The Mummy Returns (2001)
Blu-ray
Directed by Stephen Sommers, Greg Michael
Starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr

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.

Batman: The Movie (Blu-ray)
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Starring Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith
Fox Home Video
Release Date: July 1, 2008

At this point in time, there is little I can say about the film itself that has not been said countless times before by others. This cult-classic film is the very definition of camp. It brought together four legendary villains in a scheme so absurd it could only be foiled by the combined efforts of Adam West and Burt Ward as the dynamic duo. Shark repellant spray, dehydrating the “entire” United Nations, and “some days you just can’t get rid of bomb.” At this point most already know if they love it or hate it. The real question is, is it worth repurchasing in “high-def”?

Though the idea of seeing the film on Blu-Ray may sound promising, the film really does not benefit from a 1080p transfer. The special effects are not exactly cutting edge and while the colors do really pop off the screen, it’s more likely due to their blatant lack of realism. In fact, when viewed in contrast of one bonus feature that allows a pop-up map of the Hollywood area to show where every scene of the movie was filmed, the unimpressive video quality is even more apparent. However, you can see more details in the mustache Cesar Romero refused to shave and instead painted white for his role as The Joker.

Hancock
Directed by Peter Berg
Starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan, Charlize Theron
Rated PG-13
Release date: July 2, 2008

Hancock (Will “awww, hell no” Smith) is not your average superhero. He doesn’t wear a uniform, he drinks, he’s reckless, he’s insulting, and he doesn’t have a secret headquarters (unless you count Mel Gibson’s trailer from the first Lethal Weapon as a headquarters). After saving struggling PR specialist Ray Embrey (Jason Batemen) from being run down by a train (by flipping his car onto another and stopping the train, causing untold destruction), he’s forced to take a look at himself and see if he can do anything, with Ray’s help, to turn his life around.

It’s definitely an interesting premise, adding realistic and human problems to characters which are always viewed as larger than life. Considering the emotional and social issues that average joe’s encounter because of minor superficial differences, it’s refreshing to see the same rules applied to someone not-so-average. The end result, however, jumps from character study to shocking twist to typical superhero movie.

Despite the great concept, there are some minor issues with the story. The major twist halfway through asks the viewer to casually accept the passing explanations despite the serious repercussions on the plot. The “villain” seems like a half-hearted afterthought, his presence seems like more of a vehicle for Hancock’s character development than anything else.

The Strangers
Directed by Bryan Bertino
Starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman
Rated R
Release date: May 30, 2008

Is Tamara home?

A simple and seemingly innocent question, but when James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) are asked this by a mysterious blonde woman at their door at 4 AM, it quickly becomes obvious we’ll never know who Tamara is or if she even exists. Shortly after the stranger leaves, scary things begin to happen around their cabin, but to say more than that would give away too much and thus spoil the refreshingly scary movie The Strangers.

In many ways the movie is like so many others in the horror genre (young attractive people being stalked by masked murders and all that), but the truly scary part is how easily it could really happen and, in some cases, already has.

The story claims to be inspired by true events. Depending on who you talk to, the film’s inspiration comes from events from writer/director Bryan Bertino‘s childhood neighborhood, the Mason Family, or the Cabin 28 murders. Regardless, the story of The Strangers is vague enough to be connected to thousands of real crimes, which is what makes it so unnerving.

Planet Earth
The BBC Natural History Collection
Documentary
Host: David Attenborough
BBC Video
Release date: January 22, 2008

BBC’s immensely popular documentary series on the planet we all call home is a unique set which surpassed all other nature documentaries I have seen, though it would undoubtedly take countless years to truly document all the wonders that fill our planet. Planet Earth is a good start, with each hour-long episode dedicated to various regions or environments to bring the large gamut of life on Earth into view.

Each episode in this 5-disc DVD set consists of exactly what each titles suggest, an in-depth view of the lives of various species in all extremes of habits. I found the episode about caves to be particularly fascinating because, as the opening monologue mentions, a majority of the caves on Earth are still largely unexplored, and the potential for new discoveries in our own backyards so to speak is still very much alive.

To say the cinematography of Planet Earth is beautiful would be an understatement of unprecedented proportions. There is a reason that this series was one of the highest selling HD-DVDs during the format’s short lifespan and continues to sell well on Blu-Ray. If you are unable to watch this series on a HDTV, you are truly missing out. Never have I seen any documentary with such amazing visuals as Planet Earth. Whether it is an ice flow, a ranging herd, or even a flock of literally millions of bats, I found myself being hypnotized by the beautiful way nature moves and was captured on film. I am hardly what you would call a nature lover, but from a filmmaker’s perspective I found the shot compositions in this series to be truly amazing and found myself thinking… “gosh what it must have been like setting up that shot.”