. Some more depth to the story, characters, or environment would probably have helped.

The film shows fine photography and editing, with some interesting lighting effects. Acting is pretty hammy all around; Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is almost laughable with his facial expressions and over-zealous dialogue, and I found it hard to take Christopher Lambert seriously. But, the three main leads (Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, and Bridgette Wilson) fit their roles respectably. Writing is not terribly sophisticated at all. The production shows some limitations with its horrid CGI-graphics and some fake-looking sets and props. But, the designs are awesome and the costumes aren’t bad. Music is really smashing.

I’m sure this film will appeal to kids wanting something exciting and don’t mind something slightly cheesy. Video game fans and folks who grew up with this movie will probably get a nostalgic kick out of it too. Otherwise, I can only recommend it as a rental.

3/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 2/5, film: 3/5)

Quality:

This Blu-Ray looks better than I thought it would. I am pleased with its sharpness and detail, which appears consistently well-defined. Some noise and grain can be seen here and there, but otherwise it looks quite clean. Colors and contrast can be pretty weak at certain spots. Sound quality was disappointing; sound effects didn’t ha... display full review

Quality:
Having been shot partially on 16mm film, this movie will have a large amount of fine film grain, and a dark overall look that may appear gaudy at first glance. But it is nicely sharp and detailed throughout. At some parts, the grain clears up and looks perfect in some scenes. Altogether, it’s the best possible transfer given the movie’s source limitations and artistic intent. Sound quality sounded great to me, especially regarding the music and sound effects.

Extras include a 49-minute making-of documentary, close to a dozen short featurettes, trailers, and BD-Live and mobile features.

For this film’s initial release, it comes with a digital copy and a glossy semi-reflective slipcover. The cover art appears on both the outside and inside of the case, and could be reversible. Chances are that future pressings of this movie will omit the slipcover and DC in favor of a single-disc in a plain case.

Film:
Darren Aronofsky has made some of the most remarkable nightmares on film. Whether plunging into the mystique of numerology, the destructive wages of drug abuse, or the woes of a wrestler past his prime, Aronofsky makes films of style and intellect that are topped by very few directors, especially in this day and age. Sure enough, “Black Swan” is just as worthy of a film as the director’s previous efforts.

I felt the film started off as a typical, mild character-driven drama; lots of ladies dancing, lots of bitter rivalry and stress, but little on conflict, much less style. But toward the second half, the film became totally whack. A few visual hints are dropped in the first half, which will likely make you blink and ask yourself “did I really see that?!” In the second half, it becomes substantially more intense, the visuals become extraordinarily trippy and surreal, and all conflict reaches a proper climax. If you stick with it, the film will be engrossing and sublime, with enough emotional punch and food-for-thought to keep you intrigued and entertained. I’d say it’s about as rewarding as “Fight Club.”

The story itself is simple and straightforward; a petty drama involving ballerinas doing a bold new vision of the Swan Lake spiel. As the film goes on, it reaches deeper beneath the surface and pulls up some strong character development and refreshing thematic territory. This is very much a story about perfection, not only in the dancers’ performances, but in the sense of duality: the union between light and dark creates a perfect balance that ultimately drives the main character to confront, fight, and ultimately transform herself. Not to mention, there are also some strong themes concerning maturity, lifestyles, sexuality, obsession, and ambition. The film also manages to throw in decent helpings of paranoia, and works very effectively to toy around with the audience’s sense of understanding what’s real in the film and what isn’t. In the end, it may not be a terribly grandiose plot, but it does have great depth, and I find the central theme of corruption and duality quite elegant.

As far as the cinematography goes, I was pleased with the photography; there are some bouncy documentary-style cameras, but not nearly as many as I expected. Editing is excellent. Acting is great; Natalie Portman is perfect as Nina and Vincent Cassel is good. I usually find it hard to take Mila Kunis seriously, but she actually did a great job here. Writing seems good. Production value is high, and contains some awesome costumes and interesting sets. Clint Mansell’s use of classical music fits this movie well, and does have a few standout moments.

There are quite a few sex scenes, a few cringe-worthy moments, and a lot of dark surreal imagery, and will likely deter some viewers. But none of it is overly-graphic or gratuitous at all, and I see little reason not to recommend it to anybody.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4.5/5, film: 4.5/5, emotional impact: 3/5)

Quality:
Having been shot partially on 16mm film, this movie will have a large amount of fine film grain, and a dark overall look that may appear gaudy at first glance. But it is nicely sharp and detailed throughout. At some parts, the grain clears up and looks perfect in some scenes. Altogether, it’s the best possible transfer given the movie’s... display full review

Quality:
This Blu-Ray is sweet like forbidden fruit. The picture quality is very sharp and detailed, with hardly any sign of noise or print damage. It could almost be perfect quality, were it not for a few scenes of softness, a few scenes with haze (likely due to shooting conditions), and an overall dull color scheme that makes most scenes look pale (especially fleshtones). This could be an artistic effect. Sound quality is available only in mono, but it is serviceable; the default language track sounded clean and dialogue was distinguishable. This disc includes a multi-lingual soundtrack (English, French, Italian, presumably the way the film was originally made) and English dubbing for the whole film. Subtitles are available to translate either the foreign language parts or all of it in English.

Extras include the French version of the film in standard definition (I don’t know what the difference is between this and the main feature), a rare intro and outro narrated by Vincent Price (which is a short no-nonsense affair), and a trailer.

This disc is packaged in a nice slipcover with a front viewing window. The BD case includes two different covers on the outside and some nice inside cover art. A booklet is enclosed featuring the three original Poe short stories, an essay on the film, credits, artwork, and photos. My score for extras does not factor the booklet into consideration; if I did, the score would be a solid 4/5 instead, for it is a quality booklet and the disc packaging is nice.

Film:
This film includes three individual stories done by three different directors covering three different time periods. The first story (“Metzengerstein”) has a rather avant-garde charm, featuring a rather mean and incredibly decadent (and pretty good-lookin’) Jane Fonda, who goes on to spitefully burn down her cousin’s land before being haunted by a certain animal spirit. This story definitely had my attention at first; I think it trailed off toward the end with an ambiguous conclusion, but it does have artistic merit. It is pretty well-filmed, has a lot of interesting locations, props, sets, and motifs, and it uses some rather pleasant medieval folk music.

The second story (“William Wilson”) is probably my favorite; a diabolical tale about a wicked man being followed by his own alter ego. Rivalry between foil characters always interests me the most, so this one really stood out to me. Combined with strong cameramanship, plenty of wicked and tense scenes, and a quality production value, I totally dug this story.

The last one (“Toby Dammit”) is probably the strangest. Coming from Federico Fellini, this short story features a slightly wilder artistic style, a strong psychological aspect, and a somewhat satirical view of celebrity lifestyles that reminds me a bit of “8 1/2.” Terrence Stamp plays a neurotic celebrity actor who meets a morbid fate chasing after a ghostly girl with a bouncing ball (which he believes to be the Devil). Stamp’s acting is phenomenal here; probably the best I’ve seen from him (General Zodd can eat his heart out). Aside from a few odd artistic choices (including bizarre color schemes and eccentric imagery in the city of Rome), the film does feature solid photography and an excellent production design.

All of these stories are interesting and entertaining. A few parts in each story drag just a little, and certain scenes could probably be trimmed more. It’s not totally gothic aesthetically, but at its core I feel the films do touch upon common themes of decadence, psychological terror, and the darkness of the human spirit. All of these themes seem like fundamental elements of Poe’s work.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, stories: 4.5/5, films: 4/5)

Quality:
This Blu-Ray is sweet like forbidden fruit. The picture quality is very sharp and detailed, with hardly any sign of noise or print damage. It could almost be perfect quality, were it not for a few scenes of softness, a few scenes with haze (likely due to shooting conditions), and an overall dull color scheme that makes most scenes look ... display full review

Quality:
It looks pretty darn sharp and detailed. Grain is a little heavy, and there might have been a few specks, but most of it looks clean. Colors and contrast might be a bit iffy given the film’s dark settings and style, but I hardly consider it a problem. Some scenes toward the end looked very noisy. Sound quality is pretty good, but some dialogue seemed a little subdued.

Extras include some behind-the-scenes footage with director’s comments, two audio commentaries, some short deleted scenes, an interview with Hubert Selby, trailers of all kinds, and a bookmarking feature.

Film:
Excessive drug use inherently destroys human bodies, destroys human lives, destroys human minds, and kills human dreams. We all know it. But people habitually do it anyway. What follows is a bleak downward spiral of decay and despair.

That’s exactly what this film entails: four characters who suffer from their habitual addictions. By the end of the movie, it seeps nothing but bleakness and sorrow off the screen and really pounds it into the viewer. Combined with an extremely vivid visual style, the film has the power to grab you and stay with you long after the credits roll. It is that powerful (…at least to me).

The story is pretty simple and is populated by acceptably well-developed characters (ones who seem fairly realistic though). What makes it stand out is the presentation; the photography is vivid and always interesting to look at. Editing techniques are just as varied and wild, especially in seeing rapid-fire successions of close-up shots. The use of sound accentuates the wild visuals very well. The music is freaking epic.

By the end of this film, I was thoroughly saddened. It is definitely a bleak and sobering look at addiction and obsession, and it has affirmed my resolution to never pollute myself with drugs or meds. I would encourage everybody to watch this film at least once in your lifetime.

5/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 4.5/5, film: 5/5, emotional/intellectual impact: 4.5/5)

Quality:
It looks pretty darn sharp and detailed. Grain is a little heavy, and there might have been a few specks, but most of it looks clean. Colors and contrast might be a bit iffy given the film’s dark settings and style, but I hardly consider it a problem. Some scenes toward the end looked very noisy. Sound quality is pretty good, but some... display full review

Quality:
Looks like this show was animated in HD; the image looks darn near perfect! It’s a nice clear clean image with lots of detail and sharpness. There are no noticeable signs of compression, pixilation, or anything else. Sound quality is pleasing.

This two-disc set includes commentaries on all episodes, an amusing animated comic with optional commentary (based on one of the given episodes), a music video featuring Bender (made from previous Futurama episodes), a “Behind the Fungus: Makin’ a Hit Song” featurette, a 35-minute table read (cast and producers reading the script with the original animated storyboard; it’s amusing, but there’s a lot of laughter in the recording that hampers it a little), deleted scenes, and an episode recap.

These discs are packaged in a thin cardboard case. It has nice retro artwork with a glossy finish, but the discs are pretty flimsily held in slots in the cardboard.

Film:
After four solid seasons and four serviceable movies, “Futurama!” has had quite a turbulent run. This fifth volume features episodes from the revived televised series, and after all this time it has certainly drifted a ways from the original episodes. You can expect more zany and busy storylines, more strange wacky gags, and a little bit of gross-out humor.

But since when has that ever been a problem?

The show is still pretty darn funny, with plenty of hilarious dialogue, humorous sight gags, clever twists and turns, and lots of great parodies and homage to science fiction (classic or modern). And the show still maintains the upbeat offbeat adventurous spirit and creativity that makes the first half so much fun. Characters are still as lovable as ever before (not counting Zoidberg of course).

And to sweeten the deal, this show has clearly benefited from some upgraded animation. It shows a little more clarity and detail than before, but without going overboard or messing up the established style. Voice acting is still excellent and the music is still groovy.

Fans of the show should be pleased.

Quality:
Looks like this show was animated in HD; the image looks darn near perfect! It’s a nice clear clean image with lots of detail and sharpness. There are no noticeable signs of compression, pixilation, or anything else. Sound quality is pleasing.

This two-disc set includes commentaries on all episodes, an amusing animated comic with opt... display full review

Quality:
This film has never fared well on home video, and from what I understand it hasn’t been kept in great condition. And coming from Vivendi/Dragon Dynasty, the company that put out “The Killer” in rather substandard quality, “Hard Boiled” might not seem like a good investment for Blu-Ray.

But rest assured, the film is not that bad. It does show an awful lot of noise and grain, quite a few scratches and specks, and some rather hazy scenes. But it looks adequately clean, colors are pretty good, and sharpness is pleasing. It could certainly benefit from some cleaning up, but I was pleased for the most part. This video looks a bit cropped, as it is on other home video releases. Sound quality seems okay; the sound effects and music seem dated, but the dialogue is mostly clear.

This movie has both English and Chinese languages with optional subtitles. Subtitles translate the dubbing only (dubtitles).

This movie includes a commentary, a few interviews, and a location guide.

Film:
This is a classic essential piece of action filmmaking. It’s also one of the best (if not THE best) film John Woo has made. And it’s probably an essential piece of Hong Kong cinema. Why? Because at the very least, this film totally rocks.

The action scenes are freaking awesome and wicked! The gunfights are nonstop, the stunts are wild, the explosions are huge, and the body count is through-the roof! At times, it can be so insane and over-the-top that it might come off as cheesy. But one thing is for sure: the action is frequent and very entertaining. And with John Woo’s use of slow-motion and motifs, the visuals are stunning.

As far as the story goes, it generally works. The first half features the more dynamic investigation-plot while the second half is mostly a non-stop shoot-out. Characters have their moments throughout. But altogether, it’s a loosely-connected story. It feels like the audience is plopped in the middle of everything, and you just go with the flow.

The film has good photography throughout. Acting is good; Chow Yun Fat is practically iconic as Tequila, and the rest of the cast is brilliant too. Writing is okay. Production value seems pretty decent. Music seems pretty dated to me, but it is groovy.

Quality:
This film has never fared well on home video, and from what I understand it hasn’t been kept in great condition. And coming from Vivendi/Dragon Dynasty, the company that put out “The Killer” in rather substandard quality, “Hard Boiled” might not seem like a good investment for Blu-Ray.

But rest assured, the film is not that bad. It d... display full review

Quality:
This Blu-Ray started off with alarming quality; noisy, grainy, soft, and with iffy-looking contrast. After those first few minutes though, it started to clear up, and throughout the last 3/4ths of the movie it looked as perfectly brilliant as any other Criterion title. Sharpness and detail are phenomenal for the most part; there’s some specks and debris here and there, but the vast majority of the image is clean. Sound quality is pretty good, for it is clean and clear, but nothing really stands out beyond the dialogue.

This disc includes a vintage featurette, a series of new interviews, an hour-long documentary film, and a trailer. Comes in a Criterion plastic case with an essay booklet.

Film:
There’s not really much of a plot to this WWII POW-themed prison movie, but that doesn’t stop it from being wholly boring. From the start, the film features a fair amount of interesting (and memorable) scenes, a cast of fairly interesting characters, and a fair amount of rough brutality. For the latter, it can be frustratingly difficult understanding why certain characters are so mean-spirited. But it’s even more frustratingly difficult accepting any character as purely good or purely evil; they’re all evenly developed with depth and humanity that expresses both the harsh malice of war and the camaraderie of peace. This can make the movie rather convoluted and off-putting, but it is fitting in its own right; the film doesn’t favor one culture over another, even though the two conflict constantly (and ultimately, the differences between honorable Japanese etiquette and honorable English manners stand out as a prominent theme throughout this film).

The film is well-filmed with plenty of interesting photography, unique settings and locations, interesting color and lighting schemes, and a quality realistic-looking production value. Performances (including the talents of Tom Conti, David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Takeshi Kitano) are strong. Ruichi Sakamoto also performs the music score, which is quite interesting.

If you enjoyed “Bridge on the River Kwai” or “The Great Escape” and don’t mind seeing a similar movie with no big action scenes, this movie may satisfy you.

4/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4/5, intellectual impact: 1/5)

Quality:
This Blu-Ray started off with alarming quality; noisy, grainy, soft, and with iffy-looking contrast. After those first few minutes though, it started to clear up, and throughout the last 3/4ths of the movie it looked as perfectly brilliant as any other Criterion title. Sharpness and detail are phenomenal for the most part; there’s some ... display full review

Quality:
This Blu-Ray is like a gift from the gods. The picture quality is supremely colorful, vibrant, clean, and has excellent sharpness and detail. Sound quality is uncompressed, and it is really clear and clean, but I did have to turn the volume up quite a bit more than usual; it seems rather subdued. Some parts also seemed a bit muffled; possibly due to source issues from reinserted footage.

This Blu-Ray disc presents the extended Director’s Cut, which is nearly 200 minutes long and contains a lot of interesting new footage that’s perfectly interwoven in the movie itself. The disc also contains a number of featurettes and a trailer.

Film:
Personally, I am not familiar with the original story for the battle of Troy, so I can’t comment on how historically/mythically/culturally accurate this movie really is. Whether it’s fully embellished or not, it is a rather fun and timeless story; it is only appropriate that Hollywood should someday film it with such a high production cost and a full list of A-list actors.

This is such a film; a slick and stylish production with plenty of large-scale set-pieces, exotic-looking locations, huge battles and fight scenes, ambitious CGI effects, and a smidgeon of classic romance. The talents of Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, and even Peter O’Toole are all dispensed here. Watching “Troy” is about as rewarding of an experience as the long list of other Hollywood epics (such as "Jason and the Argonauts," or "300”), for better or for worse.

The best part about this film is that it is tremendously entertaining. Whether watching the original two-hour theatrical cut or the rather sublime three-hour director’s cut, the film is tightly paced and hardly ever dull. Battle scenes are spectacular and often times bloody. Individual fight scenes are pretty swell too. The CGI work is a little fake-looking, but still well-realized and quite slick to look at. Outside of the battles, the film is quite pretty to look at, with so many unique settings and solid camera work.

The most negative aspects about this film would likely be reserved for the pickiest of viewers. Despite the film’s quality production, it is not even comparable to the most highly-rated epics in this genre; movies like “Gladiator” and “Braveheart” can easily out-match “Troy.” After all, “Troy” does not have the same quality writing and acting, much less the same thematic prowess or emotional power. It is certainly not as immersive, deep, or insightful.

In the end, “Troy” is a polished and entertaining film. It comes recommended to most casual audiences, but those looking for full artistic valor can do better.

4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4/5, film: 4/5)

Quality:
This Blu-Ray is like a gift from the gods. The picture quality is supremely colorful, vibrant, clean, and has excellent sharpness and detail. Sound quality is uncompressed, and it is really clear and clean, but I did have to turn the volume up quite a bit more than usual; it seems rather subdued. Some parts also seemed a bit muffled; p... display full review

Quality:
As near as I can tell, it looks and sounds darn near perfect!

Extras:
This film includes a handful of neat extras (commentary, a couple of featurettes, storyboards, trailers). A DVD copy of the movie is included as a separate disc.

Film:
This film is about as much essential viewing as a Disney, Pixar, or Hayao Miyazaki film. That is to say “The Secret of Kells” is quite a good story with quality production. It is a fairly simple story, but it is relatively fresh and hardly predictable, especially with its inclusion of Celtic myth and settings.

Animation quality is strong, and very stylish (characters appear simplistically blocky, whereas the backgrounds are very intricately detailed and use a lot of interesting geometry). Voice acting and music are great. Some content may be a bit dark and intense for young children, but is not too graphic or anything. Altogether, it’s well worthwhile seeing.

Packaging:
A standard two-disc case with a slipcover. A small booklet was included in my copy, containing a stylish graphic novel.

Quality:
As near as I can tell, it looks and sounds darn near perfect!

Extras:
This film includes a handful of neat extras (commentary, a couple of featurettes, storyboards, trailers). A DVD copy of the movie is included as a separate disc.

Film:
This film is about as much essential viewing as a Disney, Pixar, or Hayao Miyazaki film. Tha... display full review

Running along similar lines to “The Running Man” and “Death Race,” “Gamer” offers some unique insight in the future of video gaming, replacing a virtual environment with a real-life one, in which gamers control actual people in either a utopia or a gruesome death match. As a cyberpunk sci-fi film, “Gamer” has some interesting ideas.

But as a movie, “Gamer” is quite the mess. The plot jumps around through several different viewpoints, and there are some parts that either don’t make sense, or are left hanging or unexplained, or must be figured out through context. It all comes together as it goes on, but at times I felt lost. And the movie’s resolution seemed weak as well. The camera is extremely shaky and goes all over the place, with lots of fast cuts. Characters are pretty average; acting is okay (though I found the bad guy a little too cheesy), and the writing seems a bit nutty at times. On the plus side, production design is decent, with good sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Action scenes are pretty decent (even if the camera goes all over the place). And the music is pretty interesting (though the use of Marylin Manson’s “Sweet Dreams” reminded me too much of “House on Haunted Hill”).

Overall, the movie is pretty bad and I wouldn’t recommend it to many people. But I did enjoy it, and I think it goes good with “The Running Man,” “Death Race,” and “Rollerball.”

The disc is of good quality. Video and sound are darn near perfect; the picture looks very sharp, clean, clear, and highly detailed. Film grain is hardly noticeable at all, but with no signs of DNR or any other alterations. Sound quality is clear and bombastic. This package includes many extras (commentaries, featurettes, and a whole bunch of interactive BD-exclusive stuff (including BD-Live)) and a digital copy.

Running along similar lines to “The Running Man” and “Death Race,” “Gamer” offers some unique insight in the future of video gaming, replacing a virtual environment with a real-life one, in which gamers control actual people in either a utopia or a gruesome death match. As a cyberpunk sci-fi film, “Gamer” has some interesting ideas.

But as a mo... display full review

We’ve all seen sci-fi films and stories where aliens come to Earth and lay down their dominance through superior technology and intellect. But in the case of “District 9,” we have something else entirely. It’s a rough and brutal film, portraying aliens not as the sleek, powerful, awe-inspiring beings from heaven. Instead, these aliens are wretched, and humans are treating them like dirt. Therein lies the strength and power of the film; it serves to showcase modern issues concerning refugee camps, shanty-towns, and social corruption, while simultaneously demonizing humanity. With themes like these, “District 9” proves to be a truly unique and thought-provoking experience.

As far as the entertainment value goes, the movie is not bad. The first half is purely rough documentary-style, with interviews and news footage cut in throughout. Then the second half resembles an actual film with lots of action (and some very gnarly violence). As such, the plot is interesting and moves at a decent pace. The story is generally not bad. Characters are alright; there are some moments where the people do appalling things or act stupid, but I believe it goes hand-in-hand with the flawed portrayal of humanity in general. Acting and writing are adequate. Photography is solid half of the time and a bit shaky at other times; it’s pretty good all around. Production design features some great sets, props, costumes, creature effects, vehicles, and weapons. Music is decent too.

This disc has good quality. Video quality is excellent for the most part; most of the movie shows strong sharpness and detail, with excellent color, contrast, and clarity. A few parts may appear fuzzier or softer due to different cameras or film stocks used for the “archival footage,” but overall, the disc offers the highest possible PQ overall. Sound quality is good (DTS-HD MA 5.1). This disc includes a number of extras (a commentary, 23 minutes of deleted scenes, documentaries, some interactive features, trailers, and more).

We’ve all seen sci-fi films and stories where aliens come to Earth and lay down their dominance through superior technology and intellect. But in the case of “District 9,” we have something else entirely. It’s a rough and brutal film, portraying aliens not as the sleek, powerful, awe-inspiring beings from heaven. Instead, these aliens are wretch... display full review

Coming from Yimou Zhang, the director of my favorite wuxia film “Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers” offers a similar visual flair and some fantastic fight sequences. I was rather pleased with the story; it’s maybe not as deep as other works, but this film is a pretty fun and engrossing adventure. Characters are decent and emotional. But the most attractive feature is the production design, which features lots of ornate and vibrantly colorful sets and costumes, and some cool weaponry. Photography is strong. Music is very lovely, and accentuates the story in a couple of scenes.

This disc is not perfect. The video is generally sharper than the DVD, but some of the forest scenes look fuzzy. Color and contrast vary; some scenes look great while others are either a bit washed-out or a bit too dark. A couple of scenes appear overly saturated. It is not a grainy picture, but it does have some fuzzy noise in a lot of scenes. Sound quality is excellent (your choice between lossless Cantonese or Dolby Digital 5.1 English dubbing with optional subtitles). Extras include only a visual effects featurette and some storyboards; many additional featurettes and commentaries from the DVD have been omitted.

Coming from Yimou Zhang, the director of my favorite wuxia film “Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers” offers a similar visual flair and some fantastic fight sequences. I was rather pleased with the story; it’s maybe not as deep as other works, but this film is a pretty fun and engrossing adventure. Characters are decent and emotional. But the most a... display full review

This was the second genuine anime film I ever watched, and even after repeated viewings I’ve been confused and confounded by it. It may be short and it may boast some cool action scenes, but for the most part it is a tight, complex, and highly cerebral thriller. The combination of philosophy, psychology, technology, and politics is often overwhelming in this film.

Only recently have I been able to understand the movie’s plot and issues, and I must say that it is a very sublime picture with some very deep issues concerning the human soul, technology, and society. For that matter, each viewing does reveal deeper meaning. On this basis, the movie not only makes for quintessential anime, but it is also an essential (and influential) piece of cyberpunk sci-fi.

The movie’s plot and characters may seem muddled, but they have nuances and complexities of their own. I do find that other features in the “Ghost in the Shell” series (namely, “Innocence,” “Stand Alone Complex,” and “Solid State Society”) offer easier storylines and more understandable characters, but they are not quite as original or distinctive as what’s in this film. The movie is slowly-paced, but has lots of interesting visuals and some brilliant action scenes. Production design features some very interesting and original sets, props, costumes, vehicles, and weapons. Music is interesting.

For better or for worse, this disc showcases the 2.0 version, which offers enhanced CGI effects to replace certain scenes, as well as an enhanced soundtrack and a new music score. These changes do offer a different color palette than the theatrical cut, and the image overall looks cleaner, sharper, and more detailed. Above all, it is visually and conceptually more compatible with other features in the “Ghost in the Shell” series.

This disc offers decent quality. The video looks very clean, with excellent color and contrast. It is sharp with plenty of details; textures are strong and pencil lines are thin. I saw no signs of visual noise, pixilation, or aliasing. The only issue worth noting is that some scenes may have bright auras, but this is notably less intrusive on Blu-Ray than it is on DVD. A few scenes showed some slight banding as well. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 6.1, lossless), and you have a choice between English dubbing and the original Japanese, with optional subtitles. Extras include a making-of feature, character profiles, creator biographies, and a trailer.

One of the special features is the original theatrical cut of the movie. Video quality on the original film in 1080i is notably weaker, for it shows greater pixilation, aliasing, and film artifacts. Colors are also more washed-out, but some colors are notably different than the 2.0 version (more blues and greens in certain scenes). Regardless, it is still a sharp and clean image. Sound quality is good, and it has the same language and subtitle options as the 2.0 feature

This was the second genuine anime film I ever watched, and even after repeated viewings I’ve been confused and confounded by it. It may be short and it may boast some cool action scenes, but for the most part it is a tight, complex, and highly cerebral thriller. The combination of philosophy, psychology, technology, and politics is often overwhel... display full review

Anybody remember that Italian war movie from the 70s with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson? They had ridiculously over-the-top shoot-outs and naked Nazi women firing machine guns! Anyone? No?

Well, Quentin Tarantino has taken the theme and topic of that silly film and turned it into something of his own. “Inglourious Basterds” doesn’t quite have as much Nazi-killing as I expected, but it excels brilliantly with its plot, story, characters, dialogue, acting, cameramanship, and music selection. It is a bit strange perhaps, with some absurdity, but it is all earnest, original, and of decent quality. There are a couple of bloody brutal parts, but it’s never over-done. There are some funny parts too, but it’s also never over-done. Additionally, the movie has some interesting cultural/historical references and homages. Most of it even serves as a film about film and filmmaking, as the plot has a lot to do with a cinema. If you liked Tarantino’s other work (especially “Pulp Fiction,” which has a plot structure similar to “Inglourious Basterds”) of it you want to see a war drama of a different nature, check this one out by all means.

The disc has superb quality. The video looks incredibly sharp, clean, clear, and vivid; I saw no problems worth mentioning. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 5.1). It includes numerous extras, and a digital copy. Comes with a slipcover.

Anybody remember that Italian war movie from the 70s with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson? They had ridiculously over-the-top shoot-outs and naked Nazi women firing machine guns! Anyone? No?

Well, Quentin Tarantino has taken the theme and topic of that silly film and turned it into something of his own. “Inglourious Basterds” doesn’t quite have ... display full review

Anybody remember that Italian war movie from the 70s with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson? They had ridiculously over-the-top shoot-outs and naked Nazi women firing machine guns! Anyone? No?

Well, Quentin Tarantino has taken the theme and topic of that silly film and turned it into something of his own. “Inglourious Basterds” doesn’t quite have as much Nazi-killing as I expected, but it excels brilliantly with its plot, story, characters, dialogue, acting, cameramanship, and music selection. It is a bit strange perhaps, with some absurdity, but it is all earnest, original, and of decent quality. There are a couple of bloody brutal parts, but it’s never over-done. There are some funny parts too, but it’s also never over-done. Additionally, the movie has some interesting cultural/historical references and homages. Most of it even serves as a film about film and filmmaking, as the plot has a lot to do with a cinema. If you liked Tarantino’s other work (especially “Pulp Fiction,” which has a plot structure similar to “Inglourious Basterds”) of it you want to see a war drama of a different nature, check this one out by all means.

The disc has superb quality. The video looks incredibly sharp, clean, clear, and vivid; I saw no problems worth mentioning. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 5.1). It includes numerous extras. This disc is region-free.

Anybody remember that Italian war movie from the 70s with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson? They had ridiculously over-the-top shoot-outs and naked Nazi women firing machine guns! Anyone? No?

Well, Quentin Tarantino has taken the theme and topic of that silly film and turned it into something of his own. “Inglourious Basterds” doesn’t quite have ... display full review

Anybody remember that Italian war movie from the 70s with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson? They had ridiculously over-the-top shoot-outs and naked Nazi women firing machine guns! Anyone? No?

Well, Quentin Tarantino has taken the theme and topic of that silly film and turned it into something of his own. “Inglourious Basterds” doesn’t quite have as much Nazi-killing as I expected, but it excels brilliantly with its plot, story, characters, dialogue, acting, cameramanship, and music selection. It is a bit strange perhaps, with some absurdity, but it is all earnest, original, and of decent quality. There are a couple of bloody brutal parts, but it’s never over-done. There are some funny parts too, but it’s also never over-done. Additionally, the movie has some interesting cultural/historical references and homages. Most of it even serves as a film about film and filmmaking, as the plot has a lot to do with a cinema. If you liked Tarantino’s other work (especially “Pulp Fiction,” which has a plot structure similar to “Inglourious Basterds”) of it you want to see a war drama of a different nature, check this one out by all means.

The disc has superb quality. The video looks incredibly sharp, clean, clear, and vivid; I saw no problems worth mentioning. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 5.1). It includes numerous extras. This disc is region-free. This limited-edition package comes in wide slipcase that features the disc in a plain European-sized BD plastic case and several thick postcards.

Anybody remember that Italian war movie from the 70s with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson? They had ridiculously over-the-top shoot-outs and naked Nazi women firing machine guns! Anyone? No?

Well, Quentin Tarantino has taken the theme and topic of that silly film and turned it into something of his own. “Inglourious Basterds” doesn’t quite have ... display full review

“Fight Club” is a strange, wild, dark, perverse, and perhaps offensive decent into chaos. And that can be either good or bad, depending in your sensibilities. Many critics seem to have been thoroughly divided by this film.

But everywhere I go, I seem to hear nothing but good things about it from friends and strangers alike. I have to agree with them; I think this movie has more good things than bad. It is a mesmerizing story with lots of memorable moments (both funny and dramatic), and it is well-developed. It has some interesting thought-provoking content, including some comments and themes about consumerism and capitalism. With a seemingly nonsensical twist toward the end, the plot makes sense in its own way (and seems really sublime on repeated viewings). Characters are strong; the narrative is very interesting and there are a lot of memorable lines. Acting and writing are excellent. There are some interesting special effects, most of which hold up to this day. Photography is solid, and the editing style is interesting. It all works together to create some distinctive imagery. Production design (sets, props, costumes, sets) is excellent. Music is really interesting (performed by the Dust Brothers).

This disc has awesome quality. The picture is very sharp and detailed, with excellent color and contrast. There is a fine layer of film grain; it is noticeable and noisy in some scenes, but detracts very little from the image overall. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 5.1), with a few of the more exciting scenes being really loud and the rest of the movie being clear and solid. This disc includes lots of extras, including a few commentaries, some featurettes and deleted scenes ported over from the old DVD release, and a couple of new features (some awards footage and something that lets you fiddle around with the sound mixing on select scenes). My copy came with a cool slipcover that can fold open.

There is also a nice little gag with the menu screen. If you put the disc in your player and you see a menu screen appearing for a romantic comedy called “Never Been Kissed,” don’t panic. The screen will flicker, and the real menu will appear. Bet you thought it was a manufacturing error, didn’t you?

I am Jack’s joyous satisfaction.

“Fight Club” is a strange, wild, dark, perverse, and perhaps offensive decent into chaos. And that can be either good or bad, depending in your sensibilities. Many critics seem to have been thoroughly divided by this film.

But everywhere I go, I seem to hear nothing but good things about it from friends and strangers alike. I have to agree wi... display full review

I’m not largely familiar with the original comic books, so I don’t know how this anime compares to it (it is rather different than the old TV show). On its own merits, however, this show is pretty darn fun. The story is interesting, easy to follow, and has some likable heartfelt characters (some of which have very big…ahem…fan service…). Action is frequent enough, and quite wicked in a lot of scenes. Production design features lots of cool weapons, costumes, settings, props, and stuff like that. Animation quality is good. Music is not bad.

This disc set is not a bad deal. Video quality is sharp, clean, and has excellent color and contrast. On close inspection, banding and aliasing are apparent, but it’s mostly unobtrusive. Sound quality is not bad (Dolby TrueHD 5.1 for English and Dolby Digital 2.0 for Japanese, with subtitles available). Includes the same extras as the previous DVD release (which includes loads of interviews, featurettes, and trailers). This three-disc set comes in two standard BD cases housed in a thin board box (with some rather nice cover art).

I’m not largely familiar with the original comic books, so I don’t know how this anime compares to it (it is rather different than the old TV show). On its own merits, however, this show is pretty darn fun. The story is interesting, easy to follow, and has some likable heartfelt characters (some of which have very big…ahem…fan service…). Action ... display full review

Since this film’s release, I’ve seen it about four times or more, and I don’t even know why. It’s really not as action-packed as I expected, and the story is kinda weak. However, I find myself attracted to the slow mesmerizing pace, the nifty wuxia-style special effects, the few good action scenes, and above all the touching relationship between Elektra and the little girl Abby. Combined with decent photography, a unique color scheme, passable acting and writing, and an alright music score, I found the movie overall to be entertaining when the mood strikes me.

The disc is a good deal though. The video is very sharp with superb contrast. Colors can be a bit muted, but I think that’s an intentional effect. Film grain is fine and prevalent, especially in some of the darker indoor shots. For the most part, it is a clean image with lots of fine detail. Sound quality is decent (DTs-HD MA 5.1). Includes the same extras as the two-disc DVD. The movie is region free. My copy came with a slipcover.

Since this film’s release, I’ve seen it about four times or more, and I don’t even know why. It’s really not as action-packed as I expected, and the story is kinda weak. However, I find myself attracted to the slow mesmerizing pace, the nifty wuxia-style special effects, the few good action scenes, and above all the touching relationship between ... display full review

This turned out to be a pretty good, fun flick. I found it predictable at times, and it’s not quite as funny as Sam Raimi’s other horror films (like the “Evil Dead” films), but it carries the same over-the-top absurdity and creepiness. It has a decent story with quite an ironic twist that serves as the movie’s ultimate punchline. Characters are decent enough and enjoyable to watch; writing and acting are great. Photography is solid. Production design (sets, props, costumes, monsters) are good. Special effects are a little fake-looking, but still well-developed and imaginative. Music is good.

The disc has good quality. Video quality is very sharp, clean, and detailed. Color and contrast are excellent. Sound quality is good (DTS-HD 5.1), if not very loud during the frightening parts. This disc includes only some production video dairies, BD-Live stuff, and a digital copy as extras. The theatrical and unrated cuts are included on the disc (I don’t know what all the differences are, especially since they both have the same runtime, but comparing one bloody scene showed a bit more blood in the unrated cut). My copy came with a nice-looking slipcover.

This turned out to be a pretty good, fun flick. I found it predictable at times, and it’s not quite as funny as Sam Raimi’s other horror films (like the “Evil Dead” films), but it carries the same over-the-top absurdity and creepiness. It has a decent story with quite an ironic twist that serves as the movie’s ultimate punchline. Characters are ... display full review

I was initially under-whelmed by this film. I think because the trailer was misleading; even though the number 23 becomes an obsession with the main character, the movie itself never really explores the numerology or significance of the number, except in one short scene. Most of the film is a psychological mystery thriller, focusing more on a strange novel the main character finds.

On its own merits, however, “The Number 23” is not a bad mystery at all, and actually has a decent twist at the end. The story and characters are decent. It’s a little hard to take Jim Carrey seriously, but he still does an okay job acting. Writing is decent. Photography is very good, and there are a lot of unique images and motifs throughout the film. Production design (sets, props, costumes) is good. Music is really good too.

The disc is decent. Video quality is a bit grainy. It is sharp and detailed. Colors are vibrant and contrast is good. Sound quality is good (DTS-HD 6.1). This disc includes both the theatrical cut and the unrated cut (not sure what the difference really is). Extras include a bunch of featurettes (some of which are viewed with the movie), a commentary, and deleted scenes.

I was initially under-whelmed by this film. I think because the trailer was misleading; even though the number 23 becomes an obsession with the main character, the movie itself never really explores the numerology or significance of the number, except in one short scene. Most of the film is a psychological mystery thriller, focusing more on a str... display full review

BloodRayne
Movie: 3 Video: 4 Audio: 3 Extras: 2 Overall: 3

I’ve always enjoyed “BloodRayne” as a sort of guilty pleasure. The gnarly blood, guts, gore, and nudity are enough to satisfy. I felt that the story and characters are acceptable as well, but are still nothing to scream about. Photography is pretty good, production design (sets, props, costumes, locations) are not too bad either. Creature and make-up effects are decent. Music is not bad.

That’s about it; everything else about this movie is rather poor. Fight scenes are awkwardly coordinated. Acting is pretty bad (despite the presence of such reputable actors as Ben Kingsley, Billy Zane, and Michael Madsen) and the writing is simple. Characters are weakly developed. The story seems overly formulatic; it just goes from one scene to another without much exposition or explanation. Pacing is a little screwy, as some parts are action-packed and other parts are dull. All in all, this is not a quality film by any means. And as a video-game adaptation, it is something of a failure, since nothing in this film resembles the original game (except in name and general appearance).

This disc is okay. The video is clean and has detail, but appears soft, as if it has been digitally processed with DNR. Film grain is largely absent. Color and contrast are not bad though. Sound quality is okay. This disc includes the same extras as the original DVD (interviews, behind-the-scenes stuff, deleted scenes, VFX comparisons, and a commentary in English), plus a commentary in German. These extras are in PAL and can only be accessed with a player that can support PAL playback. The movie itself is region-free. It is the original R-rated theatrical cut only (the unrated version can be found on DVD, and has a bit more gore).

BloodRayne 2: Deliverance
Movie: 0.5 Video: 2.5 Audio: 3 Extras: 1.5 Overall: 2

While I enjoy the first “BloodRayne” as a mindless romp of blood and gore, this second film has absolutely nothing going for it. Fight scenes are rare in this film, and there is absolutely no blood, guts, sex, or nudity to be found anywhere (those were the things that made the first film enjoyable!). Combined with an overly long and boring plotline, this movie is dull all around. Characters are mostly unremarkable, except maybe for the bad guy (played well by Zach Ward). Acting is pretty bad and silly. Photography is terrible; it shakes around in most scenes, in really weird ways sometimes. Production design (sets, props, costumes) seems poor. Music is okay.

This disc is kinda crummy. The video has a lot of film grain all over the place, and at times, it intensifies to the point where white specks become visible. This makes the image very gaudy and ugly all around. Color and contrast are weak; most scenes look overly dark, gray, and drab. Sound quality is okay. Includes a few extras (deleted scenes, interviews, same as the DVD I believe). These extras are in PAL and can only be accessed with a player that can support PAL playback. The movie itself is region-free. It is the original R-rated theatrical cut only (the unrated version can be found on DVD, but I don’t know what the differences are).

Both of these movies come in a standard BD case that holds two discs.

BloodRayne
Movie: 3 Video: 4 Audio: 3 Extras: 2 Overall: 3

I’ve always enjoyed “BloodRayne” as a sort of guilty pleasure. The gnarly blood, guts, gore, and nudity are enough to satisfy. I felt that the story and characters are acceptable as well, but are still nothing to scream about. Photography is pretty good, production design (s... display full review

While I enjoy the first “BloodRayne” as a mindless romp of blood and gore, this second film has absolutely nothing going for it. Fight scenes are rare in this film, and there is absolutely no blood, guts, sex, or nudity to be found anywhere (those were the things that made the first film enjoyable!). Combined with an overly long and boring plotline, this movie is dull all around. Characters are mostly unremarkable, except maybe for the bad guy (played well by Zach Ward). Acting is pretty bad and silly. Photography is terrible; it shakes around in most scenes, in really weird ways sometimes. Production design (sets, props, costumes) seems poor. Music is okay.

This disc is kinda crummy. The video has a lot of film grain all over the place, and at times, it intensifies to the point where white specks become visible. This makes the image very gaudy and ugly all around. Color and contrast are weak; most scenes look overly dark, gray, and drab. Sound quality is okay. Includes a few extras (deleted scenes, interviews, same as the DVD I believe). These extras are in PAL and can only be accessed with a player that can support PAL playback. The movie itself is region-free. It is the original R-rated theatrical cut only (the unrated version can be found on DVD, but I don’t know what the differences are).

While I enjoy the first “BloodRayne” as a mindless romp of blood and gore, this second film has absolutely nothing going for it. Fight scenes are rare in this film, and there is absolutely no blood, guts, sex, or nudity to be found anywhere (those were the things that made the first film enjoyable!). Combined with an overly long and boring plotli... display full review

I’ve always enjoyed “BloodRayne” as a sort of guilty pleasure. The gnarly blood, guts, gore, and nudity are enough to satisfy. I felt that the story and characters are acceptable as well, but are still nothing to scream about. Photography is pretty good, production design (sets, props, costumes, locations) are not too bad either. Creature and make-up effects are decent. Music is not bad.

That’s about it; everything else about this movie is rather poor. Fight scenes are awkwardly coordinated. Acting is pretty bad (despite the presence of such reputable actors as Ben Kingsley, Billy Zane, and Michael Madsen) and the writing is simple. Characters are weakly developed. The story seems overly formulatic; it just goes from one scene to another without much exposition or explanation. Pacing is a little screwy, as some parts are action-packed and other parts are dull. All in all, this is not a quality film by any means. And as a video-game adaptation, it is something of a failure, since nothing in this film resembles the original game (except in name and general appearance).

This disc is okay. The video is clean and has detail, but appears soft, as if it has been digitally processed with DNR. Film grain is largely absent. Color and contrast are not bad though. Sound quality is okay. This disc includes the same extras as the original DVD (interviews, behind-the-scenes stuff, deleted scenes, VFX comparisons, and a commentary in English), plus a commentary in German. These extras are in PAL and can only be accessed with a player that can support PAL playback. The movie itself is region-free. It is the original R-rated theatrical cut only (the unrated version can be found on DVD, and has a bit more gore).

I’ve always enjoyed “BloodRayne” as a sort of guilty pleasure. The gnarly blood, guts, gore, and nudity are enough to satisfy. I felt that the story and characters are acceptable as well, but are still nothing to scream about. Photography is pretty good, production design (sets, props, costumes, locations) are not too bad either. Creature and m... display full review

Hero
Movie: 5 Video: 4.5 Audio: 3.5 Extras: 3.5 Overall: 4.5

“Hero” is my current favorite wuxia martial arts film. The biggest reason is that the film is absolutely gorgeous. Movements in each fight scene are graceful, and combined with imagery that is stunning. It is really awe-inspiring to see these characters floating around over a crystal-clear lake, or with a flowing stream of autumn leaves behind them.

Aside from the fighting (which is frequent and awesome), the movie also features an interesting story. It can be a bit confusing, especially since it tells one account and then discounts it with another (much like what “Rashomon” did). Characters are not bad; there is a great sense of tragedy and emotion from them, but they are not terribly well-developed either. Photography is excellent. Production design (sets, props, costumes) is excellent and very interesting (especially since most scenes use a specific color scheme). Music is pleasant too.

I was pleased with this disc’s quality. The video looks sharp, clean, and clear. Color and contrast are excellent. Film grain is fine and unobtrusive. Sound quality is good (your choice between English DTS-HD 5.1 or a few other languages (including the original Mandarin) in 5.1 Dolby Digital). This disc includes a few featurettes, and some storyboards as extras.

Iron Monkey
Movie: 4 Video: 3.5 Audio: 3.5 Extras: 1.5 Overall: 3.5

I wasn’t expecting much out of “Iron Monkey,” but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable romp. It’s almost like a “Robin Hood” type of story, only with frequent fight scenes (which are quite fun to watch) and some rather silly comedy (which is quite funny). It is very well-filmed, and the acting and writing are decent. Production design (sets, props, costumes) is excellent. Music is not bad.

I was pleased with this disc’s quality. The picture quality is not bad for the most part; it is quite sharp. There is a fine layer of film grain. Color and contrast are good most of the time, but there are a few parts where contrast becomes hazy (including one scene where everything is colored blue). There are some film artifacts here and there sometimes. Sound quality is decent and balanced (your choice between English DTS-HD, original Chinese 5.1 Dolby Digital, or Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). This disc includes just a couple of interviews as extras.

Legend of the Drunken Master
Movie: 3.5 Video: 3 Audio: 3 Extras: 1.5 Overall: 3

I’m usually not wild about Jackie Chan, but “Legend of the Drunken Master” is actually not bad. The comedy is pretty decent and funny at times. Characters are likable, and the story is okay. Fight scenes are pretty darn cool too. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all good too.

This disc has okay quality. The video looks rather soft. The transfer is mostly clean, but on close inspection, there are quite a few film artifacts. Color and contrast vary; sometimes it looks great and other times it looks dull. Sound quality is average (your choice between English DTS-HD 5.1, the original Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital, or Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). This disc includes just an interview as an extra.

Zatoichi
Movie: 3.5 Video: 3.5 Audio: 3.5 Extras: 2.5 Overall 3.5

This is an interesting film. “Zatoichi” features a very good cast of characters and enough decently bloody fight scenes to keep it exciting. But it is a bit of a long, slowly-paced drama, and the story seems rather muddled. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all good.

This disc has okay quality. The picture looks a bit soft due to digital processing. It is clean and detailed, with good color and contrast. Sound quality is good (your choice between English DTS-HD 5.1, the original Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital, or Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). This disc includes a documentary and a couple of interviews as extras.

Hero
Movie: 5 Video: 4.5 Audio: 3.5 Extras: 3.5 Overall: 4.5

“Hero” is my current favorite wuxia martial arts film. The biggest reason is that the film is absolutely gorgeous. Movements in each fight scene are graceful, and combined with imagery that is stunning. It is really awe-inspiring to see these characters floating around ove... display full review

I’m usually not wild about Jackie Chan, but “Legend of the Drunken Master” is actually not bad. The comedy is pretty decent and funny at times. Characters are likable, and the story is okay. Fight scenes are pretty darn cool too. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all good too.

This disc has okay quality. The video looks rather soft. The transfer is mostly clean, but on close inspection, there are quite a few film artifacts. Color and contrast vary; sometimes it looks great and other times it looks dull. Sound quality is average (your choice between English DTS-HD 5.1, the original Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital, or Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). This disc includes just an interview as an extra.

I’m usually not wild about Jackie Chan, but “Legend of the Drunken Master” is actually not bad. The comedy is pretty decent and funny at times. Characters are likable, and the story is okay. Fight scenes are pretty darn cool too. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all good too.

This disc has okay quality. ... display full review

This is an interesting film. “Zatoichi” features a very good cast of characters and enough decently bloody fight scenes to keep it exciting. But it is a bit of a long, slowly-paced drama, and the story seems rather muddled. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all good.

This disc has okay quality. The picture looks a bit soft due to digital processing. It is clean and detailed, with good color and contrast. Sound quality is good (your choice between English DTS-HD 5.1, the original Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital, or Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). This disc includes a documentary and a couple of interviews as extras.

This is an interesting film. “Zatoichi” features a very good cast of characters and enough decently bloody fight scenes to keep it exciting. But it is a bit of a long, slowly-paced drama, and the story seems rather muddled. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all good.

This disc has okay quality. The picture ... display full review

I wasn’t expecting much out of “Iron Monkey,” but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable romp. It’s almost like a “Robin Hood” type of story, only with frequent fight scenes (which are quite fun to watch) and some rather silly comedy (which is quite funny). It is very well-filmed, and the acting and writing are decent. Production design (sets, props, costumes) is excellent. Music is not bad.

I was pleased with this disc’s quality. The picture quality is not bad for the most part; it is quite sharp. There is a fine layer of film grain. Color and contrast are good most of the time, but there are a few parts where contrast becomes hazy (including one scene where everything is colored blue). There are some film artifacts here and there sometimes. Sound quality is decent and balanced (your choice between English DTS-HD, original Chinese 5.1 Dolby Digital, or Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). This disc includes just a couple of interviews as extras.

I wasn’t expecting much out of “Iron Monkey,” but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable romp. It’s almost like a “Robin Hood” type of story, only with frequent fight scenes (which are quite fun to watch) and some rather silly comedy (which is quite funny). It is very well-filmed, and the acting and writing are decent. Production design (sets, p... display full review

“Hero” is my current favorite wuxia martial arts film. The biggest reason is that the film is absolutely gorgeous. Movements in each fight scene are graceful, and combined with imagery that is stunning. It is really awe-inspiring to see these characters floating around over a crystal-clear lake, or with a flowing stream of autumn leaves behind them.

Aside from the fighting (which is frequent and awesome), the movie also features an interesting story. It can be a bit confusing, especially since it tells one account and then discounts it with another (much like “Rashomon” did). Characters are not bad; there is a great sense of tragedy and emotion from them, but they are not terribly well-developed either. Photography is excellent. Production design (sets, props, costumes) is excellent and very interesting (especially since most scenes use a specific color scheme). Music is pleasant too.

I was pleased with this disc’s quality. The video looks sharp, clean, and clear; moreso than I expected. Color and contrast are excellent. Film grain is fine and unobtrusive. Sound quality is good (your choice between English DTS-HD 5.1 or a few other languages (including the original Mandarin) in 5.1 Dolby Digital). This disc includes a few featurettes, and some storyboards as extras.

“Hero” is my current favorite wuxia martial arts film. The biggest reason is that the film is absolutely gorgeous. Movements in each fight scene are graceful, and combined with imagery that is stunning. It is really awe-inspiring to see these characters floating around over a crystal-clear lake, or with a flowing stream of autumn leaves behind t... display full review

Even though it is probably too early to tell, this film’s story looks pretty similar to the upcoming film “Avatar,” but combined with the style of the “Star Wars: Clone Wars” series. I was expecting something childish and silly from “Battle for Terra,” but I was quite surprised to find it as an earnest, original, somewhat thought-provoking work of sci-fi. It might even be a bit heavy for younger kids; I’d recommend this film best for older kids, sci-fi fans, and fans of CGI-animation.

The story is pretty good; maybe not 100% original, as some parts remind me of other sci-fi stories, as well as other films (one scene reminded me of “A Bug’s Life”), but it is still has an even balance between being entertaining and smart. There are some slick action scenes, but most of this film focuses on the characters, the ideas, and exploring an alien environment. There are some anti-war themes involved (I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be an Iraq-war allegory, or a reference to civilization’s constant clashes with other cultures, or both). Characters are quite good; maybe not deeply developed, but it is still easy to relate to them. Writing is pretty simple, but it is effective enough (the story seems best told through the visuals and the characters’ expressions, which are all quite good). Voice-acting is good, and features a decent cast. Photography is solid in this film. Animation quality is top-notch; movements are smooth and natural-looking. There are plenty of details in textures and settings; lighting effects look really good. Production design (sets, props, costumes, aliens, vehicles, etc) is excellent, original, and imaginative. Some imagery is really creative; the opening space scenes are quite beautiful. And the music score is pretty decent too.

One could nitpick about a lot of things though. It is a short, simple movie. The aliens talk in English all the way though, even though they are supposed to have their own language. They also do a lot of things that are the exact same as humans (like going to school, or sitting in chairs and eating dinners on plates and stuff); I think the point of this is to show that they are no different than humans. And how does a set of gears drive a spaceship anyway? To me though, these are all minor issues that can be easily overlooked. Some folks may be put off by them though.

The disc has perfect quality; I could not find any faults with the video or sound (sound is actually uncompressed PCM HD). They are very clear, clean, sharp, and balanced. This disc includes some extras (a featurette, storyboards, a commentary, an animatic, deleted scenes, and a trailer).

Even though it is probably too early to tell, this film’s story looks pretty similar to the upcoming film “Avatar,” but combined with the style of the “Star Wars: Clone Wars” series. I was expecting something childish and silly from “Battle for Terra,” but I was quite surprised to find it as an earnest, original, somewhat thought-provoking work o... display full review

I practically grew up with this gnarly, campy, fun series of freaky shorts. All five tales are good stories filled with decent characters, memorable lines, and good (albeit over-the-top) acting. I wouldn’t call any of it scary or creepy; it’s more like a popcorn flick, and it runs along similar lines to the “Tales from the Crypt” TV show. Photography is solid (and sometimes a bit wild), and production design (sets, props, costumes) is good. Make-up and creature effects are really good. Music is pretty weird.

The disc has okay quality. The video quality is the best I’ve seen it ever, for it is quite sharp most of the time. But it still has a lot of film artifacts, and some parts are a bit soft. There is a fine and noticeable layer of film grain. Sound quality has never been great for this movie either; balance is good, but otherwise, it’s nothing that will blow you away or anything. The only extra is a trailer.

I practically grew up with this gnarly, campy, fun series of freaky shorts. All five tales are good stories filled with decent characters, memorable lines, and good (albeit over-the-top) acting. I wouldn’t call any of it scary or creepy; it’s more like a popcorn flick, and it runs along similar lines to the “Tales from the Crypt” TV show. Photog... display full review

Naturally, this obscure CGI-animated flick doesn’t quite beat out other higher-profile films (like anything by Pixar, or some of the Fox features, or whatnot). “Igor” would rank on the lower end of the scale.

On its own merits though, this films is not bad at all. It features a fun story that’s easy to follow. Even though a couple of plot twists are predictable, other parts are rather unexpected, and therefore quite funny. Comedy is pretty frequent, light-hearted, and funny (despite the morbid overtones of the settings). Some parts may be a bit much for young children; expect some animated violence and grotesqueness (rated PG); it’s like a mix between “Looney Tunes” and the “Addams Family.” This story also capitalizes well on cameos and parodies of classic movie monsters and horror clichés. And on top of all that, the movie has some strong themes worth thinking about. The characters are pretty fun and show a decent amount of emotion, but they are not exceptionally deep either. Animation style and quality is funky, but distinctive (reminds me a lot of “Dragon Hunters”). Production design (sets, props, costumes, monsters) is good and creative. Music is pretty good (some jazz and oldies on the soundtrack).

The disc has practically perfect quality. The video is sharp, clear, and highly detailed. Color and contrast are excellent. I saw no aliasing or pixilation worth mentioning. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD 5.1). This disc includes a few extras (a commentary, an alternate opening, and an art gallery).

Naturally, this obscure CGI-animated flick doesn’t quite beat out other higher-profile films (like anything by Pixar, or some of the Fox features, or whatnot). “Igor” would rank on the lower end of the scale.

On its own merits though, this films is not bad at all. It features a fun story that’s easy to follow. Even though a couple of plot twis... display full review

This season of “Lost” has a fair amount of suspense, action, mysteries, and drama. I don’t think it’s as intense as the last season (which was great IMO), for this season tends to drag a little, and it gets a bit convoluted. It is especially frustrating that many characters wind up lying and deceiving each other, and so many mysteries are uncovered but never solved (including the motivations of “The Others;” I keep asking myself “why are they all being such jerks?!).

With all that being said, the show still has decent characters and an interesting story. There are a lot of interesting scenes and insightful backgrounds. The season finale is quite an interesting twist as well. Photography, production design (sets, props, costumes), and music are all still excellent.

The disc has perfect quality. Video is sharp, clean, and highly detailed. Color and contrast are superb. Sound quality is excellent. This set includes a bunch of extras (documentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers, commentaries, interactive features, and the handy SeasonPlay which saves your spot when you stop the show (although SeasonPlay works a little better in the first two seasons)). My copy came in a thick plastic case (its not quite as sturdy as the last two seasons; this case has holders that tend to pop out, and it is a little harder to close). No slipcover was included (I believe slipcovers for this show are becoming rare for some reason), but it did come with a little booklet.

This season of “Lost” has a fair amount of suspense, action, mysteries, and drama. I don’t think it’s as intense as the last season (which was great IMO), for this season tends to drag a little, and it gets a bit convoluted. It is especially frustrating that many characters wind up lying and deceiving each other, and so many mysteries are uncover... display full review