LOST
The Complete Second Season, Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Dominic Monaghan, Terry O’Quinn
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date: June 16, 2009

I didn’t start watching Lost until the second season was underway. All I knew about it before then was that everyone who watched the show was on the edge of their seats talking about numbers and hatches and “others.” All I saw was some people staring down a metal shaft with confused looks on their faces. Oh how little I knew back then.

Things really change in the second season. The survivors learn a lot more about the history of the island, the Dharma Initiative, and “The Others.” The writers also found a plausible way to introduce several new characters into the series as we see what happened to the people in the tail end of the plane (though off camera issues would result in many of the having short lived stints on the show.) We also get to meet Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick), the man whose fate is intricately tied to the island and who knows what caused the crash of Oceanic 815 in the first place. Then there’s ‘Henry Gale’ (Michael Emerson), possibly the best addition to a TV show’s cast… ever.

Season two also showed the first signs of weakness in the show’s writing. While entertaining, some episodes seem to drag on, rehashing the same plot over and over in an attempt to fill in the gaps between the first and last episodes [...]

LOST
The Complete First Season, Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Dominic Monaghan, Terry O’Quinn
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date: June 16, 2009

Remember when the average Lost episode had a plot about finding drinkable water, shelter, and learning which survivors could hunt and which could help build shelter? Those were the days, the days before the average plot revolved around time traveling, ageless strangers, ancient Egyptian statues, and electromagnetic anomalies.

There’s nothing wrong with the new seasons of Lost, but even the most dedicated fans must admit the show’s plot has become increasingly complex over the years. The first season is possibly the only season Lost writers could refer to as “simple.” After all, this is a season where an entire episode is dedicated to looking for Sun’s (Yunjin Kim) missing wedding ring. Lost was the first TV series to be released on Blu-Ray, but they started with Season 3. So now they’ve gone back and released the first two seasons.

You would be hard pressed to find a better TV show to have in high definition than Lost, too. The beautiful Hawaiian backgrounds stand out more in the earlier seasons when the island’s natural scenery was still important. The picture quality is, not surprisingly, incredible at 1080p [...]

Dexter
The Complete Second Season, Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Erik King, Lauren Velez
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: May 9, 2009

One of the most original and entertaining shows on TV returned for a second season with vigilante serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C Hall). After following Dexter’s journey of self-discovery in the first season, this time around viewers watch Dexter struggle with new, complicated emotions as he tries to evolve as a person and a killer.

The second season of the hit Showtime series has some serious strengths and weaknesses. First and foremost, the plot goes to the obvious logical step in exploring Dexter’s world by seeing what would happen if Dexter’s crimes were discovered. When a group of scuba divers discover the bodies of Dexter’s victims, he must struggle with keeping up appearances while trying to cover tracks he never thought would be uncovered.

All the while, Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), who was simply suspicious of Dexter in the first season, is now convinced Dexter is hiding something, and stalks him everywhere. This makes Dexter’s usual nighttime activities impossible. The stress of controlling his impulses, avoiding suspicion, and coming to terms with having killed his own brother, Dexter’s internal turmoil is increased ten-fold [...]

Grease
Rockin’ Rydell Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Randal Kleiser
Starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway
Release Date: May 5, 2009

It’s hard to imagine there’s anybody out there who has not seen this landmark piece of American cinema. Forget Troy and Gabriella, they’ve got nothing on Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) and Grease will always be the original high school musical. Even 31 years after its original release, Grease is still regarded as the definitive American musical and a masterpiece of a film.

The Blu-ray release, however, is not as ground-breaking as the film itself. Though long-time fans of the film may jump at the chance for a high-def version, if they already own the DVD “Rockin’ Rydell” edition, there is little reason to repurchase.

Even as Blu-ray technology becomes more widespread, it seems a vast majority of people who use it are videophiles who want the absolute best. Unfortunately, the picture quality on the Grease Blu-ray leaves a bit to be desired. The disc contains a 1080p high-def transfer of the film, but seems spotty at points. Though the film’s vibrant colors really pop in high definition, many scenes lack the crispness one has come to expect from Blu-ray. This is especially noticeable when skipping chapters, as one scene may look great but the next looks practically blurry by comparison [...]

Quantum of Solace [Blu-ray]
Directed by Marc Forester
Starring Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 24, 2009

The James Bond series could very well go on forever. Even after 20 films, it is possible to reinvigorate the series, as the films starring Daniel Craig have proven. Honestly, I have never been a big fan of Bond and hearing that the series was going to be rebooted with Craig didn’t seem to be anything worth getting excited over. Well, I was wrong, and happy to admit it.

Though it may be sacrilegious to say so, doing away with the cheesy gadgets, the overly suggestive character names, and even the one-liners have saved this series, and it’s obvious the new Bond will not be anything like the old ones. A scene in Casino Royale really established the mentality of the new series in relation to the old, as a bartender asks Bond if he wants his martini shaken or stirred, he snaps back “Do I look like I give a damn!?” The new bond is darker, more realistic (not that that is a stretch), and much more intense [...]

Dexter
Season 1 – Blu-ray Edition
Starring: Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Erik King, Lauren Velez
Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: January 6, 2009

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is quite possibly the most interesting anti-hero character on TV. The vigilante serial killer uses his day job as a blood splatter analyst for the Miami Police Department to help put criminals in their place. At night, he uses the training his cop father (James Remar) gave him to kill those who slip through the cracks.

In the first season of the critically acclaimed Showtime series, we’re introduced to Morgan and his methods as he engages in a game of cat and mouse with another serial killer known as The Ice Truck Killer. Along the way, we’re introduced to his step-sister (and fellow cop) Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) and her numerous relationship troubles, his “damaged” girlfriend Rita (Julie Benz), and his aggressively suspicious co-worker Sgt. James Doakes (Erik King) whose sixth sense makes him a constant antagonist for Dexter [...]

Religulous
DVD
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Bill Maher
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 17, 2009

Bill Maher isn’t shy about his disdain for religion. Though raised by a Catholic father and a Jewish mother, Maher has since renounced his faith and has since turned his sharp wit into combating organized religion.

With Religulous, Maher travels the world, visiting (and frequently being kicked out of) the holiest locations on Earth. Along the way, he makes stops and religious museum and amusement park while taking time to speak to Jews, Christian, Muslims, and Mormons.

Religulous is not an attempt to scientifically disprove all of the world’s major religions. It is a comedy, it is meant to poke fun at religion, all religion, but in the end has a serious reason for doing so. Watching this film for the first time, I got the strong impression that most people of faith will not watch it. I can’t blame them, as they would be almost certainly setting themselves up to be offended.

Nevertheless, I am sure many of those who decide to watch anyway will have similar reactions. When Maher is mocking the aspects of other religions, they will almost certainly laugh at the absurdities, but when he turns on their religion of choice, they will see him as a bully who “just doesn’t get it.” [...]

Death Race
Unrated Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane, Joan Allen
Universal Home Entertainment
Release date: December 21, 2008

The suggestion that Hollywood is out of ideas seems more and more prevalent these days, especially with the proliferation of remakes. So it’s not surprising that a remake of a film from over 30 years ago isn’t going to have much originality. However, for a mindless action flick, Death Race isn’t bad. You really can’t think too much about this one or your head might start to hurt. It’s basically Twisted Metal: The Movie.

Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is a former professional driver living in the United States after an economic collapse has changed everything about the way the country works. Prisons have become privately run businesses, one where life is expendable in the name of profits and entertainment. The Death Race is 3-part battle/race between prisoners shown on pay-per-view where participants can die but a five-time winner is promised their freedom. Jensen is framed for murder, sent to prison, and offered a place in the competition. Naturally, it’s not that simple, as the prison warden (played by Joan Allen) is conniving and manipulative to serve her own purposes.

Does any of the plot really matter though? I don’t image too many people would pick up this movie for a deep and introspective narrative. No, this is a definitive “guy movie” and guys want to see hot women, fast cars, and lots of violence. This movie has all three. Oh, did I forget to mention that each death racer has to have a female co-pilot from the neighboring women’s prison, all of whom just happen to look like models? [...]

Movies get made on a single gimmick all the time. It’s a shame when creative writing takes a back seat to an idea that gets people into seats just to see it play out. Sometimes, it’s the pairing of two well-known actors, sometimes it’s a single actor playing a nontraditional role, sometimes it’s just visual gimmick. In the case of the remake of My Bloody Valentine 3D it’s the latter, but that should be obvious from the title.

I have to admit that the 3D aspect of the film is the only thing that got me interested to see what would otherwise be a typical slasher flick with a masked mystery man. Though the original may have gathered a strong following two decades ago, the remake is one of those in a long line of remakes that probably should not have been made.

3D has been done before, so it’s nothing to get terribly excited about. Friday the 13th part 3 was in 3D, as was the climax of Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare. Though the latter only had a small portion of the film driven by this effect, the former looks downright silly when watching it with the added dimension. So I can only imagine the same will be true when this version of My Bloody Valentine is released on DVD. I’m only able to guess because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to sit through the entire film again, even though I was allowed to keep my 3D glasses when I left the theater. Sure, some of the scenes looked pretty cool, but not enough to warrant a second viewing [...]

Jet Li’s Fearless
Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Ronny Yu
Starring Jet Li, Nakamura Shidou, Sun Li, Dong Yong, Nathan Jones
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 9, 2008

Jet Li was planning to stop making martial art movies after the filming of Fearless. He didn’t stick to that plan, but had he done so he would have gone out on an extremely high note.

Fearless tells the story of the life of Huo Yuanjia (played by Li), though it takes some major liberties for dramatic effect. In real life, Huo had many children and grandchildren, not a single daughter, and he was not the only person responsible for the forming of the Chin Woo Athletic Association. Also, humorously, the film greatly embellishes the facts around the fight between Huo and a boxer named O’Brien (Nathan Jones). In reality, there was never any fight, O’Brien simply left town after a dispute over the rules of the match. I don’t imagine that would make a great sequence in a martial art film though, so it’s safe to say the film was “inspired by” Huo’s life rather than a factual account of it.

The Blu-Ray edition holds three versions of the film: theatrical, unrated, and director’s cut. I can count on one hand the number of director’s cuts that are significantly different from the original film. Fearless is one of those films and the director’s cut is a significant improvement over the theatrical version [...]

Call of Duty: World at War
Genre: First Person Shooter
ESRB: M for Mature
Developer: ACTIVISION/Treyarch Studios
Platform: PlayStation 3
Release Date: November 11, 2008

Just another WWII shooter right? Well, in this case, yes and no. The name Call of Duty has become synonymous with quality first-person shooters and sequels continue to improve upon their predecessors. That was until now, as the fifth installment seems to have hit a few bumps along the way and fails to really improve on some of more innovative aspects introduced in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It is worth noting that this game was produced by Treyarch Studios, who were responsible for part 3, but not part 4, which was produced by Infinity Ward. Even ignoring the WWII/Modern aspects, the contrast in styles is obvious, with some aspects not really helping the new version.

The story mode is entertaining, though at this point you have to wonder how creative people can get with yet another WWII first-person shooter. Even though Call of Duty: World at War lives up to its name by showing both the Asian and European fronts, I think the game could have done fine on its own focusing on the U.S.-Japanese conflict. The game jumps back and forth between the two fronts every two missions, which can be a bit annoying as it breaks the storyline for the sake of breaking it. Supporting this notion is the fact that a majority of the Asian front levels take place nearly a year after the fall of Berlin. You will play two levels in the spring of 1945 only be sent back to the battle of Stalingrad immediately after. It seems unnecessary. While the Japanese campaign story would have been fine on its own, I have to admit some of the Russian/German levels were my favorite ones to play [...]

If you’re looking for a fun game for adults, kids, or both, LittleBigPlanet for the Playstation 3 is a very safe bet. The new platform is certainly one of the most unique games of 2008 if not this entire gaming generation. How can you go wrong with a culturally diverse game starring little “sack people” in a world of marionettes narrated by Stephen Fry in the same humorous manner as he did the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

There’s not much to the “story” of the single-player game. You are your own sackperson, exploring the imaginary parts of LittleBigPlanet as you learn the ways of the game. Along the way, you may notice a bizarre looking creature ease-dropping on your fun or even sneaking away with one of your friends, but there isn’t much more to say about him until the very end.

The gameplay is very standard platforming. You run, jump, grab, move blocks, blow stuff up, and jump on bad guys to make them disappear. Even so, the game finds new and creative ways to implement the simple controls needed to move your Sackboy or Sackgirl around the world. There are only a handful or so “devices” used by the game but hundreds of variations on how they can be used. The first few levels walk you through the basics, but the game includes video tutorials and demos to teach you about all the possibilities, and even those contain some humorous jabs. I half-expected a bowl of petunias to fill from the sky at one point. Overall I found the game’s atmosphere to be very clever and one of the few games I found entertaining to learn the game [...]

Sometimes, trilogies take a great film and make a legendary series out of it. Sometimes… they take what was good about the original, regurgitate it over and over, and the end result is a garbled shell of what made the original entertaining. This latter accurately describes Shrek The Third.

The first Shrek was a phenomenal showcase of how far animation technology has come and a biting lampoon of Disney. The sequel managed to keep the same sharp wit and turned it attention towards the Hollywood subculture. The third time around, the writer went full-potty humor and turned their attention towards… fitting in in high school?

Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) is set to inherit the kingdom of Far, Far Away, but he doesn’t want the responsibility, especially after learning Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) is pregnant. So he sails off in search of his young cousin Arthur (voiced by Justin Timberlake) to get him to take the throne.

The jokes are lame, and the story has run its course, but the picture still looks good. Animation has benefited the most from the increased picture quality of Blu-Ray, and Shrek really shows why. If you turn the volume all the way down, Shrek the Third is a great looking movie. The colors pop off the the screen and the picture is as crisp as it gets in full 1080p [...]

Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is living the easy responsibility-free life. A court settlement gave him enough money to sit around and get stoned with his housemate for a few years. In contrast, Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is an up and coming entertainment reporter working at E! These seemingly polar opposites both go out for a night of fun and end up hooking up for what it seems both intended to be a one-night stand. Too bad Ben didn’t use protection. Alison is pregnant, she’s keeping the baby, and the two decide to see if they are compatible enough try an actual relationship.

Rogen is a funny guy, but I think his Frat Pack cohorts may have put him on center stage too early. Despite its own charms, Knocked Up is not as good as some of the other FP movies out there. It fails to comment on the responsibilities of parenthood in the subtle ways the other films poke fun at social norms, but there is still plenty to find funny. I know I may be in the minority with that opinion, but to me, Knocked Up does not have the same rewatch value as other movies with this group.

Like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, another recent Frat Pack Blu-Ray release, Knocked Up is not a movie that benefits all that much from being in 1080p. Sure, the picture quality is astounding, pristine, a major step up from DVD, but there’s nothing in the movie that is going to pop out at you (no, not even the birthing scene) in HD. Nevertheless, if you’re spoiling yourself with Blu-Ray on an HDTV, it’s getting increasingly hard to go back to standard DVD [...]

The 40-Year-Old Virgin is one of the best “Frat Pack” films out there. Steve Carell really stole the spotlight and showed he can be a leading man. The film also showcases one of Paul Rudd’s best characters and gave us our first real look at Seth Rogen’s comedic talents. Even with an enormous amount of low-brow humor, the film still manages to connect with real people facing real relationship issues. Despite the implication of the title, the film does not brand virginity as the worst complication in an adult relationship.

The film stars Carell as the title virgin, who works at a large electronics store and is basically a loner. He’s managed to keep this secret all these years, but when his co-workers (Rogen, Rudd, and several other hilarious supporting roles) find out he’s never been with a woman, they make it their mission to get him laid.

This movie doesn’t really have anything that would be showcased in high-definition. Nevertheless, Universal has not failed yet to deliver an amazing transfer for Blu-Ray. The picture really pops off the screen in full 1080p (Bonus features are in 480i/p). The disc includes both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, with the unrated version running an impressive 16 minutes longer than the original.

Perhaps the most telling line in The Sum of All Fears is spoken by Morgan Freeman as CIA Director Bill Cabot. The POTUS says they run nuclear fire drills against the Russians because who else has over 2,000 to worry about, to which Cabot says, “It’s the guy with one I’m worried about.”

It’s been years since I originally saw this film, and I have to say it was not as bad as I remember it being the first time.

The series took a bizarre turn on this one. Bonus feature commentary revealed that Harrison Ford was originally supposed to reprise the role of Jack Ryan for the third time, but ultimately decided against it before filming began. The role was recast with Ben Affleck, 30 years Ford’s junior, and the script was rewritten to have Ryan as a new recruit to the CIA instead holding a high office like in the novel. The story was altered significantly from the novel, effectively rebooting a series that did not need rebooting. However, it all went down with the approval of author Tom Clancy, who served as the film’s executive producer [...]

The Hunt for Red October is hands-down the best film in the Jack Ryan series for a number of reasons, but first and foremost is the lack of a major villain. Instead the conflict is provided by the cryptic world of international politics and tense foreign relations that are all too real. Obviously there are villainous characters, but their roles are minor and are often interjected to give the plot a single push when needed.
A young Alec Baldwin plays a Jack Ryan who believes in others more than he believes in himself, but whose dedication to doing the right thing is unwavering.

Sean Connery play the mysterious submarine Captain Marko Ramius, whose internal conflict creates an international crisis. Ramius is perhaps the most interesting character in any of the Ryan films. His own dreams surpass any nationalism that may be ingrained into him through years of military service. Despite the fact that we see him commit treason, desertion, murder and conspiracy, viewers will find it near impossible not to sympathize with Ramius’ cause.

But if you own this film on DVD already, is it worth buying again [...]

Filmed almost immediately following Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger is the second of two Jack Ryan films starring Harrison Ford, but third overall and fourth in the series continuity. Confused yet? Don’t worry, it doesn’t really matter, aside from the fact that Ryan’s wife is pregnant in Patriot Games and their son is already a few years old in Clear and Present Danger.

The primary plot of the film revolves around a Mexican drug cartel, but given today’s political climate, the story can strike a deep chord with many people without looking for a literal representation. No, instead there are the ever-present themes of political corruption, double-dealing, secret government operations and abuse of power. In this particular case, we see a sitting President use the power of his office to settle a personal vendetta, paid for with the lives of American soldiers and promptly swept under the rug when things don’t go so well. Oh the irony. ..

Though Jack Ryan was first portrayed by Alec Baldwin in the most popular entry in the series based on Tom Clancy novels, I always associated the character with Harrison Ford’s portrayal. Ford brings a strong sense of moral integrity to the character. This is most evident is Ford’s portrayal in Patriot Games. Through happenstance, an assassination attempt on a British Royal by a rogue Irish terrorist group is foiled by Ryan, who kills one of the attackers in the process. Sean Bean plays one of the surviving terrorists, whose brother is the man killed by Ryan. What ensues is a duel game of cat-and-mouse, with both characters hunting each other across the globe. Maybe it’s not the smash that Hunt for Red October was, but Patriot Games is a solid political and character driven movie all around.

Of the four Jack Ryan films, Patriot Games stands the least to gain from a high definition transfer. The story gives us a much more personal look at the life of Ryan than the other stories do, and the major conflict is driven by the rage-filled vendetta of a single man.

During the format war, Universal was all about HD-DVD. Even Toshiba threw in the towel before Universal would even talk about releasing a movie on Blu-Ray. Nevertheless, it seems they are no longer dragging their feet with the release of the Mummy series.

Though The Mummy Returns may arguably not be the best movie, it’s definitely the kind that can benefit from a high-definition presentation. The magnificent scenery, intense action sequences, and larger-than-life special effects (save for, perhaps, the hokey CGI version of the Scorpion King) all look phenomenal in full 1080p.

Ten years after the first film, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) returns for a rematch against the O’Connell family. Brendan Fraser returns as Rick, and Rachel Weisz as Evelyn. Rick is arguably one of Fraser’s best roles. This is, after all, the guy who played George of the Jungle.